Fables (issues 1-18) (Deluxe Editions 1 and 2) and Jack of Fables (issues 1-5)
This is a series that I've been meaning to read for ages. I just kept putting it up. I did read the "Max and Peter" novel a while back and really liked it. So, to keep me busy during the summer, I decided to start.
Fables is a comic book series by Bill Willingham that focuses on fairy tale, myth, and legend characters who have fled their Homelands and come to our world. Hundreds of years ago, they were forced out by "The Adversary" who conquered their realm. The Fables, as they call themselves, have formed a clandestine community in New York City known as Fabletown. Fables who are unable to blend in with human society (such as goblins and anthropomorphic animals) live at "the Farm" in upstate New York.
The series (currently at 118 issues and three mini-spin-offs) follows several characters and explores their pasts and their current issues. The first story line focuses on the disappearance and possible death of Rose Red, Snow White's younger sister and Jack of Fables' (aka Jack Horner, Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack Frost, etc) on-again, off-again girlfriend. The disappearance is investigated by Snow (Fabletown's deputy mayor), Bigby Wolf (The Big Bad Wolf and the sheriff of Fabletown), Jack, Boy Blue (Snow's assistant) and Blue Beard. It read more like a'who done it?' story than a fairy tale.
The second story focuses on an uprising at "the Farm" and the riff between a couple of characters. The second deluxe volume had a couple of stand-alone stories and one story arc that is just too spoilier-y to discuss.
The thing I really enjoy about the Fables series is that it takes stories we all know (and some we have forgotten) and twists them around a bit. For example, Prince Charming was married to Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. He also divorced them all and cheated on all of them. Now Snow is in a love-hate-just-kiss-already relationship with the Big Bad Wolf, who regularly lets one of the Three Little Pigs crash on his sofa. And his dad is the North Wind. (That explains his huff and puff). Oh, Goldilocks? Totally sleeping with Baby Bear and she may just be a completely psychopath. Miss Muffet, married the Spider. I could go on. Basically. . .everyone has had two hundred years or so to go past their 'Happily Ever After' and things aren't totally rosey and happy. Sure, some people got a nice ending (Beauty and the Beast are still happily married), but nothing is perfect (the more angry she is at him, the more Beast-like he looks).
I'm also really enjoying all the back stories and how dark some of them are. Who knew Boy Blue was much deeper than he seemed in the first Deluxe Edition? I love that the war changed people so much and that there is so much history between these characters. Like Bigby and Snow's past is something I'm looking forward to reading. And, I want to learn more about characters like Prince Charming, Jack, Cinderella, Fly, "the Farm", etc. I'm just really enjoying these characters and their back stories.
I also picked up the first trade of Jack of Fables. It takes place farther along in the Fables cannon, but it wasn't an issue. I understood what was happening and the narrative gave me all the information I needed. I thought it was a fairly interesting idea: a prison for story characters. They are placed there in the hopes that the people of the world will forget their stories. It was full of characters I didn't really know (Sam) and characters that could be from any story.
Jack is an unlikely lead character. He's not the greatest guy and he seems to be in for himself and no one else. Maybe that's why it's such a cool read - the lead character nearly unlikable, but he's still fun and exciting. Plus, I feel like there is a big story coming, what with the prison and unusualness of the staff and all. I'm looking forward to more. It's only nine trade paperbacks, so it should be a short (but fun) read.
Fables is a comic book series by Bill Willingham that focuses on fairy tale, myth, and legend characters who have fled their Homelands and come to our world. Hundreds of years ago, they were forced out by "The Adversary" who conquered their realm. The Fables, as they call themselves, have formed a clandestine community in New York City known as Fabletown. Fables who are unable to blend in with human society (such as goblins and anthropomorphic animals) live at "the Farm" in upstate New York.
The series (currently at 118 issues and three mini-spin-offs) follows several characters and explores their pasts and their current issues. The first story line focuses on the disappearance and possible death of Rose Red, Snow White's younger sister and Jack of Fables' (aka Jack Horner, Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack Frost, etc) on-again, off-again girlfriend. The disappearance is investigated by Snow (Fabletown's deputy mayor), Bigby Wolf (The Big Bad Wolf and the sheriff of Fabletown), Jack, Boy Blue (Snow's assistant) and Blue Beard. It read more like a'who done it?' story than a fairy tale.
The second story focuses on an uprising at "the Farm" and the riff between a couple of characters. The second deluxe volume had a couple of stand-alone stories and one story arc that is just too spoilier-y to discuss.
The thing I really enjoy about the Fables series is that it takes stories we all know (and some we have forgotten) and twists them around a bit. For example, Prince Charming was married to Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. He also divorced them all and cheated on all of them. Now Snow is in a love-hate-just-kiss-already relationship with the Big Bad Wolf, who regularly lets one of the Three Little Pigs crash on his sofa. And his dad is the North Wind. (That explains his huff and puff). Oh, Goldilocks? Totally sleeping with Baby Bear and she may just be a completely psychopath. Miss Muffet, married the Spider. I could go on. Basically. . .everyone has had two hundred years or so to go past their 'Happily Ever After' and things aren't totally rosey and happy. Sure, some people got a nice ending (Beauty and the Beast are still happily married), but nothing is perfect (the more angry she is at him, the more Beast-like he looks).
I'm also really enjoying all the back stories and how dark some of them are. Who knew Boy Blue was much deeper than he seemed in the first Deluxe Edition? I love that the war changed people so much and that there is so much history between these characters. Like Bigby and Snow's past is something I'm looking forward to reading. And, I want to learn more about characters like Prince Charming, Jack, Cinderella, Fly, "the Farm", etc. I'm just really enjoying these characters and their back stories.
I also picked up the first trade of Jack of Fables. It takes place farther along in the Fables cannon, but it wasn't an issue. I understood what was happening and the narrative gave me all the information I needed. I thought it was a fairly interesting idea: a prison for story characters. They are placed there in the hopes that the people of the world will forget their stories. It was full of characters I didn't really know (Sam) and characters that could be from any story.
Jack is an unlikely lead character. He's not the greatest guy and he seems to be in for himself and no one else. Maybe that's why it's such a cool read - the lead character nearly unlikable, but he's still fun and exciting. Plus, I feel like there is a big story coming, what with the prison and unusualness of the staff and all. I'm looking forward to more. It's only nine trade paperbacks, so it should be a short (but fun) read.