Saga Vol. 10 (2022)

Saga Vol. 10 Review

Saga is an epic space opera fantasy comic book series written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples. The tenth volume covering issues 55 to 60 was published in 2022.

This volume was published four years after the previous one. It was a huge hiatus that negatively impacted the series. We see a significant time jump here and the inclusion of numerous new characters. The family and their allies have gone their separate ways since the traumatic events from the previous volume. Alana is struggling as a now single parent trying to make ends meet for Hazel and Squire who are now preteens. I am all up for time jumps, but not when they fail to continue the story in an interesting way.

Yes, I have to say that sadly this is the only volume so far that I did not care for. I appreciated it on artistic grounds – the illustration work by Staples continues to be superb, the world building is fantastic and the character designs creative. The series is still epic in quality and tone while feeling ambitious in themes, character count and different settings.

But my issue stems from the introduction of new characters, all of whom are not engaging at all, at least not for now. Alana’s new partner fared best, but even his development felt rushed. We also get to meet a band of musicians who befriend Hazel as she embarks on this new passion for her. This storyline entirely halted the progression of the series and the pacing here was oddly sluggish and the storytelling inconsequential.

I liked Alana’s arc quite a bit. Her changed appearance was quite cool and she got to be a badass in a couple of moments. Squire’s growing feelings for Hazel were also an interesting new development. The ending is the best part. It’s incredible. Seeing Hazel finally break down and sob for her father was so touching and it made me feel heartbreak myself. It’s a shame that the rest of the comic wasn’t as effective.