Saga Deluxe Book Four picks up where Compendium One ends, without repeating any story issues. Compendium One collects original issues #1 through #54, while the fourth deluxe hardcover collects #55 through #72. Readers who have finished Compendium One can therefore move straight to Book Four and continue in order. This comparison is based on Image Comics' listings for the original English-language editions.
Where Compendium One ends and Deluxe Book Four begins
Saga: Compendium One, listed by Image Comics as released on August 21, 2019, combines the first nine smaller trade paperback volumes. Saga Deluxe Book Four has a publisher-listed release date of June 3, 2026 and collects the following 18 issues. The handoff is exact: issue #55 follows #54, with neither a gap nor an overlap.
Do not confuse the numbering of the different formats. Deluxe Book Four is the fourth book in the hardcover line, but its contents match Volumes 10, 11 and 12 of the smaller trade paperback line. The smaller Volume 4 covers earlier material already in the compendium.
Issue map: compendium, deluxe books and smaller volumes
| Edition | Original issues | Equivalent smaller volumes | In Compendium One? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compendium One | #1 to #54 | Volumes 1 to 9 | This is the compendium itself |
| Deluxe Book One | #1 to #18 | Volumes 1 to 3 | Yes, entirely |
| Deluxe Book Two | #19 to #36 | Volumes 4 to 6 | Yes, entirely |
| Deluxe Book Three | #37 to #54 | Volumes 7 to 9 | Yes, entirely |
| Deluxe Book Four | #55 to #72 | Volumes 10 to 12 | No |
The first three deluxe hardcovers also explain which purchases would duplicate Compendium One: together, they contain exactly issues #1 through #54, already owned by anyone with that compendium.
Which smaller volumes continue the story?
If you prefer regular trade paperbacks instead of Deluxe Book Four, Image Comics identifies the next three collections as follows:
- Saga, Volume 10: issues #55 through #60.
- Saga, Volume 11: issues #61 through #66.
- Saga, Volume 12: issues #67 through #72.
Those three books together contain the same 18 story issues as Book Four. Buying both alternatives duplicates the narrative material, although the physical presentation and bonus content can differ.
What should you buy to avoid duplicates?
- I own Compendium One: buy Deluxe Book Four or Volumes 10, 11 and 12 to continue through issue #72.
- I own Deluxe Books One, Two and Three: continue with Deluxe Book Four, which also starts at #55.
- I stopped at regular Volume 9: resume with regular Volume 10, or get Deluxe Book Four for issues #55 through #72 in one book.
- I am starting Saga: Compendium One can cover the first stretch and Deluxe Book Four the next. In smaller volumes, the corresponding run is Volumes 1 through 12.
Format differences and checks for editions sold outside the US
Compendium One is a large paperback, whereas Book Four is a deluxe hardcover. Image Comics describes a new Fiona Staples cover and bonus features for Book Four, including an art gallery. The no-overlap finding concerns the story issues; it does not mean that covers, binding or bonus material are identical.
The publisher lists ISBN 9781534313460 for Compendium One and 9781534332607 for Deluxe Book Four. These identify Image Comics editions and do not establish translation, stock, pricing or a local release in Brazil or any other country. For editions issued by other publishers or sold in another market, check the original issue numbers in the book's credits or listing. Those numbers are a safer guide against duplicate purchases than the marketed title or volume count.
