I just read the best comic book of 2012, and it's 'Saga' No. 1

Hello again, fellow comic readers!

A tale as old as time unites with a story as fresh as a newborn through conflict and intrigue in this week’s pick, “Saga.”

Writer Brian K. Vaughn is known in comic world for books like “Ex Machina,” “Y the Last Man,” “Runaways,” “Ultimate X-Men” and “Pride of Baghdad.” Fiona Staples is an brilliant artist who has been producing excellent work for years now and really deserved a big breakout hit. Their latest offering this week is "Saga" from Image Comics, and it delivers on all fronts.

Other comics offerings would be satisfied with just having a story of star-crossed lovers who had to actually cross the stars to find each other. That is Saga’s entry point, and it only builds from there.

Daniel Dean of Titan Games and Comics in Smyrna, Georgia, agrees that it is one of the year’s best offerings. “I know it's only three months in, so this might affect how seriously you take this statement; nevertheless: This is the best single issue I've read in 2012.

“There are more ideas jockeying for place here, more things going on, more characters I want to spend time with than in an entire year's worth of output from other books I shan't name.”

Betrayal, treasure, war, science fiction, magic, monsters, gunfights, monster fights, a live birth, bounty hunters, robots and spaceships are all at work. This comic even has a monkey in it.

Any time we get a new book from Vaughn, I find it a welcome thing; he manages to infuse each character with an instantly engaging blend of personality and detail that suggests not just lives lived but a world inhabited.

“You could talk about how we're dealing with a milieu more far-out than anything he's worked with, and yet we're still intensely grounded in very human drama and emotion,” Dean said of "Saga’s" broad appeal.

“I could even talk about how ‘Y the Last Man’ was a benchmark title for Vertigo in a post-‘Sandman,’ post-‘Preacher’ world and how I thought ‘Ex Machina’ was even better or how I recommend ‘Pride of Baghdad’ to people all the time.”

But why just talk about it? Check it out for yourself - if you still can. Image Comics just announced that the 'Saga' No. 1 first printing is sold out, meaning the copies you'll see on your local comic book shop's shelves today are all there is until Image decides to generate a second print.

I think "Saga" is going to be one of those books we'll be hearing about for the rest of the year. It's just that good. Let me know what you think if you read the book. Disagree with me and Dean? Prove it!

So, until next week, go forth and read, my people. And the reading will be good!

Here are some of the other comics scheduled to hit the shelves March 14. Your local retailer will probably have these and others, so make sure to check with them for more details.

DC COMICS

BATGIRL #7 $2.99
BATMAN AND ROBIN #7 $2.99
BATMAN YEAR ONE DELUXE EDITION HC $24.99
BATWOMAN #7 $2.99
CARTOON NETWORK ACTION PACK #67 $2.99
DC UNIVERSE BY ALAN MOORE HC $39.99
DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS TP VOL 02 $19.99
DEATHSTROKE #7 $2.99
DEMON KNIGHTS #7 $2.99
FLASHPOINT WORLD OF FLASHPOINT BATMAN TP $17.99
FLASHPOINT WORLD OF FLASHPOINT SUPERMAN TP $17.99
FLASHPOINT WORLD OF FLASHPOINT WONDER WOMAN TP $17.99
FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF SHADE #7 $2.99
GREEN LANTERN #7 $2.99
GRIFTER #7 $2.99
HAWK AND DOVE GHOSTS AND DEMONS TP NEW ED $14.99
LEGION LOST #7 $2.99
MISTER TERRIFIC #7 $2.99
MY GREATEST ADVENTURE #6 (OF 6) $3.99
NORTHLANDERS #49 (RES) (MR) $2.99
NORTHLANDERS TP VOL 06 THORS DAUGHTER (MR) $14.99
RAY #4 (OF 4) $2.99
RESURRECTION MAN #7 $2.99
SAUCER COUNTRY #1 (MR) $2.99
SHADE #6 (OF 12) $2.99
SHOWCASE PRESENTS YOUNG LOVE TP VOL 01 $19.99
SUICIDE SQUAD #7 $2.99
SUPERBOY #7 $2.99
UNWRITTEN #35 (MR) (NOTE PRICE) $4.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Batgirl #7
Batman and Robin #7
Batwoman #7
Deathstroke #7
Demon Knights #7
Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE #7
Beyond the Fringe #5A
Green Lantern #7
Grifter #7
Justice League Beyond #4
Legion Lost #7
Mister Terrific #7
My Greatest Adventure #6
Resurrection Man #7
Suicide Squad #7
Superboy #7
The Ray #4
The Shade #6

MARVEL COMICS

AVENGERS #24 $3.99
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1 WITH DIG CDE $3.99
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE HISTORY OF EARTHS HEROES GN TP $14.99
AVENGERS BY BENDIS HEROIC AGE HC JRJR DM VAR ED $39.99
AVENGERS BY BENDIS HEROIC AGE HC MOVIE CVR $39.99
AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE HC $34.99
AVENGERS ROAD TO MARVEL AVENGERS TP $24.99
BATTLE SCARS #5 (OF 6) $2.99
CAPTAIN AMERICA #9 $3.99
CARNAGE BY CRAIN POSTER $8.99
CARNAGE USA #4 (OF 5) $3.99
DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE #22 $2.99
ELEKTRA BY GREG RUCKA ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP $34.99
ESSENTIAL HULK TP VOL 02 NEW ED $19.99
ESSENTIAL X-MEN TP VOL 10 $19.99
FANTASTIC FOUR #604 $3.99
INCREDIBLE HULK #6 $3.99
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #635 $2.99
JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY FEAR ITSELF FALLOUT PREM HC $19.99
MARVEL FIRSTS 1970S TP VOL 02 $29.99
MMW MIGHTY THOR HC VOL 11 $59.99
MMW MIGHTY THOR HC VOL 11 DM VAR ED 176 $59.99
NORTHANGER ABBEY #5 (OF 5) $3.99
POWERS #9 (MR) $3.95
PUNISHER #9 $2.99
SCARLET SPIDER #3 $2.99
SPIDER-MAN AND NEW WARRIORS HERO KILLERS TP $24.99
SUPER HEROES #24 $2.99
ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS VS NEW ULTIMATES DOSM TP $19.99
ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #9 WITH DIG CDE $3.99
UNCANNY X-MEN BY KIERON GILLEN PREM HC VOL 01 $19.99
WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #7 $3.99
X-23 #21 $2.99
X-MEN LEGACY #263 $2.99
X-MEN SEASON ONE PREM HC WITH DIG CDE $24.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Battle Scars #5
Carnage USA #4
Captain America #9
Daken: Dark Wolverine #22
Fantastic Four #604
Incredible Hulk #6
Journey into Mystery #635
Ultimate Comics X-Men #9
Wolverine & the X-Men #7
X-23 #21
X-Men: Legacy #263

IDW PUBLISHING

ARCHIE AMERICANA HC VOL 03 BEST OF THE 60S (IDW) $24.99
ART OF MOLLY CRABAPPLE SC VOL 01 WEEK IN HELL $9.99
CLASSIC NEXT MEN TP VOL 03 $29.99
DOCTOR WHO ONGOING VOL 2 #15 $3.99
GEORGE PEREZ ART OF HC $49.99
GODZILLA LEGENDS #5 (OF 5) $3.99
INFESTATION 2 GI JOE #1 (OF 2) $3.99
LOCKE & KEY CLOCKWORKS #5 (OF 6) $3.99
MARK TWAIN TALES OF MYSTERY HC $16.99
MICHAEL RECYCLE AND THE TREE TOP COPS HC $15.99
SNAKE EYES ONGOING TP VOL 02 $17.99
STAR TREK 100 PAGE SPECTACULAR 2012 $7.99
TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS EYE ONGOING #3 $3.99
TRANSFORMERS TP VOL 07 CHAOS $19.99
WOMANTHOLOGY HEROIC HC $50.00

Digital Same Day As Print

30 Days of Night: Ongoing #5
Doctor Who: Ongoing Volume 2 #15
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #176
GI Joe: Vol. 2 Ongoing #11
Infestation II: GI Joe #1
Locke and Key: Clockworks #5
Next Men: Aftermath #41
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #3
Transformers: Autocracy #5
True Blood: French Quarter #6

IMAGE COMICS

ACTIVITY #4 $3.50
ARTIFACTS #15 $3.99
BLUE ESTATE #10 (MR) $2.99
DARKNESS ACCURSED TP VOL 06 (MR) $19.99
GLORY #24 $2.99
LAST MORTAL HC (MR) $19.99
MARKSMEN #6 (OF 6) $2.99
MORIARTY TP VOL 02 LAZARUS TREE $14.99
NANCY IN HELL ON EARTH #2 (OF 4) (MR) $3.99
PETER PANZERFAUST #2 (MR) $3.50
QUEEN CRAB HC (MR) $12.99
SAGA #1 (MR) $2.99
SPAWN NEW BEGINNINGS TP VOL 02 $14.99
SPAWN ORIGINS TP VOL 14 $14.99
THIEF OF THIEVES #2 $2.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Activity #4
Artifacts #15
Blue Estate #10
Darkness Accursed Vol .6 TP
Glory #24
Haunt #22
Marksmen #6 (Of 6)
Moriarty: The Lazarus Tree Vol. 2
Nancy In Hell #2
Peter Panzerfaust #2
Queen Crab HC
Reed Gunther #9
Saga #1
Strange Talent of Luther Strode #6 (Of 6)
Thief of Thieves #2

DARK HORSE COMICS

ART OF TARA MCPHERSON HC VOL 03 BUNNY I/T MOON $23.99
BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #7 JEANTY VAR CVR $2.99
BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #7 NOTO CVR $2.99
CONAN THE BARBARIAN #2 CARNEVALE CVR $3.50
CRIME DOES NOT PAY ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 $49.99
DARK MATTER #3 (OF 4) $3.50
LOBSTER JOHNSON THE BURNING HAND #3 (OF 5) $3.50
MONSTERMEN AND OTHER SCARY STORIES HC $24.99
ORCHID #5 $3.50
PC CAST HOUSE OF NIGHT #5 (OF 5) $2.99
ROBERT E HOWARDS SAVAGE SWORD #4 $7.99
STAR WARS AGENT O/T EMPIRE IRON ECLIPSE #4 (OF 5) $3.50
STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC WAR #3 (OF 5) $3.50
STRAIN #4 (OF 12) (MR) $3.50

Dynamite Entertainment

DARK SHADOWS #4 $3.99
NINJETTES #2 (MR) $3.99
NOWHERE MAN #2 (OF 4) $3.99
WARLORD OF MARS #16 (MR) $3.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Dark Shadows #4
The Ninjettes #2
Warlord Of Mars #16

BOOM! Studios

ADVENTURE TIME #2 $3.99
ELRIC THE BALANCE LOST #9 $3.99
EXILE ON THE PLANET OF THE APES #1 (OF 4) $3.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Adventure Time #2
Elric #9

Archie Comics

ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #227 $3.99
ARCHIE THE MARRIED LIFE TP VOL 02 $19.99
MEGA MAN #11 $2.99

Digital Same Day As Print

Mega Man #11

Vertigo

Digital Same Day As Print

Saucer County #1
The Unwritten #35

Comic List is via Previews World
Digital List is via ComiXology