Brian K. Vaughan was a popular comic book writer, getting great acclaim for his work on titles like Y: The Last Man and Ex Machina, when he left the comics world for screenwriting and the writer’s room on the TV series Lost. After a short absence, Vaughan recently returned to comics, along with artist Fiona Staples science fiction/fantasy series Saga, published by Image Comics. The book has debuted to strong sales—multiple reprints of the first issue and mote than 70,000 copies in print—and good reviews.

“I never really thought I left,” says Vaughan of his return. “I just thought I was gearing up for my next big project. Comics are in my blood. Working in film and TV has only reminded me I’m a comics writer first.”

This is not to say he’s completely turned his back on film and television. Vaughan is currently working on turning Stephen King’s Under the Dome into an ongoing series for Showtime. He’s writing the pilot.

Saga, while only two issues into the run, is a sprawling space opera featuring a mixed marriage of two aliens from warring races, narrated by the grown-up voice of their infant daughter. It mixes political commentary on racial conflict and wars that don’t touch the homefront with the clash of science and magic.

“In my mind, the whole appeal of Saga is that it’s something that could never be a TV show or a movie, so the comic for me has been the focus,” explains Vaughan. “The comic is the end destination.”

In an attempt to ground the comic in such a way that it could cover fantastical material and resonate with the audience, Vaughan teamed up with Staples, who best talent he says is to “make my insane fever dreams into something you can emotionally connect with.”

While Vaughan’s most famous material originated in monthly comics, he’s probably best known for the success Y: The Last Man had as a series of trade paperbacks. That’s not necessarily what he’s aiming for this time around.

“I love that so many people have discovered my books in collected editions, but I love monthly comics,” Vaughan offers. “ I love serialized storytelling, 22 pages at a time. I’m hopeful people will come on board for the monthly ride.”

With that thought in mind, Vaughan hesitates for instant when asked about the collected editions, giving the impression that he really hasn’t put a lot of thought into that yet.

“For me, it’s let the story tell you [how long it needs to be] and trust in that,” he says before returning to his message of love for the monthly comic format. “We have no set plan. It will depend on when it feels right, but this is really an ongoing series, first and foremost.”

Prior to his time in television, Vaughan had done the vast majority of his work for imprints of DC Comics and Marvel Comics. While going out of his way not to disparage his former publishers, Vaughan’s reasons for going to Image harken back to the creator movement of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

“I think in the current climate, there’s really only one place that’s doing what I consider truly creator-owned books and that’s Image,” Vaughan states. “And I wanted to do a book that I had 100% creative freedom for and the artist and I owned ourselves with no strings attached and I don’t know anyone else who’s offering that other than Image.”

Vaughan also exhibits a capitalist streak about his work. In an up and down direct market, many creators will tell you only to do comics, particularly independent comics, for the love of the medium. Vaughan strongly disagrees. “I think there’s a huge market for this stuff and I think creators should know that you can make a good living doing something that’s not Batman or Spider-Man. I’m hopeful, but I think that writers and especially artists deserve to make a good living from their work. It would feel like vanity press to do this if we weren’t going to make some scratch. I first and foremost want to make a great book, but I also think we’re going to do very well for ourselves at Image and I hope that will inspire more creators to come over and do it to.”

With the first issue of Saga in its fifth printing, it would definitely seem that Vaughan is finding a market for his work.