Just a bit of news - the new Serenity comics will be a prequel to Serenity, taking place after the final Firefly episode, "Objects In Space", but before "Serenity".

Those left behind was also from that period correct?

How much time is supposed to pass in between TLB and Serenity?

It wouldn't seem like it was a very long time?

Regardless, I can't wait.

Oooh, very good. I'm looking forward to this.

So I guess these new comics must be set before Those Left Behind since TLB ends pretty much right as Serenity begins.

edit:
quote from Joss from the article on whedonesque:

So it could potentially be set anywhere on the timeline: Pre-firefly, set between existing episodes, or set in the gap between Objects in Space and TLB. That's a shame it's only going to be 3 issues again, that's barely the length of an episode.

*sigh*

But it is Mal and the crew and more Firefly. I'll take it anyway I can get it.

And this is to be taken as canon, yes? Cool. It's not the tv series, but I love comics, and I wanted to know how they got from the somewhat positive outlook at the end of 'Objects in Space' to the lean, desperate state they were in when 'Serenity' happened. Obviously, there is the leaving of Book and Inara to deal with, too, but I don't think putting all the pretty eggs in one brightly colored newsprint basket would bode well for future tellings of the tale.

While the comics really don't hold the magic of the series for me, I am nevertheless very happy for more in any form, and that sounds like a good time period to visit. It's just that our beloved cast are what makes this series shine, and comics will never quite be able to capture that for me the way Nathan's expressive face does Regardless, I'll be eagerly anticipating the release of these. Any hint of a date yet?

I'd prefer paperbacks, or novels instead of comics, but I'll take whatever Joss offers at this point.

I am with everyone else in that I would rather have a new tv series, BDM sequel or whatever, but I will take the comics gladly as I am eager for any form that Joss wishes to continue telling the story.

Comics are fine and shiny. Just because comics are created does not mean that the crew can't go back and revisit them on the future TV series?

Agreed. Comics might not be the first choice for medium but we all want more story.

I will take what I can get and support the verse anyway I can!

Great news. I look forward to them. But I also concur -- three again? At least his writing on The Astonishing X-Men has been, well, astonishing.

I’m excited. I thought they did a great job translating the vibe of the series to comics in TLB. Maybe he can even explain Mr. Universe.

That was the only part of the movie which really made no sense to me, since he was never mentioned before, and wasn’t in Those Left Behind.

(I’ve heard that there is a little more about him in the novelization of Serenity, but haven’t read it yet)

Some info from the Novel about Mr. Universe's origins:

He entered flight school under an alias and rose to the top of the class (#2 was Wash) despite having no aptitde for flight. He would simply hack into the system days earlier and program the simulators (and later actual craft) to perfectly perform the actions the lessons required. On tasks which he had to do manually, he performed awfully, but would just hack in later and alter the scores. Wash confronted Mr. Universe at graduation refusing to believe he was a better pilot than Wash. When Mr. Universe told him the truth Wash agreed to keep his secret for the occasional favor later on in life.

Mr. Universe is called this because he has deleted all records of his previous life and will only respond to this nickname. Mr. Universe obtained his homebase by hacking into the central computers of a comunication complex and sending a message to the owner that the terraforming would de-stabalize within a month rendering the moon uninhabitable. Mr. Universe moved in and set-up shop, and approaching ships would have their sensors tweaked to indicate that the environment is poison.

In addition to being a certified pilot Mr. Universe is an ordained Shephard, professional planet diver, and a licensed prospector (and is equally inept at performing those tasks as well).

Thanks.

I'm just imagining what Joss' might have done with that character had the show not been cancelled.

I can picture some great flashback scenes with Wash and Mr. Universe.

Oh, well. Maybe someday.

It should be noted that that material was added by the author (KRAD) and wasn't in the screenplay. Joss obviously didn't object to it, but I dunno if he considers it canon.

^ Right, because every damn time anyone mentions anything I did in the novelization, somebody has to come along and remind the world that I'm not Joss Whedon, so I am not sufficiently holy to be considered "real."

(Not that I'm bitter or anything....)

Didn't say whether I considered it "real" or not, or whether anyone else should. Frankly I prefer your version since, among other things. it provided some much-needed back story for a character that, in the movie, came outta nowhere. I'm on record as praising the novelization to the skies.

But if Joss decides to write about Mr. Universe in his comic, I don't know if he would use your version. I hope so, but to my knowledge he's never said.

^ I know, I'm sorry, but I just have a minor persecution complex on the subject.

Understandable. It's frustrating for readers, too.

You and David Newman should start a support group

If you don't mind me asking Keith, how does a novelization typically work? Are you just handed the early draft of the screenplay and allowed to fill in some of the narrative gaps yourself? Do you have communication with the script writer(s) to get more background information on the characters which the writers may have in their heads, but is not necessarilly explicitly written on the page? No need to go into great detail, I'm just curious how the process works. I imagine it helped a great deal to have 14 television episodes of backstory to draw from (and there are several great references to various episodes peppered throughout the novelization).

Personally, while I long for new novels, I'd also love to see krad pull a James Blish and novelize the epsiodes, three per book. He's got the insight and the hold on the characters to really do them justice.

Whoo-hoo!!! Shiny idea.

Why three per bookand not one per book? Were James Blish's books that way? I sent them to my sister and cannot check.

Keith, (KRAD)

What do you think?

I would buy that.

www.titanbooks.com is coming out with two Firefly Official Visual Companions. The first one
is based on the the pilot and will contain the script. Not sure if the second one will be based on one episode or two episodes or what. And then there may be more.

I don't know if titanbooks prints novels, but they must have permission from Fox to do these books and they realize that there is a market for this.

Dark Horse comics also realizes there is a market. They are doing more comics and they came out with the Serenity Ornament and Serenity lighter.

Pocket books just hasn't realized it yet...maybe they are waiting for Universal to announce that there will be a Serenity sequel.

Keith, I know you are REAL...as I hold my Serenity novelization...see there is your name right there...Keith R.A. DeCandido. AUTHOR. PUBLISHED AUTHOR.

those have been amazing

im perfectly fine with it, personally i like anything that has to do with our crew and joss, movies, tv, novels, comics, even a puppet theater is fine (ok maybe not) but i think its shiny, can't wait!

I don't mind you asking at all, but how it works varies from novelization to novelization.

Generally, yes, you get whatever draft of the script is most current when you get the assignment. Filling in the narrative gaps is vitally necessary because a movie screenplay doesn't have a novel's worth of story. How much you get to fill in will vary according to the preferences of the licensor. Some don't want you to add anything (which is ridiculous), and some are very flexible with what you can do (Greg Cox, for example, was given lots of leeway, and background info, for his Underworld novelization).

How much cooperation you get from the studio varies wildly as well. To give examples of the two extremes, I novelized both Darkness Falls and Resident Evil: Apocalypse. In the case of the former, the producers were very helpful, keeping me up to date on changes to the script, and even inviting me and my editor in to see a rough cut of the film -- in particular the new addition on the ending. OTOH, with RE:A, I got the draft of the script that happened to be current when I got the assignment, and we never heard from them again (which is why the ending in my novel is different from the ending of the movie).

With Serenity, having the backstory in Firefly was a huge help. For other movies, I just have to make backstory up. (And I still did with Mr. Universe.)

Hope this answers your questions....

Well it wasn't my question, but I for one am grateful to you for your answer anyway, and a big thank you for your continued input to the fandom!

Sure does answer my questions, thank you

*bows* Happy to be of service.

...and rises to a standing ovation!

and clapping!!!

Whoo-hoo!

Belated response here: No plans for episode novelizations. The three-per-book model is based on what Pocket did with Buffy, where they did episode novelizations based on a theme. I did one of the two Xander volumes, and there were also a couple of Angel ones (this was before Mr. Broody got his own separate series), and a Willow one and a Giles one, I think.

Dunno if there's any interest in doing that at Pocket -- I suspect they'd rather do originals...

Thanks Krad

We all support you totally, Krad, and look forward to whatever you do next!

Krad, I believe you're real ...and thanks

A big, blushing thank-you to Vex Viper, sandyg, and lilbird.

At Comic Con Joss hinted that the art work for the next comic will blow our minds. When pressed for more info he just smiled. What a tease!

And that why we love him/burn him in effigy!

And thats why we love him/burn him in effigy!

When is the new comic set coming out?