Monday 2 February 2015

Saga: Volume One, Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples


Pages: 160
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: 23rd October 2012
Edition: US large paperback, purchased

Other Titles by this Author: X-Men, Captain America, Runaways, Batman: False Faces, The Titans, Young Justice, JLA, Green Lantern: Circle of Fire, Y: The Last Man

From award-winning writer Brian K Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, television’s Lost) and critically acclaimed artist Fiona Staples (Mystery Society, North 40), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old world. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in the first volume of this sexy, subversive ongoing epic.

Graphic novels have never really been my thing but I’ve heard endless wonderful things about the Saga series on booktube and I decided to take a chance.

For the first couple of pages I did struggle to focus on properly absorbing all of the many, many details in the artwork instead of jumping straight to the text. And considering how gorgeous the art is, that’s completely ridiculous. I was blown away by the detail, the storytelling and the artistry of Fiona Staples’ work. I was a little surprised by how graphic and adult a few of the page spreads were – still tasteful, but unexpected.

And yet it also wasn’t unexpected at all in other ways. The open and liberal swearing, the caustic wit and sexual innuendo are all frank and open in the same way. It’s a refreshing approach and I loved it. In such little text, so much is put across, along with the artwork of course. The sheer volume and depth of story and character and background was astounding. I was impressed and, I have to admit, surprised.

I fell in love with Saga and I’ve ordered the next three volumes and I’m eagerly awaiting them landing through my letterbox – is this the beginning of a beautiful friendship between me and graphic novels?!

Sophie

2 comments:

  1. Hi Sophie. I have also recently gotten into graphic novels. Saga is excellent. Try checking out The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire. I loved it

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Sophie. I have also recently gotten into graphic novels. Saga is excellent. Try checking out The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire. I loved it

    ReplyDelete

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