Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Writer: Zack Whedon

Artist: Georges Jeanty

Release Date: 26th March 2014

First rule of writing Firefly (and also flying)? Love – and what’s becoming increasingly clear is that there’s a lot of love being thrown into the Leaves on the Wind project, despite its artistically shaky start. Zack Whedon is very clearly intimately aware of the what and the why of Firefly being quite so loved as a franchise, and given that he’s now knocked three issues completely out of the park, we can only hope that they let him keep doing it, on a par with what Dark Horse are also doing for Buffy.

There’re no less than two ‘YES!’ moments in this issue – magic throwbacks to both series and movie, but both turned neatly on their heads in smile-inducing ways. Gone are the vibes of the over-produced fanfic that even we thought it was threatening to become, and it now feels like just another episode. Which is just dandy, let me tell you.

The story has hit its canter as well, with Zoe incarcerated, Jubal Early stalking Serenity once more, and Jayne safely back aboard with his new ostensible love-interest,

The art is still the weakest aspect, but it’s at least getting more consistent – though it may simply be that we’ve been forced to get used to slightly-lumpy-faced Mal, and slightly-too-pretty Jayne. There is, however, one newly returning character who Georges Jeanty absolutely nails, which does raise the question of why there are said lumps and too-prettinesses.

Still, it’s going from strength to strength – a must buy for any fan, and the series is quickly becoming as good a jumping on point as any for the franchise as a whole. Long may it continue.

Rating: 4/5.

The writer of this piece was: Ross Sweeney