Review: SAGA #12

SAGA #12
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Fiona Staples
Release Date: April 10, 2013

IMG130056The chase continues for Marko and Alana. Issue 12 shows the chase from a different perspective as Prince Robot IV makes his return to the series.

Saga #12 is Prince Robot IV-focused, and the flashback keeps with the pattern. The flashback was excellently done and showed the horrors of the war in Saga. There was one panel, in particular, that was devastating. The panel was simple and only a blip on the page, but build up, even in only the few pages given for the flashback, was so well done and characters established so quickly that I felt so much for a character whose origin, and subsequent death, are all featured in one short story.

Prince Robot IV follows a long shot hunch in his quest for Marko and Alana. He goes to the planet of the writer of Alana’s favorite book that was such a huge influence to her in the past. While the rest of the book settles into a conversation between two people in a house, it is still extremely exciting to watch unfold. Brian K. Vaughan does what he always does and fills each page with wonderful dialogue and characterization. The conversation goes from coy back and forth for posturing, to a lighthearted congratulations, and everything in-between. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the conversation between Prince Robot IV and Mr. Heist was the unpredictability of it all. There was no way to tell where the scene was going to go and who would come out on top, and creating something so grandiose in a dialogue is what makes Saga a must read. This issue also continues the tradition of brilliant cliffhangers as the splash page at the end of the issue makes the wait for next month truly unbearable.

Now that it has been over a year since the Saga was unveiled, this is a perfect time to talk about Fiona Staples and what she has brought to the title. Issue 12 marks a year’s worth of issues and almost each issue has been near perfect. Her consistency and character/alien design have done almost as much as Brian K. Vaughan in elevating Saga to one of the best ongoing titles of 2012 and 2013. I also give the art team credit for not shying away from using the violence and sexual content requested by Vaughan. None of the sex or violence I would consider offensive or classless, but there is more than I would expect from a consistent top 50 seller. The flashback in the beginning contains a healthy amounts of both, and if you can’t spot the sex then pay closer attention to Prince Robot IV’s tv/face for quite a… surprise.

Saga is as close to perfect as you can expect from an ongoing series. Month in, month out the team of Vaughan and Staples delivers everything you could possibly want in a comic book. Every new character, landscape, and alien race they introduce each month has been a welcome addition to an every growing universe and there are no signs of slowing down.

Verdict: 9.5/10

 

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