Saga is a graceful union of story and art that consistently embodies the very highest level of storytelling possible in the comics medium.
For the second time in three years, Saga takes home the award for Best Ongoing Series. And I have to refer you first to Evan Henry’s absolutely fantastic write-up when Saga won the same award in 2013.
Two years down the road, Saga is still a captivating genre-bending sci-fi/fantasy thrill ride. A mature series that is 32 issues along and comfortable in its unpredictable skin, every panel on every page in Saga ruthlessly and efficiently moves the story forward. So in sync are the storyline and art that it’s tempting to believe that Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples share a hive mind.
I was prepared to discuss Saga’s rich layers of character development, its diverse and fully realized supporting cast, and its penchant for plot twists that kill off characters you’ve come to enjoy, but you can glean all of that from reading reviews of individual issues.
Taking the series as a whole, Vaughan and Staples created an epic adventure that asked, “What if Romeo and Juliet had survived and had a kid, and what if it was all a sci-fi/fantasy story set in space?” It’s a great question that this creative team has answered with one of the most compelling comics on the shelves.
Regardless of its genre and setting, the key to Saga’s runaway success, therefore, is the unapologetic and magnetic chemistry of its main characters. Marko and Alana are two strong but flawed soldiers who are better together than they ever were apart.
They overcome some obstacles and stumble over others. Their dialogue is reminiscent of real couples, and it’s no accident that some of their most poignant conversations coincide with sex. They succumb to the difficulties of the fugitive life while raising their child and trying to make a living. Their faults make them relatable, their struggles make them inspirational, and their tempered-under-fire love makes you cheer for them.
But don’t take my word for it, pick up the trades (all five volumes have hit the New York Times’ list of best-selling paperbacks) and lose yourself in Saga.
