“I can’t tell you how sick I am of people’s pathetic last words.”
After a long three months Saga’s back, keep reading for a review of Saga #66.
Warning, some spoilers below.
I had to doublecheck the page count when I finished this issue, because I felt like I read it in two minutes. It’s the same number of pages though, so I’m sure that’s a combination of several pages without dialogue plus some tense moments where you can see everything going wrong really quickly. I raced through this issue.
I’ll just say since I’m sure you’re wondering: no, we don’t pick up where we left off last issue, so you’re going to have to wait a little longer to see what happens to The Will and Gwendolyn. (I’m sure it’ll be horrible.)
No, this issue centers around Special Agent Gale and his hunt for Hazel and Alana. It starts with a flashback where we learn that Gale has some reasons to hate Alana outside of the whole “she slept with the enemy and had his baby” situation. Petty, petty reasons.
And I have to say, the opening conversation was delightfully meta. Regarding the book she’s reading, Alana says “It’s got one of those ‘unreliable narrators,’ which always makes me worry the author’s an asshole who’s just making shit up as they go.” Brian K. Vaughan is definitely pointing at the fans who are pointing right back at him.
Back in present day though, Gale’s following a lead that takes him to a familiar lighthouse, and bumps into some very familiar people. I won’t say what happens, but this is the section I was just tearing through, waiting to see how bad things were going to get. And it definitely leaves us in a place that’s going to change the hell out of the story going forward.
As usual, it’s hard to pick a favorite image in the issue, because Fiona Staples’ work is as amazing as it always is, and she can make even a dialogue-heavy issue beautiful. I really liked the full page image of the two returning characters, and I got a laugh out of Gale’s face when he said “Gross.”
This issue talks a lot about how violence can be much easier than forgiveness but it’s obviously more destructive long-term, which is a good reminder in the current political environment, and it’s definitely going to come into play when we get back Gwendolyn and The Will.
(Which will have to wait until “early next year” because they’re going on hiatus again WHICH IS FINE because I don’t want them to get burnt out and they should take all the time they need but also AAAAAAAAA.)
(Also don’t forget to check out the brilliant Costume Contest winners at the end of the issue!)