Saga #61

Saga (Single Issues)

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

NEW STORY ARC

SAGA is back, and it’s time for another epic season of emotional adventures and shocking surprises for Hazel and her star-crossed family!

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

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 25, 2023

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]

(A-) 84% | Very Good
Notes: Returns, reveals, new life ordeals, ambitious but well-seeded, objectives here are crystal clear (no exposition needed).

*Progress update

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all]]

Saga is BACK! I couldn't be more thrilled, this little series gives me life. I know, I know, when the last round wrapped up I said I didn't really like doing it issue by issue because the story felt more smoothed out and better contextually weighted as a full volume, but I also give in to FOMO and, honestly, I'm not waiting until the end of the year for more. I just don't have it in me. I will stop the microwave with 1 second left just because I am ready to chow down and don't want to hear the beep, and I will read the new Saga at midnight because I don't want to wait to see Brobot wearing an ACAB shirt. Because that happens:

Hazel and Brobot on hard times.

Issue #61 picks up with the fam currently unhoused and trying to find the best way to move forward. This is a tricky situation in the middle of a war, but honest opportunities aren't exactly this group's aim so naturally here we are in the set-up to something sketchy. The final panel sets up an exciting new plot possibility that I am excited to see inevitably go south in a cool way because this is Saga and what other direction would it head? It's gonna rule. This issue also revisits some characters we haven't seen in a long time—like Sophie who is now pushing teenage years into young adulthood—and set up another plotline parallel to the motivations of characters in the last volume. There are a lot of pieces in play in this series and the way this issue revisits ones we haven't seen since the break feels a lot more like the original few issues than the last volume did.

So basically, I'm geeked for this arc and I can't wait to see where it leads. This one was super short but satisfying the way a good teaser trailer makes seeing a full film irresistible. I'll be doing the monthly read because I have zero chill or self control.

4/5

[karen]

imma be honest - i have been more excited about saga being back than i have been about any of the new storylines, but this issue changed that and now i am back to full-hearted saga-love.

[Char]

I reread volumes 55-60 last night and read 61 today.

And the final scene here? AMAZING! Whaaa???

I’m counting this towards my reading challenge, because I read/ reread 6 issues.

[Shamila]

O.M.G, what was that ending???? I cannot wait another month to know what's going to happen!!!

Everyone needs to do themselves a favor and start reading this series! BEST BLOODY COMIC BOOK SERIES EVER!!!

[Eva B.]

BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER
ALSO! PETRICHOR!!

[Alexandra Elend Wolf]

“No matter how many times I wanted to talk about the past, Mom said my head needed to be in the present, my heart in the future.”

What a splashing and catching return this issue makes.

I'm truly as horrified as I'm intrigued and desirous of it all to be fulfilled but I'm sure that it'll take a while for anything to come of it, and when it does it'll break my heart in so many ways it won't be funny anymore.

Not that this issue didn't hurt and break my heart a little.

If nothing else, this issue presents some very interesting ideas to the already complicated world it's founded on.

And while the themes it deals with are nothing new, to it, I felt them resonate a little stronger this time around.

“[…] Sooner or later, we all learn a very hard lesson. Loyalty is a fucking fairy tale.”

[Fiona Knight]

I think the second, shorter hiatus has been better for Saga than the first - and the bonus is always getting a longer "first chapter back". With any luck, that last page will pay off, too!

[Anna Quilter]

Please tell me..they DID NOT do that in the last few pages...
I was resigned to live with what they did
BUT..
Tell me they are NOT going to do THAT!!

[Krystal]

Oh heeeeey Saga. Welcome back! Again.

Jumping on the singles because I can. Finally I'm up to date! This series is so amazing, I'm definitely keen to buy an epic box set when it's all over. Not that I want to think about this being over.

Anyhoo! Enough rambling!

This series is just incredible. I cannot think of a single person I wouldn't recommend it to. The story, the art, the characters ... there is nothing about this series that isn't great. Every now and then things are a bit slow in the middle of a chapter, but there's always something that throws me. My ratings for Saga installments these days is more a reflection of the twist in this instance because Saga is just a 5-star read all-round.

Another fantastic chapter and I'll be following on monthly from now on!

[Peter Looles]

Saga #61

In this issue of "Saga" we find out that, since their spaceship caught on fire, Alana, with Hazel and Prince Robot IV's son are living on the street, because they are not able to afford a home. Other than that we also see that The Will is dating Gwendolyn and Petrichor is out for revenge, but the biggest reveal by far is the fact that there's a way for Marco to come back to life.
This was a very nice issue, even though it's certainly not amongst the best of the series. It's the first issue of the new arc, so not a lot happen. It works mostly as an introduction for what's to come. Still, Brian K. Vaughan's writing is very good. Hazel's narration is great, as always, the setting is introduced quickly and effectively and the dialogues seem natural. To me, the highlight of this issue is Fiona Staples' incomparable artwork. In these latest issues she has really gotten the chance to show off how incredibly good she is as an artist, as well as how good is her understanding of direction, perspective and visual storytelling.
8/10

[Shannon]

3.5 rounded up.

Not too much happens in this latest issue after the cliff hanger ending of the last one. There's a lot of set-up to what's going to happen in this chapter of life for Hazel and her fam and the art is stunning as usual. Looking forward to more!

[Brooke]

The way my jaw dropped. I don’t care if it’s a bad idea I want him back.

[Lisa]

Devastatingly beautiful and too short, as usual. I’m so grateful to only have a month to wait until y’all break my heart again.

[Siona Adams]

Nice beginning to the new arc. Happy to see Petrichor

[AleJandra]

5 Loyalty is a fucking fairy tale STARS

"I'm not afraid of dying, I'm afraid that, as soon as I finally wet my blade with the blood of one of those winged butchers... I'll never want to quit. "

Que buen inicio de ARC, este Issue me engancha y me emociona inmensamente, para ver a donde se dirige la historia.

Resenia pendiente...

[Jo ♡ˎ´✨ ☕︎]

Awww little Sophie is all grown up! She looks cute.

Also, the end... exCUUUSE mEEeeE?!?

[steph]

4.5 stars
The arm thing is kinda ominous and it's stressing me out 😭 And the last page??? jennifer-lawrence-what-do-you-mean.gif

[•° Whimsy Fairy °•]

Oh my god these damn cliffhangers.

[Clarissa]

Don't tease me, Vaughan! Man, I missed Saga!

[Baleasun]

SHUT THE FUCK UP AAAAAGH

[melhara]

Read as part of Volume 11. Refer to Volume 10 (which consists of issues #61-66) for my full review.

Some preliminary thoughts about this opening issue for the new story ARC (before I write my full review for the volume):

- Although it's only been a year since I read the previous volume, I realize there's a lot that I don't remember. But it's exciting to be back in the world of SAGA!

- This new story ARC takes place 6 months after the previous volume/issues, with Alana rocking another new hairstyle (it makes her look more mature and tired)

- I'm not quite sure how old Hazel and Squire are now, but they're starting to act like pre-teens. Alana, being the single mom that she is, is the real hero here.

- THAT CLIFFHANGER ENDING!

[Colin Post]

How do you bring something — or someone — back from the dead? We might be exploring this in this Saga arc as Alana learns about a potential pathway to resurrecting Marko. Though without the actual magic, we see other ways for Marko to come back — through stories, dreams, memories. Resurrection, like memory, is tricky in how it can mutate and morph the original object. Part of me wants Marko to stay at rest; despite his violent end, he seemed to find some peace in the final moment. Part of me wants to see him come back. We’ll find out.

[Jassmine]

1. Domestic scene between Gwendolyn and The Will, Sophie and The Lying Cat 🤢 I'm sorry, I can't forgive them...
2. Our family is homeless now... it's really tough for them and I'm mourning the wooden rocketship as if it was a real character, the old girl was with us for so long!.
3. Petrychor is back 🍿
4. The cliffhanger of this one is purely sadistic...

I decided to not rate the single issues, because it seems... you know, they are such tiny parts, it just doesn't make sense to me...

[kayla]

I used to think BKV couldn’t possibly fool me twice, but he did and this issue’s cliff hanger proves that. Somehow, it never dawned on me that this aforementioned cliff hanger could be a possibility, but maybe it is? maybe it isnt? couldn’t trust BKV as far as I could throw him. One thing I do know for sure, no doubt about it, there will be repercussions and we’ll all suffer for it haha

[Dessa]

now were going somewhere.

[Leslie Carnahan]

It's baaaaaaaack. And damn they know how to keep you interested in this story line I tell you what!

[Constantin]

Jksnsvgdianebdb aaaaaaaaaaa

[Doc.]

Good to see some old characters back, but the issue felt disjointed to me with too many abrupt transitions. Hopefully, it’ll read better as part of a volume.

[Shane Stanis]

I am so happy to be back with Hazel & company. A great start to Saga 2023.