This Unfilmable Sci-fi Comic Book Series Is Still a Masterpiece (And I Hope There’s Never a Movie)

Videos by ComicBook.com

Saga is one of Image Comics’ must-read series. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ sci-fi masterpiece has been able to draw in all kinds of fans. It’s become the book that even non-comic readers can get into, and has grown into something special over its 14-year history. It’s one of those indies that a lot of fans think would make for a great TV or movie series, but it’s about time to admit that’s never going to happen. The series, which definitely appeals to just about everyone who picks up, is honestly unfilmable for a variety of reasons, but one of the biggest has to do with one of the things that fans love the most about the book.

Saga‘s Universe Wouldn’t Work as Well in Live-Action as Fans Think

One of the best parts about Saga is the art. Staples is one of the best artists working in comics right now, her character acting and design creating some of the most memorable characters ever. Saga is a book that lives and dies by the characters in the book, and Staples is able to bring them to life in a way that only the best artists can. One of the most interesting aspects of the characters’ designs, and of the comic’s universe in general, is that the aliens that star in the book are basically anthropomorphic animals.

The book revolves around an intergalactic war that started because of Landfall, a planet full of people with wings, and Wreath, a moon that is home to horned humans. Every other alien race also has some kind of animal attributes, with animalistic heads on human bodies, although there are some characters that are even more extreme, like the topless (which is why there’s no picture) spider assassin the Stalk. Many of these characters look cool in two dimensions, but would be entirely too bizarre in live-action.

Then, there’s the Robots. The Robots are human shaped with screens for head. The higher stature in the Robots’ monarchical society, the better their screens are. While they look interesting in the comic, in live-action, it wouldn’t look nearly as well. In fact, this is a problem with most of the great characters of the book. They look awesome when Staples draws them, but thinking about the way the characters would look in live-action, it just doesn’t really feel like it’s going to look as good.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but an artist’s style can make even the most outlandish visuals work. For years now, we’ve been told that certain things from comics just won’t work in live action, and there’s a huge chance that the book’s character designs, which fans have loved since Saga started 14 years ago, wouldn’t translate well. The worst thing that can happen to a comic adaptation is bad visuals, and that’s going to be a problem if this book is ever adapted.

Saga Is an Amazing Ride That Doesn’t Need an Adaptation

There’s an idea nowadays that comics are only successful if they’re given an adaptation. One of the problems with comics nowadays is the perception that they are lesser than movies or TV and that a book can never be a true success unless it gets adapted. However, as Marvel is learning, adaptation isn’t an infinite money glitch. Saga‘s visuals could be a problem if it’s adapted, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not amazing.

Saga is a masterpiece, a story about a family trying to survive a war. It’s had some problems over the years, mostly the length of the hiatuses since 2018, but the story and characters are amazing. There’s a reason the book has so many fans wanting an adaptation, after all. It’s one of those stories that show that comics are the best storytelling medium out there, and even if it is never adapted, it will still be one of the greatest stories ever told.

Do you want Saga adapted? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!