Saga: Vol. 2- Review

The journey continues...

There was once a time I fondly remember with comic books. It was a simpler time when all a comic really needed to be was imaginative, exciting, and (most importantly) fun. For someone like the younger me, that was all I ever really asked for out of the format. I didn't need huge crossover disaster events that were mostly focused on killing characters to help sell issues. I didn't want dark gritty characters who possessed about as much dimension as a Ritz cracker. I didn't desire shallow stories that only existed so that the creator could stroke their ego.

Somewhere along the way the comics industry lost track of what made our beloved medium so adored in the first place. Perhaps it was the lucrative marketing aspects of being able to turn large profits in a short amount of time? Maybe it was simply a matter of misunderstanding what the consumers really wanted? While we could discuss/debate the reasons, the imperative thing to take away from it all is how this period in comics is not fondly remembered.

Thankfully there are creators out there today who understand where comics have failed in the past. Individuals who have an undying passion for comics; who work hard and diligently to prove to the naysayers out there that this is indeed a legitimate platform for great art and storytelling. It's been a long and brutal uphill battle at many points, but with great titles like Saga out there I think there is still hope for comic books yet!

As of the writing of this review, it has been one year since I reviewed Vol. 1 of the hit Image Comic series Saga. Brought to us by the magnificent duo of Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, Saga details the fantastical journey of a new family as they try to find peace in a dangerous universe. Last year I spoke highly of Saga Vol. 1 and I can say it is with a great deal of joy that Saga Vol. 2 continues the trend of telling an imaginative, exciting, and fun story.

I really do mean it when I say that Saga has become one of my current favorite comics, as well as one of my favorite comics of all-time! After getting two entire volumes deep into the characters and story I no longer feel that I could be jumping the gun in making such a declaration about Saga. Every aspect of this book exudes quality on such a level that is seldom seen by the likes of even some of the biggest titles from Marvel and DC. This is pretty much due to the fact that this series is doing the exact opposite of everything I listed earlier. There are no bloated world-altering crossover events to bog the story down. While Saga's characters may be portrayed in a more mature light, it doesn't feel like they're dark and gritty done simply for extremity's sake. At no point does it feel like Saga is a soap box for Mr. Vaughan or Ms. Staples. Instead the primary goal of Saga is to tell a fun and mature story that hearkens back to when the onus for creating comics was more pure in intent. If you haven't read Vol. 1 of Saga yet, I implore you to seek it out and read it now!

Vol. 2 picks up immediately after the ending of Vol. 1 with Marko's parents (Barr and Klara) coming to stay on the family's newly acquired Rocket-ship Tree. Alana doesn't initially know how to react with meeting her in-laws, but the group gels quickly. Prince Robot IV and The Will both continue their respective searches for the family along with Marko's ex fiance (Gwendolyn) joining the hunt as well. Things only get more crazy for the cast when a gigantic space monster enters the fray and sends everyone running for the nearest exit.

This is kind of what it's like telling someone about Saga.

I failed to mention it in my review of Vol. 1 but I am a big fan of the framing device that Saga uses. The story as it is presented is not in the present tense. Instead it is the character Hazel (Alana and Marko's daughter) that recounts the events to the reader. We see throughout the narrative how things occurred, and also how Hazel perceives them.

Through this method we get a character from the story that appears to be directly addressing us the viewer, creating a very fun bit of audience participation. Hazel's character is fun, snarky, and even a touch wise/profound. We don't know how old she is by the time her narration begins (as we're still yet to even see her as her present self) but I distinctly get the impression of how everything that transpires in the plot has helped form her into who she currently is. It's Hazel's fun down-to-earth perspective that I think is one of the many things that helps to make Saga's story resonate with me so strongly.
        
Every major character gets a fittingly humanizing angle to them this volume. Even though the characters Prince Robot IV and The Will are chasing our main family with orders to kill them, we see that they're still fundamentally human when we scratch beneath their surfaces.

PR IV is obligated by his position and allegiances to make good on the task set before him. He clearly suffers from PTSD from the war fields of his past and struggles nightly with memories of friends lost in combat. Knowing that he has a child on the way is the only thing that seemingly keeps him motivated to complete his mission. The Will shows that he's more than just a hired gun by making every effort he can to save a small girl from sex slave traffickers. While The Will's motives are still not entirely clear, we can see that he does have a heart.

Perhaps the most important part about this volume though is that we get a very thorough glimpse into Alana and Marko's past. Seeing who they were before they met, how they met for the first time, and how they eventually became a couple is immensely gratifying. In my previous review I mentioned how skipping over this part of the story helped to save time and get the reader more quickly into the material.

While I still stand by that notion, here it is presented quickly and efficiently. We don't see all the lead up to them getting together, we only see what we need to know so that we can have some context to their relationship.

Another great part of this comic's writing is the dialogue exchanges. Brian K. Vaughan's talking head scenes feel so natural that it's sublime. There are so many times throughout Vol. 2 that I honestly feel the characters talk like people I actually know. The conversations feel like they are about something, which lends a ton of tangibility to them. I've said it before, but I think it needs mentioning again, Vaughan truly knows how to brings his characters to life through the use of dialogue.

Fiona Staples' artwork remains in topnotch form this volume. For all of B.K.V.'s writing it is Staples' work that really sells the whole book. Characters still show an incredibly wide range of emotion through their face and overall body language. Expressions that most comic artist seemingly tend to avoid Staples uses and embraces with gusto. Although there isn't a lot of new characters introduced this volume, their designs continue to impress by being just as iconic as the already established cast. Barr and Klara have an incredibly fun  and old-school look to them that I could see plenty of people cosplaying as. No one page feels neglected throughout the volume, with several splash pages looking downright gorgeous. Staples utilizes all the strengths that the sequential art format provides to excellent effect. That's not to mention all of the respective covers for the single issues, which I feel could be singular paintings on a wall in their own right. As much as I try to find some sort of fault with the art, I simply cannot. Fiona Staples work is flawless!

The only real negative that I think this volume has is that it does perhaps climax a tad early, and bog down a bit near the end. Even then so, the exchange that happens in the last chapter sets up a brilliant cliffhanger that should make the next volume start off great. Otherwise there are not really any negatives I can think of that I haven't already mentioned in the Vol. 1 review. There is even more adult material in the book so younger readers obviously still can't share in the fun. Other than that, the only other thing I can say is that if you didn't like Vol. 1 I'm pretty sure that Vol. 2 isn't going to win you over. The series is firmly set in its stance by this point and it looks like it isn't going to be changing its M.O. anytime soon. Personally, I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's actually pretty difficult to talk about Saga without spoiling it. There are so many more things that I feel I could bring up in this review, but I really do want readers to discover and experience things for themselves. Half the fun of Saga is not knowing exactly what is around the next corner. I can't really do a further analysis as to why I like Saga without letting the cat out of the bag in some way and ruining the experience for potential readers. I am limited by the format of a text review, so I can't really display such things like the artwork and why it's so perfect. All I can really do is try to elaborate to you how much I love this series and why I think you should be reading it. I've said it in my previous review, but if you're of age to read this comic, and truly love the comic book format, then you owe it to yourself to read Saga. With that aside, you can certainly bet that I'll be reading Vol. 3 as soon as it drops!

Awkward family moments, brought to you by Saga!

  

Positive Factors

• Fun story and characters that made Vol.1 such a blast are retained for the next installment!
• Clever framing device invites a good deal of audience participation throughout the story.
• Digs deeper into an already interesting story and cast, thus making things more interesting.
• Brilliant character writing makes every member of the cast come to life.
• Gorgeous artwork all around. The strengths of the comic book medium are on full display.

Negative Factors

• A minor dip in pacing near the end makes the climax feel a tad early.
• If you didn't like Vol. 1 you're not going to like this one either. Simple as that.

Final Rating: !!!AWESOMESAUCE!!!