Fans of the cult-favorite science fiction series Firefly will soon have another reason to head back into the ’Verse. More than two decades after the television series first introduced audiences to Captain Malcolm Reynolds and the crew of Serenity, the franchise is returning with an all-new comic book series from Dynamite Entertainment.
Originally created by Joss Whedon, Firefly debuted on television in 2002. Although it lasted only one season, the series quickly developed a devoted following thanks to its unusual combination of science fiction, western adventure, humor and memorable characters.
Set hundreds of years in the future, Firefly follows the crew of the transport ship Serenity as they travel through a solar system settled by humanity after people left Earth. Led by former soldier Malcolm “Mal” Reynolds, the crew survives by taking whatever jobs they can find — some legal and some considerably less so — while trying to stay out of the reach of the powerful Alliance government.
The series featured an ensemble cast that included Nathan Fillion as Mal, Gina Torres as Zoe Washburne, Alan Tudyk as Hoban “Wash” Washburne, Jewel Staite as Kaylee Frye, Morena Baccarin as Inara Serra, Sean Maher as Simon Tam and Summer Glau as River Tam.
Despite being canceled after just 14 episodes, Firefly refused to disappear. Strong DVD sales and continued fan support helped lead to the 2005 feature film Serenity, which reunited the cast and continued several of the television series’ major storylines.
In the years since, the Firefly universe has remained alive through novels and comic books published by companies including Dark Horse Comics and BOOM! Studios. Those stories have explored everything from the characters’ pasts to events occurring after the Serenity film.
Now, Dynamite Entertainment is taking its turn aboard Serenity with a new ongoing comic series.
Firefly #1 is written by Eisner Award-winning writer Mark Russell with artwork by Lorenzo Re. The new story finds Mal once again facing one of his most persistent problems: keeping Serenity in the air when money is running short.
Meanwhile, Simon Tam and Kaylee Frye find themselves posing as a married couple as part of a heist — a plan that, in true Firefly fashion, quickly becomes more complicated than expected.
Dynamite has also revealed several variant covers for the first issue, including artwork from a number of comic book artists and a special blind bag edition aimed at collectors.
One question still hanging over the new series is exactly where it falls within the Firefly timeline. Promotional artwork appears to include both Shepherd Book and Wash, two characters whose stories came to an end during the events of Serenity. Their presence has led to speculation that the new adventures could be set sometime before the 2005 movie.
For longtime Browncoats, another opportunity to spend time with the crew may be reason enough to pick up the new series.
Few television shows have demonstrated the staying power of Firefly. What began as a short-lived series more than 20 years ago has continued to find new audiences while maintaining a passionate fan base that never quite gave up on the possibility of more stories.
Part of that lasting appeal comes from the world the original series created. With only 14 television episodes, viewers were given a glimpse of a much larger universe filled with planets, settlements, political conflicts and unanswered questions. Comics and novels have allowed writers to explore parts of that universe the television series never had time to visit.
Now, Serenity is preparing to fly again.
Firefly #1 is scheduled to arrive in comic book shops and through online retailers on September 2.
