Join me on the "Saga" bandwagon...late passes distributed here

I'm totally OverGeekingIt about Saga.  I've read and now re-read the series over the past couple of months and am kicking myself for not grabbing every issue of this series from the beginning.  It's not that this is some hidden gem only known to the "New Comic Wednesday" crowd, as Saga has become the darling of the present comic book world.  Saga has the potential to attract readers who normally think they're "too good" for a comic book series, the way that Game of Thrones has brought new readers to the world of fantasy novels.

As I alluded to, much has already been said about Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples' absolutely amazing comic book series, "Saga," currently 26 issues in, and I'm hard-pressed to add much in the way of original perspective as even I have been late to truly embrace how marvelous this series is.  But it is quite amazingly great.  Saga will belong on everyone's "Comics to read before you die," and "best comic book series ever" lists.

Saga #25 Wrap-around cov er, courtesy of ComicBookResources.com

If you're at all familiar wiith Vaughan's previous iconic work in penning Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Runaways, and The Pride of Baghdad, you won't be surprised at the masterful level of wit, character development, and relatability of the cast of characters in Saga.  The real standout creator here for me is Fiona Staples, who is becoming the "it" illustrator in the industry.  Staples' art is beautiful and she makes the fantastical and diverse races of alien beings believable and distinguishable.  At no point in reading this series do I fear that they're running out of ideas or in danger of re-hashing previously blazed trails.  You may have heard it described as "Game of Thrones" meets "Star Wars," as the expansive world spans foreign lands within the setting of an interstellar war.  Other critics speak of how Saga is evocative of "Romeo and Juliet" and "Lord of the Rings." While the series does explore familiar themes of familial and parental bonds, forbidden love, interplanetary wars, and the societal ramifications of "haves vs. the have nots," the only world I'm sucked into while reading each issue, is the world of Saga.

If you haven't read comic books in a long time, or ever, there are few series who rival the "start with this one" status that Saga should enjoy.  If your most recent memories of comics are the tales of superheroes vs the villain of the month, then you'll be in for a culture shock.  Spoiler alert, Saga is not to be read with your young children, but it must absolutely be read (have I made that clear yet?)

5 Things you can't help but love about Saga...(without much in the way of detail and spoilers)

TV-headed Robots who have "human" needs

Prince Robot IV, photo courtesy of thenerdsofcolor.org

Just try to stretch the truth around "Lying Cat," who's vocabulary is as expansive as Hodor's but is a more menacing companion and protector

photo courtesy of imgkid.com

The cast of bounty hunters, including this unconventional "love story" portrayed in the spirit of a romance novel

The Stalk and The Will, photo courtesy of galleryhip.com



The most "human" characters have wings and ram-like horns

Our first main characters, and the narrator's parents, Alana and Marko.  From Saga #1, photo courtesy of Comicbook.com

The most sensible character is dead...or, rather undead

Izabel's ghost, photo courtesy of Comicbookresources.com

If an expansive world with a wide array of interesting characters to keep up with intimidates you, then Saga may frustrate you.  If you enjoy a narrative in which you'll barely scratch the surface of the world's complexity, but fail to truly notice the fact, this is the series for you.  People are even getting Saga-inspired tattoos already.

I won't be requiring any of your money, but if you have $.99 in your checking account, you can use it here or here and give Saga #1 a try.  If you read it all the way through, I'm sure we'll be racing to pick up issue #27 together.