The ultimate grail in Saga is the #1 first print (March 2012, Image Comics): with only ~37,641 copies initially distributed according to Comichron — an under-order by Image standards — it spawned five reprints. The Diamond Retailer Summit variant (~500 copies) is even rarer: CGC 9.8 sales have reached up to $4,000 (August 2021, WorthPoint). For the rest of the series, the European secondary market is very thin (fewer than 15 listings per issue on eBay): this guide is honest about that.
Saga launched in March 2012 from Image Comics, written by Brian K. Vaughan and drawn by Fiona Staples. The series follows Hazel, a child narrator whose parents — Alana (from Landfall) and Marko (from Wreath) — are soldiers from two species locked in permanent war. This explicitly adult space-opera fantasy has won twelve Eisner Awards since its debut, including Best New Series (2013), Best Continuing Series (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017), and Best Writer for Vaughan (2013, 2014, 2017). It is unanimously cited as one of the most important comics of the twenty-first century.
This guide sticks to the verifiable: eBay medians from our estimator (eBay.fr + eBay.com, June 2026) and data documented by Comichron, WorthPoint and the specialist press. A core rule: any eBay median based on fewer than 15 listings is not cited as a price reference — the secondary market for Saga singles is extremely thin in Europe, and publishing a figure from 2 or 3 listings would be misleading. Saga is a 2012 series: there are no Golden, Silver or Bronze Age issues.
Key Saga issues (real data, June 2026)
The European eBay market for Saga singles is structurally thin: most issues show fewer than 5 active listings. Only #1 clears the 15-listing reliability threshold — and even then, its median is diluted by reprints. Record data comes from documented sources (WorthPoint, specialist press).
| Issue | Significance | eBay data | Documented reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saga #1 — Diamond Summit variant (~500 copies) | Ultimate grail: rarer than the 1st print, distributed exclusively to retailers attending the 2012 Diamond Retailer Summit | Almost never appears on the open market | Up to $4,000 in CGC 9.8 (August 2021, WorthPoint) |
| Saga #1 — 1st print (March 2012) | Founding issue, ~37,641 copies distributed (Comichron) — an under-order for Image, 5 reprints followed | €6 median · 46 listings (all printings combined — median not representative of the 1st print alone) | 1st print identified by the absence of any "Xth printing" notice on the back cover |
| Saga #12 (2013) | Temporarily withheld by ComiXology (not Apple) over explicit content — documented in the specialist press | 2 listings — insufficient volume | Qualitative market fact; niche demand |
Sources: Comichron (March 2012 orders), WorthPoint, recalledcomics.com, Comics Beat, CBR. The €6 median for #1 (46 listings) reflects all printings combined; it gives no indication of the value of the original first print, which rarely surfaces on eBay.fr and commands substantially higher prices.
Saga #1: the under-ordered founding issue and its reprints
Saga #1 was published on March 14, 2012, with an initial distribution of approximately 37,641 copies according to Diamond data compiled by Comichron — a modest figure for an Image series, reflecting the lack of prior name recognition. Immediate critical acclaim triggered a rush: Image issued five printings to meet demand. Reprints carry the notice "2nd printing", "3rd printing"… on the back cover; the absence of any such notice is the first indicator of a true first print.
The Diamond Retailer Summit variant is in a category of its own. Distributed exclusively at the 2012 Diamond Retailer Summit to retailers attending in person, it is estimated at approximately 500 copies. It is identified by its alternate cover and the RRP (Retailer Resource Program) logo. CGC 9.8 sales have been documented as high as $4,000 in August 2021 (WorthPoint), with other transactions at $2,400 and $3,199. This is the true grail of the series for a single-issue collector.
Saga #12 and the ComiXology incident (2013)
In April 2013, Saga #12 briefly disappeared from ComiXology's iOS app. The incident was initially attributed to Apple refusing the issue over explicit sexual content — Brian K. Vaughan publicly apologised. The reality turned out to be different: ComiXology had itself chosen not to submit the issue to the App Store, applying an overly conservative reading of its own guidelines. The publisher corrected course quickly and the issue became available again. This episode remains one of the most documented editorial events in the series' history and generates niche collector interest in #12, without making it a rare issue in the strict sense.
Singles vs. collected editions: which strategy?
The specificity of Saga as an ongoing series (running since 2012, with a hiatus from 2018 to 2022) raises a genuine strategic question for collectors. Here are the real options:
- Singles (#1 to present). The "pure collector" route — and the most demanding. Building a complete first-print run requires tracking down issues that almost never surface on the European secondary market. Issue #1 first print is the centrepiece. Other issues are inexpensive but illiquid.
- Trade Paperbacks (Vol. 1 to Vol. 11+). Image publishes TPBs collecting 6 issues each. Affordable, easy to find new, ideal for reading. Little resale value but the best way to discover or complete the series.
- Compendium One (Vol. 1–9, issues #1–54). A single massive volume collecting the first nine trade paperbacks — 54 issues in one book. The ideal format for a collector who wants the complete early run in one purchase. A Compendium Two covering subsequent volumes was in preparation.
- Deluxe Hardcover (Books 1, 2, 3…). Each "Book" collects three TPB volumes in a large hardcover format — the premium option for shelf display.
Why Saga has no adaptation — and what that means for value
Unlike Walking Dead or Invincible, Saga has received no film or television adaptation. Brian K. Vaughan has been explicit: he considers the comic the final form of the work, not a stepping stone to Hollywood. He has stated across multiple interviews that Saga "celebrates what only comics can do" — visuals, storytelling and content that no production budget could transpose without compromise. The series' value therefore rests entirely on critical recognition (twelve Eisner Awards), a large loyal readership and the scarcity of the first print — not on an adaptation effect. That makes it a genuine rarity among Image series of the 2010s: a book whose market is driven purely by the quality of the work itself.
Collector strategy (grounded in real data)
- The Diamond Summit #1 is the maximum-value piece. If your goal is the rarest Saga item, this is it. Budget several thousand dollars for a CGC 9.8 copy and expect near-zero availability on the open market.
- First print #1: identification first. Before buying a #1, verify the absence of any printing notice on the back cover. The €6 eBay median reflects mostly reprints with no meaningful collector value.
- Singles beyond #1: narrative interest, not investment. No other issue has a deep enough secondary market to cite a reliable value. Buy them to complete your run, not as value assets.
- Compendium for reading. If you want to read the first 54 issues without hunting individual singles, Compendium One is the most pragmatic solution.
- Check prices in real time. Values move. Our estimator queries eBay live — use it before any significant purchase.
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