Review: Saga #29
Previously in Saga #28
This issue is graphic, even for Saga. And it’s not so much that the graphic acts are worse or more shocking than events in prior issues, it just feels like here, they are back-to-back and you hardly have a moment to catch your breath. A whole lot of sacrifices are made, but none of our characters are any closer to achieving their goals.
The Last Revolution are hammering out the final details of their deal with the Wreath High Command. They want a few hundred of their members released from prisons in exchange for Hazel. Wreath will comply, but only after they have Hazel in their hands. And for all they care, TLR can kill Alana. But it’s when the negotiator spies Dengo, that things really get hairy. She refuses to do business with an android, even one who killed his own kind’s princess and kidnapped her son. The deal is off unless they get rid of Dengo, so that’s what Julep prepares to do.
Meanwhile, Gwendolyn, Sophie, and The Brand finally find the male dragon’s lair. Fortunately, getting his sperm shouldn’t be a problem as he’ll definitely have some for them. Unfortunately, they have to wait until he’s done sucking his own dick and falls asleep. I guess it’s true that if a male could do it, he totally would. Sophie wants to be the one to retrieve the sample (Chile, please!) since she feels responsible for The Will’s injuries, but The Brand won’t hear of it.
Robot IV and Marko have finally got their ship in (somewhat) working order thanks to Yuma’s sacrifice at the end of issue #28, and Marko demands IV fire upon their attackers. But the prince won’t risk it and uses the last bit of power the ship has to jump away, leaving his pursuers to lament the loss of their heads when the king finds out. Of course, they’ve jumped into the middle of a space ice storm because of course they did.
Ghus breaks the news of Yuma’s death and it even affects IV. But his kind words for the dead junkie are cut short when their ship is hit by a giant piece of ice. IV is knocked out in the explosion and the ship hurls through space.
Alana is trying to bargain with the members of The Last Revolution left to guard her. She even tries to appeal to one of the rebel’s love of the Open Circuit by revealing her past as the character Zipless. She doesn’t believe Alana, and Alana is momentarily more devastated by the news that her character has been recast than she is her plan failing.
In the other room, Julep charges her sword and prepares to kill Dengo, but Klara knocks the robot out of the way and takes the blast. She warns him to make his move before Julep can recharge her weapon. Despite the TLR’s leader’s pleas, Dengo blows his head off. At least he put a pretty picture on his screenhead to keep Hazel’s attention so she wouldn’t have to see it. Dengo tells Klara to leave with Hazel while he shoots out the monitor - disconnecting the call with the Wreath negotiator - and prepares to kill Julep.
Back at Operation Spunk Retrieval, the dragon has done his business and passed out cold. The Brand prepares to head deeper into the cave to get its sperm - which is all over the place *shudder* - when they notice Sophie is missing. She’s gone down to the dragon to get the fluids herself and woken up the dragon in the process. It roars, and prepares to eat Sophie, but The Brand rushes to save her and gets bitten in half for her troubles. Gwendolyn tries to use her staff on the beast, but the electricity from it backfires and knocks her out cold - perhaps killing her. As the dragon slinks away further into his cave, Sophie sobs and apologizes to the body parts around her.
Overall Thoughts:
- Did I not tell you this was graphic? Heads blown, IV’s down, dragon self-fellatio, and then The Brand is taken out. Damn. Did not see any of that coming.
- The panel of Gwendolyn covering Sophie’s eyes as they watch the dragon suck himself was hilarious. No one needed to see that! But of course we did as soon as we turned the page. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, you’re sick, sick people and I love it.
- So, what now? Is IV okay? How will they find their families now? If Gwendolyn is gone, how will Sophie get The Will the cure? Gwendolyn can’t be gone. Right? Why isn’t it next month already?
