Here’s the point: to all of us readers, Saga gives a promise of freedom to be whoever we want and make our own choices without fear of being judged or punished. Yet I did find the hidden message, which is big and important enough to glue our eyes to the series. It’s not likely that Saga has the word “sex” formed by clouds of dust somewhere between its panels-after all, we’re talking about the book with a love scene between… oh, I’ve already mentioned that. I recalled paranoid theories about The Lion King movie and ended up searching for hidden messages.

Something essential, probably even subliminal. Something more powerful than the charm of a Star Wars like-universe, more compelling than the story of family life against the background of the intergalactic war, more eye-catching than a sex scene between a white dude and a giant female spider. There must be something beyond all these virtues that reviewers praise. An inventive idea to merge Shakespearian motives with the genre of space opera? C’mon, you can’t be serious! Lying Cat? Okay, this one looks good… The colorful artwork with weird and vivid characters? Still not enough. The meaningful look at parenting and family life? I don’t think this alone could buy such all-absorbing success among a diverse and variegated community of comic lovers. Saga is loaded with exceptional features, but what exactly makes it so dramatically distinguished from all others creator owned comics? Is it the unique world? There are thousands of well-designed sci-fi and fantasy universes in every media around. But after reading dozens of praiseful articles and reviews, I didn’t find an answer-how come Saga conquered our hearts so easily?Ĭertainly, behind the ease of the story flow there’s a big and complex work. The timeline of the indie comics industry is now divided into “Before Saga” and “After Saga” epochs. It got three Eisner Awards, Hugo Awards for Best Graphic Story, six Harvey Awards and, by all reports, obvious, ultimate, universal, indisputable public acclamation. And since the moment I swallowed Volume One, I didn’t stop asking myself, what’s so special about this graphic novel.Įverybody is crazy about Saga. My personal list of “magic wardrobe” readings is short besides some works by King, Bujold, and Rowling, it includes only one comic book- Saga. There is some distinctive type of story that transfers the reader to another world, where “normal” time and mundane worries (like early wake ups) don’t matter. You might have experienced it too: you open the book, time collapses, and you’re suddenly on the last page and the clock displays 4am. During the last few years, I have read tons of books, and just a few of them had what I call a “magic wardrobe” effect.

Saga volume 1 brian k vaughan