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Pick of the Week: Saga #18

By | January 30th, 2014
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

As we near the two year anniversary of the release of “Saga” #1, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples bring a close to many adventures, while opening the door to countless more.

Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrated by Fiona Staples

Our heroes’ stay on Quietus reaches its inevitable conclusion.


As far as “season finales” go, “Saga” #18 is pretty low key. There are no bold, in-your-face revelations akin to issue #12’s surprising flash-foward. Neither are there any of the typical cliffhanger devices creators use to ramp up excitement and interest for the next installment. Instead, subtly Vaughan and Staples deliver a logical and fully developed conclusion to the past 18 issues worth of story.

Although, perhaps conclusion is too strong of a word. This isn’t the end of Marko and Alana’s story, nor is it likely the last time we’ll see the likes of The Will, Prince Robot IV, Sophie or Lying Cat. “Saga” #18 does, however, mark a sort of checkpoint for the series. Of course, not in a droll, “checking off the necessary boxes” kind of way. “Saga” has never been that conventional. Mostly, “Saga” #18 feels very much like the end of a chapter, setting the stage for new beginnings.

Last issue saw the convergence of Marko and Alana’s various pursuers on the planet Quietus, home of author D. Oswald Heist. Such a culmination of dozens of issue’s worth of meticulous plotting is sure to make for an exciting story, and “Saga” doesn’t disappoint. Of course, always a series to buck expectation, the confrontation takes an interesting swerve.

With both The Will on the brink of death and Prince Robot IV rebooting, Gwendolyn takes the spotlight.

Surprisingly, “Saga” has always been a pretty down to earth book. The sci-fi trappings, the strange alien races and the war torn galaxy are all just stage dressing for the extremely real and utterly human emotions and situations experienced by the cast. So, what do you get when a spurned lover meets up with her ex and his new wife? A whole lot of emotional baggage.

Suitably, this brings the topic back around to closure. Since we were introduced to her, Gwendolyn has been on the hunt for Marko and Alana, presumably for revenge or, at the very least, understanding. However, her motivations now are vastly different, compounding the emotional uncertainty. It’s a brilliant yet simple reversal that Vaughan crafts in plain sight. It’s hard to say too much without spoiling the issue, something I would be wroth to do. I’ll just say that, in the end, it all comes down to a broken heart, and the incredible faith of a husband in his wife. With a series like “Saga,” what else can you ask for?

Marko vs. Gwendolyn isn’t the only match up of note. Quite spectacularly, Izabel goes toe to toe with Lying Cat. Well, insomuch as a teenage ghost can face down a feline polygraph. Through this, we get a rare glimpse into the mind of Lying Cat. The character is a wonderful fan favorite, and this tease begs for more insight into the life and times of Lying Cat in issues to come. It would certainly be a fantastic spotlight for Fiona Staples.

I feel like it doesn’t even require repeating at this point, but Fiona Staples is incredible. With each issue the artist outdoes herself, and this issue is one of her finest achievements. It’s hard to imagine anyone but Staples handling the Marko/Alana/Gwendolyn showdown. The artist masterfully depicts Marko’s sorrow, Alana’s staunch resilience, and Gwendolyn’s wrathful despair. The issue’s climactic splash page, as Alana rises to the occasion and a lone tear falls down Gwendolyn’s cheek, is the perfect encapsulation of all the great things this book has offer.

“Saga” has been and continues to be a slow burn, with Vaughan slyly concealing his hand. The end of “Saga” #18 brings both uncertainty and hope, but little insight into the future. A number of epilogues tease at where the series will end up, with some more tantalizing than others (I still don’t get what those reporters have to do with anything). Still, as the issue wraps as it so often does, with Hazel’s narration, beautifully handwritten over the gorgeous art, it’s hard not to feel the same sense of excitement and awe that the series in that first groundbreaking issue. There’s truly the feeling that imagination is the limit, and that a Rocket Ship Tree can take you anywhere.

Atta girl.

Final Verdict: 8.9 – Buy. Saga continues to impress, and stays with you long after the final page closes.


Zach Wilkerson

Zach Wilkerson, part of the DC3 trinity, still writes about comics sometimes. He would probably rather be reading manga or thinking about Kingdom Hearts. For more on those things, follow him on Twitter @TheWilkofZ

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