Review of Saga by Brian K. Vaughan

Hey, it's me! Remember me? Your friendly neighborhood reading penguin? Yeah, I'm still reading, I've just kind of let the reviews pile up in a big heap because finding time to post is a little like finding the Holy Grail these days. But oh well, here's a nice short review of a graphic novel I read recentishly.

Saga is a science fiction tale about two lovers from opposite sides of an old and bloody war, who have a baby together. The tale of their quest for survival is delightful in it's unusual tone and slightly bizarre characters. The baby, Hazael, often jumps in with points of narration and insights into her parent's tale. I found this clever, because she anchors the story and makes everything that's going on seem vital and precious.

For the parents in question, Marko and Alana, things seem extremely tenuous and it's hard to imagine how they got to the point of having a baby at all. They are hunted from all sides. And yet, in the midst of it, the dialogue and the character's attitudes toward one another gave me the very real feeling that they are a well suited couple. They have chemistry and they have affection. Marko is now a sworn pacifist, with a vow not to draw his sword. Alana is crass and somewhat reckless, and less inclined to forgo violence in the face of danger. The combination of these two, along with a cast of wholly unexpected secondary characters, made this book a winner for me.

If I had to name a flaw, it would be that this is definitely the beginning of a much larger story, rather than a self contained episode, so your going to get roped into buying more comics to finish the story...but oh well, right? The humor, hope, and fantastical science fictiony goodness is well worth it. 4.5 stars