Firefly: The Fall Guys #2 Review

 

Writer: Sam Humphries

Artist: Jordi Pérez

Colorist: Francesco Segala & Gloria Martinelli

Letterer: Jim Campbell

Cover Artists: Francesco Francavilla; Justine Florentino; Inhyuk Lee

Publisher: Boom!

Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 11, 2023

 

Amber Archambeau and her gang hoodwinked Captain Kaylee. The job—to steal the Land Office safe—was a ruse. Now, the Alliance wants the Serenity crew for the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Hamner. Can they avoid capture for the worst possible crime? Let's leap into Firefly: The Fall Guys #2 and find out!

 

Story

Five bandits ride through town. They fire at any Alliance troops that get in their horses’ way. But Malcolm Reynolds and company can’t reach the Serenity in time. So, Captain Kaylee hides the horses between two buildings and calls River and Simon. “Blast off now! Leave before the Alliance throws up a security cordon! Above all, keep Zoë’s daughter Emma safe!”

 

An energy dome traps Kaylee and the gang inside the town. At least the Archambeau gang is locked inside. And the Prime Minister's still alive. That's a plus! Only it's not because she and Zoë have unfinished business. It goes back to their days in the war, when Hamner was a general and Zoë a lowly corporal.

 

Sam Humphries throws a lot of history into Firefly: The Fall Guys #2. He jostles readers back and forth in time without showing each step in their journey. Still, his story is a real hoot, Gorram-rich in action, chemistry, hijinks, and hilarity. If you can handle Humphries’ hoodwinkin’ and switchbacks, this yarn is for you, pardner!

 

Art

Jordi Pérez serves an ample helping of frontier western appeal in Firefly: The Fall Guys #2. She confronts this with highfalutin spaceships and holograms, providing a pleasing mix of old and new. Have trouble discernin’ former Captain Mal from recent addition Leonard? Clue: Leonard’s the one with the mustache. Watch out for the Alliance troops! They look ready to take on the bugs with Johnny Rico. But who wants to live forever?

 

Oh, and if you want confirmation that Jordi Pérez dresses Malcolm Reynolds in a brassiere in Firefly: The Fall Guys #2, I'm not spillin’ the beans, Browncoats!

 

Francesco Segala, assisted by Gloria Martinelli, bathes scenes in a rich mixture of limited color combinations. Green, orange, or purple often dominates. Scenes with the horses resemble watercolors. White surrounds Serenity’s bid for freedom as engines ignite, unleashing torrential energy.

 

Jim Campbell’s black, uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons are easy to read. He uses bigger ones to introduce the cast. Sound effects roar as Serenity blasts off and hurles through Plymouth’s atmosphere.

 

Final Thoughts

Trapped in a small frontier town and framed for an assassination attempt, the Serenity crew scramble to hide from Alliance troops in Firefly: The Fall Guys #2.

 

Rating 8.4/10

 

For more great covers see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.