GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW: Fables, vol 11: War and Pieces
Title: Fables, vol 11: War and Pieces
Author: Bill Willingham
Illustrator: Mark Buckingham
Series: Fables
This review has spoilers for previous volumes in the Fables series. To learn about past volumes, click here.
Centuries ago, the fables were exiled from their Homelands and forced into our world. Here they have set up their own communities, keeping their true identities a secret from from the “Mundys” that surround them. Despite their success, they all yearn to go home. In War and Pieces, the final battle against the Adversary will begin and end, but how can the Fables defeat an enemy that has thwarted them for hundreds of years?
After the lengthy volume that was The Good Prince, it's kind of strange to see a slimmer volume marking the end of the Adversary storyline, especially given that it's taken seventy-five issues to reach the final pages of the final battle. While it's true that there are some sequences that I would have preferred to see drawn out longer (such as Bigby's final battle with the Adversary), I was actually pretty pleased with this volume. You really do get a sense that this is everything that Fables has been building towards all this time. All of the major players return for this volume and the story is quite epic, bursting with dramatic battle sequences, and even a pretty significant character death (although whether the character will remain dead remains to be seen). This feeling of epicness is enhanced by Buckingham's art style which favors large panels, as well as long skinny panels that run from top to bottom of the page. I felt that type of layout allowed the reader to see the scope of the battle while keeping the story moving.
This particular volume also begins a two issue arc starring Cinderella. To be honest, I've been a little hot and cold with her arcs (I enjoyed the story which introduced her character, but was less fond of the issues involving the giants), but this one really worked well for me. It feels like this where she's really able to establish herself as a character. I also liked the fact that this arc featured Adversary spies Rodney and June once more.
Final Thoughts: War and Pieces is an appropriately epic finale to the Adversary storyline. Although there were some parts I would have preferred to seem fleshed out a bit more, I was quite satisfied with how things turned out. The two issue arc involving Cinderella were also quite a treat to read. I am quite curious to see where the series is planning on going next, giving the outcome of the final battle. Four and a half Stars
Next I will be reviewing The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling
Author: Bill Willingham
Illustrator: Mark Buckingham
Series: Fables
This review has spoilers for previous volumes in the Fables series. To learn about past volumes, click here.
Centuries ago, the fables were exiled from their Homelands and forced into our world. Here they have set up their own communities, keeping their true identities a secret from from the “Mundys” that surround them. Despite their success, they all yearn to go home. In War and Pieces, the final battle against the Adversary will begin and end, but how can the Fables defeat an enemy that has thwarted them for hundreds of years?
After the lengthy volume that was The Good Prince, it's kind of strange to see a slimmer volume marking the end of the Adversary storyline, especially given that it's taken seventy-five issues to reach the final pages of the final battle. While it's true that there are some sequences that I would have preferred to see drawn out longer (such as Bigby's final battle with the Adversary), I was actually pretty pleased with this volume. You really do get a sense that this is everything that Fables has been building towards all this time. All of the major players return for this volume and the story is quite epic, bursting with dramatic battle sequences, and even a pretty significant character death (although whether the character will remain dead remains to be seen). This feeling of epicness is enhanced by Buckingham's art style which favors large panels, as well as long skinny panels that run from top to bottom of the page. I felt that type of layout allowed the reader to see the scope of the battle while keeping the story moving.
This particular volume also begins a two issue arc starring Cinderella. To be honest, I've been a little hot and cold with her arcs (I enjoyed the story which introduced her character, but was less fond of the issues involving the giants), but this one really worked well for me. It feels like this where she's really able to establish herself as a character. I also liked the fact that this arc featured Adversary spies Rodney and June once more.
Final Thoughts: War and Pieces is an appropriately epic finale to the Adversary storyline. Although there were some parts I would have preferred to seem fleshed out a bit more, I was quite satisfied with how things turned out. The two issue arc involving Cinderella were also quite a treat to read. I am quite curious to see where the series is planning on going next, giving the outcome of the final battle. Four and a half Stars
Next I will be reviewing The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling