Graphic Novel Review: Saga (Vol. 1)

Author| Brian K Vaughan  Artist| Fiona Staples  Rating| 4.5 Stars

Edition| Paperback

Buy Links| Amazon/Barnes and Noble/Book Depository

This series is super popular on Booktube and I can see why.

Saga follows a young couple (pictured above) named Alana and Marko and is narrated by their baby girl Hazel (in a sort of memoir-style).  Alana and Marko are from opposite sides of an intergalactic war, but fell in love and are on a mission to leave the war behind them and find peace for their families.  In volume one, their journey to leave the planet Cleave is detailed.  It also tells the stories of Prince Robot and The Will, two people looking to kill the parents and take the child alive.

Of course I loved Alana and Marko.  How can anyone not fall in love with them?  They're not at all what I expected, but they're funny, smart, foul-mouthed, and in deep love (and deep trouble).  You get a certain "epic" feeling about them from the cover, but they are anything but.  They're very down to earth and, dare I say?, human.  They're easy to relate to.  I also really enjoyed The Will's story, and he's the one that has me the most curious for the next volume.  As for Prince Robot, I was just "ehh" about him and his story.

I do love how every character has their own motivation, it's clearly defined, and unique.  And, while each motivation is unique, they all have the same theme (which I think is beautiful and poetic)- it revolves around children.  Not just Hazel, but other children as well.  I won't say much else about the motivation because I don't want to ruin anything.

The art, too, is gorgeous, though the lack of setting in many scenes did bother me a little.  I love the way people are drawn, which is the important part.

This is for mature audiences.  I say that a bit, and I know when I was a kid I would just dismiss that warning a lot of people gave and read anyways.  Most of the time I was fine, but every once in a while I would be totally caught off guard and rather disturbed.  This book may be one of those.  If you are not comfortable with sex, especially seeing it (because just reading about it can be different), and not exactly the romantic (though not rape) kind, then don't read this book.  There are a couple scenes that just caught me off guard and I was like, "wow, okay, so that's there...".  The nice thing, they do add to the story and they aren't just thrown in to make it grittier.  They're thrown in to make the characters more realistic.  But, you have been warned.

Anyway, this is a graphic novel you should pick up if you want a good introduction to the genre.  I promise, you won't want to put it down.  Good thing I already own volume two.