Comic Conversations: Saga, Saucer Country and Avengers Assemble!

On Wednesday, I picked up three brand new comic series at and the best of them was definitely...

"Saga: Chapter One" by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

Truth be told, I was looking forward to this one without knowing much about the premise, just because of Brian K. Vaughan.

He also wrote "Y: The Last Man," an incredible science fiction comic about the last man on Earth. Yorick is the only human male still alive after a catastrophic event in the first issue that kills every man on the planet leaving only women. There's also his "Ex Machina," which I think I'll write more about closer to election day since it is about a superhero who gets elected mayor of New York City.

But anyway, "Saga" starts with the birth of a girl named Hazel, who is also narrating what is happening to her parents after her birth.

I love the narration in this book since it isn't the typical words in a box you would see in every other comic out there. On one page, for example, the narration wraps around a planet and moon that are being discussed. The way the text interacts with the images reminds me a little of a children's book.

The two main characters are Alana, a woman with wings and green hair, and her husband, Marko, who has big ram's horns coming out of his head. They're from the planet and moon I mentioned in the last paragraph and their peoples are also at war. So now that they've had a little girl they're on the run from both sides.

This was an amazing first issue. Vaughan is just as good as he's ever been and Staple's art is amazing. I can't wait for the next issue.

"Saucer Country #1" by Paul Cornell and Ryan Kelly

I've been a fan of Paul Cornell ever since my buddy Chris introduced me to the sadly short-lived "Captain Britain and MI-13." He also had a great run on "Action Comics" and wrote three episodes of "Doctor Who," and I especially liked the two-parter "Human Nature/The Family of Blood."

There's no superheroes in "Saucer Country" but there are aliens. The story is about Arcadia Alvarado, the governor of New Mexico, in the days leading up to her announcement of her candidacy for the presidency.

She's also dealing with her ex-husband, a severe campaign strategist, and strange memories and dreams. Meanwhile, on the other side of the country, a Harvard professor is fired from his post for publishing a book about UFOs called "Flying Objects: Folklore and Fact."

Of course, the people firing him don't know that he's seeing the man and woman from Pioneer 10 plaque talking to him. There's a picture of the plaque in the gallery so you know who I'm talking about.

I'll keep getting this one since Governor Alvarez realizes that she's been abducted by aliens while she's up on a stage announcing her presidential campaign and then tells her team, "We're being invaded."

It's been ages since I've seen a good alien story and specifically the gray aliens with giant eyes. The last one I can really remember is "The X-Files" and that really fell apart once Duchovny left the show, so I'm hoping this one fulfills the promise of an X-Files/West Wing style story.

"Avengers Assemble #1" by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley

Marvel already has, I think, seven Avengers titles out right now but this one features the Avengers line-up from the upcoming movie (which would be Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Thor and Iron Man) but takes place in regular Marvel continuity.

It was OK, I guess.

I liked Bendis and Bagley on "Ultimate Spider-Man" when it first started in 2000 but I don't know if Bagley is such a great fit for the Avengers. I just don't think his art is dynamic enough for Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Anyway, the story starts with an all new Zodiac team of supervillains forming while the Avengers celebrate the completion of their new headquarters in Manhattan. Then the Hulk gets attacked by the army while he's hanging out in the desert.

You know what? I just don't care. I like the characters but there's nothing in this book that made me want to pick up #2. If you're jonesing for some Avengers action you should check out the cartoon "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes."

The first season is on Netflix and I absolutely love the show and I can't wait for the next season to start in April. The show features all of those characters and really makes you care about them. It made me love the Wasp and she is a character I've never cared for before.

Next week I'll be picking up "Batman," "Justice League," "Wonder Woman," "Amazing Spider-Man," and, sadly, the last issue of "Tiny Titans."