By Cameron Kerkau, Staff Reporter.
Comic books are an interesting medium because of the freedom generally given to creators. With the oversaturation of the comic book market, it’s necessary for creators to bring the strangest ideas possible to the table. This is especially true for independent comics. If I want a story to surprise me with new ideas, I go to a comic book store. If I want to find the best of these strange ideas, I read “Saga.” Ask any avid comic book reader or creator what they’re reading today, and odds are that “Saga” will be on their list.
“Saga” is an independent comic published by Image Comics and written by Brian K. Vaughan with art by Fiona Staples. It tells the story of the planet Landfall, its moon Wreath and the war between their inhabitants. The winged Landfallians and the horn-bearing natives of Wreath have always despised each other. Each of them views the other as immoral animals. Despite all the hatred and war, a Landfallian named Alana falls in love with a man named Marko from the moon, and the two run away together. The series opens with them giving birth to their daughter, Hazel, who narrates the series as her parents risk everything to protect her.
I first heard of “Saga” in 2013, a year after its first issue, from a friend of mine that isn’t really even into comics. This friend didn’t say anything to me about the plot or the art, but what he did tell me was about one character: Lying Cat. She’s a cat the size of a lion that says “lying” when she hears someone being dishonest. I don’t know what it was, but something about this really struck a chord with me. It’s such an interesting and fun concept, but at the same time, it’s so simple that I can’t believe it hasn’t been done before.
That’s what the entire book feels like. There’s this strange and alluring mash-up of the familiar and the spectacular. Characters are introduced that you would expect to act as monsters, but there is no villain in “Saga.” Everyone has their own side to the story. Horrific bounty hunters are hired to kill Alana, Marko and Hazel, but in-between chases, they might call their ex on their cell phone. There are spaceships and spells, but there’s also playdates and mother-in-laws. Alana and Marko fight off their pursuers and alien threats, but they also have sex and argue about what’s best for Hazel’s future. Alana breastfeeds, and Hazel poops. They have convictions and sometimes they break them. Their entire parenting experience feels authentic. It’s touching, and it’s set against an intergalactic fantasy war.
The important thing that I think “Saga” says is that no matter who you are, whether you have wings, horns or spinnerets, we’re all just people. We all love and hate, and fuck and fight. Teenaged ghosts with exposed intestines are still angsty and sarcastic, and robots with televisions for heads still shit and cry when their loved ones die. It’s a story that anyone can relate to. It’s currently on issue 32, but you would be doing yourself a favor to pick up issue one. If you love comic books, read “Saga.” If you don’t love comic books, read “Saga” anyway.