Comics
Review: ‘Saga’ #8
Week after week I find myself shivering with anticipation for a new release of Brian K. Vaughan’s Saga, thankfully this week brings issue #8 and I find myself “wowed”, once again, by the uniqueness of the book. This issue further expands Vaughan’s intergalactic environment, coupled with a dramatic backstory for our unlikely couple. It’s insane how well this book mixes genres. Vaughan’s imagination is incomprehensibly vast to be able to take a “Lord of the Rings” idea, mix it in with “Dune”, and cap it all off with a little bit of horror.
WRITTEN BY: Brian K. Vaughan
ART BY: Fiona Staples
PUBLISHER: Image
RELEASE DATE: December 19th
PRICE: 2.99
This issue continues to expand on “Saga’s” world, from a quick flash back of Marko and Alana first encounter, to the introduction of Marko’s former fiancée Gwendolyn. The interaction between Alana and Marko’s father, Barr, completely changes from the previous issue, showing the versatility of the story and characters. Though this is a fantastic story with non-human life forms, they still act in an identifiable way. As the story continues I’m curious to see how the relationship between Alana and Barr will develop.
“Saga” is narrated by the future self of the current new born Hazel, the offspring of Marko and Alana who are different species; species who have been waging a war with one another that covers the expanse of the galaxy. For a book that secretes creativity, this element is one of the most creative parts; as she is the only one of her kind, it allows for a different perspective on the events that come to pass. Hazel has the perfect amount of seriousness combined with witticism in her dialogue which is a theme that runs throughout the book. For all the bloodshed, battle, and killing there is always a hefty amount of comedy. The fact that this book caters to the vulgarity inclined and lovers of graphic content is also amazing. The characters bring out themes like racism, segregation, and most importantly, war.
Fiona Staples is another beats altogether. It is a realistic take on a fantastic idea, there are many odd creatures and monsters that have human characteristic giving the book a very specific feel. Staples has a very fresh style of art with no shy eye for blood, gore, and physical deformities.
“Saga”, potentially my favourite book in circulation, has so many different genre elements in it. I dare say the creative genius behind it rivals that of J.R.R. Tolkien and Frank Herbert. This hasn’t been much of a review, but more of a spewing of my love for the series. It’s that good.
5/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – GreenBasterd
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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