OMG I finally (FINALLY) got around to reading Saga...

In the midst of my major, sad life upheaval (a divorce, an interstate move and a running injury), two of my friends recommended Saga to me. It's an epic graphic novel series set IN SPAAAAACE.

I bought three volumes of it, because that's all that existed at the time before it went on hiatus. And it sat on my bookshelf. And it moved down to Florida with me. And it sat on my bookshelf some more. And I tried to read it once, but I had other reading obligations.

Now! Finally! I read all three of the volumes I had, all in one go, as I sat on the beach on the Fourth of July. It was epic! Some of the art was a little much for me, to be honest. In one scene, the hero and his mother end up on a planet that's actually an egg and some ogre with a large, swinging pustule-covered scrotum chases them. And I was like, "Is this really necessary?" But it was a funny, irreverent romp that had some touching moments and grander themes that I really enjoyed. I want to get the rest of it and read that, too, but that might take another four years. We'll see.

This is my reading view most weeks. Isn't it awesome? The art in Saga can get a little weird. I was waiting for some irate parent to be like, "WTF ARE YOU READING THERE ARE CHILDREN ON THIS BEACH."

That's all I have to say about it. I don't usually pick up graphic novels because I don't find them a good value relative to my time. I read really fast, and graphic novels take a different, more patient reading style. There are pictures. And you're supposed to read all of the speech bubbles and take in the art and enjoy it. You know the people who say "I tried to knit once, but I just didn't have the patience?" I'm like that, but with graphic novels. I don't have the patience.

Despite my lack of patience, I ordered the new anthology of "Valerian and Laureline" because I want to read it before I see the movie. I don't know how mad I should be that "Laureline" was dropped from the title of the movie. I feel a little cranky about it, especially after reading this piece from The Atlantic about Laureline and feminism. There are two anthologies of Saga I want to get and two more anthologies of Valerian and Laureline I should read after I read the first. I have book requests in with the SFBR, but they're taking FOREVER to get here.

What's your reading style? Are you patient enough for comics/graphic novels? Do you like graphic novels set in space? Do you have a scenic reading spot?