On the run from the law as per yoosh, the Captain Kaylee Frye made the decision to follow Jayne’s lead about a possible spot for fuel and possible riches. As their luck would have it, they land in a rather unexpected situation.

Unlike Jayne’s report of unguarded riches and fuel, the Serenity crew find themselves in the midst of a buncha holy men. On the one hand, the horde of holy relics from Earth That Was would fetch a pretty penny, but y’know… morals and ethics… While the monks are happy to offer assistance to the crew, their help is not without a price tag. Fortunately for the crew, it’s the type that they’re well-equipped to provide. Unless things go kinda sideways, which if we’re being honest, is very likely how things will play out.

David M. Booher’s run keeps its smooth pacing, with Booher deftly switching between different groups of characters to give the different interpersonal relationships some time to breathe. As far as plot goes, it feels very much like we’re still waiting for the other boot to drop, so we’ll see how things play out. As it currently stands, the stakes have been slightly raised, with a life on the line and time of the essence.

The triumvirate of Jordi Pérez, Francesco Segala, and Gloria Martinelli on art duties provides a strong look for this book. Pérez’s linework is clean but with a certain looseness that I feels embodies the vibe of the ‘Verse quite nicely. The colorwork by Segala and Martinelli feel like storytelling elements, too, with clear visual cues for flashbacks and current scenes, while also adding motion and heightening emotional moments. Jim Campbell’s letters seem to effortlessly make the case for the need for an excellent letterer on any project; the text is clean and well spaced out so as to not obscure the artwork, with variations in font and colors to telegraph tone and volume.

Two issues in and this arc seems to be building up to be a pretty good “season opener.” I’m enjoying the shift in focus to some of the previously less-utilized characters for a spell, and I hope to see more of that as Booher and Co. continue on this title.  

Creative Team: David M. Booher (writer), Jordi Pérez (art), Francesco Segala, Gloria Martinelli (colorist), Jim Campbell (letterer)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
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