Special Announcement From Dark Horse Comics: Serenity Will Fly Again!

Editor’s note: [MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW – IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN SERENITY, TURN BACK NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!]

In 2005, the crew of Serenity was brought back together for one last adventure. The events that took place resulted in a costly victory against the Alliance which left fans reeling from the loss of Wash and Shepherd Book. The film, Serenity, was meant to be a parting gift to the faithful fans of Joss Whedon’s Firefly, but for many the question still remained: What happens next?

The population of Browncoats has only increased since the show’s untimely cancellation in 2002, and so has demand for more. Dark Horse Comics, the creators of the short stories Serenity: Those Left Behind and Serenity: Better Days, have heard the requests and have decided to take on the challenge! In an exclusive with Comic Book Resources, Dark Horse Comics has finally revealed their next project: They plan to release a new series following the aftermath of the film Serenity.

The new comic will begin with River Tam in the co-pilot chair and a very pregnant Zoe trying to cope with the loss of her husband. Mal and his crew find themselves in more danger than ever before following their devastating blow to the Alliance by exposing the government’s  involvement in the creation of Reavers.

The writer is still being kept secret; however, the series artist has been revealed. Fans of Whedon will be glad to hear that Georges Jeanty, the artist behind the comic book series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has stepped into the role. As a fan who can relate to the outcry sparked by the cancellation of the series, Jeanty is taking on the challenge with a feeling of responsibility to meet the expectations of Browncoats.

Firefly is a lot darker than Buffy. There are way more shadows and shading than with Buffy. Also, when I was drawing Buffy, I could start from scratch. Sure, I had to keep in line with how the characters looked, but everything [else] was up for grabs. Sunnydale was destroyed, so I didn’t have to keep in line with the architecture. With Firefly, there are seven characters and a ship to consider. When they’re on Serenity–fans know what every inch of that ship looks like, so I have to be very meticulous with my depiction. Not to mention there are a few very subtle differences in the ship from TV to the movie. This is definitely a learning experience, one I don’t think I’ll fully master until the series is over!

Along with the series itself, Jeanty is looking to other sci-fi artists and movies such as Blade Runner, Outland and Alien as inspiration to achieve that “rustic futuristic feel”. It sounds like the artist is hard at work and taking on the responsibility with plenty of dedication to meet the demands of the faithful following. More news is set to be released at next month’s New York Comic Con, so stay tuned!

I have said before that I look forward to any opportunity given to reconnect with this crew, and I am more excited now than ever. Personally, I will be keeping tissues handy for the first few issues. Tell me, Browncoats: How do you feel about this new venture?