Review – Serenity: No Power in The ‘Verse #2 (Dark Horse Comics)

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Chris Roberson
Art: Georges Jeanty
Release Date: 30th November, 2016

If there was an award for most faithful continuation of a TV series, then Chris Roberson’s Serenity would be a very strong contender. With issue two picking up right where we left off, all the usual boxes are ticked in the Firefly Trope list; Mal makes an impassioned speech, Simon says something snotty about where he’s ended up on the social ladder, Jayne gets a suspicious package, and River is just…. River.

Roberson has perfectly encapsulated the tone and feel of the original series with the way his characters move and talk, but also with the way the story progresses. There’s a steady pace to the issue which is more comforting and reminiscent than it probably could have been, with some of the scenes coming across as fan service more than anything else. There are a couple of really nice touches though, like Mal’s speech/argument with Simon and the thing that River does (trying very hard to avoid any major plot spoilers here!).

Speaking of nice touches… Georges Jeanty’s art is a very welcome touch to the series itself. Somehow managing to have the same look as the other Whedonverse books on the market, it gives a familiarity to the series that’s instantly recognisable. (Maybe to do with the fact that he did the art of seasons 7, 8 and 9 of Buffy, but you get what I mean). Most of the humour of the book is drawn from Jeanty’s art, with his overly expressive character profiles and big bold panel outlines giving the book a quicker pace than I think the story itself allows.

My only major gripe with the series so far is the fact that a lot of it does feel a little too much like fan service, falling into the same outlines as previous episodes of the series, and there is almost too much of a similarity with certain other Whedonverse series that has an army of children being trained up to fight evil.

Overall, issue two builds nicely on the series, bringing up all the same feelings you felt watching the television show, and with the sad news of the passing of Ron Glass this week, it is a truly necessary purchase for any Firefly fans out there. It made me feel a little better anyway.

Rating: 4/5.

PREVIEW ARTWORK
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