4.5 stars
This is volume 9, it is NOT the place to start the series. Do, however, get to your nearest retailer of comics/graphic novels and buy volume 1, it’s pretty much the best thing out there right now. You won’t regret it.
Normally, the volumes of Saga tend to vary between heavy and emotionally wrenching storylines, followed by something a bit more funny, light-hearted and uplifting. Vol 7 ended on a very sad note, and Vol 8 was an exploration of grief and loss and not exactly a barrel of laughs either. Lured by the cheerful cover illustrations (the back of the book has some of the characters in colourful swimming costumes, clearly relaxing and having fun) for this volume, I expected the six issues in this volume to give the reader a bit of a break, and have our characters get a respite from all the horror and sadness. Thanks a lot, Brian K. Vaughan for the further emotional scars. I should have known better than to get my hopes up by now.
In addition, I discover that the creators, Mr Vaughan and Fiona Staples, creator of some of the best comics art out there, are going on hiatus for at least a year! While I absolutely respect their need for a break, and would much rather that they take a breather to ensure that the story continues to be excellent rather than suffer because they’re both burned out, taking a year long break after leaving their readers with the ending of this volume – possibly rubbing salt in the wound after twisting the knife. The wait between trade paperbacks was already long enough.
Who am I kidding? It’s not like I won’t wait, impatiently, trying to get over the emotional punches that this last volume delivered. I’ll be here pining, Brian and Fiona. Get some rest and then keep making me feel me all the feels.
Judging a book by its cover: This cover made me hopeful. It made me believe the current storyline might be a lighter one. That I might not cry at the end. This cover is a clever lie. Damn you, Fiona Staples!
Crossposted on my blog.
I gathered from the reviews that this will be a hard book (shakes fist in air) so I HAVE it but have not OPENED it yet.
I do love these books though, but will say as a parent of older kids that they’re challenging. The covers basically look like crack to my kids but each one has at least a few images that are NOT OK FOR KIDS. So I end up hiding my copies and hoping the kids never find them.