Serenity: Leaves on the Wind #4 opens with Mal and Jayne where there were last time; angry and not trusting the other. They discuss their plan for dealing with the Operative aboard their ship in order to get Zoe back. Now on a prison planet, Zoe is less than pleased to discover that though the facility has no walls or cages, it does have some less than desirable characters and a desert surrounding it that kills those who try to leave. With the help of Jayne’s friend Bea, the remaining members of the Serenity crew is able to make it back to the facility where River was tormented and turned into the quiet violent creature she is. Jayne is excited to use his beloved gun, Vera, to break further into the facility. River comes face to face with her tormentors, and several other surprises.
One of the things that is most admirable about the Serenity comic is that the women have emotions, but not one of them is weak. In this issue, Zoe straight up beats up a guy in prison for disrespecting her. River shows fear, but she also shows enough strength to show back up at the facility that tortured her so she can save others. Bea is capable and able to help the crew, getting them access to a ship and all the help they need. Zack Whedon keeps the story flowing, all the while developing characters that the reader grows to miss and long to pick back up with month after month. Georges Jeanty keeps the artwork consistent and steps up to the challenge of the sheer number of new characters and alien worlds. The blend of story and art is a delight.
Serenity: Leaves on the Wind #4 ends abruptly and leaves the reader with a sinking feeling that something bad is about to happen. The issue acts as a bridge to a bigger picture, and month after month that image is becoming harder to let go of at the end of the book.
Serenity: Leaves on the Wind #4 is available from Dark Horse Press now.
