Quick recap of “New Sheriff in the ‘Verse” so far: Surprise, surprise… Blue Sun’s been behind the super-soldier-pain-in-the-butt problem plaguing Mal so far. Why the interest in the newly minted sheriff remains less clear. Meanwhile, the Chang-Benitez Gang keeps biting off more than they probably wanna chew…
Chapter 6 of “New Sheriff in the ‘Verse” takes on a few twists and turns and introduces us to the Bandit King. After the revelations of the previous issue, this issue is surprisingly low-key. Mal’s relationship with the Chang-Benitez Gang is front and center in this issue. Being on the “right” side of the law is a new concept to Mal as he balances past allegiances with new responsibilities.
Greg Pak’s writing is top-notch as usual, with some excellent banter between Mal and the others. This arc has been surprising in many ways. Mal taking a turn at law enforcement is perhaps the biggest surprise. The fractured crew and their separate trajectories have been mildly worrisome. Inara’s badass turn in the previous issue was a total jaw-dropper. All this is to say that one of the reasons that #StoriesMatter to me is their ability to surprise you, even with known quantities. While familiarity is comforting, stories also have the ability to push us out of our comfort zones and allow us to explore novel experiences through the relative safety of being a spectator.
Lalit Kumar Sharma and Francesco Segala continue to do excellent work, conveying that dusty aesthetic that I’ve come to associate with their partnership. While writing cred goes to Pak, I feel that Jim Campbell’s excellent lettering is a big part of conveying how the script is received, so props for that!
Overall, there’s a natural progression of Mal’s new role as law keeper that may result in some serious strain on his past relationships. Meanwhile, a cocky, new character promises to shake things up a bit more.
Creative Team: Greg Pak (writer), Lalit Kumar Sharma (art), Francesco Segala (colors), Jim Campbell (letterer)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
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