Product Description
Joss Whedon returns to the world of his blockbuster film Serenity with the three-issue comics series Better Days.Better Days revisits everyone's favorite space cowboys in this thrilling, action-packed adventure, with Mal and his crew on a heist that promises a big payoff--what's surprising is that this heist just might make good on that promise.Whedon reunites with Brett Matthews and Will Conrad, his collaborators on the best-selling 2005 series Those Left Behind. Adam Hughes joins the team for covers.* Prequel series to the blockbuster film Serenity by Joss Whedon.* Front covers by critically acclaimed Adam Hughes.* Serenity: Those Left Behind has sold over 85, 000 copies! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Eh.So What?
Serenity- Those Left Behind was a good idea.It bridged the series and the movie, filling in a gap that really did need filling in.It was a bit bland, though, and came off as a mediocre 'lost episode' of "Firefly," but it was definitely worth a read.So, when this comic was announced, I figured it would also take place between the series and the movie, but also AFTER "Those Left Behind," as that ground has already been covered.

However, it wasn't.This comic is set between the series and "Those Left Behind."Why?This what I think:

1. Joss doesn't want to write a Serenity comic that takes place after the movie, because he still has hope that a sequel will be green lit.Fair enough, but that leads to boring comics that have little to no impact on the story line or the characters.We get that Mal and Inara secretly love/lust after each other, but how long can that be written about?We get the whole Simon/Kaylee cute flirtation hesitant thing, but come on.It's been going on forever.How long will the same plot threads be stamped over?
2. Joss doesn't want to write a Serenity comic that takes place after "Those Left Behind" because he won't have Inara and Book to play with.Well, sorry, but that's just a bad excuse.As interesting as those characters are, this SHOULD have been set after "Those Left Behind."

As far as the substance of the actual comic, it's average.The whole idea of the gang actually carrying out a successful heist is interesting, and Inara's little dilemma with her client was entertaining.However, none of this really seemed to stick with me.Not to mention, the 'heist' scene (with Mal, Zoe, Jayne, and Simon being chased and then the stuff that follows) was one of the most awkward comic scenes I've read.The art is good on the inside, but the cover is simply creepy.I'm disappointed, because the first few pages read really well, but things just teetered off towards the end.Unlike the new Buffy and Angel comics, "Serenity: Better Days" didn't do it for me.

All in all, I'm left with a feeling of "eh, so what?"When Joss is ready to take these characters on a journey that actually has an impact on them and the 'verse, I'll be happy, but until then, it looks like I'll be bored.

4/10

Not quite a home run, but a solid beginning
Warning!Some spoilers below!

I'm both a fan of graphic novels (i.e., comic books for grown ups) and FIREFLY/SERENITY, so this was, of course, a must read for me.I was very disappointed in the first Whedon/Matthews/Conrad collaboration on SERENITY, entitled THOSE LEFT BEHIND.The story completely lacked the magic of the television series or the movie.It also wasn't as gripping as the subsequent BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 and ANGEL SEASON 6.So I was a tad uncertain on picking this one up.Would it be as excellent as the BUFFY and ANGEL efforts, or more like the earlier SERENITY?Luckily it is more like BUFFY and ANGEL.

I want to offer some speculation why SERENITY is a prequel rather than a sequel as with BUFFY and ANGEL.There is simply no question that at this point BUFFY and ANGEL are finished except possibly as a movie.Well, and as a comic.Perhaps someday we'll see BUFFY SEASON 9 and ANGEL SEASON 7.But FIREFLY/SERENITY never came close to exhausting the possible stories.I read pretty widely on movie and TV boards and the current word is that Universal, which has been extremely impressed by the strong and ongoing DVD sales of the film SERENITY, might have interest in another movie.The issue seems to be whether it would be a mainstream release or a direct to DVD release.The latter need not put fear in the hearts of SERENITY fans.The recent STARGATE: ARK OF TRUTH showed that a direct to DVD release could be both interesting and pretty good-looking.Given the way that Whedon has refused to give out certain bits of information about FIREFLY/SERENITY characters (for instance, at a recent forum he refused to allow Monica Baccarin to reveal why Inara had left her home planet -- in his DVD commentary on SERENITY he revealed that Inara, who got shorted in the first SERENITY movie, would play a much more significant role in an additional film), I think it safe to say that he retains hopes of continuing the story of the crew of Serenity.In other words, he is writing a prequel right now because he hopes to do a sequel to the film later.

Specifically, this prequel takes place before Inara has left Serenity, but several months before the timeframe of the film.

OK, entering spoiler realm!

The first issue is not spectacular, but it definitely shows promise.It starts off with the demonstration of what is obviously a crime-fighting vehicle.It is dispatched to capture perpetuators of a crime-in-progress, who just happen to be Mal and Co.But it quickly turns out that the crime was a honey trap to lure the high tech vehicle to a spot where Serenity could snatch it.The hunter was the prey.We then cut away to Inara plying her trade.Her customer is an Alliance agent who is charged with catching what he calls Dust Devils, who are former Independents who often turn to petty thievery while resisting assimilation into the Alliance.The illustrators do a good job here of conveying without words that Inara immediately realizes that Mal and his crew fit the description of Dust Devils.The last bit of the comic deals with their attempt to get the money for stealing the crime-fighting vehicle in the first part (the contractor had no actual money, but told them where to get some).The final panels show them with absolutely astounding quantities of money.

It started out as a simple heist...
This prequel to the movie follows Mal, Zoe, Jayne and the rest of the crew on another dangerous space heist. Once again, Mal plans a deceptively simple job burglarizing an art museum. What he doesn't know is that the Alliance has chosen the same day to test a new, state-of-the-art capture vehicle.

I'm a newbie to comics and graphic novels, but this one hit the spot. The Firefly-brand action translates well to the comic genre. Whedon even manages to fit in some of the witty dialogue and character interactions that make fans (like me) fall in love with his stories. The cover is awesome (by Adam Hughes), and the art inside stays true to the TV characters (except for Wash, who doesn't exactly capture Alan Tudyk). Overall, a great read. I will definitely pick up the next two in the series.

... Read more

Product Description
The second softcover collection of IDW's smash-hit Angel: After the Fall! First Night begins! What happened on the very night Los Angeles went straight to hell, the incident that ended the Angel television series with such a shocking cliffhanger? Why did the team go their separate ways? And how did Connor rise up to become one of Hell's greatest champions? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

What were you doing when L.A. went to Hell?
Rather than one long story arc, this short volume (with a long title) tells a number of short stories, each about a different character, which all take place surrounding the same event: L.A. going to Hell. Warning: This means the stories take place chronologically before the events of Angel:After the Fall Volume 1 and do NOT continue that story. 2nd warning (or bonus, for some): Angel is not one of those characters. He's not in this book.

I'm really please that they decided to go ahead with this idea. I thought it was great to see how different characters reacted/behaved/melted down/etc and to see what happened to them. First, though, was the hilarious recap on the Groosablog, which I thought was another great idea, to help people figure out the chronological context of what they're about to read.

As for the stories, some were better than others (possibly because I'm more interested in some characters than others). They were illustrated by different artists in very different styles, which made for an interesting variety.

I loved Spike's story, both because of the story itself and the writing (it was funny and it definitely sounded like Spike), and also because the art for Spike was excellent. I also loved Lorne's story, for the inventiveness of it being in verse (of course Lorne would sing) and for the story, which was wonderful, hilarious, and satisfying. Some aspects of the art weren't to my taste, but it certainly got the job done and was interesting. Another favorite story of mine wasn't about a main character, but about an "End is Near" prophesier. It was both funny and also quite poignant, and the art was very different.

The rest of the stories I didn't love, but there was nothing wrong with them whatsoever, and other people might count them amongst their favorites. I'm just not particularly interested in Gwen or Connor or even Wesley. I'm not sure that I will buy this volume, since I'd rather try to get the individual comics with the stories that I love.

As usual, Brian Lynch's notes at the end are interesting and funny. "Angel: After the Fall: First Night: Curse of the Black Pearl" indeed!

What Happened That Night
Reason for Reading: Next in the series.

Summary: After the shocking ending of Vol. 1, Vol. 2 leaves us hanging and backs up in time to the first night after the ending of the television series. This book is smaller containing only 3 comics that contain vignettes of all the characters showing us where they ended up that first night, why they are no longer all together and how they came to be in the situations we find them in Vol. 1. Angel himself is not in this volume at all, which is a little odd at first but this book's purpose is to re-establish the other characters, whom we knew so well, with the new turns their character's have taken in Vol. 1. There is also a surprise return of an old character from the series. I was never fond of this person on the show but their introduction here was very exciting and I look forward to Angel's response to seeing this person back in town. The book ends with an art gallery of covers and work by various artists, then an article by Lynch on a few stories they thought of putting in the issues but didn't for one reason or another and then finally ends with a page by page run through of notes for each issue with thoughts on what ended on the page or the ideas behind it. Very interesting stuff. First Night is a quick read and while not quite as OMG exciting as Vol. 1, definitely a great read with wonderful art especially some work by Nick Runge of Amy Acker (stunning!)

Fleashing out the end of the world
Note: this review is for the softcover edition of IDW's second volume of Angel: After the Fall, entitled First Night.

As we all know by now, Angel's world may have come to an end, but his story didn't. The second collected volume of IDW's Angel: After the Fall details just how and why the group ended up splitting apart upon Los Angeles going to Hell, as well as details just what happened to them all leading up to the first storyarc. Here, we see just how Wesley came back from the dead, how Connor became such a fierce warrior, and learn more of what lead characters like Gunn, Gwen, Spike, Lorne, Kate, and even a story involving some of LA's civilians. Co-plotters Brian Lynch and Angel creator Joss Whedon manage to flesh things out enough (Wesley's story in particular is the best of the bunch), while the biggest flaw of First Night ends up being the artwork. The legendary John Byrne is on board and does quite well illustrating Lorne's tale, while David Messina and Nick Runge do okay, but the rest of the artwork featured here is largely inconsistent and sub-standard compared to the previously mentioned. That aside though, Angel: After the Fall: First Night does a solid enough job bringing things up to speed, and in that respect alone, if you're a Buffy/Angel fan in the least, Angel: After the Fall is something that is definitely worth your time. It may not have the spark that Dark Horse's Buffy: Season 8 has, but it comes pretty close nonetheless.

Angel, As A Superhero
Joss Whedon helped plot the script, so it's a given that it can't be bad. It's just essential that, before you buy, you know what you're getting into. This trade paperback is an obvious attempt at making Angel a more traditional superhero by including epic fights, big two-page action spreads, and action oriented plots. It was risky, seeing how "Angel the Series" is character--not action--driven, but I do think it worked well.

The dialogue is the best you'll get out of an Angel comic (other than "After The Fall," which is in a whole different league), so Whedonites will be glad to know that Cordy's snappy sarcasm and Angel's stoic-yet-slick banter is alive and well in this book. The pace is too fast and they could have easily stretched the story to five issues, but I'm confident that fans of Angel--especially the early years--will love this comic. That's if they can get their hands on it, as it is very difficult to come across these days.

Artwise, there was some stuff I loved, some I liked, some I didn't like, some I hated. Hated the inconsistency of Cordy's face. Wes looks about fifty, which is really strange. Also, the colorist really messed up in the last issue. The Big Bad of the comic, an ancient vampire named Perfect Zheng, had a fang knocked out by Angel in the 1920s. In the first issues, he's depicted as wearing a really cool metal fang. Then, in the final issue, both fangs are colored white again as if the whole "metal fang" thing never happened. But overall, the art is really dynamic and carries out the action well.

I liked that the themes of the series remains in tact, but I didn't like how much tinkering was done with the mythology. The whole concept of how Angel got cursed with his soul was changed, and that would be fine--if it was elaborated on. It's kind of introduced and then dropped before Angel--or readers--can even give it another thought. Another few minor things that bothered me was that (1) I didn't buy the idea that Gunn would carjack someone just because they were honking at him, (2) the "snake lady" twist at the end was really contrived and not built up to at all, and (3) this isn't the fault of the story at all, but the last page gives the idea that there's going to be a continuation, but... the comic was cancelled by Dark Horse after this series.Thank God IDW picked it up.

7/10

Kind of a let down
As a huge fan of "Mr.Tall Dark and Broody" I was overjoyed to learn that Joss Whedon wanted to take a more active role in the comic series.The series was amazing - this could only make it better! Right? Apparently not. I love Angel, so the book wasn't a total loss.There were a few laughs, but overall I was confused by the practically non-existent plot and the countless loose ends it left trailing in its wake.In addition the action sequences lacked the requisite frames that would allow readers to follow the fights. Overall, the book was a disappointment.I recommend Joss stick to the small screen and let the old staff get back to producing an extraordinary comic series. ... Read more

Product Description
Serenity issue #2 of 3 cover by Adam Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent Comic
I had issues 1 and 3, neeeded number 2. Was shipped and recieved in mint condition

Feeding the Need
This is an awesome series for any Browncoat. The art is beautiful and the story line is pure Whedon. As a fan it is great to get new material from the awesome universe that Joss has created.

A thoroughly enjoyable issue in this short series
This is the second of the three issues that will comprise the Better Days SERENITY series.Although this issue doesn't really push the story forward much, I completely enjoyed this one, primarily for the series of fantasies that the various members of the crew get to indulge in following the huge cache of money they reaped at the end of the previous issue.Most were pretty consistent with what we know about the characters.Kaylee, for instance, fantasizes about owning a high tech garage for space ships with her father, with some ravishing by Simon thrown in for good measure (the latter detail apparently not shared with the other gals).River imagines herself walking through a large meadow inhabited by pixies and fairies and other kinds of magical beasts, an extraordinarily tall fish walking beside her.The latter is shown, not said.But the best fantasy, by far, is that of Shepherd Book.We see a drawing of him sitting in a chair behind a desk, one prostitute sitting in his lap and another standing beside him, cash, alcohol, and lines of cocaine on a tray arrayed on the desk, while he smokes a cigar.Kaylee, Jayne, Book, and Zoe are depicted staring aghast (well, Zoe is actually depicted as her usual stoic self), until Book says, "Kidding.Reckon I'll give it to the abbey."

There is only one issue left and so far there hasn't been a great deal of story.And I can see much more of a story developing in the pages to come.I think that the main point of this short series will be to reunite this group of characters we fans of FIREFLY and SERENITY one more time.The worst thing about the TV series getting cancelled so soon and the delay of any kind of sequel to the movie is that we are left with too few stories about the crew of Serenity.Despite this, these are among some of the most brilliantly conceived characters in SF TV and film.There remains a lot of reason to expect another film, but until we get that, short run comics like this help fill a need.Unlike BUFFY Season 8 and ANGEL Season 6, I don't think we'll ever get a FIREFLY Season 2.Although there are a number of stories that remain to be told -- especially resolving the Mal/Inara romance and explaining more about her background -- these will be saved for a movie, not used in a comic series.

In the comic book store where I bought my copy, there were no copies of the cover depicted above.All the ones there showed a second trio of characters posed on the cover, this time Jayne, Book, and Inara.No doubt the final issue will show Simon, River, and Kaylee.

Finally, Something With Substance
NOTE: The cover displayed on this page is not the normal cover.It is a special edition cover that is very rare.I am unsure why the normal cover is not posted on this site.

I didn't really expect much.The first Serenity miniseries, Those Left Behind, was a bit boring, and the first issue of "Better Days" was actually pretty bad.But this issue, the second of the series, really pulled a rabbit out of the hat.For the first time since Serenity, the movie, I felt as if I were truly experiencing these characters again.

Though this issue really seems to act as a bridge between #1 and what will happen in #3, there is a very strong story line here.All of the characters go to a vacation resort, eager to spend their new wealth.Seeing what each of these characters envisions doing with their money (especially Book, River, and Jayne) makes for hilarious--and sometimes touching, in Kaylee's case--character moments.Unlike the first issue, writers Joss Whedon and Brett Matthews begin to tread new water with these characters by having people interacting that we didn't often get to see interact during the show.

The art is good, for the most part.Will Conrad excels at capturing the character's likenesses as well as drawing beautiful settings, but he is quite awful at drawing action.Much like in the first issue, I was baffled by what was going on during the 'main action scene' of the comic.After pouring over the page for a moment or so, it clicked, but Conrad should truly work at how he portrays action and even movement.The cover is every bit as ugly as the first one, making all of the characters look half-realistic and half-cartoony, making the end result look rather disturbing.

Overall, this is a surprisingly huge improvement over the first issue.If Joss, Brett, and Will are able to keep up the momentum for the third and final issue, this series will surpass "Those Left Behind."

7/10 ... Read more

Product Description
Dive in as series writer Brian Lynch and Angel overlord Joss Whedon tell the tale of what happened to ANGEL & Co. on the night that WOLFRAM & HART sent their minions into the alley in "Not Fade Away."Issues #1-17 of Angel: After the Fall are collected here, in this Premiere Edition hardcover. Featuring art by Franco Urru, Stephen Mooney, John Byrne, David Messina, Nick Runge, and more. ... Read more

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Joss Whedon's FRAY #2, of an 8-Issue Mini-Series. From the creator of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, FIREFLY and SERENITY! ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Extrapolation, published by Extrapolation on September 22, 2009. The length of the article is 13012 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: "I am a leaf on the wind": cultural trauma and mobility in Joss Whedon's Firefly.
Author: Matthew B. Hill
Publication: Extrapolation (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 22, 2009
Publisher: Extrapolation
Volume: 50Issue: 3Page: 484(28)

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

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Wizard Magazine March 2008 Issue 197 Who Will Survive? Final Crisis Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, The Early Scoop on Morrision and Jones', Who is Red Hulk?, Mark Millar & McNiven's Civil War Follow-up, Heath Ledger's Joker, Joss Whedon, Wolverine ... Read more

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series). Joss Whedon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), Mutant Enemy Productions, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Music in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, Sunnydale, Hellmouth (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Buffy the Vampire Slayer filming locations, List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes, List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel episodes, List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters, List of minor Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters, List of Buffyverse villains and supernatural beings, Angel (TV series), Buffyverse canon, List of Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels, List of Buffyverse comics, Undeveloped Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoffs, Buffy studies, Unofficial Buffy the Vampire Slayer productions, Buffy the Vampire Slayer in popular culture, List of awards and nominations received by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel ... Read more

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Les achats comprennent une adhésion à l'essai gratuite au club de livres de l'éditeur, dans lequel vous pouvez choisir parmi plus d'un million d'ouvrages, sans frais. Le livre consiste d'articles Wikipedia sur : Que le Spectacle Commence, Un Silence de Mort, Cauchemar, Innocence, Orphelines, La Cérémonie, Acathla, le Manuscrit, Les Deux Visages, La Fin Des Temps, Partie 2, Les Liens Du Sang, L'apocalypse, Disparitions Sur le Campus, Mensonge, une Revenante, Partie 2, Conviction, Anne, Un Trou Dans le Monde, La Métamorphose de Buffy, le Soleil de Noël, Bienvenue à Los Angeles, Intouchable, La Bouteille Magique, Les Coulisses de L'éternité. Non illustré. Mises à jour gratuites en ligne. Extrait : Que le spectacle commence (en version originale : ) est le 7 épisode de la saison 6 de la série télévisée Buffy contre les vampires. Cet épisode est d'abord connu pour être musical, à la fois hommage et parodie des comédies musicales hollywoodiennes. Un démon, interprété par Hinton Battle, légende vivante de , contraint les personnages à chanter et danser. L'épisode est réalisé et mis en scène par le créateur de la série, Joss Whedon, qui a aussi composé et écrit les chansons. À ce titre, il fait partie des épisodes remarquables de la série. Sur le plan narratif, Que le spectacle commence noue ou dénoue de nombreuses intrigues importantes : Buffy et Spike, qui se sont beaucoup rapprochés dans les épisodes précédents, entament une liaison ; Tara découvre que Willow l'a manipulée en se servant de la magie ; Alex et Anya éprouvent des doutes sur leur mariage à venir ; Giles se décide à quitter Sunnydale. Pour toutes ces raisons, il s'agit d'un des épisodes les plus connus, au-delà du cercle des fans. L'épisode s'ouvre, sans séquence préalable, par un générique dont les images et l'orchestration ont été modifiées pour l'occasion. Le soir d'une journée comme les autres, alors qu'elle patrouille, Buffy se met à chanter le sentiment de détach...http://booksllc.net/?l=fr ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Buffyverse is a term coined by fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel to refer to the shared fictional universe in which they are set. The term has since been used in the titles of published works, and been adopted by Joss Whedon, the creator of the fictional universe. The boundaries of the Buffyverse have grown over the years. The Buffyverse established by these many stories is a place in which supernatural phenomena are undeniable. The existence of vampires and demons is challenged by people willing to fight against such forces. The term "Buffyverse" is a portmanteau word of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and universe similar to the term "Whoniverse" used to describe the setting of Doctor Who and spin-offs or "Xenaverse" used to describe that of Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. ... Read more

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Les achats comprennent une adhésion à l'essai gratuite au club de livres de l'éditeur, dans lequel vous pouvez choisir parmi plus d'un million d'ouvrages, sans frais. Le livre consiste d'articles Wikipedia sur : Harriet Tubman, Lester Frank Ward, Joss Whedon, Anne Sexton, Pat Califia, Nikki Craft, Ezra Heywood. Non illustré. Mises à jour gratuites en ligne. Extrait : Harriet Tubman (née Araminta Ross en 1820 ou 1822 dans le Comté de Dorchester, Maryland, décédée le 10 mars 1913 à Auburn, État de New York). Connue aussi sous les noms de Moïse noire, Grand-mère Moïse, ou encore Moïse du peuple Noir, Harriet Tubman fut une combattante de la liberté Afro-Américaine. Étant une esclave évadée, elle travailla comme ouvrière agricole, bûcheronne, blanchisseuse, infirmière, et cuisinière. Devenue abolitionniste, elle participa à la lutte contre l'esclavage et le racisme. Elle accomplit diverses fonctions telles que collecte de renseignements, préparation des volontaires pour l'évasion, exécution des évasions, infirmière, prêche évangélique et collecte de fonds. Les lieux qui ont compté dans la vie d'Harriet TubamnHarriet Tubman est née Araminta "Minty" Ross de parents esclaves, Harriet ("Rit") Green et Ben Ross. Rit appartenait à Mary Pattison Brodess (et plus tard à son fils Edward) tandis que Ben était la propriété du second mari de Mary, Anthony Thompson, qui dirigeait une grande plantation à proximité de la rivière Blackwater à Madison dans le Maryland. Comme pour beaucoup d'esclaves aux États-Unis, ni l'année exacte, ni le lieu de sa naissance n'ont été enregistrés et les estimations des historiens divergent, s'échelonnant de 1820 à 1825. Kate Larson avance l'année 1822, en s'appuyant sur un paiement de sage-femme et plusieurs autres documents historiques tandis que Jean Humez affirme que « les meilleures données actuelles suggèrent que Tubman est née en 1820 mais cela a pu être un an ou deux plus tard. ». Catherine Clinton note q...http://booksllc.net/?l=fr ... Read more

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Word count: 2411. ... Read more

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After a crushing turn of events, Melaka's back on her feet, taking the fight into the pits of the city, the rat-infested warren she calls home. But are these street-urchin vamps behind the recent murder that set Fray over the edge? Entertainment Weekly made Fray Winner of the Week when it debuted, helping the first printing of the book to sell out. As Joss Whedon and his art team of Karl Moline, Andy Owens, and Dave Stewart take Fray into its last act, comics readers are in for all the twists and turns they've come to expect from Joss's TV shows. ... Read more