Written by: Brian K. Vaughn
Art by: Fiona Staples
Lettered by: Fonografiks
Publisher: Image Comics
Price: $2.99
Release Date: January 26, 2022
Reviewer: JR Huitt
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THE HOOK:
Saga returns this week as issue #55 arrives this week from Image Comics. Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona Staples have reunited to continue telling their story of the family trapped in the middle of a war between their two worlds. Will this issue kick of the second half of their in glorious fashion? Read along and find out.
THE STORY:
For a book that is double the standard size, Saga #55 is a quick read. And this is a good thing! Brian K. Vaughn uses the time jump to his obvious advantage by reintroducing the main characters in a distinctive manner. I really liked how Alana’s reintroduction mirrored the scene from Hazel’s birth. I also really enjoyed the scene with the villains of the series. Seeing the accessories that they were using definitely drives home the fact that this isn’t a typical comic and there isn’t going to be a Deus Ex-machine to make everything better and undo the painful moments that have taken place.
THE ART:
Saga #55 proves that there is never too much of a good thing. Fiona Staples pulls out her magical paintbrush and quickly reminds us why we’ve been waiting (patiently or impatiently) for the next chapter. With the three-year time jump in the series, Staples has the chance to freshen up the characters that we know (Hazel, Alana, etc). She’s always been a master of using the six large spreads that are peppered throughout the issue. There are five single-page spreads that are great, but where I feel that Staples decided to drop her brush is with the double-page spread near the end of the book.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
It’s been 1,282 days since Saga #54 came out. That comes out to 3 years, 6 months, and 2 days. Not that I’ve been counting or anything. At the end of issue #54, Brian and Fiona announced that they were going on a break. Taking in the devastation from the end of #54, the previous 3.5 years has been about the same as the ending. I was tempted to give this issue a 10/10 just for arriving in stores. I can honestly say that it is great to see Saga again and I can’t wait to see where the next 53 issues take us!