So many other Cannonballers have been praising Saga, the graphic novel series from author Brian Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples, I just had to know what all the fuss was about.
As you must be aware by now, Saga tells the tale of Marko and Alana, lovers from warring planets (Marko has horns! Alana has wings! They are so different!) who find themselves pregnant and on the run from the many, many people who want them dead. As the story starts, Alana is giving birth to their daughter, Hazel. Hazel has horns AND wings — clearly an abomination that the powers-that-be must destroy.
The family enjoys about two seconds of precious togetherness before their race to survive begins. This book grabbed me and hooked me from page 1, and has yet to let me go.
What I love about these books (so far) is they way that a very familiar tale is being told, but in such a unique way.
Marko and Alana are LITERALLY star-crossed lovers. Marko’s parents don’t approve! He has horns and she has wings! How could they stand to be near each other? But this isn’t Romeo & Juliet by any means.
This is a rollicking adventure through a version of space we’ve not seen before, with new creatures and beings, all on the hunt for a young man and woman. But this isn’t Star Wars, either.
I spent a lot of time (seriously, a lot. too much) thinking about some of the characters here. Lying Cat (who seems to be a Cannonball favorite), is a delight. The Will, who I know I shouldn’t like, as he is trying to kill our heroes, is really growing on me. His willingness to risk everything in order to save the slave girl really got to me. Gwen is so kick-ass, I can’t help but like her. Izabel is just like our babysitter, except for the fact that she’s only a torso (thankfully). Alana has just about the most awesome haircut in all of literature. How can you not worship a book with such a great haircut???
And don’t even get me started on Prince Robot. Sometimes at night when I can’t sleep I start wondering about him. He has a human body, but a monitor for a head. HOW DOES THAT WORK? WHY AM I SO WORKED UP ABOUT IT? And then I can’t stop thinking about it.
These books are so new and exciting, and completely unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. The characters are deep and complicated, which is no small feat, considering the small amount of text used. The good guys aren’t always 100% nice, and the bad guys do good things sometimes. I’m on the library list for the next two volumes, and I’m getting antsy. I NEED to find out what happens next. If that’s not the sign of a great story, I don’t know what is.
You can read more of my reviews on my blog.
*Flail* I’m so impatient to get my hands on vol. 3 and 4. Great review. How does his body and head work? How???!???
I find that even the characters who are supposed to be antagonists, like the Will, are very hard not to like. Let’s just say that I’m very invested in his story line too, and not just because I adore Lying Cat. I hope that the writers figure out a way where I can love him and our hunted little family.
Saga just keeps on being awesome. With each trade, my fear that Brian K. Vaughn is going to crush me (he is NOT forgiven for the end of Y: The Last Man, no matter how great this is) in the future. I’m not sure I’ll be able to take it.
My husband just picked up the hardback printing of this (I don’t know how many issues it contains) yesterday. By “picked up”, I don’t mean he bought it, he just showed it to me at the bookstore. I hadn’t heard of it, but it sounds like it’s worth checking out.