Saga #6 is the final chapter in the first arc of this breakout Image Comics hit series from Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Lost) and Fiona Staples. What a ride it has been so far! Saga is one of the finest series to debut in all of comics this year. That is high praise and not hyperbole at all. Saga blends together elements of fantasy and sci-fi into a unique and epic story unlike anything else currently in comic stores.
Saga is the tale of two star-crossed lovers, Alana and Marko, from opposite sides of a galactic war between a race of technology users and magic users. Amidst the backdrop of a battle in which they fight on opposing sides, Alana and Marko fall in love and have a baby named Hazel together. In their effort to flee and find a better life for their child, pursuers are dispatched to prevent their escape.
After a long journey that has spanned most of the first arc, this issue opens up with our protagonists finally getting close to the “Rocketship Forest” that they hope will facilitate their escape from the planet. However, the Rocketship Forest looks like a slashed and burnt wasteland. Luckily their ghostly guide, Izabel, knows what must be done. Everything in this world has a price, and a sacrifice is in order to secure the young family’s escape.
The subplot revolves around Alana, Marko, and Hazel’s increasingly desperate pursuers trying to get back on the trail to find their quarry. With the young family blasted off for an unknown destination, what chance is there to capture them now? Don’t count out Prince Robot IV‘s ingenuity just yet.
This issue and first arc comes to an end with a wild curveball that I did not see coming at all. I will not spoil it here, but I most definitely can’t wait to see what happens next. Which brings us to the only negative aspect to Saga #6: having to wait until November for the next installment, Saga #7.
Saga is pretty much everything I look for in a comic. Brian K. Vaughan has crafted an amazing and original tale. The story is paced well and moves along at a brisk clip. The primary characters continue to evolve and reveal more of their personalities throughout the story. Don’t get too attached to the colorful secondary characters, as they are as likely to meet an untimely end as not. The dialogue is playful and comes off with a very organic feel. Fiona Staples’ art here (of which she is not only illustrating, but also doing colors, covers, and parts of the lettering) is clean, expressive and elegantly sparse. Staples’ art is the perfect balance to Vaughan’s story here. Even her backgrounds are getting stronger as the series goes on, with more of the world’s details starting to permeate the panel backdrops. The cover to this issue was my favorite out of all comics that came out the week Saga #6 was released.
If Saga can keep the momentum and fan base it has build when it continues again in November, this series has the potential to remain one of the best in comics. The Saga: Volume One trade will be released in October for bargain price of just $9.99! If you have missed the single-issues, the TPB is the perfect time to catch up. I would bet that many will do just that, and Saga will likely have even more fans come November – and rightfully so.
4.5 out of 5 stars
