Serenity 2: Better Days

Joss Whedon was born in New York City in 1964. He started out as a staff writer for the 1990s sitcom Roseanne and worked on films, including Toy Story. In 1992 he penned the script for a film, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and when the TV version starring Sarah Michelle Gellar took off in 1997, Whedon had his big break—with its female action heroine, Buffy, became a huge hit. Whedon wrote hundreds of episodes for Buffy and its spin-off Angel, and was nominated for Emmy and Hugo awards for his work. Whedon has come to enjoy a cult following. The author lives in Santa Monica, California.

Dave Stewart is a multiple Eisner Award–winning colorist who works for Dark Horse, Marvel, and DC Comics. His credits include Iron Man: Enter the Mandarin, Daytripper, and Michael Chabon Presents The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist. 

Patton Oswalt is a comedian, actor, author, and screenwriter. Oswalt is perhaps best known as the voice of Remy the rat in the film, Ratatouille, but he also gained prominence during the '90s as one of the premier West Coast stand-up comedians. Oswalt's albums Feelin' Kinda Patton, Werewolves and Lollipops, and My Weakness Is Strong are staples of the genre. Oswalt has also been featured in The King of Queens, Big Fan, Young Adult, and The Goldbergs. 

Zack Whedon is a film director and writer for television and comic books. Whedon was educated at Wesleyan University. He began his TV writing career with the HBO show Deadwood and has written and produced a number of other high-profile projects. In the comic book world, Whedon is known for his work on Serenity, The Terminator, and Dr. Horrible. He is the brother of Joss Whedon.

When Whedon’s beloved TV show Firefly was canceled, fans were left with a little spaceship-shaped hole in their hearts. This second entry in the Serenity comic-book series, which essentially presents new episodes in graphic format, should help mollify them. Whedon’s sensibility works well here, as primary hero/rogue Mal Reynolds and his crew balance snarky asides and verbal sparring with cloaked sentimentality and plenty of western-styled space-opera action. While most of the in-jokes, character quirks, and background references will only resonate with those already in the know, that is a pretty sizable—and hungry—population in its own right. Grades 9-12. --Ian Chipman