Friday, March 16, 2012

This Was A Good Read


Sometimes it's nice to start a comic book series without any continuity to mess up the story. There are some interesting twists in this tale of a couple and their young daughter who just want to get away from a galaxy at constant war. They are from both sides in the never ending conflict and their child in an anomaly.

This series was created and written by Brian K. Vaughn who was the mind behind Y The Last Man, Ex Machina and Fables. Vaughn is the master of taking a high concept and bringing all the craziness down to a human level. His stories are about survival and choices. He brings humor too but never lets any of his story threads or ideas get too far out of control.

His ability to edit himself and his imagination is impressive. He trusts his stories enough to never reveal too much up front. Along the way he rewards long time readers with story lines that actually end. There is resolution and that can be very satisfying.

In this debut issue, we’re introduced to an intergalactic war that has turned society into a morose mess filled with violence and hatred. Through the eyes of new parents Marko and Alana, we see how the war affects the civilians on the ground, not just the soldiers fighting it. But the happy couple is being hunted because as it turns out, they are each a member of the species on the opposite side of the conflict.

On the strength of Vaughn's track record I am prepared to give this one a chance for at least the next dozen or so issues. Vaughn produces epic stories full of triumphs and tragedy but his true strength is found in the voice he gives his characters - no matter what bizarre situation they find themselves in, their reactions always ring true. It's the reason readers come back to Vaughn's work month after month.


I have no issues with the art or coloring. Fiona Staples has great page composition that play out like live action movie scenes. All the big and little moments have a dramatic punch.

I have read many many comics in my life but remember few that flowed as nicely as this issue did. 47 pages just flew by. I was totally immersed in the story. For me that is what a good comic read is all about.


Nice to see this one at Image comics. Who would have ever thought all those decades ago that this company would be the home of so many quality comic books series and mini-series?

Marvel and DC rarely produce anything original and exciting these days. Any comic worth reading often comes from Image or Dark Horse. Those smaller companies have the freedom to take chances that DC and Marvel cannot.

Marvel and DC are both multimedia empires that need to feed the monsters they created with fresh stories based on old characters and concepts. Anything new that they introduce has to fit into the already established continuity. That is a tricky line for any writer and artist to navigate.

I enjoyed the dedication on the last page. Vaughn wants to create an old time 'letters column' but you can only contribute by sending your letter by snail mail. I half expect he wants the responses hand written too before he gives them any attention.

In such an environment, something like Saga feels fresh and new. If you want to get in on the ground floor of a new series by a writer who knows how to tell good fantasy stories, then this may be the comic for you.

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