Saga - Short Review

Saga follows Alana, a “wing”, and Marko, a “horn”. These two forbidden lovers run away from the war between their alien kinds and start a family together. The first page of the series shows Alana giving birth to their daughter, Hazel, who is the narrator of the series. Her parents lover Hazel so much and they want her to see the universe away from the war and turmoil of Landfall, the biggest planet in the galaxy, and Wreath, the small satellite orbiting Landfall. Together the three of them will be tested emotionally and physically as they cross the dangerous moon of Wreath in order to escape bounty hunters, soldiers, and their own people.

            One of the most important and successful elements of Saga is the theme of family. This comic deals with parenthood, protection, and sacrifice. Within the family dynamic of Alana, Marko, and Hazel the reader can see that this trio is more than just a family but an example that these two races can live in harmony. Another element that the comic succeeds well in is the strong sense of symbolism. One of the best examples of symbolism is the anatomy of the different races. The physical representation of characters makes the comic unique.

The narrative captivates the reader to the point where they don’t want to put the comic down. With its strong themes of family and symbolism, the reader receives the privilege of watching Alana and Marko develop as parents while navigating a war-torn moon. The reader is invested in the characters and they want them to succeed in their quest across the universe. With these enchanting characters it is easy for the reader to fall in love with their wit, bravery, and effortlessness. The comic is so good that the reader is so caught up in the narrative that they overlook the beautiful artwork because all they want to do is turn the page to find out what happens next.

4 Kids Walk Into A Bank - Short Review

This hidden gem of a comic is barley known to the comic’s community. Issued by a small publishing company, 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank is much more than just a bunch of silly kids walking in and robbing a bank. This groovy, funny, and clever story was written out of the brilliant mind of Matthew Rosenberg and brought to life from the art of Tyler Boss.  It is a refreshing coming of age story that is all about friendship, family, right and wrong, and childhood innocence. These elements are strongly bound together, hidden in the shadow of stories like the Duffer Brother’s Stranger Things and Ben Affleck’s The Town.

Who can rob a bank first: a tomboy, a nerd, a giant, and a goofball, or two murderers, a skinhead, and a marksman? This comic follows four friends, Paige, Stretch, Walter, and Berger, as they battle school, family, and the task of robbing a bank. Paige’s father has a dark past that he has always tried to keep from Paige. When his past finally catches up to him, Paige is willing to do anything to keep her father out of trouble. She recruits her best friends to help her rob the local bank before her father and his gang of thugs do it first. The four friends need to work together and touch on all of their individual talents in order to get the job done. 

All of these narrative and formal elements fit together and make the comic very successful. The themes in the comic are friendship, family, with contributing elements of innocence and moral decision making. The reader can visually see that Paige is very protective of the people she cares about. The reader sees her defend her friends from bullies and her father from the thugs. Those elements of her character drive her to make impulsive and destructive actions with good intentions. The narrative of the comic is successful because it asks the reader an important question. Does Paige’s actions deem her good or bad?