This is the song that never ends, Yes, it goes on and on my friend...

Luckily Mr. Vaughan's writing and Ms. Staples' creativity make this series much like the ex you just can't stop calling when you're lonely. The series still has that "complete artistic freedom" that it had from the beginning. So even though there is no sense that it will ever finish, it's still fun for a graphic novel booty call a couple times a year. ( )

Read for Popsugar's 2018 Reading Challenge #27: A book set on a different planet

The plot didn't flow quite as smoothly as the other volumes but I still love this story. ( )

So bad things happened in the last story and now our heroes are on a weird western themed planet with centaurs etc and dealing with the consequences of the last episode. We find out more about the Will and his past and things get bloody.

I'm not sure why I keep reading this series, I just don't care enough to keep going but somehow I just keep reading. ( )

I kind of wonder how long this series will be and how devastated the journey will make me.

Don't mistake me, I quite enjoy it, but Alana is right -- getting attached to new characters or recurring characters or any one really is a mistake. (see what happens to Sweet Boy)

This universe is AWFUL to live in. No one gets a happy ending that lasts for longer than it takes for me to blink and gods damn me if Hazel's narrative asides aren't making me dread what happens to everyone long before we get to why I should be upset.

But does that mean I should stop reading? A large part of my current reading habits seem focused around the sort of transient happiness fueled by undeniable dread of the future.

Merged review:

I kind of wonder how long this series will be and how devastated the journey will make me.

Don't mistake me, I quite enjoy it, but Alana is right -- getting attached to new characters or recurring characters or any one really is a mistake. (see what happens to Sweet Boy)

This universe is AWFUL to live in. No one gets a happy ending that lasts for longer than it takes for me to blink and gods damn me if Hazel's narrative asides aren't making me dread what happens to everyone long before we get to why I should be upset.

But does that mean I should stop reading? A large part of my current reading habits seem focused around the sort of transient happiness fueled by undeniable dread of the future. ( )

CW: Some heavy stuff, but spoilery, so if in doubt look it up

We know this dance. It's incredible. I don't know what else to say. I need to start the next volume! ( )

Fiona Staples & Brian K. Vaughan’s Saga Volume Eight collects issues 43-48 of Saga illustrated by Staples and written by Vaughan. The story picks up after the previous volume, with Alana, Marko, and Hazel along with Petrichor and Prince Robot IV traveling to a frontier world in order to obtain an abortion after Alana’s fetus died. Though Alana’s world is technologically-driven and Marko’s world is magical, Alana finds that he deceased son-to-be passed along his magical inheritance to her, though the magic might also consume her. Meanwhile, The Will continues to suffer, falling into a deeper and deeper despair before an unknown party abducts him. This entry feels somewhat mellower following the depressing conclusion to the previous volume, offering the reader a chance to process just as the characters do. As always, Staples and Vaughan’s combination of art and text perfectly tell this modern space opera. ( )

Really good story this time, and the art was fantastic, as always. There were a couple instances where I felt knocked out of the story by contemporary terminology and borderline soapboxing, but on the whole, I liked this installment quite a bit. ( )

Every time you think it can't get weirder, Saga says Hold my Beer. Continues to be a smutty, mind bending delight, with new unfolding characters and adventures. This time with a brother theme, and more contemplation on whether violence is a good thing. ( )

The story lost a bit of cohesion at the end and Sir Robot seems to be turning more one dimensional than he started out at the beginning of the series. But then again after the emotional beatdown that was volume 7 (amazingly done but Not A Happy Time), we desperately needed lighter material. This series is incredible at meaningful storytelling and stunning, often shocking artwork (starting right off on page 1 for this volume). Petrichor continues to be a favorite character. Saga was my gateway comic into graphic novels, and I HIGHLY recommend. ( )

The typical high quality story and art continue, this time touching on interesting areas such as abortion and sexual preference and gender fluidity.

If I have one complaint, without spoilers, it's that, despite what is set up in the first couple of pages in regard to where the story will go, and later getting a sense of the sinister, we are kept out of the room as it takes place. And don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for the gross or the gore, but I was hoping for the emotion, and I didn't get it.

It seems like one of the rare times when Vaughn and Staples chose to look away. ( )

Man this universe just keeps getting more and more surreal. That's what you get where Sci-Fi is real, Fantasy is real, and you want to really explore just what it means to be *people*.

You get owl people:



Poop people:



Although those don't appear to be actually people, just animated feces. As if that's better.

But really, the large large majority of this story is taken up with the aftermath of the miscarriage right at the end of [Saga, Volume 7](). The baby is dead and they have to deal with that. Abortion, even of a miscarriage, appears to be illegal in this universe, and they have to deal with that. These are former soldiers trying to be good pacifists and truely pro-life... and they have to deal with that.



In the end, they go to basically 'the planet of the abortionists', where even the *legal* ones can't deal with her. So they have to take an adventure off to the dark side of the planet:



... to meet with an Endwife of all things:



And of course, the hardest hitting bit of all this is poor Hazel. She's a child, with a child's view on the world and a child's innocence:



But that doesn't mean that she still doesn't have to process the idea that the brother she thought she was getting... isn't coming any more. But at least she gets one chance that most (all?) in our world will never get:



A chance to bond with something that at least appears to be her brother. It's something of a sense of closure at least. And given that her baby sitter was a ghost--and re-died and her grandfather died and everyone dies around her... It's something worth doing.

Anyways. That got dark. And that's not even all of it.

We're still dealing with the nature of normality, and who better to talk about it than those two.



And that's only a few of the stories in this volume! There's still The Will, who's gotten to be in terrible shape. He is ... not a good person and kind of broken. But I'm curious to see how that's going to end up.



Still dark. But less so? That's saying something when torture is the lighter option.

But at least there a few gems of light and humor at the end of this terribly depressing tunnel:



She's not wrong!


Pop culture references! ( )

I'm not as in love with this series as others are, but to give credit where due: (1) Brian Vaughan continues to dig into subjects from which most other authors run (late term abortions, D&Cs, transsexuals, etc.) and (2) Fiona Staples artwork is terrific (from the rainbow? zebra horse on the cover to the asteroid/spaceship jellyfish thing. Petrichor was just awesome here, and her relationship with Hazel was superb. On the other hand, I felt the latter chapters were just thrown in to keep past characters in play, but added nothing to the present storyline(s.) ( )

Does this count as a western?

****
Gah! This series is so good, and I am SO AFRAID to continue. ( )

Volume 8 collects the issues 43-48.

Content Note: abortion

Plot:
After recent events, Alana, Marko, Hazel and their companions – at least those who survived make their way to the very edge of the universe to fin the medical help that Alana needs. Only this is easier said than done. Meanwhile, The Will isn’t having the best of times either. And Ghüs and Squire are still waiting for Prince Robot IV’s return.

I can’t believe that this is already the penultimate book in the series. And I can’t believe that it is still so very consistently excellent. Volume 8 is no exception.

Read more on my blog: https://kalafudra.com/2020/11/05/saga-volume-8-brian-k-vaughan-fiona-staples/ ( )

Ahhhhhhhh, the foreshadowing, I can't take it!!!!!! This volume moves fast and feels unmercifully short. The last line made me gasp for the implications that follow. And now the long wait for Volume 9 begins... ( )

This is another series where I pretty much know what to expect, and turn the last page with about the same degree of feeling each volume. Like with the Expanse books, there’s humour and action, heart-warming and bittersweet moments, at least one instance each of badassery and having my heart torn out of my chest, and, of course, terrible, terrible things.

I continue to be impressed by how well the authors pull off the scope of the story, how they keep coming up with twists and settings I don’t expect, and how well they integrate the weirdest and most messed-up things into the story. (Yes, I’m counting Staples as an author. This series really wouldn’t be the same without her artwork.)

That said, I don’t think I’m enjoying Saga as much as I did at the beginning and I’m not sure whether that’s my familiarity, the speed I read the volumes at, or a slight decline in quality. All I know is I’m going to have to mount a reread of the series before the next volume, to get a fuller sense of the story again.

Warnings: Anti-abortionists and pro-choice statements. Suggestion of forced carrying of a stillborn fetus. Blood, gore, and violence. Torture.

7/10 ( )

Re-Read 5/16/18:

There's nothing much else I can say I didn't already say. :) I'm hooked forever.


Original Review:

There's no way in hell I can call this series anything other than MY FAVORITE COMIC EVER.

It truly has everything. Love, heartbreak, cute, strange, brilliance, funny, mind-blowing, edifying, and JUST PLAIN AWESOME.

Did I mention that it's rather cool?

After the heartache of the last volume, I've been anxious and anxious to avoid this one because of the things it might do to me.

It did all those things I was worried about, but it had that right level of oddball humor to make it all OKAY.

I'm thinking mostly about the sight of a blood-drenched werewolf abortionist. You know. Details. ( )

It’s spoilery, so I’ll put under the cut.

I don’t remember if I ever read something that has dealt with the topic of miscarriage and abortion as gracefully as “Saga” did.

I mean, this comic is chock-full of commentary on war, imperialism, racism, refugee crisis, homophobia, transphobia, and what have you, but seeing the words “Abortion Town” on the page has shocked me, because it’s still one of the strictest taboos in media.

And I’m so grateful that the creators of “Saga” didn’t shy away from it. ( )

The ⅓ marker for my 2018 reading challenge. And if you're not on the Saga train yet, hop on.

Most of this one deals with taking care of Alana’s miscarriage and one issue of The Will being tortured along with a review of his backstory. The sweetest moment in the comic I think is Hazel singing a lullaby to the “forecast” ghost of her almost born brother. For once the last issue in this arc isn’t either on a cliffhanger or a down note and that is a nice change for once.


Digital review copy provided by the publisher.
( )

Alana's child has died, but it's too close to term for her body to expel the corpse on its own. They need a doctor. So they come up with a complex scheme to get her an abortion. In the meantime, Alana has developed an ability to us magic herself. Her dead child has passed on his native casting ability.

Meanwhile, the Will has been taken prisoner by the vengeful ex of one of the people he killed. This woman is set on killing everyone the Will has ever loved. Unfortunately, most of those people are now dead. But she gets totally sidetracked when she finds out about Hazel. Now she's putting everything on hold to track down this hybrid child she believes will make her a fortune.

Meanwhile, meanwhile, Sir Robot has been exiled after his attempt on Alana's life. He returns in time to save Petrichor from a bunch of hick highwaymen. The two fight and then make out.

The book ends with all parties reunited on the remote planet where Squire and Ghus have been struggling to survive with the two journalists. ( )

Not my favorite but rounding up to 4 stars because of the hopeful ending. After Vol 7, I needed a happier, more hopeful ending to Vol 8. Again, great characters and some surprising plot twists. ( )

This is not my favorite volume in this series - it tackles tough questions, like late term abortions, and mourning of a lost son. But there is goodness in this novel, like friendships and new relationships.

Where this series really shines is that it doesn't shy away sensitive topics. And, while it can be shock worthy at times, it is never gratuitous. ( )

https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3139976.html

Nice to get back to the world of Saga, where our protagonists, renuited, are dealing with being exiles on a hsticle world while looking for gynaecological services. Some surprisingly heavy stuff here about abortion, seriously and sensitively approached, with also some more information about what is going on with the supporting cast away from the main timeline. ( )

I die a little every time I read a volume.

Sweet Boy.

Kurti. ( )