Review: Firefly #14

The challenge with any comic based on a series created by Joss Whedon is matching the depth and character work that his team injected into any series. We always return to these characters because we love them and yearn for more adventures with the crew, but it’s almost impossible to match the acting, dialogue and tone of the original series. Writer Greg Pak and artist Lilit Kumar Sharma refuse to parrot what has been done before. They know the core of the Firefly crew and put these characters into new places and situations without obsessing over their past or future.

The greater part of this issue focuses on Zoe and Wash leading the crew on an unusual smuggling operation. One in which the difficulty of delivering the cargo, in this case consisting of dead bodies, is surpassed by the emotional toll of helping those across the galaxy bury their dead. It is a touching, simple tale which leaves Zoe rightly exhausted.

Mal in the meantime is investigating a dead body of his own with a miner shot on his watch. Mal’s new status as Sheriff of the Georgia Space Sector brings out a new sense of responsibility even as it draws him away from his crew. The mystery deepens as an assassin uses distraction as a chance to draw away Mal and his partner to allow a larger attack on the mining colony.

The art in this issue by Lalit Kumar Sharma is incredible. The characters are recognizable without be slavish to the originals. The action pieces are epic and easy to track. The tragic scenes throughout the funeral montage are incredible in their emotion and variety. The art in this issue conveys all of the power and nuance one would hope for from a series such as Firefly where action and emotion are equally important. Similarly the colors by Francesco Segala perfectly match each scene and moment beat for beat.

Where this issue fails is in creating interest in the larger arc. Ultimately Zoe’s mission seems to be finding a place to hide out and Mal’s mission doesn’t carry any sort of weight for the reader. The personal stakes are not high enough to make readers wish to return issue after issue. The greatest challenge with a series such as Firefly is the fact that we know how it all ends. The film Serenity was an incredible joy, but it altered the story for many of the characters in a definitive way. Any comic which seeks to simply fill in the gaps needs to have a larger arc showing why the story matters, or really tap into the hearts of each character to get us deeper into their souls. This is a well told story, but it just doesn’t hold weight. Pak needs to find a way to add stakes that matters even while he and Sharma brings to life characters we love.

Writing: 3 of 5 stars
Art: 4 of 5 stars
Colors: 4 of 5 stars

Overall: 4 of 5 stars

Writer: Greg Pak
Artwork: Lalit Kumar Sharma
Colors: Francesco Segala
Publisher: Boom Studios

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.