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Firefly: 20th Anniversary Special #1
- Writer:
- Jorge Corona, Josh Lee Gordon
- Artist:
- Jordi Pérez, Nicola Izzo
- Letterer:
- Jim Campbell
- Cover Artist:
- Marc Aspinall
- Publisher:
- BOOM! Studios
- Price:
- $7.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-08-31
- Colorist:
- Francesco Segala, Gloria Martinelli, Lucia Di Giammarino
The initial release of Firefly was a tumultuous affair, with creative differences and studio interference leading to a troubled production and shortened season of just eleven episodes. But fan reaction elevated the show to a pop culture phenomenon that broke through the space sci-fi scene with its diverse cast and plots. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the show's first airing, and Boom! Studios has released a special commemorative issue. Firefly: 20th Anniversary Special #1, written by Jorge Corona and Josh Lee Gordon with artwork from Jordi Pérez, Nicola Izzo, Francesco Segala, Lucia Di Giammarino, and Gloria Martinelli and lettering by Jim Campbell, brings the new and old crews of Serenity together for an adventure that spans decades.
The first story opens on a desert planet where Zoe, Jayne, River, and the Shepherd take some time off as Malcolm and the others stay aboard the Serenity to repair the spaceship. But their rest is interrupted when a mysterious aircraft crashlands in the distance with Alliance forces on its heels. Shepherd Book immediately recognizes the ship and tells Jayne to lay cover fire as he attempts to enter the mysterious craft wreaking havoc. The latter half is a Brand New 'Verse story that begins with a homecoming party and ends in a hectic race against time to save Serenity and its crew from utter destruction. But can the conundrum of the past answer the riddle of the present?
Part 1 of Firefly: 20th Anniversary Special #1 is sure to feel familiar to fans of the series. A sudden turn of events leads to a myriad of problems, each more chaotic than the previous one. While the narrative keeps shifting from the ground perspective to the hawkeye view on deck, the main focus always remains on the UFO. Book's illusive past plays a major role in setting the ball rolling, with writer Jorge Corona sprinkling a healthy dose of action to spice things up. Jordi Pérez brings that energy into the artwork, sparing no details and engulfing the pages in a rowdy atmosphere. Although far from being perfect, with the illustrations having a passing resemblance to the original cast, it still manages to capture the spirit of each character quite well.
The second part gets off to a more colorful and jovial start. But as soon as the smokescreen parts, the plot starts to show its true colors. Josh Lee Gordon crafts an intricate tale using family dynamics and interpersonal chemistry to keep the drama running as the mystery gets thicker and thicker with every flip of the page. Nicola Izzo's stylized art brings a sense of vigor to the proceedings. Lucia Di Giammarino's colors make the outer space scenes look absolutely spectacular.
Although the two stories in Firefly: 20th Anniversary Special #1 are bound by one single thread, they are very different in style and theme. Part 1 acts as the overture, with Part 2 completing the rest of the opera. While readers do not get to see the original cast in their full glory, the new generation of Serenity's crew is a hearty bunch that keeps the fire going. Seeing the world of Firefly continue to grow and expand makes this 20th Anniversary celebration a really special issue.