Saga Volume One
Article By: Nicole Jean Turner
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $9.99
Cover Price: $9.99
Saga is a long running comic series written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples. The story is set in space, with many various alien races/species making up the characters. My first impression when I started to read the volume one trade paperback, was that the story is almost like Romeo and Juliet. The two main characters are from two species that are at war with each other between worlds. They fell in love, and the story begins with them giving birth to the comic’s narrator, Hazel. It was clear from the first few pages that this is not a series for young kids, but the explicit scenes/language are presented in such a natural way, that it doesn't distract from the plot. I would even argue that it adds to the story by giving it a more realistic feel.
I’ve been told by several comic book store workers that Saga is by far the best selling series in a long time. The characters are well developed, the art is lovely, and the plot is strong and compelling. The series has received a lot of press since it first came out; the first issue had five reprints. Saga has won several awards, and the few negative reactions have been centered around the aforementioned explicit material and anti-family themes.
I’ve been told by several comic book store workers that Saga is by far the best selling series in a long time. The characters are well developed, the art is lovely, and the plot is strong and compelling. The series has received a lot of press since it first came out; the first issue had five reprints. Saga has won several awards, and the few negative reactions have been centered around the aforementioned explicit material and anti-family themes.
The story revolves around Alana, a strong willed female from the planet Landfall, and Marko, Alana’s husband. Marko comes from Landfall’s moon, Wreath, which is at war with Alana’s planet. Alana’s people are marked by their wings, and Marko’s people are marked by horns and magic. Their newborn is named Hazel, who briefly narrates scenes throughout the story. The trio have one other companion, Izabel, who is a ghost that offers them help in return for bonding her soul to baby Hazel. Alana and Marko are trying to flee the planet, because they are seen as traitors by their respective governments for fraternizing with the enemy. They also broke out of jail, but it would seem that their hunters are more focused on the planetary war alignments. Independant contractors /freelance guns for hire have been summoned to search and destroy the couple, with a small caveat that the crossbred child must be captured unharmed. These bounty hunters are working against each other and time to be the first to cash in on the two, but end up developing their own little mini-plots aside the main storyline. This is something I really admire about the series, because instead of one game of chase, we get a realistic story of these people’s lives which are complex and never black and white.
The first trade paperback is seven chapters long, and very enjoyable. The story is rich and compelling, the characters are relatable and human-like (they aren’t humans, but I mean human in the sense that they have deep and complex emotions and throughs and tangible reasons for acting and thinking like they do). Some of the story is humorous, and some of it thrilling. I must say though, I don’t think I would enjoy this series on a issue by issue basis. In a way, the story almost needs the many chapters to be bound together. The panels jump between the main character’s current predicament and then to the various situations their hunters are dealing with, and I think if I could only read a few pages at a time, I would find it confusing and unappealing. The first issue was over 40 pages long, but I’m all about trade paperbacks so I’m a bit byast.
I’ve heard a lot and read in a few places that Saga is like Star Wars and draws similar fans, but I was never into Star Wars. So instead of rehashing that though, I’d rather leave on a similar but different note. Saga is the romantic novel that geeky girls like me can get into when they normally would’t. I hate romantic stories, and I generally don’t enjoy fantasy stories with weird random species walking around. I like other-worldly themes, and I like when characters have a sexual tension between them that adds to the story and isn’t just arbitrary love. Saga has strange species, but they seem intentional and well rounded. And while the relationship between Alana and Marko is a tad cliche (Romeo and Juliet goes sci fi), their dynamic is real and deep with issues and value, so I can dig it. Overall I’d totally recommend getting into the series, but if you’re a parent reading this, I’d hold off until your kid is old enough to for panels depicting TV-headed human bodies having sex.
I’ve heard a lot and read in a few places that Saga is like Star Wars and draws similar fans, but I was never into Star Wars. So instead of rehashing that though, I’d rather leave on a similar but different note. Saga is the romantic novel that geeky girls like me can get into when they normally would’t. I hate romantic stories, and I generally don’t enjoy fantasy stories with weird random species walking around. I like other-worldly themes, and I like when characters have a sexual tension between them that adds to the story and isn’t just arbitrary love. Saga has strange species, but they seem intentional and well rounded. And while the relationship between Alana and Marko is a tad cliche (Romeo and Juliet goes sci fi), their dynamic is real and deep with issues and value, so I can dig it. Overall I’d totally recommend getting into the series, but if you’re a parent reading this, I’d hold off until your kid is old enough to for panels depicting TV-headed human bodies having sex.
