I didn’t want to admit it but… well… “Serenity: Better Days” sucked really badly. I kept insisting to myself that it was just mediocre, but re-reading the issues I can safely say that it sucks. If Whedon and co. were trying to show us what a poor imitation of “Firefly” would look like, then it worked. Thanks Joss. It was so bad I didn’t even finish the final issue. Yeah, that bad. So, along comes “Serenity: The Other Half,” a web exclusive mini comic book following the gang of “Serenity” in the middle of a gorram battle.
Sadly, this small comic is ten times better than the first two graphic novels mainly because the urgency is there. Too often the writers try to mimick the series while trying to stretch a basic one note premise. With seven pages there’s no room for error in “The Other Half,” and writer Kruger steps up and gives us a fun and energetic look at a deal gone wrong with the Serenity gang looking to stop the Reavers as a wounded man lies bleeding to death owing them the second half of their fee.
But River senses something truly sinister about the wounded man lying in their medical vehicle during the chase, and it’s up to her to stop him before it gets violent. The art from Will Conrad is quite great with most of the story set during a high speed chase, and the urgency is akin to a normal episode of “Firefly,” while the likenesses of the cast are about seamless. Particularly, Conrad aces River in her awe induced psychic glances, and dazed looks of horror. It’s great, I wish we had more of these.