Saga, #31
Image Comics
Written by: Brian K. Vaughn
Art by: Fiona Staples
Letters and Design by: Fonografiks
Coming off of a three-month hiatus, the creative team has had their first publication in what feels like significantly too long. Regarding the narrative, it has been an unspecified amount of time since the events of issue #30 took place and once again we find the family separated. However, this time we see Hazel not in the custody of a murderer and galactic criminal.
Finding their way into a center for enemy noncombatants, Hazel begins to grow older and receive an education. Gradually comes her realization that she is unique, and her budding curiosity begins to take hold as she wonders how much agency she truly holds over herself despite her unique position. It is this same agency that drastically raises the stakes in Saga because Hazel does something that only she can do. Meanwhile, Izabel rejoins the team and some, like “Auntie” Lexis, find themselves members of scattered cadre.
Much like the remainder of the series, Vaughn is able to skillfully juggle multiple voices and narratives from a variety of ages, languages, and species. We still have Hazel narrating the events from some unknown point in the future, there are flashbacks to the events of issue #30, and there is the most current narrative that deals with their time in the noncombatants center. Vaughn is currently producing great titles including Paper Girls and We Stand on Guard, and Saga is by no means an exception. if you haven’t yet picked up even the first volume of this series I highly recommend you do so.
The work of the illustrative team; Staples and Fonografiks, has stayed true to their style. With each new issue they are able to explore new venues of creativity through numerous means. Whether it be another alien species or yet to be seen planet, this artistic pairing has stitched together an expansive and extremely diverse universe fully of creativity, splendor, and, at times, gratuitous violence.
Saga’s creative team has woven such an astounding universe and I am beyond excited to see where this new arc takes our protagonists. There are still many loose ends that were left unresolved before this hiatus and, like myself, I’m sure audiences are clamoring to see where this series will go. Because within issue #31 one of the largest secrets in the series begins to be revealed and key players have still yet to make an appearance.