Writer: Joss Whedon, Brett Matthews
Artist: Will Conrad
Cover Artist: Adam Hughes
Colorist: Michelle Madsen
Genre: Science-Fiction, Action/Adventure

Features: Preview, Press Release, 1 Ecomic

Joss Whedon returns to the world of his blockbuster film Serenity with the three-issue comics series Better Days.

Better Days revisits everyone's favorite space cowboys in this thrilling, action-packed adventure, with Mal and his crew on a heist that promises a big payoff--what's surprising is that this heist just might make good on that promise.

Whedon reunites with Brett Matthews and Will Conrad, his collaborators on the best-selling 2005 series Those Left Behind. Adam Hughes joins the team for covers.

This one is a keeper better than the Serenity: Those Left Behind which sold over 85, 000 copies. The pure fan of the TV series will love this. Has the feel of the early series. Stay tuned comic faithful for MORE,  Walt

Actually, in many ways, Better Days is a drastic improvement over the first Serenity miniseries, as it doesn't suffer from the detrimental tie-in status as Those Left Behind, which mostly served as a promotional tool for the movie. While TLB certainly had its moments, it also felt somewhat forced, in that it had to bridge the gap between the television series and the movie, all in a measly three issues. Better Days feels a great deal more like a typical Firefly episode.

Taking place before the film, Better Days features the entire Serenity crew, including those destined for death, as they complete a heist that goes uncharacteristically well. While their original plot doesn't go exactly as planned, Mal and company see an end result which plants the merry band of thieves firmly into unfamiliar ground, as by issue's end they've hit the proverbial pay dirt. There's plenty here for diehard fans of the show to enjoy, as you'll bare witness to a fun allusion to the Mal/Inara relationship, a bout with heavy-duty machinery and a touching speech from a doomed pilot.
Whedon's ventures stand as the very best at maintaining the proper aura of the original subject matter. Serenity: Better Days continues this trend, and while those new to the Firefly universe probably won't garner much entertainment out of its fan-centered story, for the rest of us, this series is just what the doctor ordered.