# Is "Saga #1" by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Saga #1 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples (Image Comics, 2012) is identified by: Cover-dated March 2012, printed cover price, Fiona Staples cover showing Alana breastfeeding the newborn Hazel. True first appearance of Alana, Marko, and Hazel.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Cover-dated March 2012, printed cover price, Fiona Staples cover showing Alana breastfeeding the newborn Hazel
- The first print has no reprint notation and the series title 'Saga' is lettered in orange
- The second printing (April 2012) renders the 'Saga' title in black and adds the words 'Second Printing' directly below the price; subsequent printings are likewise marked
- The first-print indicia is dated 2012
- Correct publisher/imprint: Image Comics

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples |
| Publisher | Image Comics |
| Year | 2012 |
| True first | world edition |
| Format | Comic / graphic novel |
| Key point | Cover-dated March 2012, printed cover price, Fiona Staples cover showing Alana breastfeeding the newborn Hazel |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
Cover-dated March 2012, printed cover price, Fiona Staples cover showing Alana breastfeeding the newborn Hazel. The first print has no reprint notation and the series title 'Saga' is lettered in orange. The second printing (April 2012) renders the 'Saga' title in black and adds the words 'Second Printing' directly below the price; subsequent printings are likewise marked. The first-print indicia is dated 2012.

## Is this the true first?
True first appearance of Alana, Marko, and Hazel. The unmarked first print is the key; high-grade and CGC 9.8 first-print copies are the most sought. Later printings are common and clearly marked.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Issue #1 went through five printings, each clearly marked. The key visual point: a first printing has the orange title logo and no printing line; the second printing shows a black title logo.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Saga #1* by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/saga-1
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.