Written by Brian K. Vaughn
Art by Fiona Staples
Published by Image Comics
Let me start this review by saying that I’ve been dreading issue #18 of Saga. After every 6 issues of the series, Vaughn and Staples take a brief sabbatical to work on the next volume and to take a short break from the pace of keeping up with an ongoing title.
After the climax of volume 3, issue #17, we find every last one of the characters in this story dealing with the aftermath of Prince Robot IV’s violent outburst. I think it will suffice to say that no one will quite be the same after this, for better or for worse!
I think the most brilliant thing about Brian K. Vaughn’s universe known as Saga feels so vast even though we’re only seeing a tiny part of it. The dozen or so familiar faces in the series are obviously just a handful out of millions of people, but every last one of their actions feels like they hold giant ramifications for how they affect the world around them. It really speaks volumes as to why BKV is considered amongst the elite when it comes to creators in comics. It takes an extremely unique and intelligent approach to be able to blend such deep, human story in with a tale that could easily rival Homer’s Odyssey. (Yeah, I went there!)
Fiona Staples was on so many year-end awards lists for Best Artists that she could probably pull off having her own award named after her. The art in Saga continues to be stellar in a sense that it’s such a unique style that goes so well with a story that is one of the major reasons Image has been going through such a renascence. Simply put, Fiona Staples is as much of a reason this book is so spectacular as BKV is!
If you’re reading this review you’re probably already reading Saga so you don’t need me to tell you how great it is. When it’s all said and done this book will be put up on a mantle with other classic comic titles. It gets a ton of praise but I have a hard time believing anyone that tries to make a case for it being overhyped. I will say though, I enjoyed reading the TPB’s more than I did collecting single issues month to month. Having to wait for something like this almost seems like it takes a bit of the wind out of the sails from a momentum standpoint, especially in an arc that was so laced with tension and cliffhanger moments like this one! As a whole the arc would get a 5 out of 5 from me easily, especially considering that they managed to take the series in a whole new direction at the very end of it. This issue standing alone though seems to leave me with more questions than answers, and based on just that alone I’d have to give it…
4 out of 5 nerds
Irwin Fletcher
I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.
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