Few comics from this century can stand up toSaga.
It was also EW’sfavorite comic of the decade.
But then, Vaughan and Staples took a break.
The first page of ‘Saga’ #1, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples.Fiona Staples for Image Comics
Afterwards,in an exclusive interview with EW, Vaughan and Staples explained why they were going on hiatus.
That was more than three years ago, and a lot has happened since then.
But next month,Sagais finally coming back with issue #55.
The first page of ‘Saga’ #55, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples.Fiona Staples for Image Comics
This is their first interview since announcing the end of their hiatus.
But just proceed with caution if you aren’t fully caught up on the previous 54 issues.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: When exactly did the hiatus end for you guys?
The adorable seal man Ghüs, as seen in ‘Saga’ #24 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples.Fiona Staples for Image Comics
When did you start coming back to talking, writing, and drawingSaga?
I think that was probably pre-pandemic.
VAUGHAN:For sure.
Fiona Staples' cover to volume 8 of ‘Saga,’ which featured more of a Western theme.Image Comics
It definitely slowed it down.
FIONA STAPLES:We started coming back quite a while ago, well over a year ago.
Just like an hour or two a day was all that I could get away for.
I’m still not really back to full-time work.
I’m still sort of part-time.
My workday looks a lot different than it used to.
So how did it feel coming back?
Fiona, how did it feel when you started drawingSagacharacters again?
VAUGHAN:I have to imagine it was wildly different for both of us.
Fiona has the backbreaking labor of having to make this nonsense a reality.
So I felt relief and joy.
I imagine Fiona felt more terror than I did.
STAPLES:[Laughs]I felt a little bit rusty for sure.
But after that I did start feeling more like myself again.
I felt like I had my life back again.
I’m the same, but Fiona feels like a wholly new human being coming out of this.
It’s been a whole decade ofSaga!
Has that had you thinking back to the beginning in a new way?
Brian, I think when we first started this series, you just had your first child?
VAUGHAN:Yeah, by the time I finished that first script.
Fiona was contentedly child-free at the time.
Fiona, how has becoming a parent kind of affected your relationship to theSagacharacters and material?
Brian, how is it fueled by your personal experience?
I feel like I know them, and that hasn’t changed.
I’m trying to be a little bit more efficient.
If you’ve got a monthly book it’s due, it’s due, it’s due.
That’s partly whatSagawas born out of.
So I’m grateful that Image is such a good, generous partner to us.
They’re like, “your families are what fuelsSaga, so they come first.
How much of a long-term plan is set in stone?
How much do you let Fiona in on?
VAUGHAN:I would tell Fiona everything, but she doesn’t want spoilers!
She wants to read the script and then channel her surprise, horror or disappointments into the page.
But usually, in between each arc, we discuss, “what did you like about that arc?
What did you not like?”
Can he be in the book?”
And I realized immediately, “can hebein the book?
No, the book is basicallyaboutthis guy moving forward.”
Similarly, I’ve got a really good road map for the second half.
I know what the last panel of the last page is going to be.
VAUGHAN:Fiona, you’re his creator, his god.
Will we get to see more of that guy ever?
STAPLES:I hope so!
I hope we’ll see him.
I know readers would boycott otherwise.
My girlfriend actually has the plushy of Ghus and he’s just such a perfect plushy.
Just let Ghus be okay!"
And, um, he was!
It ended up being other people that got in trouble…
STAPLES:What have you done?
That was a very irresponsible wish.
That’s how I felt!
So will Ghus pay for his sins someday?
I guess we’ll see.
That’s one of the things I love most about those final issues.
The Will’s lover The Stalk was killed all the way back in issue #5.
So I try and do a story where I can have my cake and eat it too.
We’re telling an extremely violent story with real stakes.
Violence isn’t just an easy out, it will always have complications.
I also know people who have been readingSagafor the first time since the hiatus began.
What kind of expectations or mindset do you hope readers bring to issue #55?
So I hope readers approach with an open mind.
I don’t know what people are expecting from the story.
It’s been such a long time both in the real world and in the fictional universe.
That’s not something that has a neat and tidy resolution.
If they’re looking forward to meeting some new characters, definitely we have that.
That’s something that I personally really enjoyed seeing.
VAUGHAN:We were very deliberate in saying, this is chapter 55.
That’s not really whatever whatSagais about.
And so what if this is really, you’re just coming into a story?
I think like our first issue, we throw you headfirst into this story.
But now, it’s Hazel’s story.
She’s the one who has agency and we’re following it more from her perspective.
What kind of growing up has she done?
She hasn’t gone down to the day.
TheSagauniverse hasn’t had to endure a pandemic or any of the stuff that we had to do.
Fiona, what’s the fun of redesigning old favorites versus inventing totally new characters?
STAPLES:We’ve seen several years pass for these characters.
I find that really satisfying to track and watch it evolve.
Hazel is probably growing and changing in the most obvious way.
Now she’s 9 years old and she has a, complex inner life of her own.
She’s making a lot of her own style choices, which is cool.
We get to see some of Hazel’s more creative fashion choices.
Like, are they gonna end up being friendly or completely evil?
I just venture to do something interesting and unique.
I guess Hazel’s fashion would have to be interesting, right?
Because nobody else in the universe really looks like her.
Nobody else has the horns and the wings.
It’s really fun.
It was an older Hazel speaking for a version of herself that couldn’t speak.
But now Hazel can talk for herself.
Brian, how have you been thinking about that?
We’ll see her interests, her hobbies.
So yeah, she’s definitely more of a main character in that sense.
We are spending more time getting to know her.
This is still a tale of her entire family, not just her.
How does it feel to be at the halfway point?
Does it feel like the best is yet to come?
How do you look to the future ofSaga?
STAPLES:I’m excited to see what happens.
At this point it’s not just a job that I do from like 9-5.
It’s sort of my lifestyle.
I accepted long ago that I’d be doing this for potentially decades.
It is so exciting.
It does feel a little daunting since we’ve promised that this is the halfway mark.
And so we have to climb this mountain now.
We just want to do it better than last time, or what’s the point of it all?
That’s our only challenge: Trying to do it better than we did before.
I feel we’re off to a pretty good start with these first few issues.
We hope readers agree, and mostly we’re just so grateful for their patience during this time.
