GRAPHIC NOVEL REVIEW: Fables, Vol 12: The Dark Ages
Title: Fables, Vol 12: The Dark Ages
Author: Bill Willingham
Illustrator: Mark Buckingham, Michael Allred
Series: Fables (Book 12)
The following review has unavoidable spoilers for previous volumes in the Fables series, especially War and Pieces. There are no spoilers for The Dark Ages.
You've defeated your arch nemesis and have emerged from war victorious. What happens next? If you're Bill Willingham, the creator of Fables, the answer is to not get too comfortable. There are consequences to the Fables' victory. The fact that the evil Geppetto was offered amnesty after his defeat, and is now walking around Fabletown as a free man is the least of their problems. In The Dark Ages new enemies emerge, and old ones resurface as our heroes deal with the consequences of victory.
If Willingham really wanted to, he could have ended Fables at volume eleven and I would have been pretty satisfied. At first, the fact that he decided to continue after the defeat of the Adversary had me a little nervous. The main storyline was technically over. Where could the series go next? By the time I had finished The Dark Ages, I realized that there was plenty left to explore. In many ways, the decision to continue the comic after it's natural end is very like Fables. The series has always been willing to embrace complexity, so it makes sense that they would recognize that even complete victory has it's drawbacks. For example, what's to happen to the dozens of worlds that were once held captive by the Adversary? Sure, many of the Fables might want to return to their Homelands, but what about the worlds they have no connection to? Is is appropriate to step in and take the spoils of war, or would that make them just as bad as the Adversary?
Another one of the strength of Fables is it's large cast of characters. Given that we've stuck with the same cast for twelve volumes now, we've seen many of them grown and develop in impressive ways. We've seen Boy Blue (who plays an important role in this volume) grow from Snow's assistant to a reluctant war hero. We've seen Flycatcher change from pretty much a throw away character to one of the most compelling figures in the series. So while The Dark Ages is mainly about introducing the new villains who are sure to wreak havoc on the Fables in future volumes, it's also a very character centric volume that continues to bring our heroes to interesting places. For example, after finishing The Dark Ages, I couldn't help but feel curious about where Willingham is going to bring the character or Rose Red next. The artwork, done by Mark Buckingham continues to be impressive. Guest artists are brought it for the one shots that surround the main arc, and I found their work less compelling. This is especially true for Michael Allred's work on “Around the Town.” In this issue, the characters are drawn very differently than the style that I've grown attached to.
Final Thoughts: The Dark Ages proves that even though the Adversary has been defeated, there are still interesting stories to be told in the Fables Universe. The realization that there are negative consequences, even to complete victory, is very fitting to Fables's complex world view, and what we see of the new villains here makes me eager to read more. Four and a Half Stars
Next I will be Reviewing Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold
Author: Bill Willingham
Illustrator: Mark Buckingham, Michael Allred
Series: Fables (Book 12)
The following review has unavoidable spoilers for previous volumes in the Fables series, especially War and Pieces. There are no spoilers for The Dark Ages.
You've defeated your arch nemesis and have emerged from war victorious. What happens next? If you're Bill Willingham, the creator of Fables, the answer is to not get too comfortable. There are consequences to the Fables' victory. The fact that the evil Geppetto was offered amnesty after his defeat, and is now walking around Fabletown as a free man is the least of their problems. In The Dark Ages new enemies emerge, and old ones resurface as our heroes deal with the consequences of victory.
If Willingham really wanted to, he could have ended Fables at volume eleven and I would have been pretty satisfied. At first, the fact that he decided to continue after the defeat of the Adversary had me a little nervous. The main storyline was technically over. Where could the series go next? By the time I had finished The Dark Ages, I realized that there was plenty left to explore. In many ways, the decision to continue the comic after it's natural end is very like Fables. The series has always been willing to embrace complexity, so it makes sense that they would recognize that even complete victory has it's drawbacks. For example, what's to happen to the dozens of worlds that were once held captive by the Adversary? Sure, many of the Fables might want to return to their Homelands, but what about the worlds they have no connection to? Is is appropriate to step in and take the spoils of war, or would that make them just as bad as the Adversary?
Another one of the strength of Fables is it's large cast of characters. Given that we've stuck with the same cast for twelve volumes now, we've seen many of them grown and develop in impressive ways. We've seen Boy Blue (who plays an important role in this volume) grow from Snow's assistant to a reluctant war hero. We've seen Flycatcher change from pretty much a throw away character to one of the most compelling figures in the series. So while The Dark Ages is mainly about introducing the new villains who are sure to wreak havoc on the Fables in future volumes, it's also a very character centric volume that continues to bring our heroes to interesting places. For example, after finishing The Dark Ages, I couldn't help but feel curious about where Willingham is going to bring the character or Rose Red next. The artwork, done by Mark Buckingham continues to be impressive. Guest artists are brought it for the one shots that surround the main arc, and I found their work less compelling. This is especially true for Michael Allred's work on “Around the Town.” In this issue, the characters are drawn very differently than the style that I've grown attached to.
Final Thoughts: The Dark Ages proves that even though the Adversary has been defeated, there are still interesting stories to be told in the Fables Universe. The realization that there are negative consequences, even to complete victory, is very fitting to Fables's complex world view, and what we see of the new villains here makes me eager to read more. Four and a Half Stars
Next I will be Reviewing Shards of Honor by Lois McMaster Bujold