Saga Volume Ten

Saga Volume Ten by Fiona Staples and Brian K. Vaughan (2022 Image Comics softcover 160pp)

 

First of all, this is Volume 10 of an on-going series and nobody should really start reading it at this point. The proceeding nine volumes are still readily available if you are at all interested.

I started reading “Saga” in these collected trade editions about 10 years ago and became hooked, catching up and then buying the new volumes as they were released. About five years ago the creators announced they were going on a hiatus and paused the project until last year. This is the first collected volume since it was restarted.

“Saga” tells the story of two star-crossed lovers who were foot soldiers on opposing sides in an interstellar war. Alana and Marko produce a hybrid daughter called Hazel who has been narrating the story from the beginning. The various factions see the couple and their child as abominations and pursue them across the galaxy. As the family run and hide they make new friends and enemies including robots, journalists and mercenaries. Despite being science fiction the story really focuses on the characters and how time and experiences change them, not always for the better.

“Saga” has a unique ability to both delight and shock. The ending of one of the previous volumes still haunts me if I think too much about it. Vaughan knows how to write stories that hits all your buttons and Staples is a master artist.

Volume 10 starts several years after the shock ending of volume 9, the family group has morphed again into something different and are still in hiding, trying to trade goods to survive. A chance encounter with a Pirate ship causes unforeseen dangers and opportunities for each of them.

At 160 pages it was a quick read, if you’re already a fan you don’t need me to recommend this book – you’ll probably already have it. I’m glad the series hasn’t lost its edge after being rested for so long.