Saga #69

Saga (Single Issues)

by Brian K. Vaughan (Writer), Fiona Staples (Illustrator), Fonografiks (Letterer)

Old allies explore new positions.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adult, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

31 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 25, 2024

About the author

Brian K. Vaughan is the writer and co-creator of comic-book series including SAGA, PAPER GIRLS, Y THE LAST MAN, RUNAWAYS, and most recently, BARRIER, a digital comic with artist Marcos Martin about immigration, available from their pay-what-you-want site www.PanelSyndicate.com

BKV's work has been recognized at the Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, Shuster, Eagle, and British Fantasy Awards. He sometimes writes for film and television in Los Angeles, where he lives with his family and their dogs Hamburger and Milkshake.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(B+) 79% | Good
Notes: Betrayal twists, narcotic tryst, been down this road before: but softer now, it hardly wows, compared to plots of yore.

*Progress update

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seeing the cover art and issue number you just know there was a lot of high fiving and dude grunting noises going on at Image Comics. But BKV is really turning up the tension in this arc (not just the sexual tension) even though scant actual plot progression has occurred. But then again Saga is more about wondering huh where is this going to go and then suddenly something completely unexpected happening leaving a beloved character dead, others damaged and the reader going “Oh shiiiiiiiiit.” That's gotta be coming soon. But hey, seeing Lying Cat was nice and I really enjoyed Elena’s little heart to heart with brobot.
'Dragon's aren't supposed to be slain, they're meant to be tattooed on hot girl's thighs or...or airbrushed on the side of a badass hover-van.'
Can’t wait to see what else they have in store for us.

[Alexandra Elend Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Family may be the most important thing in the universe... but it's not everything. The people who have been with us longest, who love us most unconditionally, don't always know us best. We need friends to help us see ourselves as we truly are."

Oh, this isn't ominous in the least.

Sometimes, I just wonder how many more things can happen to this family, and I always end up surprised.

This new arc is setting up to be really dramatic and twisted, and I don't like it one bit. I hope to be wrong and for things to go better than I expect them to.

"It's hard to get close with someone without also entrusting them with everything they'd need to completely ruin your life. Ideally, this gift is reciprocated with one of equal or greater value. The strongest relationships all contain some element of mutually assured destruction"

[Eva B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"When I was small, Father gave me a warning. He said that I would have to slay many dragons before I could become a real knight. But what if he was wrong? What if I am the dragon?"
"Oh, my precious boy. Of course you are."
"I...I am?"
"Have you ever seen a documentary about dragons? Real ones, I mean?"
"They're quite monstrous, aren't they?"
"Only when their families are threatened. Otherwise, they're the gentlest creatures in the universe. Dragons aren't supposed to be slain , they're meant to be tattooed on hot girls' thighs or...or airbrushed on the side of a badass hover-van. They're to be adored, , do you hear me? They're to be adored."

I might actually cry.

[Rian *fire and books* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yesssss. This was painful and it hurt and I loved it. I can’t wait to see how two of these plot lines play out

[Samhain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Gwen, you're fucked up fucked up... I'm begging that the poor Lying Cat doesn't sacrifice themselves to save The Will or Gwen, but I have a feeling it's coming nonetheless.

[Elizabeth A · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Old allies explore new positions" - made me smile given the cover art.
I read the this and next two single issues in one gulp. The art continues to be really good. The plot does seem to be moving at a really slow pace. Still, I continue to enjoy this series.

[María · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sinceramente es un dos, pero esa viñeta me hace añadir una estrella extra.

[Shamila · Rating 2 out of 5]

The slowwwww rhythm of this comic is killing meeeee....

[Charles K Criscola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haha the cover and issue number

That got me laughing far to hard. It's so dark in this issue and man I love it. Lying Cat!!! Mised that little dude.

[Peter Looles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saga #69

In this issue we see more of Hazel's friendship, as well as Will and Gwendolyn who are grief stricken (one for his daughter, one for Marco), while also being targeted from the Robot Planet, but I'd say that the main focus is Squire, who harmed himself and Alana is gravely worried, not knowing how to help with his mental health problems.
Like the previous couple of issues, this one is also very depressing, focusing on grief and depression. Alana is acting like an ideal mother, wanting only to help Squire, without any judgement for his actions, but due to the heaviness of this situation she neglects Hazel, who's going through the issues of prepubescent girls. The story with the guy who's hitting on Alana is getting very interesting as well, since it's clear now that he was planning on rating her out to the various people who want to kill her, but it seems like he's developing actual feelings for her. I'm just so captivated by how the story is evolving and I can't wait to continue!
9/10

[Zafra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously, what else did I expect from the cover of this edition...

[Wesley Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

First think I need to comment on is the genius of the cover. Bravo!

Sometimes I wonder why I keep reading this series. I am so attached to the characters in Saga, even having one tattooed on me, that whenever I read I can’t help but feel so anxious that something bad is going to happen. Vaughn and Staples have hurt me in this series before, so now I just don’t trust them. The end of this issue did not help my trust issues.

Overall, this issue was alright for me. Not my fave in this arc but I enjoyed the pieces about Squire. It also introduces two new pieces of conflict that we will get to see unravel. I also like the brief mention of Hazel growing up. Not only is she struggling with her circumstances, but she’s also a pubescent girl which can be challenging enough!

I am happy I already have issue 70 because I need to know what is going to happen next.

[Harry Palacio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robot people what is it about them? All these races… from angels tv headed vicars or Valkyries … the story unfolds I read these out of context but they can still be read semi individually just like reading comics as a kid not having the full collection

[Hannah MacLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Squire, my heart, my soul, I just want you to be okay.

[Mercer Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This felt like it was more so doing set up for the next issue than anything else really.

[Leslie Carnahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Squire! *Insert crying emoji here*

[kieran mcghee]

LYINGGGGG


she betta save my guy

[mooniepal · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY HEART 💔🤧 Poor Alana cannot catch a FUCKIN BREAK! The cliffhanger with the guy potentially snitching on her while she's worried about Squire 🥲 Also Poor Hazel, going thru puberty with no guide (too relatable diva) ❤️‍🩹 IN THIS HOUSE WE HATE THE WILL FOR GETTING GWENDOLYN ON THE DRUGS

[kaitziez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Saga's just getting worse.

[melhara]

Ha! What a fitting cover for 69th issue...

My heart broke for Squire, the poor sad and lonely boy 😢. Feld is definitely up to no good. The Will and Gwen are also very not ok.

I read this as part of Volume 12 (full review here).

[Jo ♡ˎ´✨ ☕︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's getting more and more interesting!

[Brujaxa · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites. I love Squire so much.

[Vijaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course, the sexual number would have the sexual cover and then BOOM...joy ripped from our souls content within the issue.

This is what you sign up for when you read Saga. LOL

P.S. Of course The Will is seeing Sophie and OF COURSE what's her name is seeing Marko. Both of them deserve their pain.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I might be in the minority but I feel like this is getting so drawn out. I feel like nothing really is going anywhere. I feel like it’s pretty stagnant.

[Jack Humenay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clever cover aside, uh...the writing just ain't what it used to be.

While this arc had some promise, it's feeling a tad aimless and contrived, all of which could be strengthened if Vaughan bothered to explore Petrichor's subplot in an interesting way, and maybe even popping over to Quietus to do some thematic lifting.

Instead, what we get is an oddly unrealistic, or at least improperly paced, story. We have not seen Velour for, like, five arcs or something, and suddenly she's holding the new alliance deal hostage unless The Will is killed (someone wanting to revenge-kill the Will is so played out, yet that's kind of the point thematically). If Velour's motivations were better understood and not jammed into another revenge plot, then that would be fine.

I do enjoy how The Will and Gwendolyn's stay on the tropical planet is a clever subversion and mirroring (as BKV has done in the second half of the series quite well) on this position in the first half of the series...it feels like it's going nowhere. It seems to be having nothing new to say about grief that we haven't seen in the characters already, though Gwendolyn seeing Marko is a development I totally welcome.

Finally, Feld being the one putting Alana on the chopping block was, yes predictable, and his decision to not go through with it is in line with Saga's overall story, but if only it felt a bit more natural. Squire and Hazel's plot is by far the most interesting of the whole arc, but it's not something Vaughan is overly interested in, since there are so many other threads that need maintaining with twenty-two pages a pop.

Squire's turn to self-harm is welcome thematically (though it's a sad turn of many such turns in his character), since it begs the question: how does violence toward oneself add to what Saga is saying about violence, and its cyclical, cruel nature? If violence need only be imparted on others to continue, is the same true about violence on yourself committed by yourself? Does it manifest differently?

Hazel struggling with puberty is only introduced in this issue though it's supposedly been a thing with her for this arc so far, and her friendship with Emesis needs more fleshing out, and her personal struggles explored more openly, instead of being relegated to narration.

Whatever, rant over.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

So check out the cover illustration for #69, heh heh heh, though it’s more complicated than just that, of course. In a few pages you zoom out to see other paraphenalia and other objects re: narcotics, violence. . . But again, that cover is way memorable visually and conceptually. Yep, that’s our ol’ supervillain in ruins The Will, in freefall grief, with Gwen. The Will, in his altered state, meets up (in his head, at least) with his dear departed adopted daughter Sophie he had rescued initially from slavery. He's hallucinating, as is Gwen, who is visited by her own Saga-fave characters from the past.
*We like 12-year-old Hazel’s also 12-year-old friend Emesis a lot.
*Squire is still struggling; suicidal ideation, so that adds a sub-theme of the destruction violence wreaks on their world (and ours, because this story is always about ours).
*Family continues to be the key social glue for everything and everyone, but as Haze sayss, it still won't heal all ills, of course.
*Alana is in danger annnnd we do like her new “friend.”
*Lyin’ cat. . . that final image, shudder.

[Colin Post · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vaughan and Staples keep it going, though the book has become kinda one notes on plot points driving the narrative forward: someone gets close to Hazel and co and ends up being another one of their pursuers trying to expose Hazel. I know that’s like the main source of narrative tension, but it’s just the least interesting part of the book. It’s the moments where Hazel grows up and becomes a real character (like her forays into music) that are the most compelling.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

That cover is gorgeous and I may actually buy the T-shirt with this on it.

I feel for Squire so much here. Made me want to delve into dragon lore.

Loving the friendship between Hazel and Emesis a ton.

Lastly, I'm anxious about Alana and that new guy. I am scared about the future outcome!

I love this series so much. I really gotta start rereading it. I started during the pandemic and all the stories blur together.

Looking forward to issue 70!!

[David Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

Clever cover art and issue number at play here. Reading individual issues is tough after consuming the majority of the story via collected arcs. I do like reading the letters in the back though.

Hard to see where the plot's going. The Will and Gwendolyn are hooked on heroine, Squire is self harming, there's a character I don't remember holding up a peace deal, and Alana's about to (maybe) be betrayed.