Firefly #29 Review
Writer: Greg Pak
Artist: Simona Di Gianfelice
Colours: Francesco Segala
Letters: Jim Campbell
**This review has MAJOR SPOILERS for the conclusion of the last issue**
The last issue ended with most of our heroes lost through a portal which took them who knows where, and they found themselves on Earth That Was. They also killed a bunch of the natives, believing them to be monsters, before discovering they were human. Not the best first impression to make.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to big reveals like discovering Earth in a series like this. On the one hand one of the foundations of Firefly was that Earth was gone, used up and abandoned. Sometimes stories don’t need to explore everything. That moment in Serenity where Mal asks Book about his past and Book says he won’t tell him about his past. It worked. Sometimes it’s best to leave some mysteries unexplored (Of course Books history was later revealed in a Dark Horse graphic novel, but that’s beside the point.). Then there’s the other school of thought where it’s almost inevitable that Earth will be found and explored. Which is right is difficult to say, and the answer for that will lie with how the series unfolds. So far though it doesn’t feel like it’s necessary to have visited Earth.
There are adjustments being made to the crew in this issue. Kaylee is the captain, Mal is resigned to taking a back seat as a broken shadow of his former self. We have the newly dubbed Washbot, his position with Zoe and the larger crew. All this while exploring Earth That Was and learning a little more about the natives. Lots going on here. Greg Pak doesn’t always get the characterisation spot on but he’s doing a good job with Jayne and Simon in particular, as well as most of the crew. The biggest exception being Mal since he’s completely unrecognisable, and the Washbot. It’s difficult to know if he’s meant to be behaving like Wash or not, and Pak isn’t making that particularly clear.
Simona Di Gianfelice does an excellent job with the art. She manages to capture each individual characters look, they’re instantly recognisable from the series, and look great. And whether or not this burned out, defeated version of Mal sits right with readers Di Gianfelice manages to make him look like a shell of his former self. Of course one of the real highlights of this issue is getting to explore Earth That Was, which manages to look both familiar and different. It’s all brought to life beautifully though, and even has Lion King vibes at one stage.
It’s difficult to know how this story arc will pan out, or whether or not the original TV series would have covered this if it hadn’t been prematurely cancelled. It’s the closest to classic Firefly that this series has achieved in a long time, but whether or not that will keep readers coming back for more is up in the air. The art looks great though, and almost justifies the cost of entry.
Artist: Simona Di Gianfelice
Colours: Francesco Segala
Letters: Jim Campbell
**This review has MAJOR SPOILERS for the conclusion of the last issue**
The last issue ended with most of our heroes lost through a portal which took them who knows where, and they found themselves on Earth That Was. They also killed a bunch of the natives, believing them to be monsters, before discovering they were human. Not the best first impression to make.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to big reveals like discovering Earth in a series like this. On the one hand one of the foundations of Firefly was that Earth was gone, used up and abandoned. Sometimes stories don’t need to explore everything. That moment in Serenity where Mal asks Book about his past and Book says he won’t tell him about his past. It worked. Sometimes it’s best to leave some mysteries unexplored (Of course Books history was later revealed in a Dark Horse graphic novel, but that’s beside the point.). Then there’s the other school of thought where it’s almost inevitable that Earth will be found and explored. Which is right is difficult to say, and the answer for that will lie with how the series unfolds. So far though it doesn’t feel like it’s necessary to have visited Earth.
There are adjustments being made to the crew in this issue. Kaylee is the captain, Mal is resigned to taking a back seat as a broken shadow of his former self. We have the newly dubbed Washbot, his position with Zoe and the larger crew. All this while exploring Earth That Was and learning a little more about the natives. Lots going on here. Greg Pak doesn’t always get the characterisation spot on but he’s doing a good job with Jayne and Simon in particular, as well as most of the crew. The biggest exception being Mal since he’s completely unrecognisable, and the Washbot. It’s difficult to know if he’s meant to be behaving like Wash or not, and Pak isn’t making that particularly clear.
Simona Di Gianfelice does an excellent job with the art. She manages to capture each individual characters look, they’re instantly recognisable from the series, and look great. And whether or not this burned out, defeated version of Mal sits right with readers Di Gianfelice manages to make him look like a shell of his former self. Of course one of the real highlights of this issue is getting to explore Earth That Was, which manages to look both familiar and different. It’s all brought to life beautifully though, and even has Lion King vibes at one stage.
It’s difficult to know how this story arc will pan out, or whether or not the original TV series would have covered this if it hadn’t been prematurely cancelled. It’s the closest to classic Firefly that this series has achieved in a long time, but whether or not that will keep readers coming back for more is up in the air. The art looks great though, and almost justifies the cost of entry.
A Look Inside
