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Firefly (Collected Editions) #3
Firefly: The Unification War Vol. 3
THERE’S NO ESCAPING THE PAST. Captain Malcolm Reynolds, his first mate Zoë Washburne and the ragtag crew of Serenity have been torn apart by Boss Moon, the Unificators and the gorram Alliance itself—but they’re nothing compared to the allies Mal’s gonna have to turn to to stop them, starting with one of the most ruthless, terrifying people in the entire ‘verse: Ma Reynolds! With a new war brewing, the Alliance on the verge of gaining more power than ever, and Mal’s own freedom on the line, our good Captain is going to be reminded that saving the day always comes at a higher price than you thought. The New York Times best-selling author Greg Pak (Star Wars), artist Dan McDaid (Doom Patrol) and visionary Firefly creator Joss Whedon (Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Marvel’s The Avengers) conclude the definitive story of the Unification War...and send the crew of Serenity in a shocking new direction. Collects Firefly #9-12
144 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2020
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377 people want to read
About the author
Greg Pak
1,590Ìýbooks563ÌýfollowersGreg Pak is an award-winning Korean American comic book writer and filmmaker currently writing "Lawful" for BOOM and "Sam Wilson: Captain America" (with Evan Narcisse) for Marvel. Pak wrote the "Princess Who Saved Herself" children's book and the “Code Monkey Save Worldâ€� graphic novel based on the songs of Jonathan Coulton and co-wrote (with Fred Van Lente) the acclaimed “Make Comics Like the Prosâ€� how-to book. Pak's other work includes "Planet Hulk," "Darth Vader," "Mech Cadet Yu," "Ronin Island," "Action Comics," and "Magneto Testament."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
February 3, 2021
4.5 Stars for Firefly: The Unification War Vol.3 ( The Unification War #3) by Greg Pak illustrated by Dan McDaid. I’m happy that I got a glimpse back into the Firefly universe. It had been too long.
December 30, 2019
Read as each issue was released
Not believable as a story happening between Firefly and Serenity, filled with forgettable background characters and the main characters are stuck in time
I have had hard time with the Unification War-storyline for some time, and the closer it has come to this final issue, the more credibility it has lost. River and Simon being wanted to an extreme degree by the all-powerful Alliance and being able to hide with Mal at Serenity with this kind of exposure?
I just don’t buy it. They could have made almost the exact same storyline and set it after Serenity, ad it would have worked better. They are certainly not using Shephard for anything, and Wash is pretty much reduced to little more than Zoe’s husband, though there are some sweet moments.
Pak has a fairly good handle of the characters, but I’ve seen him do much better than this with his storytelling. The characters are like bugs stuck in amber, due to the story happening before Serenity.
Of all the new characters I only find Boss Moon somewhat interesting, while I tend to forget about everyone else, except for Kaylee’s uninteresting new boyfriend and Ma Reynolds, who is already killing my suspension of disbelief regarding the next storyline in this series.
Not believable as a story happening between Firefly and Serenity, filled with forgettable background characters and the main characters are stuck in time
I have had hard time with the Unification War-storyline for some time, and the closer it has come to this final issue, the more credibility it has lost. River and Simon being wanted to an extreme degree by the all-powerful Alliance and being able to hide with Mal at Serenity with this kind of exposure?
I just don’t buy it. They could have made almost the exact same storyline and set it after Serenity, ad it would have worked better. They are certainly not using Shephard for anything, and Wash is pretty much reduced to little more than Zoe’s husband, though there are some sweet moments.
Pak has a fairly good handle of the characters, but I’ve seen him do much better than this with his storytelling. The characters are like bugs stuck in amber, due to the story happening before Serenity.
Of all the new characters I only find Boss Moon somewhat interesting, while I tend to forget about everyone else, except for Kaylee’s uninteresting new boyfriend and Ma Reynolds, who is already killing my suspension of disbelief regarding the next storyline in this series.
August 17, 2020
3.5 🌟
Frenetic pacing left this volume feeling muddled
Volume 3 wraps up the unification war arc. So expect to read 3 volumes to get to the conclusion. The ending was relatively flat, but overall what we have here is a slightly above average adventure yarn. Add in the highly entertaining cast paired with dece dialogue and I was satisfied with this run.
This is my first real attempt at reading a graphic novel in digital format and it won't be my last since my library hooked up a massive catalogue on Hoopla. Any comic book reader would feel like they hit the jackpot :)
Next up Mal is going to have to deal with his crusty old Mother. This ought to be good
Frenetic pacing left this volume feeling muddled
Volume 3 wraps up the unification war arc. So expect to read 3 volumes to get to the conclusion. The ending was relatively flat, but overall what we have here is a slightly above average adventure yarn. Add in the highly entertaining cast paired with dece dialogue and I was satisfied with this run.
This is my first real attempt at reading a graphic novel in digital format and it won't be my last since my library hooked up a massive catalogue on Hoopla. Any comic book reader would feel like they hit the jackpot :)
Next up Mal is going to have to deal with his crusty old Mother. This ought to be good
June 7, 2022
As with the first two, I'm left feeling kind of... meh.
In the final analysis...
Didn't quite believe the characterizations at times. Found the plot overly complicated. Didn't care for the new side characters. Kind of disappointed in the Deus Ex Ma Reynolds aspect.
Okay, I guess. But not quite what I was hoping for. :/
In the final analysis...
Didn't quite believe the characterizations at times. Found the plot overly complicated. Didn't care for the new side characters. Kind of disappointed in the Deus Ex Ma Reynolds aspect.
Okay, I guess. But not quite what I was hoping for. :/
August 30, 2021
I present a summary of this entire volume: Well that escalated quickly. Everything got out of hand and the resolution felt a tad rushed as a result, but there were some great character moments. All the reunions as the crew came back together were great... and then inevitably things got worse for our heroes on the next page.
Side note: I don't think I've ever shipped Mal and Inara as much as I do in these comics.
Side note: I don't think I've ever shipped Mal and Inara as much as I do in these comics.
September 17, 2020
An unsatisfactory conclusion, I must say. It was very convoluted - I had a hard time keeping track of which crew members were where, numerous characters were introduced and then killed a page later, people kept switching sides and allegiances, etc. Overall just not very cohesive.
My other big complaint was Ma Reynolds. A - the introduction of her character felt forced, B - I didn't like her at all or feel she was authentic, and C - the relationship between her and Mal was not what I expected and not what I'd hoped. It was just awkward overall.
Mal... well I could see him acting the way he did SOME of the time. I can see him trying to stop fighting that is unlikely to secure anything but death for his Browncoats. But in reality I feel he has too much bitterness to stand up FOR the Alliance the way he did during parts of this story. Again - didn't feel authentic or true to the 'verse created in the original show. I like to think Mal can grow past what he experienced in the war, but this story was not an organic realization of that. On the flip side of this, the Alliance officials were entirely too accommodating to Mal at the end.
So, to sum up - it felt forced/rushed, inauthentic, and untrue to the the spirit of the show, and basically was a let down. I, of course, will read the next books, but from what they've set it at the end of this one, it will likely continue to go downhill.
My other big complaint was Ma Reynolds. A - the introduction of her character felt forced, B - I didn't like her at all or feel she was authentic, and C - the relationship between her and Mal was not what I expected and not what I'd hoped. It was just awkward overall.
Mal... well I could see him acting the way he did SOME of the time. I can see him trying to stop fighting that is unlikely to secure anything but death for his Browncoats. But in reality I feel he has too much bitterness to stand up FOR the Alliance the way he did during parts of this story. Again - didn't feel authentic or true to the 'verse created in the original show. I like to think Mal can grow past what he experienced in the war, but this story was not an organic realization of that. On the flip side of this, the Alliance officials were entirely too accommodating to Mal at the end.
So, to sum up - it felt forced/rushed, inauthentic, and untrue to the the spirit of the show, and basically was a let down. I, of course, will read the next books, but from what they've set it at the end of this one, it will likely continue to go downhill.
April 23, 2021
The plot ran away from the author in this one, and it was not as clever. And why can they get everyone's animation exactly right except my girl Kaylee's? (Fun fact: A guy once told me that I was a Kaylee and he wanted an Inara. I have never forgotten it.)
May 4, 2021
I'm still going to read these, because it's, ya know, FIREFLY. But color me unimpressed.
September 9, 2020
The first long arc concludes - and well establishes the next.
September 30, 2021
So far my least favourite of the series. (Seriously, why can't people draw Jayne? Is he really that un-drawable???)
But we get to meet Ma Reynolds, which was rather a lot of fun.
But we get to meet Ma Reynolds, which was rather a lot of fun.
March 10, 2023
An exercise in deescalating conflict but always unsuccessful. Great character interactions. The universe feels lived in.
July 11, 2020
Anything Firefly is fine with me!
June 23, 2020
A new Unification War has begun. And this volume is four issues of trying to convince various factions not to fight, while everyone else blows that by fighting. It's repetitive and it's constant enough action that it largely obscures the characters. Part of the problem is an absolute lack of tension: because of the time period, there's no danger to Mal and his crew, and we haven't really come to like the new subsidiary characters enough to care what happens to them (with one possible exception).
The saddest thing is that this Volume sets off its biggest bomb by visiting the most important locale in the Firefly backstory, and then it doesn't do anything at all interesting with it. We don't even get any more flashbacks. What a waste
This volume pretty much closes the story that began with issue #1, so I think it might be a good jumping-off place, because it's not really revealing much interesting about these beloved characters.
The saddest thing is that this Volume sets off its biggest bomb by visiting the most important locale in the Firefly backstory, and then it doesn't do anything at all interesting with it. We don't even get any more flashbacks. What a waste
This volume pretty much closes the story that began with issue #1, so I think it might be a good jumping-off place, because it's not really revealing much interesting about these beloved characters.
January 1, 2021
"This...is getting muddy as hell." - Boss SinghVolume three features a return to the hellscape where it all started, Serenity Valley, planet Hera. Featuring Mal, Zoë and the regulars, along with special guest stars Boss Moon (who is growing on me)... and Ma Reynolds!? Oh, and more plot twists than you can shake a Blue Sun Skycracker at.
"Welcome to the 'verse, pal." - Mal
"Dammit, Mal. This whole thing's a cluster rut."Zoë pretty much sums it up: The Unification War is a powerful tale of the madness of war and events spinning out of control. But it is also a story of the unbreakable bonds of friendship and common humanity. A must read for Browncoats.
November 28, 2020
The Unification War comes to a terrific close, with all the twists and turns leaving our heroes on the battlefield (with Mal's mean ma!) versus the big bad governor and his weapons of mass destruction. Rash decisions continue to be made right up to the very end, in true Firefly style.
Dan McDaid's art grew on me over the course of the series, though his style isn't exactly suited to spaceship battles. The middle chapter was easily the best in the series, but The Unification War overall has me more excited for Firefly than I've been since the original series came out.
Dan McDaid's art grew on me over the course of the series, though his style isn't exactly suited to spaceship battles. The middle chapter was easily the best in the series, but The Unification War overall has me more excited for Firefly than I've been since the original series came out.
September 28, 2020
The excitement heats up in Part 3 of the Unification War story. I do enjoy these extra stories in the Firefly/Serenity universe, even though you know they can't have any effect on what comes afterward (the movie Serenity). Still, the adventures are new, fresh, and you get a little more insight into the characters and the 'verse they live in. Plus, this one has the start of a bonus story which I didn't even know existed... so more books have been ordered!
October 24, 2020
The conclusion to the Unification War does not disappoint! A rescue mission for Captain Mal almost re-starts the war between the Browncoats and the Alliance meaning almost certain death for the independence fighters and the innocent residents of the planet they're on (which also happens to be where Serenity Valley is located - where half a gorram million soldiers died). Can Zoe, Inara, Mal, and the rest of the crew find a way to end things without bloodshed and re-igniting a horrible war?
May 24, 2020
Very chaotic book, but I felt the characters stayed pretty true to what we know of them from the rest of the franchise. It was neat to see Mal and Zoe more "in action" than we have before.
August 7, 2020
A bit messy in pacing and didn't really give Mal and Zoe enough breathing space to discuss the war and its lingering effects, but at least it still felt like an episode of Firefly!
November 3, 2024
Sama piirrosroska jatkuu, nyt tosin tarinan tasoa on laskettu entisestään. Tillanne on eskaloitunut uuden soda kynnykselle ja paikkana on Serenity Valley. Paikka jossa kuoli puoli miljoonaa on lähinnä pieni kanjoni jossain jumalan selän takana. Avaruusaikojen taistelu käydään maataisteluna. Ja keskeisinä hahmoina on suuret sotarikolliset Mel ja Kim tai jotsin siine päin. Toinen siis kersantti ja toinen korpraali. Eikö siis muita sotarikollisia sodassa ole ollut, että pahimmat ovat tuota tasoa. Niin paitsi tietysti Malcolm Reynoldsin äitimuori, se pahin kaikista, jonka elukoiden liikalaidunnus oli sodan syy? Siis planeettoja on enemmän kuin persereikiä ja yhden perheen lampaat? söivät liikaa. Joten syntyi sota jossa sitten tuhottiin enemmän planeettoja, kuin niitä pahoja lampaita oli.
Lisänä on sitten täytetarina tai teaser, jossa joku aiemmin tuttu sekopääpimu huijaa/kiristää/houkuttelee Serenityn naiset ryöstökeikalle. Koska muija on ennalta tuntematon, paitsi ehkä tosifaneille ja idea on jälleen surkeampi, kuin Terrence Hillin ja Bud Spencerin leffat (oli ne hauskoja silloin kun olin alle 10), niin ei siitä saa mitään irti. Ja koska on teaserina samaa tasoa, kuin potku munille, niin en viitsi katsoa, onko tuota jatkoa edes saatavilla.
No tuli kuitenkin luettua loppuun, mikä sarjakuvien tapauksessa on huomattavasti helpompaa, kuin kirjan ollessa kyseessä.
Lisänä on sitten täytetarina tai teaser, jossa joku aiemmin tuttu sekopääpimu huijaa/kiristää/houkuttelee Serenityn naiset ryöstökeikalle. Koska muija on ennalta tuntematon, paitsi ehkä tosifaneille ja idea on jälleen surkeampi, kuin Terrence Hillin ja Bud Spencerin leffat (oli ne hauskoja silloin kun olin alle 10), niin ei siitä saa mitään irti. Ja koska on teaserina samaa tasoa, kuin potku munille, niin en viitsi katsoa, onko tuota jatkoa edes saatavilla.
No tuli kuitenkin luettua loppuun, mikä sarjakuvien tapauksessa on huomattavasti helpompaa, kuin kirjan ollessa kyseessä.
March 11, 2021
This collection wraps up the Unification War storyline but once again ends with a cliffhanger.
Serenity’s crew is scattered. Unificator Boss Moon has arrested Mal but they’ve reached a grudging respect for each other� which is good because they face enemies together. Zoe has gone after Mal with a lot of Browncoats who think they can reverse the end of the war. They’re using Mal as just an excuse to continue fighting. Inara has gone to one of her clients, the local Governor, and is pleading on behalf of Mal and Zoe. The rest of the crew are also in trouble.
This was mostly a good ending, tying up most plotlines but it also started new ones.
Unfortunately, while the crew is this scattered, some of their charm is lost when they don’t play against each other. We have new side characters, such as Boss Moon and the bandit whom Kaylee is having a fling with but personally I wanted to see more Firefly characters. Of course, not all of the crew have much to do. Mal and Zoe get the lion’s share of attention. And we get to see Mal’s mom. I have mixed feelings about her.
Overall I enjoyed this story but I missed the crew interaction. I still don’t care for the art.
This collection has a lot of covers and several pages for the Firefly: the Sting minseries.
Serenity’s crew is scattered. Unificator Boss Moon has arrested Mal but they’ve reached a grudging respect for each other� which is good because they face enemies together. Zoe has gone after Mal with a lot of Browncoats who think they can reverse the end of the war. They’re using Mal as just an excuse to continue fighting. Inara has gone to one of her clients, the local Governor, and is pleading on behalf of Mal and Zoe. The rest of the crew are also in trouble.
This was mostly a good ending, tying up most plotlines but it also started new ones.
Unfortunately, while the crew is this scattered, some of their charm is lost when they don’t play against each other. We have new side characters, such as Boss Moon and the bandit whom Kaylee is having a fling with but personally I wanted to see more Firefly characters. Of course, not all of the crew have much to do. Mal and Zoe get the lion’s share of attention. And we get to see Mal’s mom. I have mixed feelings about her.
Overall I enjoyed this story but I missed the crew interaction. I still don’t care for the art.
This collection has a lot of covers and several pages for the Firefly: the Sting minseries.
June 1, 2020
This volume wraps up the Unification War storyline while setting up the next volume, as Mal and Zoe (and to a lesser extent the rest of the crew) try to prevent another war in Serenity Valley. There are lots of sides, lots of people switching sides, and it just continues the series' propensity for being muddled, even as it adds another major factor into the melting pot in the form of Mal's mother. While there's a fair bit of humor (again mainly coming from the B Plot, especially with Kayley and the bandit boyfriend), it does try for some heavier story beats that don't really work out. The climax gets a bit frenetic, and the art still isn't doing the series any favors, but it works out well enough that Firefly fans will probably overlook any issues they have with it. And the inclusion of the first issue of The Sting does make that series look interesting (even if the art is even worse than the main series).
June 28, 2020
If this is the end of the Unification War series, then I am disappointed. I knew the main characters would not die; I didn't care about the secondary ones. The introduction of Mal's mom into the storyline gives the reader some insight into the start of the civil war. The ruination of Mal Reynold's homeworld played a part at the beginning of the war. Bringing Mal's mother as a powerful figure into the storyline seemed like a modern-day cliche. At this point, male and female character roles seem interchangeable. Both can be badass show strength etc. None of the writers seem to write unique characteristics and motivations for each sex. Finally, I wish that the various armies changing sides had long term ramifications for stories that take place after the movie. I doubt this will be the case.
February 6, 2022
The art is very good, but the plot meanders into consequential, nay convoluted, territory that seemingly brings the continuity of this story out of Firefly canon. If you are writing a new canon, that's fine, and perhaps a differing continuity is the only way to tell an interesting story with these characters before the events of Serenity the film, but as a sequel to the show Firefly, this volume tells a complicated story that is an alternate history at best. I am definitely interested in reading on, but this graphic novel and comic book series holds for me the place of a Star Wars Legends/Expanded Universe story for these characters. Don't get me wrong: out of continuity stories can be very enjoyable, but be warned that this volume digresses into a complicated story of its own imagination.
August 25, 2021
This one does that weird Firefly narrative where it sets up a gigantic and violent confrontation and then almost wholly-side steps around that. The ending just felt really abrupt and a bit deflated given so much ongoing character work in the first half. The story about Saffron at the end of this volume was weak and actually just a preview for a future women-led narrative arc. As a stand-alone, it feels very incomplete. I think the stuff with Mal/Moon/Zoe is probably the most compelling while Simon disappears along with Wash and a mostly absent Jayden. I’m so tired so there’s a chance none of this makes coherent sense. Ah, the joys of parenting and passing out mid story reading. Hooboy.
October 9, 2021
I feel like, with the original show, this series/story arc will warrant a re-read. I feel like when you give things another chance after after your first voyage you notice and appreciate more. And I think I will need to let the events sit in my brain and then reread them again in a week or two. I really enjoyed this though! Greg Pak is a perfect writer for this project and I'm excited to read what's next up!
May 16, 2024
Greg Pak ends the Unification War and it ends with a bit of a whimper. The pinpoint dialogue is still there but the plot was too haphazard. I wished the book slowed down some and were paced better. I also wish we got more of the flashbacks to Mal and Zoe in the war like we were promised. Some, but not enough. Mal's got some new developments that I don't know if I like yet. The art continues to underwhelm. Overall, not a bad book but a letdown as the last volume set the tone.
September 27, 2020
Following on from an upswing in the 2nd volume this then comes down again. The frantic pace makes things feel shoved in, the increased scope feels out of place with it inbetween Firefly and Serenity and the character development is weird as while it goes beyond the show it can't move too far so everyone feels a bit off centre.
November 21, 2020
The Unification War saga draws to a close as Browncoats who joined forces to rescue Mal and those trying to bring him in reveal what they truly want and many are wanting to restart the War, including Mal's mother.
As a conclusion, this is decent enough with a lot of good twists. It's clever enough as far as it goes. The problem is that the book illustrates the challenge of tryign to set books in between the end of the TV series and the movie Serenity. At the end of the book, it's clearly gotten into events that seem beyond implauisble, given what we know of where the characters went.
Again, this isn't bad but it's really straining credulity at this point, which is why I'd love to see more Firefly stories set after the movie.
As a conclusion, this is decent enough with a lot of good twists. It's clever enough as far as it goes. The problem is that the book illustrates the challenge of tryign to set books in between the end of the TV series and the movie Serenity. At the end of the book, it's clearly gotten into events that seem beyond implauisble, given what we know of where the characters went.
Again, this isn't bad but it's really straining credulity at this point, which is why I'd love to see more Firefly stories set after the movie.
August 5, 2021
The first 2 of this series, I enjoyed and read each in one sitting. This one I set down and picked up over 3 days. It was too scattered- they ran away and went back like 5 times. I couldn’t keep track of the background characters and extra spaceships. And all just action, very little of the dialogue and character interaction that I love. Inara might have been the best part.
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