Saga: Vol. 1 (Review)

I haven’t read a graphic novel I loved this much since Watchmen, my favorite graphic novel of all time, and this…surpasses that.

Warning: reading Saga may cause you to have withdrawals if the next volume is not readily at hand. May create a terrible tick of refreshing the pages of your favorite online bookstores to see if said volumes are in stock while also telling yourself “you don’t need it right now.” May cause restlessness as you wait for Compendium 1 to be released in October so you can hold over 1,000 pages of what you know will be glorious Saga goodness in your hands.

No? 

Just me then?

Alright…

Saga follows the love story of two people who are not only supposed to hate each other but kill each other. Marko and Alana’s people have been at war for….ever? And when it comes out that not only have they both abandoned their people but run away together with their newborn baby, well, let’s just say the new parents have a lot to run from.

“Violence is stupid. Even as a last resort, it only ever begets more of the same.”

Saga has the dark, smarter-than-most-graphic-novels-of-our-time feel of Watchmen, mixed with the vast world-building and humor of a Guardians of the Galaxy–type sci-fi, with a whole new original flare. Not only does Saga, at its heart, have a great story, but it will capture you with its sprawling setting and catch-at-your heart characters. 

There are so many creatures and worlds in Saga, some will feel a little familiar, but many will not. Where else would you see characters that are just a huge head with legs attached at the chin?! I loved how the characters, creatures, and species were each developed originally. Nothing felt copy-and-pasted, even when they were minor. The way characters move, their expressions and movements and mannerisms are all so unique and dynamic, even those without faces. I loved every single one (but especially Lying cat and The Stalk.) 

In less than 200 pages it seems like it would be impossible to have a satisfying plot arc, and get to know the characters and see them start to grow. But we become familiar with each character quickly, thanks to their uniqueness, which is portrayed in their mannerisms and ways of speaking. We learn about them succinctly without it feeling rushed or forced. There’s just enough characterization for us to feel connected but not so much that it takes over the other elements, and leaves room for us to become more familiar in volumes to come. Although there are clearly good and bad characters, everyone is shown to have good and bad elements, even if we don’t know the full extent of those yet. That kind of morally grey characterization is what I live for, and so, unsurprisingly, I loved to find it here. I felt connected to all the characters, good and bad, and felt invested in all of their stories and what was going to happen to them, even those who had very little time on the page. My favorite, above all, was Izabel. Her sassiness and matter-of-fact confident manner got me immediately, and I love the way she’s drawn.

“Doesn’t matter if it’s personal or professional, a good partnership takes work.” 

 This, mixed with a wide-reaching and diverse setting creates the feeling of a complex and complete world. You get the impression that this universe has no end of varying planets and creatures and people to meet, which also creates a lot of excitement for the other volumes and hints at the possibilities for all the adventures to come.

The greatest strength of all in Saga, however, is the attention to detail. Not only is everything immaculately drawn in full-color, realistic yet superhero-comic-esque style, and not only is every place and creature distinct and meaningful, but there is intention and reasoning infused in every choice. The same can be said for Watchmen and is the reason I love it. But here we see it in a perhaps simpler but incredibly engaging way. 

Typography was probably my favorite aspect of this. Hazel, our narrator, always speaks in handwritten scribbles right on the page, which creates a certain voice for her. Different accents have different fonts, most notably seen in this volume in the way the robot people talk. Different languages are woven in without explanation, creating a more realistic feeling, and colors are used to show that foreign languages are being spoken and translated by a magic spell. 

I also loved the complexity of the use of space on the page. There are no page numbers, allowing you to be lost within. Often, movements are allowed to drip and fly and flutter out of the edges of the frames, colors seeping. Occasionally, frames take up entire pages or flip directions.  You don’t need to read McCloud’s Understanding Comics to realize that every choice is purposeful, although it’s clear that the creators of Saga were aware of all the methods McCloud mentions in his book, and perhaps more. 

Together, these aspects work in tandem to create what feels like a very cinematic reading experience. It is compelling, submersive, and addicting. I would not at all be surprised (and would be thoroughly overjoyed, in fact) if we saw this adapted into a TV series or movie at some point. 

“You know, for a pacifist, you sure beg to get stabbed a lot.”

I could go on and on about all the good parts of Saga, but I’ll just sum it up by saying I really have no critiques. It’s a new favorite of all time for me, unarguably 5 out of 5 stars.