Firefly series discussion (Spoilers!)

Finally got my copy of Better Days #1. Yay! Its a better read in comic form. ;)


Anyone ever heard of Firefly - My Own Kind of Freedom? Apparently, around the time the movie was in production, several authors were approached about writing a series of Serenity/Firefly novels, to cash in on the movie. Unforunately, the plans fell through, but not before one author completed his novel. Since it was never released commercially, the author released it through the Creative Commons License online in downloadable form. Its available here in several different formats:

Firefly - My Own Kind of Freedom


I just started reading it, I'm about 50 pages in, but I'm enjoying it. The author does a great job of conveying the tone of the show and the characters seem to be reflected right out of the show/movie itself. I'll give a full review when I'm done, but I'm enjoying it! Even better, its free! Its too bad this was never released in stores...

I recommend any fans to check it out. Its about 170 pages total, and reads quickly--mainly due to the writer's talents with the characterization and making even the exposition exciting and very Firefly in nature: read it to see what I mean.
 
Last edited:
What a great find, DB, I'll be sure to read this, I just wish it was a material copy. I may just have to print it out so I can read it.
 
I've been reading it, and so far, its really good. I wish they would print this out for us.
 
Ultxon said:
What a great find, DB, I'll be sure to read this, I just wish it was a material copy. I may just have to print it out so I can read it.
Click to expand...

Doublehex said:
I've been reading it, and so far, its really good. I wish they would print this out for us.
Click to expand...

Glad you guys like it, I know I do. I'm waiting to see if Bass gives it a gander and his opinion of it, you know, him being so overly critical and all.



;)
 
Picked up #2 of Better Days, and it was a great read! The issue mainly explores the fantasies of the crew relating to what they'd do with their money. Most were funny as hell (especially River's).

Anyone else check it out?




Oh, and don't forget, check out the Firefly - My Own Kind of Freedom E-Novel. I'm starting my second read through of it now. It really is quite entertaining and perfectly toned for the Firefly/Serenity universe. Lots of humor, action, and heart. The characters are captured perfectly (you can tell the author is not only a fan, but a fan who knows how to write those characters), the storyline is typical Firefly without seeming recycled, and the one-liners are cranked out as if Whedon had written it himself.

Seriously, if you enjoyed the show or the movie, read this E-Novel. It really is good stuff.
 
DIrishB said:
Picked up #2 of Better Days, and it was a great read! The issue mainly explores the fantasies of the crew relating to what they'd do with their money. Most were funny as hell (especially River's).

Anyone else check it out?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I read it. Pretty good, much better then the rather mediocre Those Left Behind. Really feels like an episode of the series. I'm just hoping that, after Better Days, they either start taking the series past Serenity or start giving background stories, like on the war. I've heard whispers of a comic based on Book's past, but. . .that's all I've heard.
 
Lynx said:
Yeah, I read it. Pretty good, much better then the rather mediocre Those Left Behind. Really feels like an episode of the series. I'm just hoping that, after Better Days, they either start taking the series past Serenity or start giving background stories, like on the war. I've heard whispers of a comic based on Book's past, but. . .that's all I've heard.
Click to expand...

Yeah, probably releasing in Fall will be Serenity - A Shepherd's Tale. I think it'll be another 3 issue mini, but it could also be a one-shot, I've heard rumors both ways.

However, strong sales for both Those Left Behind and Better Days guarantees we'll see more Serenity comics (when they'll be set remains to be seen). Its pretty much said in the letters page of the second issue of Better Days that after the Shepherd's Tale comic, there will be more Serenity comics. I think its just an issue of getting Joss and Brett to wright the scripts (and them finding the time to do so--I know both are probably pretty busy guys). But rest assured, there'll definitly be more Serenity comics.

I'd also like to see more stories based in the past (I could see a 3 or 4 issue mini set during the war, following Mal and Zoe during their days in the trenches...maybe another detailing some early adventures of the crew before Simon, River, and Book joined the crew in the series...or even set between episodes of the show itself, filling in gaps as it were). I'm not sure how I'd feel about comics set after Serenity. If they were to do it, I'd only want Whedon writing those. With Wash and Book gone, there'd be a dramatic shift in the dynamic of the way the characters all relate to each other...there's no humor or wisdom--or much less anyway--to balance the heated tempers of Mal, Jayne, and Zoe.

It'd be interesting, for sure.




Oh, and you want good Firefly/Serenity stories? Read this:

Firefly - My Own Kind of Freedom


Seriously, the guy does a better job writing the characters than even Joss himself. Its well worth at least a glance to see if you like it.
 
Last edited:
DIrishB said:
Yeah, probably releasing in Fall will be Serenity - A Shepherd's Tale. I think it'll be another 3 issue mini, but it could also be a one-shot, I've heard rumors both ways.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's it. I heard Ron Glass hint about it at a convention. I'm really looking forward to that one.

However, strong sales for both Those Left Behind and Better Days guarantees we'll see more Serenity comics (when they'll be set remains to be seen). Its pretty much said in the letters page of the second issue of Better Days that after the Shepherd's Tale comic, there will be more Serenity comics. I think its just an issue of getting Joss and Brett to wright the scripts (and them finding the time to do so--I know both are probably pretty busy guys). But rest assured, there'll definitly be more Serenity comics.
Click to expand...

I really hope so. I've been enjoying the hell out of Buffy Season 8 and Angel: After the Fall, and Better Days is a nice return to the 'verse. What I really want is an ongoing canon Serenity comic. Have Whedon supervise it, write a few arcs, and then get other, high profile comic writers and Mutant Enemy writers to write the various arcs, similar to what's going on with Buffy. There's little chance of a second movie at the moment, other then a few off-handed comments by Alan Tudyk which Whedon refuted, so I don't see why it couldn't be done.

I'd also like to see more stories based in the past (I could see a 3 or 4 issue mini set during the war, following Mal and Zoe during their days in the trenches...maybe another detailing some early adventures of the crew before Simon, River, and Book joined the crew in the series...or even set between episodes of the show itself, filling in gaps as it were). I'm not sure how I'd feel about comics set after Serenity. If they were to do it, I'd only want Whedon writing those. With Wash and Book gone, there'd be a dramatic shift in the dynamic of the way the characters all relate to each other...there's no humor or wisdom--or much less anyway--to balance the heated tempers of Mal, Jayne, and Zoe.
Click to expand...

I think they'd have to introduce a new crewmate or two to do it. But, other then acting as an Executive Producer, I don't think he'd need to write the whole thing. Just the important arcs, like with Buffy.

Oh, and you want good Firefly/Serenity stories? Read this:

Firefly - My Own Kind of Freedom

Seriously, the guy does a better job writing the characters than even Joss himself. Its well worth at least a glance to see if you like it.
Click to expand...

I'll give it a glance when I have the time.
 
Lynx said:
Yeah, that's it. I heard Ron Glass hint about it at a convention. I'm really looking forward to that one.
Click to expand...

Yeah, he was the first to mention it. Then Joss confirmed it a few months after, and now Dark Horse is talking about it (at least in their letters page). I'm really looking forward to that one (I assume we'll be given at least some answers about Book's past). I know Joss said he had looked forward to telling Book's tale in future episodes of the series. Now he's doing it in the comic, which is fine with me. I'd prefer in on screen--TV or Movie--but since the odds of that are long, a comic is something, and something is better than nothing.

I really hope so. I've been enjoying the hell out of Buffy Season 8 and Angel: After the Fall, and Better Days is a nice return to the 'verse. What I really want is an ongoing canon Serenity comic. Have Whedon supervise it, write a few arcs, and then get other, high profile comic writers and Mutant Enemy writers to write the various arcs, similar to what's going on with Buffy. There's little chance of a second movie at the moment, other then a few off-handed comments by Alan Tudyk which Whedon refuted, so I don't see why it couldn't be done.
Click to expand...

I haven't checked out the Buffy or Angel comics (never got into the shows), but I like the idea behind them. Basically continuing the show in the comics is a great idea. Of course, the idea has been done numerous times before in licensed comic spin-offs of other movie and tv shows, but this is the first time a creator of the show has basically continued a new "season" in a comic.


I think they'd have to introduce a new crewmate or two to do it. But, other then acting as an Executive Producer, I don't think he'd need to write the whole thing. Just the important arcs, like with Buffy.
Click to expand...

I'd love to see them do an ongoing with Firefly/Serenity. The sales of the existing issues I think are a testament to the fanbase. I think there'd be a lot of cross-over customers who are already buying the Buffy comics; by crossover customer I mean buying an ongoing Serenity in addition to the ongoing Buffy series--there's probably a better term, but my eyes are glassy. In short, there's definitly a demand for it, we'll see if Dark Horse is capable of pulling it off (if not an ongoing, a regular series of mini-series would work too).



I'll give it a glance when I have the time.
Click to expand...

I really recommend it. Its one of the best licensed property-related pieces of fiction I've ever read.

This guy knows how to capture the essence of a character, and use it for the most to propel the story. He's great with the character banter and humor, and very good at making you feel like you're in the 'verse (as they say).

I can't recommend it enough for Firefly fans.


Ultimate Houde said:
The writer of that is a writer of an extremely successful fantasy series.
Click to expand...

Really? Which series?


This novel was originally supposed to be the first in a series of spin-off novels to the film. The original contract with the publisher called for three novels by different writers. Brust finished his early on, thus his was scheduled first for release...the other two were never written as the company decided against publishing them for some reason (maybe due to lower than expected returns on Serenity's theatrical release). Anyway, in hung in limbo for a few years until the publisher let the contract expire, and Brust then published it online under the Creative Commons Act (or something like that--again, my eyes are red).

So as far as I'm concerned, while its not official Firefly/Serenity canon, it damn well should be. I consider it so, anyway.

Read it just to see what I mean. Just read the first two chapters and tell me this guy doesn't know Firefly.
 
Does anyone have the Firefly companion volumes? I've got the Serenity one, but the Firefly ones include writers talking about unused story ideas. If you do have access to this, would you mind typing up this information? :wink:
 
Today, I went out and bought Firefly the Complete Series.

Then I slapped myself.

I said to myself, "Steve, you have just spent a little over fifty dollars on a TV series you have never seen. You have only taken the word of a billion people on the Internet, and the fact that it was made by Joss Whedon, as incentive. Why, I ask, why, did you not do the sensible thing, and watch a few episodes online before making this purchase?"

And then I watched the pilot.

:D
 
Grocer Man said:
Today, I went out and bought Firefly the Complete Series.

Then I slapped myself.

I said to myself, "Steve, you have just spent a little over fifty dollars on a TV series you have never seen. You have only taken the word of a billion people on the Internet, and the fact that it was made by Joss Whedon, as incentive. Why, I ask, why, did you not do the sensible thing, and watch a few episodes online before making this purchase?"

And then I watched the pilot.

:D
Click to expand...

STEVE. You have just increased my power tenfold.
 
[youtube]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/buCuMVmvZPw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/buCuMVmvZPw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]
 
This is a pretty popular arguement around the Internet, so I thought I'd bring it up for the sake of discussion.

Did Joss Whedon rip off Outlaw Star?

For those not aware, Outlaw Star is a fairly successful anime series revolving around a group of outlaws just trying to survive in a hostile sci-fi setting. The two shows have several themes in common, most notably the "outlaws in a hostile sci-fi show" thing, a major subplot with an amnesic girl found in a box, and prominent usage of Chinese images and culture. Since Outlaw Star precedes Firefly by a few years, a few people have accused Whedon of plagarism. It's never really gotten too serious, but it has caused a stink.

I'm in the middle of watching the anime right now, and I admit there's a striking resemblance. Not enough to be called plagarism, but enough that it's possible Whedon was influenced by it. The guy does work best when playing with established conventions.

What do you guys think?

(Also, the arguement has been substituted with "did Joss Whedon rip off Cowboy Bebop?" but I thought this was the more credible of the two. Note that I personally believe the argument to be bollocks, I'm just in the mood for a discussion.)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top