Those Left Behind: Serenity    by Joss Whedon & et al Order:  USA  Can Dark Horse, 2007 (2007) Softcover Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Alex Telander With the incredible DVD sales and cult success of Firefly as well as the popular movie Serenity, fans are always looking for something more, which is why they should pick up the beautiful new hardcover edition of Serenity: Those Left Behind. Originally released as a three-issue comic series to link up the end of the Firefly series with the Serenity movie, Those Left Behind features amazing artwork that makes it feel like you're watching the show again. This edition begins with a great introduction by Nathon Fillion, who played Captain Malcolm Reynolds. He relives his childhood reading comic books, explaining how important they were to him, what it was like to want to be a superhero, and how on the day that Joss Whedon cast him as Mal, he knew his dream had been achieved. The covers from the original comics are shown at the beginning of each issue. It is explained how Inara and Shepherd eventually chose to leave the ship, along with another grand adventure involving the whole crew. In this edition also is a true gem: a pre-production memo that Whedon wrote for the making of Serenity titled A History of the Universe, Circa 2516 A.D.. Here we see Whedon's ideas on the characters' origins, their histories, and what led up to their all being on the same ship. The history of the Firefly universe is also explained, with the creation of the Alliance and rebels who fought for freedom. Also included is original concept artwork for the movie. Serenity: Those Left Behind is a wonderful graphic novel - that goes much further than the story told in the original three-issue comic series - with incredible artwork. It gives fans and readers a sliver of hope that maybe, one day, more may be told about Serenity and her special crew. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews