Graphic Novel 1
The world as we know it is the goal of one who plots it's takeover.
One who is known only as the strange and mysterous "Il Palazzo".
His follower an energetic female named Excel.
And this is her saga... pity her.

When she's not being hurled down a trap door for some transgression of one sort or another, she's working hard to keep temp jobs which brings in money to fund the takeover... yet somehow she manages to work her "missions" in with her temp jobs or something like that.

Before the end of the Graphic Novel she'll gain the company of her future "emergency rations" -- aka the team "mascot" the dog known as "Mince".

She'll also come into the company of the enigma known as Hyatt, her "new partner" in her war to take over the world. She also has discovered that her partner "Hyatt" has a problem. A problem with the concept of being "alive" overall since she seems to constantly be drifting close to "terminated" mode.

It's a safe bet that 11 out of 10 forms of life, INCLUDING chest burster Aliens, won't have anything to do with Hyatt. Heck, it's a safe bet she may be the first human that Aliens will be unable to "breed" in considering she seems to be a biological "dead zone". She might even give an Alien Queen nightmares.
Other than that she seems to be her own "sweeps week" ratings lifter in her own right.
In short she can provide her own "death" and "revival" scenes every Graphic Novel... and no, she's NOT related to Kenny.

Prison riots will be initiated, things will burn, colds will be spread, Christmas will be celebrated with Rudolph the CSI cannon-fodder Reindeer, and then it ends.

Graphic Novel 2
You've met Excel and Hyatt, and their "emergency ration"... I mean "mascot" Mince. Yeah, "mascot".
And you met Excel/Hyatt's neighbors, who seem to be nothing more than background fillers.
That is until THIS Graphic Novel.

It seems a new threat to the schemes of Il Palazzo may be rising in the form of a City Government official who has opened an office meant to counter the efforts of "dark" forces trying to overthrow the city.
Too bad nobody is doing that... until Excel/Hyatt are promoted to "public relations" and their first duty they undertake is public "education" of their role as a conquered people, which in turn leads to this new "nemesis" learning of their existence.

To this end he hires his own "force" to counter the forces of Il Palazzo, which happens to be those neighbors (three males) of Excel/Hyatt.

Looks like Il Palazzo may need a change of tactics, which may include an explosive "solution" to this threat looming in the horizon.

Graphic Novel 3
Obviously Il Palazzo's plan to erase his nemesis before he grows in power has failed.
So what happens now?

We take a break from this conflict to watch Excel/Hyatt learn the ills of local politics, and the evils of telecommunications companies and the darkness that is MCI... whether or not it's a jab at the actual MCI or this is just pure coincidence that the evil company happens to be called MCI is unknown.

Then we'll have a trip to the hospital on a mission, have the first dream of the new year, witness yet another "Death" of Hyatt, and ultimately come back to the conflict between the two factions of Il Palazzo and his breaded nemesis as the forces of the breaded one are sent into the sewers to flush out the HQ of Il Palazzo, and almost succeed in doing just that.

But I'll stop here before I say more. Let's do the breakdown.

Optional Extras
Oubilette - A section in the back of each book that provide translation notes and extras. Very nice.

Excel Saga Breakdown the 1st to 3rd
What's Hot? It's a damn fun series! And it's supposed to be stuff that they could NEVER do for the Anime version to boot! That's good, if you ask me. Wicked bite to it with quite abit of humor, wit and bite.
A solidly done read all around.

What's Not? Nothing, yet. I'm hoping this good pace holds together for Excel Saga GN 4-6.

Moments to Remember? More than I can list here. It's all good and memorable.

What to Ignore? What's with Hyatt? And why no panty shots of her in the Anime? What's with her? Why is she always near death's door? Why... why... oh ignore me because I'm going to puzzle and puzzle and puzzle about this until me puzzler hurts like nobody's business.
Is that a good thing? I don't think so.

Overall? It's a nice solid little piece of wicked fun. If you like something with some serious bite this is the title for you. Give it a shot and see what you think of it! It should be some kind of good from what I've seen of it so give it a shot ASAP!