With the discovery of an Alliance portal on the derelict ship, questions have arisen about whether the monks of the monastery on Requiem are as on the level as we’ve been led to believe. Meanwhile, with Simon volunteering as hostage in order to save the people in the monastery, things seem to be going pretty south. Oh, and Owen triggered a bomb that blew up the derelict ship after he entered it…
With just one more regular issue to go before a bumper special to close out this series, we’re getting to the heart of things here. With Jayne wallowing in regret and shame, Simon in the hands of the Tax Collector, and Owen possibly being blown up, the odds don’t really seem to be in the favor of our Big Damn Heroes. The thing about heroes, though – as cliched as it sounds – is that they always get back up to do what’s best. Mal and Jayne have never been the closest of buddies, but they share a great moment in this issue, where Mal’s previous despair puts him in a unique position to motivate Jayne.
David M. Booher’s run has been excellent so far. This is the first issue that doesn’t begin with a Jayne flashback, and I think that’s because we’re finally done with Jayne’s past and his reasons for being who he thinks he needs to be; he’s finally in a position to be looking at his present and focusing on the future. Booher’s done a remarkable job fleshing Jayne out, giving him fears, aspirations, remorse, and hopes. It’s not a place I thought we’d ever be anytime soon with the knit-hatted one, but here we are.
Simona Di Gianfelice and Francesco Segala are back in the ‘Verse, slinging sick artwork as per yoosh. Di Gianfelice’s artwork retains the same stylized coolness as in the past; the likenesses are highly stylized but it’s nigh impossible to mix the characters up, given their distinctive outfits and defining characteristics. Segala’s artwork is excellent in this issue, and I’m especially impressed by a lot of the lighting effects spread throughout. Rounding up the visuals team is the exceptional Jim Campbell on letters. Campbell’s excellence is always consistent, and the quality of his work has been one of the beautiful constants of the various Firefly series thus far.
The sum-up: It would appear that all solutions tend to require an acknowledgment of the past. In this case, the reckoning might be quite literal. I am excited to see if this series will leave us with yet another changed line-up of the Serenity crew.
Creative Team: David M. Booher (writer), Simona Di Gianfelice (art), Francesco Segala (colorist), Jim Campbell (letterer)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
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