omg omg omg omg omg omg OMG WHAT DID I JUST READ.
It’s like somebody reached into my subconscious, pulled out a bunch of things I think are awesome, then added some really weird and unexpected stuff on top of that, and finally topped it all off by illustrating the whole thing with beautiful, wildly colorful pictures. Like, everyone ever has said that Saga is awesome, but you really don’t have a feel for what that means until you actually read it for yourself.
I’ve been a fan of Brian K. Vaughan’s for years, but I’m also hugely spoiled because I’ve always read his stuff after the fact and I haaaaate waiting for new volumes of series to be published, so I tried to wait as long as possible before actually allowing myself to start this series. I made it five volumes (aka three years), and I’m pretty proud of myself for that. But I just couldn’t wait any longer. It was totally worth the wait.
I loved Marko and Alana immediately, am completely drawn to the story of a pointless galactic war and the two lovers who cross enemy lines, and am a bit obsessed with Fiona Staples’ artwork here, but it’s the details that really make this book. The television-headed robot prince, the giant hairless green cat that can tell if you’re lying (called Lying Cat, naturally), the people whose names start with ‘The’, the giant spider lady, the tree rocketship, the pink ghost people, the bizarre (yet weirdly familiar) human/animal combinations that make up all the races in this universe . . . just everything.
I love that the story opens with little Hazel being born, and that she’s the narrator. I love the way Vaughn feeds us in bits and pieces his worldbuilding so all the weirdness is not overwhelming. I love the mix of magic and science. And I am already super attached to all of the characters, even though I’ve only known them for less than an hour.
I will probably finish all five volumes by the end of the night.
