Getting the band back together.
Saga has been on a reunion tour of late, forgoing the series' usual forward push in lieu of catch-you-ups with members of the cast long missing. With last issue limited to the misadventures of journalists Doff and Upsher, issue #34 extends its net even further, Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples delivering a character rich affair filled with faces old and new. The resulting read is the equivalent of a single move on a chessboard, and, while not flashy, it does show a clear endgame down the line.
Having mostly caught up with the new status quo following Saga's most recent jump in time, Vaughan's latest spreads the narrative wealth across a host of ongoing storylines, or more specifically, the pairings that drive them. Hazel continues to take charge of her own agency, making her own choices and alliances, for better or worse. Marko and Alana reunite with allies of their own, and Upsher and Doff continue their own grudging partnership with the newly rejuvenated, slightly portly and definitely impaired The Will. For the most part Vaughan keeps these instances brisk, pointing each band in the direction they're looking to go even as he presents the difficulties that lie in their way.
The exception, of course, is the attention given Hazel. The character has grown quite rapidly over this new arc, and in issue #34 she takes another leap. While still precocious, she's also become more aware of the dangers her existence creates. With her parents gone and her grandmother occupied, Hazel is presented with a new and ultimately foreign dilemma - who can she trust? By sharing her secret with outsiders such as Miss Petrichor and Noreen - who themselves differ greatly - Vaughan has created a situation that serves as both a learning experience for a young heroine and a fascinating new subplot.
With Hazel taking the lead, the rest of the plot does feel a bit threadbare, as neither of the other two storylines make it more than a few literal steps from where they were before. To that end Staples is left to do much with little, which just so happens to be the very thing the artist excels at. Save for one quick instance, there's not much in the way in the action this time around, the many spoken sequences forcing the artist to get creative in her use of body language and backdrops. The resulting pages aren't so much simple as they are specific - there's no unnecessary embellishment, no distracting details. Just enough little moments, such as the flecks of tears welling in Hazel's eyes to the look of realization that registers across her face following the imparting of true knowledge. Giant eel monsters and fisherman cap wearing seals will always have their place in Staples' arsenal, but it's her continued ability to the convey the little things that makes this book so consistently enjoyable.
While again failing to move the narrative in any truly substantial way, issue #34 does its part in preparing for such a move down the line. Vaughan's handling of Hazel takes an impactful leap, and with the character now involved in her own agency, her continued growth shines as the primary focus for the book going forward. Staples' lush visuals and detailed eye does the rest, making for another solid chapter in a series full of them.
The Verdict
Saga's latest arc continues at a simmer as Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples prep their narrative to boil, issue #34 offering the same great characterization and gorgeous visuals even as forward momentum crawls. The increased attention on Hazel makes for added developmental elements, in turn creating a more focused direction.
Editors' Choice
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