The unique letter column in Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ ‘Saga’
The science fiction/fantasy comic book series Saga is acclaimed for its compelling story and art. Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples, and published by Image Comics, the series debuted in March 2012, and has won numerous awards, received critical praise, and generated an avid fan base. Contributing to this fan engagement is the comic’s unique letter column, titled “To Be Continued.”
At the site SKTCHD, writer David Harper outlines and praises the Saga letter column’s distinctive qualities:
“For a comic like Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples’ Saga, they could have run pictures of their favorite enchiladas of the month as their letters column and been fine. But To Be Continued, the book’s letters column, is a masterpiece of interactivity. It’s an inventive experience that brings unique wrinkles to the table every issue. Those include BKV’s sidekick/dachshund Hamburger K. Vaughan picking the best letter every month, with that person winning an often hilariously random assortment of prizes. They also do a yearly reader poll in which readers are asked to send in answers to a laundry list of questions Vaughan creates. They have a Saga costume contest, with prizes involved. Oh, and To Be Continued only accepts letters sent by post. No emails. The barrier to entry on To Be Continued is higher than it is for other books, but I’m guessing it still gets the most letters of any title.”
As Harper notes, “To Be Continued” has features that are uncommon to modern letter columns; the most significant difference is arguably the requirement that communications be sent physically by mail, rather than electronically via email.
In Saga’s first issue, Vaughan is clear about this constraint:
“I spilled French onion soup in my wireless router and won’t have internet access for the foreseeable ever, but I’d still love to do an old-school letter column at the end of each issue. So if you have something to share (especially if it has nothing to do with our series), and you live near an elderly person who can help walk you through the trials of physical post, please mail your notes to ‘To Be Continued’ at the above address. Old Polaroids, cocktail recipes and terrible children’s drawings especially welcomed.”
The decision to accept only mailed letters was bold. While comic book letter columns were once ubiquitous, today they are absent from most comics, supplanted by social media that allows for instantaneous communication between readers and creators; the few columns that remain allow email feedback. Readers’ willingness to write and mail fan letters to a creator was uncertain.
In an interview with the site Multiversity Comics, Vaughan acknowledges the inspiration, and his rationale, for requiring mailed letters, but also shares that fellow comics writer Ed Brubaker doubted the success of such a column:
“I think I’m probably ripping that off from Adrian Tomine, who’s always had a great ‘physical letters’ lettercol in the back of Optic Nerve. I love correspondence, but I’m afraid I hate email and social media, so this seemed like a more fun alternative. Brubaker is convinced I won’t get as much as a single postcard, so please feel free to prove him wrong, People Who Own Stamps…”
The fans proved Brubaker wrong. Letters arrived via the mail, ranging in topic from earnest questions and feedback, to cocktail recipes, to shared details of joyful and poignant life experiences. The letters came from a diverse group of readers, from around the world.
The first published fan letter, relatively short, appeared in issue 3 (praising the comic’s originality, but complaining that ink from the cover came off on the reader’s fingers). The last published letter to date, in issue 53, reports the letter writer’s history with the comic, and the friendship and connection it inspired with fellow fans, but also expresses sadness about the death of a supporting character.
The letters can be as affecting as the comic’s narrative. In issue 53, a reader shares his family’s recent experiences with miscarriages, and thanks the creative team for providing a catharsis for his pain, via the way a character’s miscarriage was addressed in the comic. In issue 11, a reader — after summarizing a successful effort to interest his girlfriend in Saga — proposes marriage to her via the letter column; in issue 13, readers learn about her response to the proposal.
A presumable conceit of the column is that Vaughan’s dog, Hamburger K. Vaughan, picks the best letter received each month (“presumable” in the sense that there is no evidence that Hamburger doesn’t pick the letter), and the writer of that letter is mailed an assortment of random detritus taken from Vaughan’s “Almighty Prize Drawer.” Examples of such prizes include an old necktie, used Silly Putty, a mostly empty pack of Dentyne gum, a signed copy of an issue of Saga, a losing lottery ticket, and a promotional beer koozie, among other treasures.
The fan letters are not limited to text missives. Posting letters allows readers to send additional items, such as artwork, incense, brochures, carvings, shoes, dolls, or other creations to Vaughan. Envelopes and packages can be decorated with eye-catching art. “To Be Continued” is a showcase of readers’ talents and creativity, and the column also hosts Saga-themed costume contests, with the winning participants receiving prizes for their homemade costumes.
It is worth considering the work it takes to produce “To Be Continued.” The column often ranges from three to five pages in the comic’s backmatter, presumably publishing a fraction of the total letters Vaughan receives. Unlike electronic communications, which can be cut and pasted into the comic, the mailed content needs to be typed or reproduced manually, along with Vaughan’s responses. This extra effort highlights the creative team’s commitment to connect with Saga fans via the column’s analog requirements.
The comic’s marketing recognizes the column’s significance as a feature of Saga, illustrated by this excerpt from Image Comics’ solicitation for Saga #50: “Plus, the winners of the latest SAGA COSTUME CONTEST are revealed exclusively in ‘To Be Continued,’ the letters page showcasing the best readers in comics!”
Fan letters are absent from issue 54, published in July 2018; the comic’s shocking ending is followed by a blank page under the letter column’s masthead. On the following page, Vaughan reveals that Saga will be taking an indefinite “extended break”; this hiatus would last three-and-a-half years, with Saga #55 scheduled to be published on January 26, 2022.
It is anticipated that “To Be Continued” will also resume, and that readers will once again mail their letters, eager to share their thoughts and perhaps win something from the Almighty Prize Drawer. “To Be Continued” is a unique forum that showcases the opinions and talents of Saga fans, fosters a reader community, and contributes to the comic’s appeal.
NOTES AND FURTHER READING:
Saga — issues 1 through 54 (written by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples, lettering and design by Fonografiks, Image Comics, March 2012 — July 2018)
“Backmatter and the Golden Age of Comic Book Letter Columns” (David Harper, SKTCHD.com, September 29, 2015) [Disclosure: the author of this article is quoted in Harper’s article.]
“Multiversity Comics Presents: Brian K. Vaughan” (David Harper, multiversitycomics.com, March 12, 2012)
Saga #50 solicitation (imagecomics.com, circa January 2018)
Letters to “To Be Continued” can currently be sent to the following address:
To Be Continued
4335 Van Nuys Boulevard — Suite 332
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
POST-CREDITS SCENE:
THE BLACK TERROR WILL RETURN…
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