Star Wars Hasn’t Been the Greatest Sci-Fantasy For 13 Years

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No franchise can match the pop-culture ubiquity of Star Wars. George Lucas’ 1977 classic was a huge moment for science fiction and fantasy, reshaping both genres and melding them into what is now known as sci-fantasy. While the film and its subsequent sequels didn’t invent the marriage of science fiction and fantasy, it did codify and define the subgenre for generations of storytellers. For 35 years, Star Wars was the pinnacle of sci-fi fantasy, an untouchable king whose legacy is undeniable.

While no franchise has ever come close to matching *Star Wars’ *influence, a few have come close to it in terms of quality and depth of storytelling. Specifically, one comic series has the world-building, characters, and sheer weirdness to not just match Star Wars but exceed it. 2012’s Saga may never be the multi-billion dollar franchise Star Wars is, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the new benchmark all sci-fantasy will be judged against.

Saga’s Depth and Worldbuilding Make It The New Gold Standard For Sci-Fantasy

Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples, *Saga *is an ongoing comic about a young couple named Marko and Alana. The two come from races in the midst of an interstellar war, making them and their newborn baby, Hazel, the target of mercenaries and a wide variety of parties who all want them dead.

Alongside Alana, Marko, and Hazel are a colorful cast of characters whose stories frequently intersect with the family. Specifically, the comic highlights a human bounty hunter named The Will (and his companion Lying Cat) and the strangely inhuman Prince Robot IV.

As the characters all try to eke out an existence despite the tremendous odds against them, greater plots unfold that constantly alter readers’ understanding of the setting and the powers that govern it. Even as the series expands to include a deeper plot, the series never loses sight of its true heart: the characters.

Far from the mythic tone and archetypal storytelling brilliantly employed by Lucas for Star Wars, Saga tells an incredibly human story about war, hope, and pacifism. As a result of this more grounded storytelling, *Saga *isn’t afraid to get dark and even graphic in places. None of the main characters are ever truly safe, and Vaughan and Staples aren’t afraid to prove it with some of the most gut-wrenching panels in comic history.

Saga Will Remain An Underground Hit

*Saga *has been nothing short of a smash hit in the world of comics, but is still relatively obscure outside of that bubble. The series did make headlines due to one of the most controversial comic covers ever, but it hasn’t attracted big news stories since then.

Additionally, Vaughan has thrown cold water on the idea of a Saga adaptation, so it probably won’t be coming to TV or the big screen anytime.

While that does mean *Saga’s *influence is somewhat limited, it shows just how much respect for the medium of comics Vaughan and Staples have. Rather than make their series palatable for a mass audience, they made something that could only really work in the world of comics.

For many, nothing will ever top the sheer breadth and magnitude of Star Wars. However, fans looking for a far more humanistic approach to classic sci-fantasy should look no further than Saga. Its story may be far more adult, but it is no less timeless.