I'm not a comics fan. A friend of mine is, and swears it's as deserving of being considered an art form as text or film. I remain unconvinced, but keep my prejudices in mind--if you are a lover of the form, you may like this more than I did. (Or perhaps less, if as a fan of graphic novels you have a more critical eye.) But what I am a fan of is of the Firefly television series and the feature film Serenity. And I had a particular fondness for the character of Shepherd Book, perhaps because actor Ron Glass was the one familiar face among the cast.
Although Serenity didn't do well enough at the box office to reboot the franchise, it did give a lot of closure, resolving two of the most intriguing mysteries in the television series: the nature and origin of the Reavers, and just what had been done, and what was to become of River Tam. But one major mystery was left--just who was Shepherd Book? Throughout the series we were teased with hints of experiences and abilities--and tragedies and secrets--that lay in the background. This particular issue of the Serenity comics finally resolves them. I think the writing and art in this series is at least superior to the Buffy Season 8 series which I found disappointing. This still felt a bit undeveloped to me--perhaps a limitation of the format. I would have liked more of a sense of Book's thoughts and emotions. We learn for instance why he was initially drawn to one side of the war, but not much of what drove his commitment once involved. While I don't think this comic would be a standout if you're not already a Firefly fan, I do think those who love the show would enjoy finding out the mystery behind an intriguing character.
