Saga, vol. 1-4

Saga, vol. 1, 2, 3 and 4 by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples, 592 pages total

Landfall and its moon, Wreath, have been in a far-reaching intergalactic war for generations. Alana and Marko are soldiers on opposing sides of this war when they fall in love, marry, and give birth to a daughter. When the military leaders of Landfall and Wreath hear about this unholy union, they both send bounty hunters and other cutthroat investigators to wipe out the fledgling family. In their flight from their pursuers, Alana, Marko, and their infant daughter encounter a vast array of alien species,

Narrated by the baby (who has both the horns of her father's race and the wings of her mother's), this is a complex tale of love and family punctuated by moments of humor, heartbreak, and astonishing violence (trust me, between the sex and violence depicted in this series, the "M for Mature" label is justified). Staples' creativity for the types of creatures we encounter, even in the background, knows no bounds, but what really impresses me is the fact that all of the alien races seem possible; the physics seem to work to my admittedly untrained eye.

I'm eager to see what happens next in this captivating tale.