The undisputed key issue of Saga is #1 (March 2012, Image Comics), its 1st printing. Its "all editions combined" eBay median is deceptively low — €6 across 46 listings (June 2026) — because it blends later printings and cheap raw copies. But the 1st printing was under-printed (≈ 37,641 copies): in high grade it is genuinely scarce, with a documented CGC 9.8 value around $450. Here are the real modern key issues of the series.
Saga launched in 2012, making it a Modern-age series. There is therefore no "Silver Age" or "Bronze Age" grail of Saga — those eras ended in 1970 and the mid-1980s, long before the series existed. Every issue that matters is a key from 2012 onward, concentrated at the very start of the run.
This guide sticks to the verifiable: a real-time eBay median (via our estimator) and documented facts about the creators, the print run and the censorship episode. When a precise figure can't be verified — which is the case for the very thin-volume issues — we state it qualitatively rather than inventing it.
Saga #1: the one true grail of the series
Unlike most over-printed 1990s Image #1s, Saga #1 was under-printed: a first printing of roughly 37,641 copies that sold out within days, for five printings in all to meet demand. That's what creates the paradox in its value:
- The median is dragged down. Our estimator shows €6 across 46 listings (June 2026), but this median mixes the 1st printing, reprints and low-grade raw copies. It does not reflect the value of a high-grade 1st print.
- The high-grade 1st print is scarce. In CGC 9.8, the documented market value sits around $450 (source: GoCollect) — a world apart from the raw median.
- How to identify the 1st print. Look for the orange lettering on the "Saga" title and the absence of any reprint notation on the cover or title page. That detail separates a few-euro copy from a several-hundred-dollar piece.
The grail within the grail: the Diamond Retailer Summit edition
The rarest variant of Saga #1 is the Diamond Retailer Summit edition, distributed to retailers: an estimated print run of just ~500 copies. In CGC 9.8, its documented market value reaches roughly $2,500 (source: GoCollect) — more than five times the standard 1st print. It's the true collector's piece of the series for anyone chasing absolute scarcity.
The early issues: narrative weight, values to treat with caution
After #1, the early Saga issues are sought after for their place in the founding arc, but their eBay values rest on very few listings. In the interest of honesty, we don't present them as stable values:
| Issue | Significance | eBay median (June 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Saga #1 (March 2012) | First issue, under-printed, the series grail | €6 · 46 listings |
| Saga #2 to #6 (2012) | Opening arc, sought-after early issues | ~€15-28 · 2 to 8 listings (indicative) |
| Saga #12 (2013) | The issue at the center of the digital censorship row | ~€17 · 2 listings (indicative) |
Issues #2 through #12 show only 2 to 8 listings each: these medians are ballpark figures, not reliable values. The only issue in the series with enough listing volume for a credible median is #1.
Saga #12: the most controversial issue
Saga #12 (2013) made history for an unusual reason: its brief iOS ban. Because of two small images of gay sex — which Brian K. Vaughan described as "two postage stamp-sized images" — the issue was initially blocked from iOS apps. Apple was widely blamed at first, but it was the digital distributor Comixology that admitted it had made the call, based on an overly conservative reading of Apple's policies. The decision was reversed within days (sources: Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Washington Post, Engadget). The episode turned #12 into a landmark issue in debates over censorship in modern comics.
Why Saga matters (and who made it)
Saga is created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples, published by Image Comics since March 2012. The series has swept up a dozen Eisner Awards between 2013 and 2017, and Fiona Staples became the first woman to win the Eisner for "Best Cover Artist." After chapter #54 (July 2018), the series went on hiatus on a major cliffhanger, before returning with chapter #55 on January 26, 2022. Vaughan has stated that Saga is planned to span 108 chapters in total — so the series is far from over.
Collector strategy (grounded in real data)
- The 1st print of #1 is the only true value piece. Don't trust the €6 median: check the orange lettering and the absence of any reprint notation, and aim for high grade (CGC 9.8 ≈ $450).
- The Diamond Retailer Summit edition = the ultimate grail (~500 copies, ~$2,500 in CGC 9.8), for anyone after absolute scarcity.
- Be wary of thin-volume values. For #2 through #12, the eBay market is too thin for a reliable median — always check live value before buying. The figures above are from June 2026 and prices move.
Own a Saga comic? Get a free valuation with our tool based on real eBay sales to find its low, median and high value.