Saga: the most expensive comics and the keys to know

Saga launched in March 2012 from Image Comics, written by Brian K. Vaughan and drawn by Fiona Staples. The series follows Alana and Marko — two soldiers from warring species (Landfall and Wreath) who flee the entire universe with their daughter Hazel, the story's narrator. Space opera, fantasy and family drama fuse in a graphically bold work that has earned more than twelve Eisner Awards between 2013 and 2019, including Best Continuing Series four times. Vaughan has consistently refused every film and television adaptation offer: as of 2026, no screen version exists. The series' collector value rests entirely on its prestige as a comic.

This guide sticks to the verifiable: real-time eBay medians from our estimator (eBay.fr + eBay.com, June 2026) and documented records (GoCollect, specialist sources). Method note: any eBay median based on fewer than 15 listings is not cited as a reliable price reference — the vast majority of Saga issues beyond #1 are too thinly represented to provide a useful figure. Saga is a 2012 creation: there are no Golden Age, Silver Age or Bronze Age Saga keys.

Saga key issue ranking (documented records and eBay values, June 2026)

Almost all Saga issues are under-represented on eBay. The #1 "all editions" is the only usable median; other issues are handled qualitatively.

Record sources: GoCollect, CBSI Comics, recalledcomics.com, WorthPoint. The 4th print has no Comichron data available; the print run estimate is qualitative.

Saga #1: under-ordered, five printings, one persistent confusion

When Image Comics released Saga #1 on March 14, 2012, retailers had ordered just 37,641 copies through Diamond — a modest number for a new series, even from an independent publisher. Word spread fast: within weeks the issue was gone and Image ran five successive print runs, identifiable by the colour of the title logo on the cover (orange for the first print). The first print is identified by its bright orange logo and the absence of any reprint notice.

The eBay median of €6 across 46 listings is therefore misleading: it blends all printings, including the most common ones (2nd and 5th) that trade for a few euros. A first-print copy in near-mint condition is worth considerably more — GoCollect places it at $450 in CGC 9.8. The gap between first and fifth print in high grade is substantial. Always verify the cover logo before buying.

The Diamond Retailer Summit variant: the ~500-copy grail

In April 2012, at the C2E2 convention in Chicago, Diamond Distributors gave out an exclusive Saga #1 variant to attending retailers: the Diamond Retailer Summit variant, limited to approximately 500 copies. The cover — different from the newsstand edition — features Alana, Marko and baby Hazel up front against a multicolour background. This variant was never sold directly to the public.

It is the undisputed grail of the series. GoCollect places its fair market value at $2,500 in CGC 9.8 — confirmed by specialist sources that were already documenting sales "in excess of $2,000" in 2018, with peaks above $3,000 during the pandemic collector boom. Raw copies in good condition rarely surface on the secondary market: most retailers who hold one keep it.

Saga #12: the Comixology controversy issue

Published in 2013, Saga #12 is known to collectors for an extra-editorial reason: Comixology briefly refused to distribute it on its platform, citing a misreading of Apple's content policy. The issue contains two small sexually explicit images — appearing on a character's television screen — that Comixology had flagged as problematic. The decision was quickly reversed after Brian K. Vaughan and the specialist press called it out as censorship. Apple was not behind the decision: Comixology acknowledged this publicly.

On the value side, #12 is a footnote: our estimator returns only 2 listings, well below the threshold for citing a reliable price. Its notoriety is narrative and historical, not financial.

Why Saga holds value — with no screen adaptation

The value drivers for Saga are unusual: there is no film or television adaptation (Brian K. Vaughan has systematically turned down all offers — no screen version exists as of 2026), yet critical prestige is exceptional. The series has won more than twelve Eisner Awards, including Best New Series in 2013 and Best Continuing Series four times (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017). It is critical acclaim that sustains demand — combined with the genuine scarcity of the first print.

• The scarcity of the #1 first print is documented (37,641 Diamond copies): a small number for a series that has established itself as a modern classic.
• The Retailer Summit variant (~500 copies) represents one of the most extreme rarities in modern Image Comics.
• The absence of a screen adaptation means value does not rest on an external media event — it rests on the intrinsic quality of the work, a more durable foundation.

Collector strategy (grounded in real data)

• Identify the right printing. Orange logo = 1st print. Any other colour or a reprint notice = later printing, lower value. Do not rely on the global eBay median.
• The Summit variant is out of reach for most. At ~$2,500 graded CGC 9.8, it is a specialist investment. Raw copies are even harder to find than graded ones.
• Rare reprints outvalue common ones. The 4th print (fewer than 1,400 copies) beats the 2nd print (~4,820 copies) in CGC 9.8 — a counterintuitive dynamic worth knowing.
• Check values in real time. The figures above date from June 2026; the modern comics market moves quickly.