Firefly #8 Has Everything From Giant Bugs To Political Intrigue

Just when Mal is getting through to his captor, Boss Moon, the crew of the Serenity mount a prison break. Meanwhile, Zoe is getting wrapped up in what could become a second Unification War. Leave it to these folks to take something from bad to worse.

While Firefly #8 deals with some pretty deep concepts, there’s a through line of humor, particularly with the scenes involved Jayne. The rest of the crew convinced some bandits that he’s Wash and he’s acting like a petulant child. Everyone else is grinning and going along with this while Jayne is screaming his head off.
Letterer Jim Campbell shows how angry Jayne is with some bold word balloons. These get smaller over time as he’s continually beaten down, but he can’t stop himself from rallying against those that oppose him.

We get to see everyone shine in Firefly #8 as they all work together towards a common goal of getting the band back together. Inara is a definite standout, using her talents as a companion to manipulate the situation by political means. After seeing this, I’d love to read an Inara spy thriller because she clearly has the wit and guile to be successful on that front.
The different settings for each character contrast well. Inara is setting in the lap of luxury while Mal is literally fighting for his life against giant bugs in a swamp. Artist Dan McDaid showcases the variety the ‘Verse offers. There’s unimaginable wealth and dingy depths. This is complemented by colorist Marcelo Costa. There are lush colors full of life with Inara while the other crew members are wallowing in dark browns, greys, and blacks. You can practically feel the grit and dirt on the page.

The bugs are a constant threat for Mal and Boss Moon, always lurking nearby ready to strike. They let off this eerie “tik tik tik” and “chik chik chik” noise. This creates a haunting feeling as they descend upon their would-be victims.
It’s rather amazing how writer Greg Pak weaves all these different plot threads together in a seamless fashion. He’s spinning many plates here and they all connect in a perfect way, building on everything that’s happened up until this point. This is top notch storytelling. Pak matches up to the signature wit we’ve come to expect not just from Firefly, but any of Joss Whedon’s creations, while adding his own spin to it. This is just part of what makes Firefly special. It’s packed with compelling characters with histories that run deep, coupled with dynamite artwork that brings out their emotions in a powerful way.
Firefly #8 from Boom! Studios is currently available at your local comic shop an digitally through ComiXology and Amazon Kindle.