Title: Saga Vol 3 | Author: Brian K. Vaughan | Illustrator: Fiona Staples | Publisher: Image Comics | Pub. Date: 2015-3-24 | Pages: 144 | ISBN13: 9781607069317 | Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy, Graphic Novel | Language: English | Triggers: None | Rating: 4 out of 5 Purchase on Amazon |
Saga Vol 3
From the Hugo Award-winning duo of Brian K. Vaughan (The Private Eye, Y: The Last Man) and Fiona Staples (North 40, Red Sonja), Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the universe. Searching for their literary hero, new parents Marko and Alana travel to a cosmic lighthouse on the planet Quietus, while the couple’s multiple pursuers finally close in on their targets.
Collecting: Saga 13-18.
Saga Vol 3 Review
The very first illustration in Saga Vol 3 (before you even get into the story itself) made me stop and stare. It’s just a classic picture of an older adult and baby looking at each other, but in this case, the baby has horns and the old person is a cyclops. It’s this mixture of cute and weird that, I think, sums up a good bit of Saga’s appeal.
Saga vol 3 sees the family unit (minus the one we’re all missing) land on Quietus. Obviously, things don’t go exactly as they had planned. And soon enough one of our characters is sporting a lopsided look that only a Weasley could ever really pull off. When it begins like that, the chances that it’s only going to get worse before it gets better are pretty bloody high.
Marko’s mother gets more attention in this story and that’s only ever a good thing. The woman is so damned snarky and kick-butt. Seriously, she’s the type of old lady we should all aspire to be when we’re forced to grow old! (I do, at least.) Between her and Izabel, let alone Alana, I think it’s safe to say that Hazel is going to grow up with a sarcastic streak a mile wide.
The second storyline, with Gwendolyn, Lying Cat, Slave Girl, and the unmemorable assassin gets shoved along a bit too. The crap that they go through is very reminiscent of a Star Trek episode (though I’m not going to say which one), and brings to mind the adage that “If it looks to good to be true, it probably is.”
Gwendolyn, with her extremely dark skin, horns, and the stark white outfit is probably the most interesting looking character in all the comics that I’ve read so far. She really is just gorgeous and dangerous looking and I would be much happier if the assassin went away and it was just her, Slave Girl, and Lying Cat. (However, there’s one scene involving the person who took Gwendolyn’s virginity that just makes me want to scrub my brain. I mean, if she was talking literally, then (being deliberately vague for those of who haven’t read it) that’s a scene that will just keep horning in when it’s not wanted.) The three have a family-unit dynamic that formed very quickly, and just doesn’t see to make room for the guy.
Speaking of Lying Cat, he is responsible for my new apparent fascination with naked/hairless cats. I would apologize to all my friends that I’ve bombarded with ridiculous pictures of hairless cats that I’ve found online but… #sorrynotsorry . Not even a little bit!
Overall, another excellent entry into the series. The plots continue to move along at a fantastic pace, the dialogue and illustrations are perfect. The only thing I didn’t particularly care for was the reporters that show up in this one. Their own personal little side-story felt a bit unnecessary and shoved in.
Interested in starting Saga? Here’s my review of the first volume.