REVIEWING 'SAGA', A FAN FAVOURITE
It's an old story. A
man and woman in love, but they're from different worlds. Then they
have a baby. She is the apple of their eye and a perfect blend of
them both. She's got her mom's wings and her dad's horns.
Oh yeah, when I say
they come from different worlds I mean it. Alana comes from the
largest planet in the galaxy – Landfall, and Marko comes from its
moon – Wreath. Not only do they literally come from different
worlds, but these worlds are at war and have been for generations.
We're talking Romeo and Juliet in space – with robots and magic.
Saga, Volume 1 is a
collection of the first set of comics that tell the story of fighters
Alana and Marko, who leave the war behind and start a family instead.
The whole story starts
with little Hazel's birth and then continues with bounty hunters
(freelancers) and groups on both sides of the war trying to eliminate
the happy couple and retrieve their “mutt”. All Alana and Marko
want is a quiet spot in the universe to settle down. Is that too much
to ask? Apparently it is.
One of my favourite
parts is a small one, but it's a great example of the tone of this
epic story. A seahorse creature, an agent, is speaking to freelancer
“The Will” through space and time. The combination of surreal
alien and the words that come out of its mouth - “Hey you, your
signal sucks. Where are you?” - makes this scene more grounded. And
that's how the whole story plays out. Surreal one moment and
down-to-earth the next.
And by the way... this
is a very adult story. Absolutely NOT for children. Sex and violence
and no holds barred. But it fits the crazy fantastic story by Brian
K. Vaughan which, I must say, is quite the feat. He has also done a
fine job of creating characters that are not entirely good or evil,
but many shades of grey.
The artwork by Fiona
Staples is phenomenal. There are some very imaginative creatures in
this story, including a very large cat who can tell when someone is
lying, and a sweet teen babysitter who also happens to be dead (and
has her bottom half missing). Even the wings on Alana's people and
the horns on Marko's are all really different in design. There is a
lot of imagination and detail throughout the whole volume.
It's a fabulous piece
of writing and art, and definitely worth reading. Get your own copy
at The Comic Book Shoppe on Bank Street.
Bio:
Lee A. Farruga is
known as everyone's Geeky Godmother. She has many talents, lots of
energy, and loves to help people achieve their goals, whatever that
might be. She can also be found reviewing books, games, movies and
more. Also known internationally as the Canadian Queen of Steampunk,
Lee created and manages Steampunk Canada. When she finds spare time,
Lee does background acting for television and movies, and enjoys
geeky activities with family and friends.
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