Written by Guest Contributor: Jordan North There isn’t too much that hasn’t been said at this point. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona staples make, arguably, the pound for pound greatest comic book on the stands. Pure creativity, pure intimacy and utter ballsiness are the tenets of it all; allowing them to tackle sexuality as if it’s no big thing, violence as if it’s no big thing. That’s the great part, as fanciful as the world and characters are? There’s no Hollywood to this thing. It presents everything so damn honestly and forwardly and thus doesn’t make any mockery of any of it. That’s how this book can have so many hard-hitting and profound moments in one issue, both these creators brilliantly handle the fantastic in a way that lets the stories preserve and deliver a product that is purely human.

Shit goes down this issue, and I mean it. All the bubbling factors that lead so many characters with such complex motivations and personalities come together and the fireworks do not disappoint. So many delicious moments happen, just beautiful, lush stuff. Read the scene between Heist and Prince Robot 4 and tell me Vaughn isn’t one of the best out there. All in one issue: Homosexuality, cruelty, love all tackled because Vaughan realizes something profound about storytelling: when you tackle things on a human level first, there are no limits to the story you can tell. The story telling attempt here is ambitious, with major shifts happening as far as narrative changing events, and poetic lessons being taught, but it all gets pulled off with a zany surgeon’s precision, damn near perfect storytelling.

At this point you know what it is, Saga is the coolest comic around and for good reason. This issue it all blows up and if you’ve ever had any stock in this story? This is the issue you don’t miss. It’s the best damn $2.99 you can spend as a comic fan.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan Artist: Fiona Staples Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 12/18/13