Saga #71

Saga (Single Issues)

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

Who dis?

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

31 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2025

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]

(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: On vulnerability, susceptibility, life-and-death disclosures: confessions ensue, nakedness too, just all about exposure.

*Progress update

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 4 out of 5]

New year, new Saga and wow this chapter sure slaps you with surprise after surprise. The death toll ticks upward again here with maybe more to come and not everyone is what they seem as a few small plot threads come to a head. This series loves to hurt you and here we have some discussions on people hurting themselves when they expect others to as a sort of self defense, so I guess watch yourself before diving into more.
No Ghüs this issue but I’m sure he’ll be fine...

[Courtney Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was largely a filler one. Oh well.

[Shamila · Rating 1 out of 5]

At this point...I just want the story to end already.

[Marybeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

"Maybe that happens whenever a family changes shape."

A lot is happening here, setting up for the final issue for this chapter, the suspense is building.

[Siona Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid issue.

[Jo ♡ˎ´✨ ☕︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg this is so exciting!!

[Peter Looles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saga #71

In this issue, Hazel has a fight with her friend about eating meat and she reveals who she truly is, the guy who runs the circus discovers who was snitching on Alana and he stabs him, Will is left for dead and Alana finds out that Feld is a Private Investigator, sent by her father, to bring her back, because he's dying.
More than anything, this issue is about trust and opening up. As dangerous as it might be for Hazel to reveal to her friend that she has both horns and wings, it's an act of trust that's gonna be very important for their friendship. Also, Feld finally revealing to Alana his true purpose on the circus is something that shows that he actually cares for her. In my opinion, the moment that follows that is the best of the issue. After he reveals to Alana that her father wants her back because he's dying, the strong and independent Alana, who "hates" her father, breaks and says with a devastated/terrified expression "Daddy?" No matter how much we want to rebel against our parents and pretend like we are stronger than those kinds to relationships, if they haven't actually done some horrific, like being abusive, we always love them and have an especially soft spot for them. Alana revealing this soft spot is truly an amazing moment.
10/10

[Brujaxa · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're coming back strong! I loved this chapter.

[Elizabeth A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impatiently waiting for the next installment.

[Wesley Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright second last issue before the final one in this arc, where I am sure stakes are going to be high. I can already see where we will be headed for the next arc after this because a bomb was landed. I didn’t think about this character being introduced while reading, but I think it will add a lot of depth to the next arc and we are about to be hit in the feels.

Also, side note, the glimpse of baby lying cat is everything.

[Zafra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting far more attached to this circus setting than I should (considering the track record for any niche settings in this series).

[melhara]

Circus people look out for each other ❤️. We find out the truth about Feld

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

[Aron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good installment, as usual.

[Lilybeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This issue took us all over the place and reminded us that what makes this story so special is the inner lives of these characters and how they interact with each other. We’re definitely headed to some major action and I’m getting a little nervous. Protect the fam at all costs!

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

First review of the year: Saga #71, Fiona Staples and Brian Vaughn, that features yet another spectacular cover by Staples, the early centerpiece of which is a new series fave Emesis, current bf (not bff; nothing’s forever for refugees such as they are) of our narrator Hazel. Anyway, awesome character design, much?! The first page of this issue shows Alana's carnie coworker reading a novel by her favorite novelist, D. Oswald Heist, Gentle Comedowns, with a (what might have been once called?) a bodice-ripper cover. A nod to his having invited Haze’s mama over?

*I like a confrontation of Haze by Emesis, a vegan, as she notices Haze eating chicken: “It’s a leg, not a ‘drumstick’!”

*There’s a violent scene as a co-worker decides to sell out Alana. . . and pays for it.

*As we anticipate Alana’s “sexy time” on that date with said carnie, we get a surprise, so we shift to next issue to see what that will bring. You can tell a deeply emotional shift is coming now.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars--I was pleasantly surprised to see some raising of the issues surrounding eating animals and the ethics of choosing to do so. [Of course, it was in the context of angry teenagers, which will make some immediately devalue it--but hey, angry teenagers can be (and have been) right many times on social topics, even if they tend to lack decorum.]

It would be nice to see an adult character acknowledge that causing animals to suffer for a taste preference is a problem, and then not trot off to dine on their bodies in secret while giggling about being a hypocrite, but that's probably expecting a little too much from a series as mainstream as this one. One thing to keep in mind about SAGA is that all of its characters are tremendously flawed, not always likeable, and often neglect to do the right thing.

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Might as well start the week with the latest installment of this awesome series.

Yikes! There's SO much packed into this one, but everything feels like a preview/tease of more serious/important things to come. Like the bubble is building and very soon, it's going to burst.

As always, the art is beautiful in this issue. I absolutely love the aesthetic, style and colours in this world. It captures the wonder, danger and violence very well.

Apparently there's one issue left to end this current series and I can't wait to see what happens!

[melissa]

I think we has a society need to acknowledge that this comic truly just hasn't been the same since the hiatus. I haven't had an issue really impress me since Vol. 9, and I just feel like this story isn't going anywhere. I don't want to be that person who gets upset when things are new, but Saga has been off hiatus for a number of years at this point and the story overall feels aimless. I'm not sure if I will continue on after this issue simply because Alayna and Hazel deserve better. RIP Marco, you were truly the realest of us all.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the precipice of things picking up speed again-- Squire is in rehab from the last issue, Hazel is a little upset with Alana (and Emesis at her), and while Alana seeks refuge with a carnie, it's discovered that he's harboring a secret (both that he knows her real name AND that he's come with a message from...)

The breathtaking creativity of the artwork a la Staples and the movement of the storyline a la Vaughan are moving toward another shift that's palpable in this issue.

[mooniepal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy shit 🥲 It's getting real as fuck!! The head honcho of the carnie space ship found out one of the clowns was ratting out Alana. So he stabbed the clown in the fucking eye socket!! DESERVED TBH!! Hazel also reveals to Emesis that she's half horns half wings which 😬 I hope doesn't backfire omfg... to wrap it all up, Alana finds out her dad hired a private investigator to keep tabs on her on the ship,,, but I'm sus of him. I think it's a trap 😶‍🌫️

[RSC_Collecting · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goddamn! What an insane issue! From Hazel doing the unthinkable to Alana potentially being found out. This was crazy. Saga continues to be the perfect comic series. Bringing us in. Reminding us of the last issue. Doing a thing or two. Then setting up the next issue. It's a flawless formula that keeps you strung along the entire time. Damn this was excellent. I can't wait for the next one!

[Kayla Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow that was a ride...

Shit is finally getting revealed and all the betrayals and conspiring are coming to the surface. You can just tell that things are ramping up to explode and whenever that happens in this series there is always immense heartbreak to follow. I'm ready and not ready all at the same time.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

i will likely never give up on this series, probably because i hold some foolish hope there will be a HEA of some sort (LOL that's like expecting a HEA on game of thrones), but i will say, these new ones just don't hit the same as they used to. they're fine, and i'm sure i will love it all when we find out where it's going, but... sigh.

[Lady W · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars! 5 stars!! So much happened in this book! I can’t tell you many times I yelled out and gasped!! From Alana to Em.. that had me in a choke hold. I’m so glad someone got their up comings and someone else isn’t a dirtbag! That ending!

[G · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really don't care for the spider girl. The fact that they are trying to portray her as one of the good characters makes me as a reader more inclined to hate her characterization and dread the fact that she might soon become part of Hazel's family.

[Charles K Criscola · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart!

BKV and Fiona just keep knocking it out of the park every time. How do you constantly toy with my emotions!!! With love, a forever reader.

[Ecem · Rating 5 out of 5]

bir türlü biriktirip de okumayı başaramıyorum, 28 gün bekliycez şimdi yine

[Lizeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[k a r e b e a r · Rating 4 out of 5]

🤡