Saga Volume 1 (SAGA TP)

Among others, writer Vaughan was responsible for the lengthy and deservedly highly praised series Y:The Last Man and the shorter and deservedly less praised (though it wasn't bad by any means) Ex Machina. On the basis of this first volume, he's written his finest work so far, if he doesn't muck it up as he did with Ex Machina and, to a far lesser extent, with the inevitably anti-climatic end to Y. I got to the end of this book, put it down, and said aloud, "Wow!" The plot is simple: two mismatched lovers (he's a pacificist vegetarian magic-user, she isn't) from societies at war with each other are on the run (with their newly born baby) from both sides. But that's the only thing that's simple. She comes from Landfall, a giant planet and he comes from Wreath, Landfall's very large moon. Rather than destroy each other's worlds, both societies take the battle out into the galaxy and hire other races to help fight their enemy. Most of the races seem to have some human-like resemblance but whether or not this is far future and we're seeing a diverse and vastly diverged humanity or just aliens isn't clear. Even the use of some familiar personal names (like Hazel) may be just a means to ease the reader into the story. The background is potentially very complicated but Vaughan skillfully (greatly aided by the attractive clean-lined quality of Staples' art) and accessibly establishes the scenario and the characters, both lead and supporting. Our two heroes are very engaging and likeable and all the supporting characters are interesting (such as the hired assassin who will kill children for pay but hates paedophiles; he also has a psychic felinoid). There are no captions and all the narrative is conveyed by dialogue except for the occasional comments by a grown up version of the baby which are woven into the panels in which they occur rather than the conventional box and this works really well. This isn't kids stuff. It if was a DVD it'd be rated 18 for explicit scenes of a sexual nature, frequent use of (bad) language, nudity, and graphic violence. It's also often funny and, just as often, touching. The potential of this series is enormous and, from the title, we're in for a long run. Side note for Science Fiction buffs: this is wide-screen Baroque SF at its best. Resist that come on if you can.

This was amazing. Instantly this graphic novel captured my attention and held it for the entire 40 mins I was reading this. It's a great storyline which is set in a world where people from Planet Landfall and people from Satellite Wreath are always at war with one another, and it tells the story of a couple (kind of like Romeo and Juliet) where each person is from the opposite side. They are lovers and you learn more about them as the story goes on, and you also get to see what is happening to them now that their affair has been uncovered. It's told from the POV of their young baby (who is born right at the start) and it's essentially the story of her life. There are all sorts of different planets, places, storylines and races, but it's a very easy story to follow and instantly be hooked into. I have to say it's certainly one of the best and most interesting ideas for a Graphic Novel that I've read and I whizzed through it really enjoying it. I loved seeing all the different planets and races as I think that they were all individual and they all made an impression on me. I enjoyed the winged race of Alana as they were super pretty (and pretty deadly) and their design was probably my favourite. The robot race was a cool one which felt very desensitised and that seemed to fit with their personality. I also liked Marko's horned race as they seemed to be pretty bad-ass. The characters I really liked because although this is not a huge book you really get to see each individual and learn a bit about them and how they react to certain situations. Alana was a very determined and ruthless character who was certainly my favourite for her sheer 'bad-assery'! I think that Marko was a bit of a weak character most of the time as he doesn't often assert himself against her, but as soon as she or the baby were threatened he turned into a wicked enemy and I loved the fight scenes with him! On the whole this was SO much better than I had expected it to be. The artwork was great and I loved the colours too, I think that this is more driven by the story than the art, but it's great that the art really enhances the story. I am certainly going to buy the next volume asap and start that soon, and I really look forward to it as this was such a great, fast and fun read :) Highly recommended!!

This is one of those graphic novels that I have been hearing everywhere and the hype for this book is off the scale and was a must read. I have started reading more comics/graphic novels since last year and I am really getting into them. This story follows Alana and Marko and they are on the run. They shouldn’t be together as they are both soldiers from different sides of the galactic war and due to politics and rules this is forbidden. What makes it even more taboo is that they have had a baby together, Hazel. Baron Robot XXIII has been commissioned to kill Alana and Marko but return the child as it is inter-species. However there have also been freelancers employed to do the same thing. We meet The Stalk that is a topless spider woman thingy and then there is The Will, he seems to be a relatively normal guy (and I can’t believe I am saying this but kinda hot). Will has a sidekick that is a cat but not any old fluffy adorable pet, this one is a lying cat that can detect when someone is not telling the truth. This story is narrated by Hazel in flashbacks, about how she was born and what happened to her parents, this novel is about love and war in space and a very unique take on it. The dialogue is hilarious, the characters are so original and the plot was also pretty good with twists and turns. The characters and artwork were on point! The artwork was beautiful with a whole range of colours used, the characters are three-dimensional and complex. The baron XXIII was great he had a monitor/TV for a head who was having trouble performing in the bedroom department, then as mentioned above there was The Stalk and then there were these massive heads on legs. The best part (obviously) was the interactions between Alana and Marko, this couple were so sweet and at the same time hilarious. Alana is portrayed as a head-strong women but with the odd tendency for jealousy. Together they make a great team knowing each others limits and the love for one another is palpable This book is not going to be for everyone as there is nudity, swearing and sex, so not for the younger audience. I will definitely be reading the next volume for sure. Overall I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars

After getting this in the mail, it was difficult to contain the excitement. I was eagerly waiting for this book, having pre-bought it some time in the summer. I was afraid it could not be as good as other titles by Vaughan, especially 'Y: The last man' (it was something really, really great, and if you don't know what I'm talking about, do yourself a favor and go read it), and I have always loved Fiona Staples' art, which is, at least for me, at its peak here. As the former reviewer, I was hooked from the first panels. On to the story: I don't want to give too much away, but it is a sci-fi love story, at least for now. Being the first volume, character development is still taking place, but is exciting and cool as hell. You have ghosts, a Romeo & Juliet type love story, bounty hunters, monitor-headed, goat-like and winged humanoids, betrayal, and an underlying sweetness to it all. The main character's parents each belong to different races, in war with one another - Marko is from Wreath which is Landfall's moon. Its inhabitants are horned creatures that are more connected with nature and use spells. Marko is also kind of a hippie (make love, not war, etc.). Alana, his romantic counterpart, is from Landfall, a "techier" kind of place. She is winged. They rebel against the status quo when Alana falls in love with Marko, a prisoner she was in charge of in Cleave, a planet being used as a prison for the "moonies" (a perjorative word for Wreath inhabitants). Marko impregnates Alana, and they escape and run. From that point on, adventure follows. The story is told from Hazel's (Marko and Alana's baby daughter) perspective. The pace of the story is perfect, imo. Dark moments, funny moments, moving moments in just the right amount. The art is great. Really, really great. Simple lines, detail goes into the right things. Character designs are original and sometimes flat out hilarious (take the first page of chapter four as an example). Lettering is also great to look at and original. Coloring is very good and sets the tone very well. I can't wait to see where the story goes next.

This graphic novel collects the first 6 issues of Image's new comic "Saga". It's worth pointing out right away that the first issue is available to read for free on the "Comixology" website (give it a Google). By having a read of this you can immediately see if you're feeling either disgusted or intrigued by the "Saga" Universe. I say "disgusted or intrigued" because those are the 2 reactions that I get from people after the first issue. This is a mature comic so there is a sex scene, and it starts off with a grizzly birth scene that can be a huge turn off for some people. At least you can read the first issue for free online and see if it's something you'd like to invest in :) There is a lot of talent behind this comic. Vaughan has had a fantastic career and has written for a number of publishers(I know him best for his work on Vertigo's "Y: The Last Man")and also wrote for the TV series "Lost". Staples is undoubtedly one of the best upcoming female artists out there, who I know only from her work on IDW's "Mystery Society". She has a very definitive broad-stroke style that I personally find to be really fluid and clear. The Universe "Saga" takes place in is exceptionally dark and twisted. The art style does a lot to turn what could be a dark/gritty setting into something a bit brighter, when this is combined with Vaughan's dark sense of humour it really gives the impression of a comic that doesn't take itself too seriously. I personally find this to be a bit of a relief in a field where it is hard to find humorousness when surrounded with gritty adult comics focussing on making as "mean" a world as possible. The character design is great as well. Being a completely original piece of Sci-Fi work expect to see characters of all shapes and sizes! Some have wings and horns, others have 8 legs, some don't even need legs... It's nice to see such a diverse world and after finishing this 6 issue volume you can't help but wonder where they're going to go next! With so many directions to go in the potential for this comic is limitless. After the first 5 pages of this Volume I found myself to be instantly hooked. I worked through it in one sitting and then re-read it the following morning on my way to work. The characters have great personalities,the art style is striking and beautiful, the story is intriguing and fast paced and I cannot wait to see where we go next. Vaughan & Staples have created something completely vibrant and unique here, and if you like the first issue then I strongly recommend picking this volume up.

On a distant planet, a child is born to two soldiers who have up war to be with each other and now everyone seems to after them. A fantastic opening to a story. Vaughan has imbued these opening chapters with a real sense that a lot of history is there to be learned and there's a bell of a story ahead. The artwork is superb and has its own style. The character work is great and the background art is fascinating.

This is truly an amazing piece of art. The story is great, the characters are relatable and the whole setup is just fantastic, the medium is used to its full extend. The story revolves around two lovers from different worlds at war, making them haunted by both planets and any supporter of either. Assassins and magical creatures lurke everywhere. Daddy has some anger management issues and the universe is at war. If course we're gonna see some blood. And I don't have a problem with seeing the occasional breast or similar. But this stuff has explicit sexual content in every issue. Not just nudity. And again, I'm fine with that if it serves a purpose, but it just doesn't add anything to the story... At all... They get attacked by a giant monster... with massively hairy genitals - why? A robot guy with a screen for a face is severely wounded and needs medical attention. Also, he is showing oral sex on this screen, for no reason. And it seems like they have some rule to do stuff like this at least once per issue. It is soooo dumb. Because the story is so amazing in every other aspect... I would definitely buy it again, and it is not that I am offended... kt is just really really misplaced...

I bought this graphic novel after it being highly recommended by a friend. He had bought the 1st editions and was amazed by the illustrations. I looked at one of the chapter covers (a babies hand reaching out to touch an arachnid-esque claw) and was sufficiently impressed to purchase my own copy. Without giving too much away, the story centres around Alana and Marko, two lovers from different planets whose people are at war with one another. I must say that after devouring this book in an hour, I was left craving more and instantly pre ordered book 2. Vaughn's writing style is fluid, exciting and engaging. In my opinion a lot better than Y:The last man and Ex-Machina. The characters are multi dimensional and weave in and out of the plot, in a similar way to a Tarantino flick. The illustrations... absolutely breathtaking. Staples is truly a talent. Her compositional sense and visual perspective is fresh and original and compliments the script in every way. This graphic novel is a complete work of art and the most enjoyable sci-fi read I've had since 'Transmetropolitan'.