Alana

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Alana is a human from the planet Landfall, one of two long-warring extraterrestrial races in the series. She is married to Marko, who is from the opposing side, Wreath. Together, they are the parents of Hazel, who is born at the beginning of the series and occasionally narrates as an unseen adult. The core of Alana's story is her evolution from a soldier into a fiercely protective mother, struggling to care for her daughter while fleeing authorities from both sides of the galactic war. Vaughan conceived the characters of Alana and Marko after his wife became pregnant with his second daughter, wanting to explore the overlap between artistic creation and the creation of a child. The series was described in solicitations as 'Star Wars meets A Game of Thrones.'

In Their Own Story

The first chapter of *Saga* was published on March 14, 2012, introducing Alana and Marko as they flee with their newborn daughter, Hazel. The series went on hiatus after reaching its midpoint at Chapter 54 in July 2018, and resumed in January 2022. It is set to return with Chapter 73 in 2026. Vaughan indicated that the entire series will span 108 issues, or chapters. The first trade paperback collection won the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story. The series has been noted for its diverse portrayal of ethnicity, sexuality and gender social roles, and for its treatment of war.

Reader's Guide

Alana is a human woman from Landfall, a planet locked in a long war with the extraterrestrial race from Wreath. She is married to Marko, who is from Wreath, and together they are the parents of Hazel. The series depicts their struggle to care for their daughter while fleeing authorities from both sides of the galactic war. Vaughan conceived the characters after his wife became pregnant with his second daughter, wanting to explore parenthood within a genre story. The series is Vaughan's first creator-owned work published through Image Comics, and the first time he employs narration in his comics writing, with Hazel occasionally narrating as an unseen adult. The first chapter was published on March 14, 2012, to positive reviews and a sold-out first printing.

Did You Know?

• Alana and Marko were conceived by Brian K. Vaughan after his wife became pregnant with their second daughter, as he wanted to explore parenthood within a genre story.
• The first chapter of *Saga*, introducing Alana and Marko, was published on March 14, 2012, and sold out its first printing.
• The first trade paperback collection won the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story.
• Alana is a human from the planet Landfall, which is at war with the extraterrestrial race from Wreath, the home of her husband Marko.

Origins and Creative Conception

Writer Brian K. Vaughan conceived *Saga* in his childhood, calling it 'a fictional universe that I created when I was bored in math class.' It was not until his wife became pregnant with his second daughter, however, that he conceived of the protagonists, the winged Alana and the horned Marko, two lovers from warring extraterrestrial races who struggle to survive with their newborn daughter, Hazel. Vaughan explains, 'I wanted to write about parenthood, but I wanted to Trojan-horse it inside some sort of interesting genre story, to explore the overlap between artistic creation and the creation of a child.' The book was announced at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con, and was billed as 'Star Wars meets A Game of Thrones' in solicitations. Vaughan selected Image Comics as the publisher for its creator-owned model, ensuring no content restrictions or creative interference.

Narrative Structure and Themes

The series is based on ideas Vaughan conceived both as a child and as a parent. It depicts Alana and Marko fleeing authorities from both sides of a galactic war as they struggle to care for their daughter, Hazel, who is born in the beginning of the series, and who occasionally narrates the series as an unseen adult. Vaughan indicated that the entire series will span 108 issues, or chapters. The series has been noted for its diverse portrayal of ethnicity, sexuality and gender social roles, and for its treatment of war. Vaughan jokingly described the book as 'Star Wars for perverts.' The first chapter features 44 pages of story and no advertisements in both its print and digital versions.

Publication Milestones and Commercial Success

The first chapter of *Saga* was published on March 14, 2012, to positive reviews and a sold-out first printing. It was published in trade paperback form in October 2012. It has also been a consistent sales success, with its collected editions outselling those of *The Walking Dead*, another successful Image comic. The series went on hiatus after reaching its midpoint at Chapter 54 in July 2018, and resumed in January 2022. *Saga* is set to return with Chapter 73 in 2026. The book was priced at $2.99 for the majority of its run, which Vaughan arranged as part of his contract with Image, along with the stipulation that it never be less than 22 pages long. In 2023, the price increased to $3.99, beginning with Chapter 61.

Critical Acclaim and Cultural Legacy

The series has been met with wide critical acclaim, and is one of the most celebrated comics being published in the United States. It has also garnered numerous awards, including twelve Eisner and seventeen Harvey Awards between 2013 and 2017. The first trade paperback collection won the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story. It has also been noted for its diverse portrayal of ethnicity, sexuality and gender social roles, and for its treatment of war.