Saga (Vol I & II)

Banned Book #1 (and 2) of my Banned Book week reading: Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples. Banned because it is "anti-family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group." This series is awesome.

Saga is a series about a transpecies couple who are fleeing across the galaxy from both of their home-worlds after the birth of their daughter. Awesome! The first two volumes were awesome! The art was beautiful, the story is touching, with many different facets and interesting characters, toting the theme love will triumph over all.

I would like to discuss this book and the reasons it was banned. First off, I'm not entirely sure how this book could be framed as anti-family, as the main story is that of a family just trying to exist, being persecuted for there love of one another. This makes the main characters instantly sympathetic because their love for each other and their daughter is so strong that they are willing to fight everyone in the universe for each other (very romantic). Though the main characters are different species (and one is illustrated caucasian and the other ethnic for some slightly obvious symbolism), they read books together, communicate about important issues, have great sex, love each other, and have a vastly superior relationship to some of the ones I have had.

The nudity, offensive language, and sexual explicitness are objections that I can't argue with, as I am a big fan of the number of times Alana uses the word "fuck," and the book begins with the birth of Hazel.  But that is the great thing about books, if you don't want to read them for certain reasons, you don't have to.

As to the issue of whether or not Saga is suited to it age group, I went on Amazon to see which age group it is geared towards and it didn't give an age group, which is a general sign that it is not meant for children. While this is a preconceived notion that many graphic novels fight with (that they are comic books for children), I think that what each individual child is ready to read is a conversation for individual parents to have with their individual children.

I loved this story. I can't wait to read Vol 3, 4, &5. It is a fantastic story of a family just trying to find a place where they fit in a galaxy that seems so dark and cruel. The story is fantastic and I highly recommend this series.