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Serenity: Better Days #2

By Zach Bowen
April 13, 2008 - 15:22

Serenity: Better Days is a canon miniseries done by “Firefly”/“Serenity” creator Joss Whedon and “Firefly” writer Brett Matthews. This three-part miniseries fits in after the television show “Firefly”, and before the previous 2005 miniseries Serenity: Those Left Behind, which acted as a precursor to the feature film “Serenity.” In the first issue, the crew finally got away with more money than they expected to steal. This time, readers finally get to see how the characters of Serenity react to having a substantial acquisition.

 For those who have not seen “Firefly” or “Serenity”, this is probably not the comic for you. However, for those who have already experienced the other stories, this miniseries is a highly entertaining read. The transition of the dialogue from the television show reads seamlessly, as the characters voices remain perfectly intact. Whedon and Matthews stay true to the already established characters and make this comic seem like a bonus episode of the television series. This miniseries is definitely worth picking up; Whedon gets to tell a story that the show never had the opportunity to before. The ragtag crew of Serenity was always hard up for “coin”, and seeing them in a position of financial comfort is a welcome change. One of the only oddities of this issue is its massive sexual overtone. The television show always included sexual moments, but in this issue, Whedon and Matthews insert a plethora of both shocking, yet hilarious moments that ultimately feel excessive. Since this miniseries takes place in between some of the other stories, readers already know how things are going to turn out. Whedon and Matthews understand this weakness, and find ways to maneuver around it. For those who have not seen the movie, spoilers will be avoided, but this issue has a particularly cruel moment (for those who know how the story ends) that would make even Jayne cry.

 When the 2005 miniseries came out, Will Conrad’s character depictions were mediocre. However, Conrad has really stepped up his work for this new run and is faithfully drawing accurate representations of the actors he is supposed to be illustrating. Regrettably, the colors in this issue do not compliment the art. Michelle Madsen uses earth based tones, which work for the surroundings, but look a bit odd when it comes to the characters. With a better use of color, Madsen could have made the characters look nearly identical to the actors they are meant to portray.

 For viewers familiar with “Firefly” and “Serenity”, this miniseries should definitely be picked up. For those who have yet to experience the television series, comic books, or the movie movie, go pick those up as well.

8.5/10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12