And Then I Read: SAGA Volume 3

Image © Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples.

If you pay attention to the comics world at all, you don’t need me to inform you about this excellent series. It tops best-seller lists (at least when collected in trade paperbacks as here), and wins awards. It’s leading the current resurgence of Image Comics in the marketplace and critical respect. All with good reason.

There are so many entertaining ideas and characters, and the plot is never predictable. At the center are the star-crossed lovers Marko and Alana from two warring races that look humanoid except that one has vestigial wings and the other has horns. Much outrage follows their romance, and they’re being pursued by several bounty hunters, each with interesting back stories and companions. There are family members involved, and supernatural beings, one evil, one helpful. There’s a romance novel author sought out by Marko and Alana because he seems to speak to their problems, but when they find him he’s rather disappointing. There are other creatures and races of various kinds, all fascinating, with my favorite being Honest Cat, who doesn’t speak except when calling out someone in his presence with a single flat accusation: “Lying.” Beyond all that, this is more than an adventure story, it’s full of wisdom about people and the choices they have to make in life. Also quite funny at times, and at others chillingly sad and terrible.

Enough, it’s brilliant, both the art and the writing. Get the collections. Read them. You won’t be sorry.

Highly recommended.