NEW Serenity Comic!!!

POSTED BY: PhyreLight
UPDATED: Friday, August 22, 2008 02:46
VIEWED: 41163
PAGE 1 of 1

PHYRELIGHT

Wednesday, August 6, 2008 11:34 PM

Dark Horse has a NEW Serenity Comic on their MySpace page! It's really short, but it ends with an important moment! CLICK HERE TO SEE IT: http://www.myspace.com/darkhorsepresents?issuenum=13&storynum=1. :DDDDDD

Experience the Horribleness!

http://www.drhorrible.com

SAB39

Thursday, August 7, 2008 1:21 AM

I found the story hard to follow... The top right panel on page five is incredibly important, but very subtle indeed. I missed it entirely and was completely confused by the ending until I hunted back for the salient parts.

It's an interesting and powerful story; I wish we could see it in some other format though.

Also... not enough Kaylee.

www.fans4writers.com

TWO

Thursday, August 7, 2008 1:25 AM

A PDF file with all 8 pages of the "Serenity: The Other Half" comic can be downloaded at
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/8/13/2048723/Serenity-TheOtherHalf.p
df
The PDF file will be available indefinitely.

PHYRELIGHT

Thursday, August 7, 2008 1:36 AM

The part that creeps me out is towards the bottom of that same page (pg. 5) where the guy thinks that the Alliance has been hunting down smugglers.

Experience the Horribleness!

http://www.drhorrible.com

ANONYMOUS1

Thursday, August 7, 2008 2:49 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by PhyreLight:
The part that creeps me out is towards the bottom of that same page (pg. 5) where the guy thinks that the Alliance has been hunting down smugglers.

Guy is worrying that River knows how the Alliance has been hunting down smugglers. Like using him as bait.

DEADLOCKVICTIM

Thursday, August 7, 2008 3:11 AM

...i think its shiny... well done

OUT2THEBLACK

Thursday, August 7, 2008 7:38 AM

SHINY find , little one...

You're a bright light in this dark 'Verse...

Thanks for bringin' this to them as need it told !

WYTCHCROFT

Thursday, August 7, 2008 10:57 AM

damn straight:)

BROWNCOAT1

Thursday, August 7, 2008 1:25 PM

Shiny!

Now if we could just get Joss to greenlight a Serenity monthly comic like he is doing w/ Buffy and Angel.

__________________________________________
Holding the line since December '02!

Richmond, VA & surrounding area Firefly Fans:

http://www.richmondbrowncoats.org

Color Officer / X.O. Echo Company

http://76thbattalion.homestead.com/index.html

PHYRELIGHT

Thursday, August 7, 2008 1:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Anonymous1:
Quote:
Originally posted by PhyreLight:
The part that creeps me out is towards the bottom of that same page (pg. 5) where the guy thinks that the Alliance has been hunting down smugglers.

Guy is worrying that River knows how the Alliance has been hunting down smugglers. Like using him as bait.

Yeah. That's why it creeps me out! All of those other smugglers are dead b/c the Alliance has been looking for one girl.

Experience the Horribleness!

http://www.drhorrible.com

NBZ

Thursday, August 7, 2008 2:20 PM

A couple of questions:

1. is this official or fanfic? Seems the former, but just wanna be sure.

2. Page 6 - How does Wash shoot those ships? Serenity has no weapons.

3. Have there been more of these comins that i may have missed? (I know about those left behind and Better days)

4. When do we get the first half? :P

/insert Monty Python sketch about the Spanish inquisition:

(just the first 30 or so seconds)

As for the story itself, nice. I assume River executed the guy?

And protecting a stagecoach. Class.

CANTTAKEMYSKY

Thursday, August 7, 2008 2:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by nbz:

2. Page 6 - How does Wash shoot those ships? Serenity has no weapons.

I totally agree. I don't get it. Yet, this story I still find amazing due to the fact we now know why River is on the job at the beginning of the BDM. Now I want to see the comic that comes before this and after this.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CREATOR OF THE MOST RANDOM ACCIDENTAL THREAD IN THE 'VERSE, AND PREVIOUS OWNER OF A BILLBOARD SIZED SENTIENT KILLER BANNER!

PLATONIST

Thursday, August 7, 2008 3:25 PM

What a great surprise, thanks comic guys! And Joss, I'm assuming he gave the green light.

I had to read this one a few times for it to make sense. It is rushed, but it does explain River on the heist in the BDM. Does she kill the hostage? He was an Alliance plant, right? It looks like self defense, but still, Mal uses her talents for personal gain, bad Mal. It's kind of sad; no wonder Simon is the way he is in the movie. He wants to protect his beloved young sister from anymore harm.

NBZ

Thursday, August 7, 2008 3:26 PM

:D yes we do.

According to fanwank at whedonesque, the ship has weapons.

How? Well we know that the cargohold is detachable... and this one has weapons. It is possible and the ship does have a couple of things which "may" be weaponry.

NBZ

Thursday, August 7, 2008 3:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Platonist:
What a great surprise, thanks comic guys! And Joss, I'm assuming he gave the green light.

I had to read this one a few times for it to make sense. It is rushed, but it does explain River on the heist in the BDM. Does she kill the hostage? He was a Alliance plant, right? It looks like self defense, but still, Mal uses her talents for personal gain, bad Mal. It's kind of sad; no wonder Simon is the way he is in the movie. He wants to protect his beloved young sister from anymore harm.

Great character development though.

As for having to read it a few times, true, but this comic is also thrown in at the deep end, right in the middle of a story so IMO it works really well. Having to reread it to make sense adds to its perceived longevity. It feels a lot longer than it is. Something the other comics suffered from - they "felt" short.

SAB39

Thursday, August 7, 2008 3:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Platonist:
I had to read this one a few times for it to make sense. It is rushed, but it does explain River on the heist in the BDM. Does she kill the hostage? He was a Alliance plant, right?

Yes, she does. That was what I was getting at when I said it's very subtle and that that top right panel on page 5 is so important. Simon got knocked out and is unconscious, the guy realizes that River can tell what he's thinking, and points a gun at her.

I guess the logic of the comic is that we've all seen the BDM and so it should be completely obvious exactly what would happen if someone pointed a gun at River in close quarters...

www.fans4writers.com

NCBROWNCOAT

Thursday, August 7, 2008 4:58 PM

Read it last night, but I think I need to go back and read it again.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

CANTTAKEMYSKY

Thursday, August 7, 2008 8:12 PM

Quote:
According to fanwank at whedonesque, the ship has weapons.

How? Well we know that the cargohold is detachable... and this one has weapons. It is possible and the ship does have a couple of things which "may" be weaponry.

Could someone please remind me how the cargohold is detatchable? Xie xie.

Yea! Who knows, Joss did say the area down the stairs in the cockpit was going to play an important part of the series in the future. Maybe that's where theyre at... (let the speculation begin!)

Oh we should try and bump this thread to news!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CREATOR OF THE MOST RANDOM ACCIDENTAL THREAD IN THE 'VERSE, AND PREVIOUS OWNER OF A BILLBOARD SIZED SENTIENT KILLER BANNER!

NBZ

Thursday, August 7, 2008 10:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by PhyreLight:
The part that creeps me out is towards the bottom of that same page (pg. 5) where the guy thinks that the Alliance has been hunting down smugglers.

Maybe they have?

I am starting to think that the edges of "society" are far more violent than I previously believed.

Quote:
Originally posted by CantTakeMySky:
Could someone please remind me how the cargohold is detatchable? Xie xie.

Yea! Who knows, Joss did say the area down the stairs in the cockpit was going to play an important part of the series in the future. Maybe that's where theyre at... (let the speculation begin!)

Oh we should try and bump this thread to news!

I doubt it can be bumped up to news... probably need Haken or someone to actually put it there.

As for how the cargo bay is detachable, no idea. I also had not idea that Joss had even talked about it. Interesting - Did he give any hints at what his plans were?

ANONYMOUS1

Friday, August 8, 2008 3:11 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by PhyreLight:
That's why it creeps me out! All of those other smugglers are dead b/c the Alliance has been looking for one girl.

I don't think the guy was hunting River. They were hunting smugglers because they were smugglers. The guy says "What if she's the one who escaped? Of course, the Doctor, her Brother. I could get promoted for this." So he knows about River but he isn't there because of River.

ANONYMOUS1

Friday, August 8, 2008 3:26 AM

The cargo bay is detachable. Zoic designed it that way. They mentioned it in the Serenity or Firefly extras. They put clamps on the ship. The idea was that Serenity is a truck and should be able to set one cargo bay down and pick up another one.

Notice in Serenity that the cargo bay is blue!!!! Joss even mentions in the Collector's Edition commentary that the cargo bay isn't home yet when Nathan said it felt like home. It's blue. Blue like the Alliance!

My latest theory on how the Reaver ships got blown up.

Wash and Kaylee rigged those blinking beer kegs to explode. In Serenity, they carried false signals in space. Maybe they can fly in atmo too. Fill them with fuel and let them fly!
See the explosion of one of the ships. You can see two beer kegs...or maybe they are ship parts.

ANONYMOUS1

Friday, August 8, 2008 3:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by nbz:
A couple of questions:

1. is this official or fanfic? Seems the former, but just wanna be sure.

See first page. Joss Whedon Executive Producer!!!!

Quote:
Originally posted by nbz:
3. Have there been more of these comics that i may have missed? (I know about those left behind and Better days)

Nope haven't missed any.

Book mini-series coming later this year.

Also wonder how many of these online ones we will get.

The onlines will be printed in a graphic novel collection at some point.

KAYNA

Friday, August 8, 2008 9:16 AM

Felt a bit rushed. Iwould have prefered a few more panels and a lot more dialogue or at least better flowing. I know dialogue isn't very practical in the situation presented but internal monologues almost always feel awkward to me.

Still, I really liked the overall story and the art. And every new bit added to the verse is welcome from me.

REally looking forward to that Book series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Op: You're fighting a war you've already lost.
Mal: Yeah, well I'm known for that.

PIZMOBEACH

Friday, August 8, 2008 2:39 PM

I'm confused on who the guy is. At first he appears to be an Alliance plant acting like a smuggler, may even be a low level Op (not a great one but an Op of some kind) - on page 2 River says, "Not... what... we... thought" and there's the montage of the guy doing what looks like various kinds of Op like torture, the images she's seeing of his past.

But then he appears to be there not for them and that it's just a coincidence, and he's just figuring out that she and Simon are the "ones that escaped...?" "No more dangerous assignments..."

At the end we get that Mal knew the guy was bad from the start (quite a stretch imho) and put her with him to put her in a position where she'd have to kill him so she'd be bloodied like the others and bound by guilt? That's pretty hardcore bad!

River's comment, "could a been a lot worse" and the image of the crew all dead in Serenity - the guy doesn't have a gun in his hand, a Blue Hands kind of weapon instead? They have veins on their faces looks like the same kind of death. And does this confirm that she can see the future, a possible future? Or just writer's license?

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

NBZ

Friday, August 8, 2008 3:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pizmobeach:
I'm confused on who the guy is. At first he appears to be an Alliance plant acting like a smuggler, may even be a low level Op (not a great one but an Op of some kind) - on page 2 River says, "Not... what... we... thought" and there's the montage of the guy doing what looks like various kinds of Op like torture, the images she's seeing of his past.

I guess that comes from the title "The Other Half" - we only get half a story. The guy is probably "Generic Alliance Agent(TM) #42".

Quote:
But then he appears to be there not for them and that it's just a coincidence, and he's just figuring out that she and Simon are the "ones that escaped...?" "No more dangerous assignments..."

I suspect is that this was a generic honeypot - a job set up to see who will fall for it, not after anyone in particular.

Quote:
At the end we get that Mal knew the guy was bad from the start (quite a stretch imho) and put her with him to put her in a position where she'd have to kill him so she'd be bloodied like the others and bound by guilt? That's pretty hardcore bad!

Mal did not put her there because he "knew" the job was bad, but he suspected it so - she was his ace in the hole.

I liked that instead of apologising for putting her in such a situation, he welcomes her to the crew.

Quote:
River's comment, "could a been a lot worse" and the image of the crew all dead in Serenity - the guy doesn't have a gun in his hand, a Blue Hands kind of weapon instead? They have veins on their faces looks like the same kind of death. And does this confirm that she can see the future, a possible future? Or just writer's license?

She is seeing what he is imagining - that he will have to kill them. Not a "future" at all.

As for the job, it seems to be transporting that guy from somewhere to somewhere else for some unknown reason, and we do not know why he is injured/ill either. Organ smuggling? jail break? crossing borders (unlikely)?

and what is it with the stagecoach type of transport?

EMBERS

Friday, August 8, 2008 5:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by nbz:
A couple of questions:

1. is this official or fanfic? Seems the former, but just wanna be sure.

I can't answer most of your questions... but I do know that this is listed as produced by Joss, so it is canon...
my understanding is that Joss is bursting full of story lines regarding Firefly/Serenity, so he is slowly leaking some of them out... I'm hoping (fingers crossed) that he'll be able to film some shorts online w/the actors playing their own characters....
but it is only a hope.

edited to add: Oh I see that Anonymous1 already noted the 'exec producer credit'...

New Firefly fans should check this out: http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=15816

NBZ

Friday, August 8, 2008 6:32 PM

Yeah, I had somehow missed that on my first (few) readthrough(s).

PLATONIST

Friday, August 8, 2008 6:38 PM

Okaaay... I get the canon, and the set up, and the River usefulness, and even the explosion. Now, can someone explain the freakin Stagecoach?

PHYRELIGHT

Friday, August 8, 2008 8:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pizmobeach:
At the end we get that Mal knew the guy was bad from the start (quite a stretch imho) and put her with him to put her in a position where she'd have to kill him so she'd be bloodied like the others and bound by guilt? That's pretty hardcore bad!

Well, you gotta take into consideration that the crew needed the job, and he was suspicious of the it because they gave him half up front unlike everyone else they've worked for. That's why he put River in with Simon. He knew that if his suspicions were correct, then she's going to take care of it. Though, I don't know if they were expecting the Reavers.

Plus, I don't think that River's hands were quite so innocent and unbloodied before she escaped the academy. Look at how she saved Kaylee in "War Stories" without a flinch.

Experience the Horribleness!

http://www.drhorrible.com

KAYNA

Friday, August 8, 2008 8:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by PhyreLight:
Quote:
Originally posted by pizmobeach:
At the end we get that Mal knew the guy was bad from the start (quite a stretch imho) and put her with him to put her in a position where she'd have to kill him so she'd be bloodied like the others and bound by guilt? That's pretty hardcore bad!
Well, you gotta take into consideration that the crew needed the job, and he was suspicious of the it because they gave him half up front unlike everyone else they've worked for. That's why he put River in with Simon. He knew that if his suspicions were correct, then she's going to take care of it. Though, I don't know if they were expecting the Reavers.

Definately not expecting the Reavers. And I don't really think he expected her to "take care" of anything. Remember, at this point in the story the only person who's seen River do anything weapon like is Kaylee and Mal's not the type to depend on what he hasn't seen. He's also never asked any of his crew (much less the damaged 17 year old) to kill anyone on a suspicion. He might do so, but he's never asked it of his crew. I think it's more that, after what she did with Early, he thinks she might have a bit more insight into the situation than the rest of them. If she sees that this man is a threat, maybe she can at least warn them, maybe do more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Op: You're fighting a war you've already lost.
Mal: Yeah, well I'm known for that.

PLATONIST

Friday, August 8, 2008 8:58 PM

River's bloody hands,

Remember the Tam sessions?

It is Mal that has clued into her apparent talents and usefulness in this scenario. But, I think his motives for using her go deeper than an extra hired gun with telepathic tendencies. He WANTS to piss off Simon, purposely, for challenging him and let's not forget...Simon was in Inara's shuttle... I'm guessing Mal knows Simon won't tell him, the reason he was there, because of patient/doctor confidentiality and that's eating away at him. This ties well into the BDM.

I sense a little emotional blackmail at this point. And, poor River, as useful as she is, she's caught in the middle.

She has no affect or reaction when Mal welcomes her to the crew. It's a bittersweet moment not a triumphant one.

EMBERS

Saturday, August 9, 2008 2:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by PhyreLight:

Plus, I don't think that River's hands were quite so innocent and unbloodied before she escaped the academy. Look at how she saved Kaylee in "War Stories" without a flinch.

as Platonist says, we know for sure that River's hands were very much bloodied by watching the Tam Sessions:
http://www.session416.com/

New Firefly fans should check this out: http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=15816

CANTTAKEMYSKY

Saturday, August 9, 2008 9:40 PM

Quote:
]Well, you gotta take into consideration that the crew needed the job, and he was suspicious of the it because they gave him half up front unlike everyone else they've worked for.

What about Niska? He gave them the first half up front in the TRain Job.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CREATOR OF THE MOST RANDOM ACCIDENTAL THREAD IN THE 'VERSE, AND PREVIOUS OWNER OF A BILLBOARD SIZED SENTIENT KILLER BANNER!

NBZ

Saturday, August 9, 2008 10:20 PM

and look at how that turned out! (yeah, not really much of a point there, but well, at that time Mal did not know he had a reader on his hands.)

@Platonist - While Mal using River for that reason would be wonderfully petty, wouldn't antagonising Simon involve letting him know?

As for the Tam Sessions, none of the crew know about them (and it was a different situation where we do not know her state of mind), so they should not be used as "prior proof" to already having bloody hands.

I don't think Mal put her there to Kill the guy, just to get a read. The arrival of the Reavers would not have been part of the plan.

What I really liked was the lack of remorse, both in River and in Mal. No excuses for doing what either of them did, no (fake?) apology by Mal for putting her in such a situation. Just an acceptance, and probably a bittersweet quote that she was now part of the crew (that somehow got turned by the time of the BDM).

PLATONIST

Saturday, August 9, 2008 11:58 PM

nbz: I see Mal's and Simon's antagonism as an on going sentiment, it's poetically linear, coming to a culmination in the BDM with Simon leaving and taking River with him. It's multifaceted with issues ranging from River's emerging roll on Serenity to Simon's unknown connection to Inara. Both are strong and passionate characters that want things their way.

I don't think Mal needs to know about the Tam sessions to start surmising what River was trained for, he got an earful from Kaylee about what happened during War Stories, and this is after Mal found her with a gun in the cargo bay.
This may have been a trial run for her, on Mal's part, to see what she is able to achieve as far as reading and defending the crew and herself. What he doesn't know is that she can be triggered, like in the Maidenhead. (Now, we know why his first reaction is to go for his gun... interesting)

And, he doesn't seem all that surprised when he sees her drop the gun, nor when they are wondering how the passenger was shot. Zoe thinks it is a stray bullet, but Mal is looking directly at River, he knows better. His suspicions are confirmed, hence, "welcome to the crew."

As far as River's remorse, she doesn't have any because the Alliance F*d with her brain and turned her into a psychopath. It's not until the BDM, when she says, "put a bullet in me" that she shows any conscious responsibility for her actions.

Making of course Mal's use of her even more pathetically unethical, but he is an anti hero, least we not forget.

CHARLIEBZ

Sunday, August 10, 2008 12:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Platonist:

Making of course Mal's use of her even more pathetically unethical, but he is an anti hero, least we not forget.

Yes, let's not forget that. Simon is right to not want River going out on jobs. I think most people tend to romanticize the criminal aspects of the crew but it's a dangerous business. One where you could easily lose your soul...A young, damaged woman should most assuredly not be going out on heists. What kind of future is this for her? How will she ever heal?

Simon needs to get River the hell off that boat but he is too weak. Weak in the sense that it is easier to stay on Serenity under the "protection" of Mal instead of finding a place of their own. Maybe the best place for them would have been that hillfolk settlement. Well, at least something similar with people who aren't willing to set them on fire.

VETERAN

Sunday, August 10, 2008 12:18 AM

Thanks Phrye, that was the first issue I've read since the three that came out just before the BDM. I like how Mal used River's ability as a "reader" (remember Out of Gas) on a hunch that something was up. Lucky for them that gun dropped into the van.

PHYRELIGHT

Sunday, August 10, 2008 1:41 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by CantTakeMySky:
What about Niska? He gave them the first half up front in the TRain Job.

Well, yeah. Look what happened there. They robbed the people of that town the drugs they dearly needed, and Mal in turn gave both the drugs and the money back. What the writers of the series are saying is that when crooked people are more than willing to work with you, then they want more from you than you are willing to part with.

Experience the Horribleness!

http://www.drhorrible.com

NBZ

Sunday, August 10, 2008 2:51 AM

I am certain I posted a reply here a few hours ago - grr!

@Platonist - "Put a bullet in me" is less remorse, more the torture her mind is going through at that time, some of it due to what she has done, but mostly because of the new memories that she cannot fully piece together yet.

Also where would OiS and "No touching guns" fit into all this?

PHYRELIGHT

Sunday, August 10, 2008 3:02 AM

*points to nbz* I second that.

Experience the Horribleness!

http://www.drhorrible.com

PLATONIST

Sunday, August 10, 2008 4:29 AM

"no touching guns"...Mal doesn't know what River did in War Stories until the Pow Wow with Kaylee and the others. He did witness her irrational behavior with Jayne; "he looks better in red" so it's no sharp objects, guns, etc. Almost like the rules you would have for a child that you haven't trained yet. Mal doesn't know her proficiency with guns, pens, etc. And he doesn't give her the gun, it falls through the window, we assume that she takes it from the Alliance passenger.

nbz: I agree, that River is suffering from a great deal of mental pain in that scene with Simon, but I would like to believe that she is starting to be aware enough to know that she does things that are out of her control and she doesn't like it... "I never know what I'm saying"... just my hope for a healthier future for her.

I often wonder why Inara didn’t take River to the Training House with her. What a great place to hide her. She’s the perfect age and would have fit in with the other students, with out to many questions asked. And, she would have been safe under the umbrella of the Guild.

CANTTAKEMYSKY

Sunday, August 10, 2008 4:43 AM

Quote:
He did notice her irrational behavior with Jayne; "he looks better in red"

If you think about it, its not all that irrational. This is the one of the deepest things in Firefly. He was wearing a Blue-Sun shirt. She also ripped the labels off the Blue-Sun food cans. Blue-Sun was most likely behind the Acadamy, since they run basically everything, and she hates them. There's more things she does to show this, but they elude me at the moment.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CREATOR OF THE MOST RANDOM ACCIDENTAL THREAD IN THE 'VERSE, AND PREVIOUS OWNER OF A BILLBOARD SIZED SENTIENT KILLER BANNER!

PLATONIST

Sunday, August 10, 2008 4:50 AM

maybe not irrational to her, but aggressive to others, especially Jayne

KAYNA

Sunday, August 10, 2008 6:19 AM

Well Jayne wasn't exactly friendly to her or Simon. Until Mal almost killed him, he was always trying to talk folks into selling them to the alliance. I think she had reason to be hostile to both him and Blue Sun

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Op: You're fighting a war you've already lost.
Mal: Yeah, well I'm known for that.

HUGHFF

Sunday, August 10, 2008 10:33 AM

Enjoyable enough but I'm not entirely happy with the character development in these comics. Mal's feet of clay seem to have hardened up considerably. In this episode he gets Simon and River on a criminal run, which was a MAJOR source of conflict in the bdm. And he had a clearer idea of River's talents than sits comfortably with me.

In Better Days it was even worse. He should have been tortured by jealousy in the late reveal about Inara's unexpected client. Given how Atherton made him twitch, what would this have done? Significantly more than Nandi did to Inara, methinks. So while I'll take this (thank you very much) I hope Mal is a complete spoon in the next installment, whenever that should appear.

www.cpfc.org - my life

MER

Sunday, August 10, 2008 1:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by two:

How did you save the picture like that? I tried to download and got nowhere. I thought about printing it out though...

WYTCHCROFT

Sunday, August 10, 2008 4:36 PM

Quote:
PLATONIST

Friday, August 08, 2008 - 10:58

River's bloody hands,

Remember the Tam sessions?

Quote:
NBZ
As for the Tam Sessions, none of the crew know about them (and it was a different situation where we do not know her state of mind), so they should not be used as "prior proof" to already having bloody hands.

Uh, i think it's a deliberate visual reference to the Tam sessions,
but that doesn't mean the crew know about any of that.
The connection is - being put to use.
I think we're being asked to consider just how (not) very different River's position is on Serenity.
The Alliance wanted to use her (as the Tam sessions show) Mal DOES use her - and it always ends with bloody hands...

Of course, although this is DARK STUFF -
it actually adds to the positive conclusion of the BDM
where River makes the choice to (potentially) sacrifice herself (and get bloody hands) for herself.
It's a very Joss type set up (see Buffy season 8.5)

I think Mal does want to piss Simon off - it's all about owning River.
But I agree with NBZ that Mal didn't intend for River to have to shoot somebody.

The whole story is about the use to which people are put.
The Alliance using the guy to chase down smugglers. (Oh, definitely a blue sun weapon, so an undercover Op for sure.)
The Crew using the guy to get money etc etc.

The stagecoach? Guess there was trouble in town -
and it was the only transport out of dodge! Serenity would have called attention to itself
and generally hides away during shifty deals.

It's great to see the character development moving on -
and following from the previous comics (and many insightful character threads on this site!).

This is the crew as Whedon wanted us to see them - i feel anyway.

My only quibble is Simon's use of Mal's first name - it doesn't feel right and it's over used.

I want more of these - i love the comic series.

(apologies for the weird indent here -
i can't see with my right eye at the moment
so i have to shove everything to the left!)

NBZ

Sunday, August 10, 2008 7:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Platonist:
"no touching guns"...Mal doesn't know what River did in War Stories until the Pow Wow with Kaylee and the others.

Sorry I should have been more clear. I meant the other No touching Guns moment. :P The one where River tells Zoe off. She dopes not let Zoe use weaponry to get rid of Early.

Quote:
I often wonder why Inara didn’t take River to the Training House with her. What a great place to hide her. She’s the perfect age and would have fit in with the other students, with out to many questions asked. And, she would have been safe under the umbrella of the Guild.

heh, you can just see the storyline to herself. Especially the argument with Mal. "So... uhm... you're gonna take a mentally traumatised 17 year old girl. And turn her into a whore?"

As for safety, the BDM shows that it would not have been so, but then again we would not have known that at the time of the decision.

(If you have read a few of my conspiracy theories from long ago, I suggested that Simon chose Serenity because of Inara. Inara would have thought of Serenity as a safer option, but this is all circumstantial based on ifs and whats.

@CANTTAKEMYSKY - even if that was her reason, the actions weer still irrational. Stabbing someone for wearing a t-shirt you dislike is certainly not rational (civilised?) behaviour.

Quote:
I think we're being asked to consider just how (not) very different River's position is on Serenity.
The Alliance wanted to use her (as the Tam sessions show) Mal DOES use her - and it always ends with bloody hands

Interesting. Opens up many avenues to philosophise over.

Quote:
(apologies for the weird indent here -
i can't see with my right eye at the moment
so i have to shove everything to the left!)

Get well soon!

TWO

Sunday, August 10, 2008 9:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by MER:
Quote:
Originally posted by two:

How did you save the picture like that? I tried to download and got nowhere. I thought about printing it out though...

A PDF file with 8 pages of the "Serenity: The Other Half" comic can be downloaded at
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/8/13/2048723/Serenity-TheOtherHalf.p
df

Another version is at https://rcpt.yousendit.com/596466391/1414e394ca1f4f5810ca86202dd2d25f
That zip file at "you send it.com" will be available for only 7 Days or 100 downloads

The program I used to capture an "extended active window" was Hypersnap at http://www.hyperionics.com/
I cropped the snapshot with the free irfanview at http://www.irfanview.net/
I made the PDF file with the "Impress" slide-maker of OpenOffice at http://www.openoffice.org/

WYTCHCROFT

Sunday, August 10, 2008 9:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by two:
Quote:
Originally posted by MER:

How did you save the picture like that? I tried to download and got nowhere. I thought about printing it out though...

A zip file with 8 pages of the "Serenity: The Other Half" comic can be downloaded at https://rcpt.yousendit.com/596466391/1414e394ca1f4f5810ca86202dd2d25f
The zip file will be available for 7 Days or 100 downloads

The program I used to capture an "extended active window" was Hypersnap at http://www.hyperionics.com/
I cropped the snapshot with the free irfanview at http://www.irfanview.net/

I just used that link - thanks, new shiny comic all my own:)
How much do you rule!?:)

PLATONIST

Monday, August 11, 2008 12:54 AM

Thanks for the zip file, Two.

Yeah, the Training House ended up not being the safest of places, but I think it would add a layer of quirkiness and comedy, that this period of time is lacking.

I don't think Mal thinks of River as traumatized, crazy and whimsical in the brainpan, yes, but not traumatized. He isn't that sensitive to other's life changing experiences.

NBZ

Monday, August 11, 2008 2:20 AM

My point was less the trauma, more the fact(?) that he has issues with their trade.

MER

Monday, August 11, 2008 1:46 PM

Yea, thanks :)

CYBERSNARK

Monday, August 11, 2008 4:13 PM

I don't think this was intended to be a criminal job (or at least not entirely criminal). I think it was a borderline legit job (I regard smuggling as better than actual theft --I grew up reading about "freelance traders" like Han Solo ) that went pear-shaped. Mal wouldn't have expected Reavers, nor would he have started a plan that explicitly involved River with a gun --too much opportunity for unpleasantness.

Probably a typical "double-end" (pick up cargo & half of payment at point A, deliver to point B and receive rest of payment). Possibly with a ridealong (the guy carrying both halves of the payment), which would make sense because the "contact" would then be in position to take credit for any smugglers caught in the sting.

Possibly he was just bringing River along to "point A" to see if their contact could be trusted. Then the Reavers showed up, the contact got shot, and they all rabbitted. Jayne & Zoe are the standard "away team," and Simon would've insisted on coming along with River (plus, y'know, a medic is never a bad idea).

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

NBZ

Monday, August 11, 2008 5:42 PM

I got the impression that the contact WAS the job.

Otherwise they would have had the option to sell the cargo elsewhere.

ATTICUS187

Monday, August 11, 2008 5:54 PM

Thanks for the zip file MER! I do most of my pokin around at work and a lot of links are blocked. If there were some kind of point system in place here you'd totally get some of mine.

.....depending on the strength of the Yen of course.

-----
Yes my avatar is a girl.
Saffron is hot...get over it.

"That's why I never kiss 'em on the mouth"

EMBERS

Monday, August 11, 2008 6:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by hughff:
Enjoyable enough but I'm not entirely happy with the character development in these comics. Mal's feet of clay seem to have hardened up considerably. In this episode he gets Simon and River on a criminal run, which was a MAJOR source of conflict in the bdm. And he had a clearer idea of River's talents than sits comfortably with me.

In Better Days it was even worse. He should have been tortured by jealousy in the late reveal about Inara's unexpected client. Given how Atherton made him twitch, what would this have done? Significantly more than Nandi did to Inara, methinks. So while I'll take this (thank you very much) I hope Mal is a complete spoon in the next installment, whenever that should appear.

www.cpfc.org - my life

well a lot of people had been wondering why Mal was so much angrier in 'Serenity' than he was in 'Firefly' so ALL the comics have been showing what happened after the TV show that got Mal into such a dark place (where we found him at the beginning of the movie)...
so it all works for me.

New Firefly fans should check this out: http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=15816

NBZ

Monday, August 11, 2008 9:50 PM

Never noticed that post by hughff. I think he was busy being physically tortured at that point to think over the mental anguish.

Mal did challenge Inara at the end and she refused to give him a straight answer. can't see him do much more than that.

CANTTAKEMYSKY

Monday, August 11, 2008 11:01 PM

Quote:

@CANTTAKEMYSKY - even if that was her reason, the actions weer still irrational. Stabbing someone for wearing a t-shirt you dislike is certainly not rational (civilised?) behaviour.

Very true! Wow what a whu-dahn I am for saying that it was. Not exactly what I meant. I should think before I type, hahah. Xie xie for pointing that out nbz! I guess what I meant to say is that it made sense to her (you know, like she is physically destroying part of Blue Sun) so I believe a new phrase needs be coined here: Riverrational?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CREATOR OF THE MOST RANDOM ACCIDENTAL THREAD IN THE 'VERSE, AND PREVIOUS OWNER OF A BILLBOARD SIZED SENTIENT KILLER BANNER!

ALMANAC

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 6:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by two:
A zip file with 8 pages of the "Serenity: The Other Half" comic can be downloaded at https://rcpt.yousendit.com/596466391/1414e394ca1f4f5810ca86202dd2d25f
The zip file will be available for 7 Days or 100 downloads

Done and done.

Thank you very much for doing that work for us! I was hoping some way would turn up to download this for future reference...

Edgar Governo
Historian of Things That Never Were
http://www.mts.net/~arphaxad/history.html

Visit the Browncoat Saloon:
http://www.myspace.com/browncoatsaloon

TWO

Thursday, August 14, 2008 3:03 AM

A PDF file with all 8 pages of the "Serenity: The Other Half" comic can be downloaded at
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/8/13/2048723/Serenity-TheOtherHalf.p
df

RAINSTICK

Thursday, August 14, 2008 12:46 PM

I just found this:

http://screenrant.com/sheperd-book-serenity-fans-rejoice-brusimm-3409/

apparently there's another comic in the making

MER

Thursday, August 14, 2008 1:31 PM

Yea, I can't wait for that book. I'll have to save it to my request list.

Quote:
Originally posted by rainstick:
I just found this:

http://screenrant.com/sheperd-book-serenity-fans-rejoice-brusimm-3409/

apparently there's another comic in the making

MAL92REYNOLDS

Thursday, August 14, 2008 9:00 PM

The Shepherd's Tale comic is going to be an actual comic not an online thing as that article states.

RAINSTICK

Friday, August 15, 2008 12:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mal92Reynolds:
The Shepherd's Tale comic is going to be an actual comic not an online thing as that article states.

What? Are we reading different articles here? It clearly says

Quote:
The Shepherd’s Tale will come out as a three-issue online comic

TUJIAOZUO

Saturday, August 16, 2008 2:44 AM

That sucks that it's an onlie comic (Shepherd's tale, and this one) I like something tangible, that I can slid into a little plastic sleeve and keep on my bookshelf. Then again they probably predict that they won't profit enough to have it printed, which is why they're making both online till they are convinced of the market (which we know is there but whatever) then eventually will have them printed. I'm not saying that's how DH is operating, it's just a guess.

Anywho, I liked it. It's wasn't superior 'Bow Down And Worship Teh Awesomeness That Is Whedon' writing but it was good. It gave us some more flesh to the 'verse and the crew, and hey, they're starting to draw Simon better, which has been bugging me since I started reading the comics. Comic book Simon tends to look like a black haired Ken doll.

The downside. Where the diyu was Kaylee?!

Your Indian Pirate Lord,
Ash

MAL92REYNOLDS

Monday, August 18, 2008 7:15 AM

So your going to believe one little web article over the creators and the Serenity: Better Days letter section. I think I'll believe the latter.

RAINSTICK

Monday, August 18, 2008 7:37 AM

No, when I read your post the first time, I thought the last bit "as that article states" referred to the whole sentence, ie that you were suggesting that the article states it will be an actual comic not an online thing. And of course the article didn't say anything about an actual comic, which is why I "corrected" you. Only after second reading I realized that what you actually meant was that there would be an actual comic as opposed to what the article states (the online thing). Honest misunderstanding. All shiny.

SHINY

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 5:08 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by PhyreLight:
Quote:
Originally posted by pizmobeach:
At the end we get that Mal knew the guy was bad from the start (quite a stretch imho) and put her with him to put her in a position where she'd have to kill him so she'd be bloodied like the others and bound by guilt? That's pretty hardcore bad!
Well, you gotta take into consideration that the crew needed the job, and he was suspicious of the it because they gave him half up front unlike everyone else they've worked for.

Don't think it's half as bad as what Mal did at the end of 'Better Days'...IMO, that was uncharacteristically disloyal (taking away everyone's fair share of the bounty) and naive (did he really believe he could tip off some crooks and there wasn't a good chance someone on the crew might be injured or killed?). Despite what Inara says, it wasn't sweet at all...

---

I don't need a gorram back-spaceship driver!!!

SPACEANJL

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 11:11 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Platonist:

I often wonder why Inara didn’t take River to the Training House with her. What a great place to hide her. She’s the perfect age and would have fit in with the other students, with out to many questions asked. And, she would have been safe under the umbrella of the Guild.

My response to this -

“For practical and political purposes, the Guild are Alliance. How do we know that this wasn’t what they had in mind for River all along? Graceful, accomplished, empathic...the perfect Companion.”

River follows Ilargia’s thought process along the logical progression, nods.

“Dance right up and kill with a kiss.” She begins to shake. “Can be anything...be a leaf, be a butterfly, be a blade in the dark...”

and:

“Their, whatdyacallit, autonomy, wouldn’t be worth a damn, someone decides they can use River’s talents. They’d just march right in. You can’t defend this place.” The walls are stone, but it is a place of courtyards and wide windows, doors of paper.

“They don’t need to defend themselves with conventional weapons. And who exactly would they defend against? The Guild is Alliance. Why take what you can hire out? What were the Academy planning to do with River once they had finished whatever they were doing? I mean, you’re looking for an assassin, who are you going to defend against? The big man with a gun? Or the little girl bowing and serving you tea?”

also:

“I believe that any organisation that spans the known ‘verse so successfully is probably run by complete bastards. Or bitches, if you prefer. If I wanted to maintain, or even extend, power, I’d be absolutely frothing to get my hands on a psychic who could kill you with her toenails, and in a graceful fashion, too. Because I expect minds can be really open and relaxed at a certain juncture. Wouldn’t even need the pillow talk.”

As for Mal letting River take up a gun - the man was a soldier, and an officer. He's been responsible for sending kids of River's age out to die before. Command means making the decisions others can't or won't make. And I think River is quite aware that she can't go back. I think she has a clearer view of the truth than Simon - she's not 'safe' in the Core world, but she can fit in and be useful on the Rim.

“Why would I want to go back?” River shocks him. The question is sharp, looks for an answer. “Pretty doll. Tired of dancing at dinner parties. Talks of the bad things that we pretend aren’t there. Make her sleep.” Her head lolls suddenly, eyes glazed. “Poor little doll, let her sit in the sun and dream of stars. Push her chair out of the wind, and mind she doesn’t spill tea on her dress.” The tone is purely their mother’s. Head snaps up again. “No place there. Except, “ and her hand lashes out, stops against his neck, feather-light, “this.”

The moment stretches, frozen time. Simon’s eyes wide with shock.

“Made me a thing, Simon. Left jagged edges that don’t fit the hole. Never be safe.” Hand drops away, and suddenly, she’s a girl again, small shoulders bony in an overlarge gown. “Don’t want to dance for others.”

and:

.” She puts her hands over his. “Have a home, have a family. Don’t want to leave them lost in the woods - need a navigator.” She sighs, lets her hair fall forward. Peers up at him. “Know you want dirt beneath your feet, not under your fingernails. But I am not a broken doll - can’t keep me in the toybox until someone wants to play. I am...useful on Serenity. Not decorative. Need me to fly them through the storms.”

PLATONIST

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 2:12 PM

Hi Space,

I'm thinking pre BDM, as far as River at the Training House, when this comic book takes place. Inara may have been able to hide her right under their noses. Before Miranda, River doesn't look to be anywhere near coherent enough to make these types of choices and Mal shouldn’t be doing it for her. That's why the ending as her as pilot makes more sense, she is more in control and able to navigate. We agree on that point.

Post BDM, Inara herself, knows the Training House not to be safe. A young Companion in training gets gang raped in the 190 page script for heaven's sake. There is no one there to defend them until Serenity comes. Maybe River could help her sisters out now from abusive men that use them as whores, instead of helping Mal rob banks for money that he doesn't want for retirement.

SPACEANJL

Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:48 AM

I never came across that script, thankfully. A bit 'Unforgiven', that touch. I got the impression from the way Inara spoke to Atherton that pissing off the Guild might be a very bad thing to do. Social blacklisting might just be the start.

Of course, the Guild might overlook such peccadillos, in return for...considerations. (Blackmail is such an ugly word.) We've already got the idea in the 'verse that the needs of the very few outweigh the needs of the many. I don't know if Inara is naive, or if certain political realities are what she was running away from. But that little blck box was creepy on many levels. If they have that sort of thing, what else do they have? Not including the lipgloss from hell.

But Mal making decisions for folks - that is what he does. As Captain, as sergeant, as the hero. That's not always a good thing, but it's the personal reflex. Wash makes jokes, Jayne hits things, Mal takes charge.

And maybe River likes robbing banks. In Simon's mind, she's still the sweet little fourteen year old who went off to school. In fact, she's actually sixteen/seventeen, and used to associating socially with older people. She never fitted in back in the Core, except as a freak. But on the Rim, people her age are doing all sorts of jobs (Kaylee must have been about that age when she first took ship) Given approximate ages, Mal and Zoe can't have been much older when they were in the War.

PLATONIST

Thursday, August 21, 2008 2:52 PM

Not sure if I'm agreeing with River not fitting in back in the core, gifted and talented people can thrive anywhere; they are not culturally limited and have the same survival instinct as anyone else. Remember, Companions start training at twelve.

And, the Training House is not in the core and in the 190 page script Sheydra reminds Inara that the reaches of the Guild are limited and that is why they are at the mercy of Alliance soldiers (the locals), almost like there are their guests on that moon. Inara argues the point, playing the power of the Guild card, and Sheydra says she is mistaken. They're not going to help them against the Alliance...see the Operative’s entrance.

Anyway, Phyrelight, posted the longer script on her FFF log last week, check it out. It has some interesting insights into how Joss viewed the Guild's and Alliance's relationship.

NBZ

Thursday, August 21, 2008 5:14 PM

Quote:
IMO, that was uncharacteristically disloyal (taking away everyone's fair share of the bounty) and naive (did he really believe he could tip off some crooks and there wasn't a good chance someone on the crew might be injured or killed?). Despite what Inara says, it wasn't sweet at all... ]

Call me delusional, but I still don't believe that is what happened.

(Inara/Simon I am looking at you! or maybe book... he is always the quiet one.)

As for Platonist Vs SpaceAnJL (FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT :P), I will say it is somewhere in the middle.

The Guild is not all frail, nor is it all powerful.

There probably would be consequences for what happened in the BDM, but let's not forget that The Guild NEEDS the Alliance. It cannot cut it's ties. It may throw a huff, some complaints, lessen cooperation etc etc, but in the end the relationship would go on.

The problem with hiding with plain site, it is a numbers game and eventually, the number is up. You get caught.

PLATONIST

Friday, August 22, 2008 12:36 AM

Inara/Simon or Book... LOL! We can always count on you to take an unexplored path, nbz.

Is Inara even allowed on the Bridge? I doubt she knows Mal's hiding places or anything about the money. She was busy working when they were swapping fantasies. And, she tells Mal at the end that she didn't tell Sanda anything. Her movement on the ship always seemed restricted, but seriously, the only motive I could see her doing that for would be to get Mal away from Sanda, ya know the guy beating the ship out of him. Book would help, true, but Simon wanted the money to stay clean and safe with River, so no... That doesn't make sense.

Interesting, thoughts though, explain why you’re thinking this.

And, yeah, the sappy ending with Inara and Mal is very saccharin sweet, it's ironical... maybe the authors wanted to reveal another layer of their relationship.

By the way, Space and I were discussing, not arguing.

NBZ

Friday, August 22, 2008 2:46 AM

Quote:
We can always count on you to take an unexplored path, nbz.

:D Thx!

Quote:
I doubt she knows Mal's hiding places or anything about the money.

She knew it was his favouritest spot in the whole wide world.

She was also "working" with Simon, on what, we know not. We know nothing about their connection and history except that it is unlikely to be sexual.

It could be Mal (but I would think not for the reasons Inara mentioned) or Zoe too - to let Mal/Zoe walk away. Unlikely to be Jayne, Kaylee, Wash or River.

Why is Book a possibility? no idea. It's just that "A Books Tale" is upon us soon and maybe there will be a tie in. Other than that, nothing, but we know next to nothing about him. What ever that comic reveals, it would be way less wrong than Companion Book.