So for those readers not located in the continental United States, or those without the light of day beneath the rock they are living under, Hurricane Sandy just kicked the east coast’s ass big time.
We were without power for days, trees were flying all over the place in wind gusts of up to 90 mph, and I’m pretty sure the apartment we usually rent at the beach in the summertime is currently under water (we stay on the third floor). Basically, 3 words: Shit got real.
So how did I keep my cannibalistic urges down as we sat in the dark with no heat or food? Easily, Brian K. Vaughan’s Saga. Oh. My. God. Imagine, if you will, Romeo and Juliet, set to the backdrop of the Star Wars conflict, sans its main characters. And empire and rebelling forces battling for so long that they’ve actually “outsourced” the war to other planets and races. The sides? Mystical, magic-users with massive goat horns vs. a technologically advanced race of fairy-people. Sounds kinda like the old all-encompassing-war-fantasy stuff as usual right? Well 2 words: Robot sex.
Okay so the fairies have pretty much hired this race of robots which resemble statues with televisions for heads as the main forces in their army. These robots, despite their comically inanimate appearance, are extremely human. We are introduced to them as Prince Robot IV finds himself distracted from, graphically, engaging in intercourse with his wife/girlfriend/female serial port…
That’s the thing that sets Saga apart from all the rest. No, not the robot sex. The humanity of its so-obviously non-human characters. Everything is played straight faced, but in a delightfully absurdist sort of way that only adds to the comedy. Here’s a list of some things you might find in Saga: Alligator butlers, talking cats, boobs (lots of them), topless spider women, a man crushing another mans head with his bare hands, women whose bodies are comprised of giant heads and stocking-wearing legs, a teenage-girl-ghost with her intestines hanging out,a rocketship forest, and the opening line “Am I shitting? It feels like I’m shitting.”
Look I’m really not doing the book justice here. Let me just say this – Saga is a compelling, funny, amazing work of fiction from the writer of Y the Last Man with beautiful art by Fiona Staples that should be on everyone’s must-read list. As always, the first issue is free on Comixology. Go and download it. It definitely gives you a great taste of what’s the come, and what’s more, the first trade is only $9.99 and includes every issue published thus-far!
Saga is coming back into print next month people, catch up before you end up like Lying Cat here.
