Willingham, Bill: Fables: Deluxe Edition: Book Five
Fables: Deluxe Edition: Book 5 (2012)
Written by: Bill Willingham
Illustrated by: Various
Genre: Graphic Novel
Pages: 304 pages
Why I Read It: I've been chomping at the bit to read this ever since it was released in June, but was waiting on the hubby to finish first. I had a feeling that in this volume, I'd learn the identity of the Adversary, and I was right! Now I have to wait until December for deluxe edition #6 . . . .
The premise: ganked form BN.com: Bill Willingham's hit series FABLES continues here, for the first time in hardcover. In the aftermath of the Adversary's attack on Fabletown, FABLES: THE DELUXE EDITION BOOK 5 follows Boy Blue on a mission of revenge as he uncovers the Adversary's true identity! Plus, the 2-part story of Jack's adventures in Hollywood and the one-shot story of Mowgli's return to Fabletown.
Fables Deluxe Edition Book 5 includes issues 34-45 of the original series.
Spoilers, yay or nay?: Nay. I'll actually behave and keep my mouth shut, even though I KNOW WHO THE ADVERSARY IS NOW!!!!! Anyway, if you're paranoid, feel free to skip to "My Rating," and you'll be fine. Everyone else, onward!
The Story: As usual, I'll break this down into the individual story arcs:
Jack Be Nimble: This was an entertaining tale that I suspect is sort of a back-door pilot for the Jack of Fables spin-off series. It shows what Jack's been up to since the Adversary's attack back in "March of the Wooden Soldiers," and I have to say, it was entertaining to see him set himself up with a major movie producer who tells his own, inflated fairy tale origin. It's a good piece, and it piqued my curiosity of the Jack of Fables spin-off, though I doubt I'll get to that any time soon, especially if it's not released in hardcover.
Homelands: Wherein we learn what Boy Blue did when he snuck back to the Homelands, and we learn the identity of the Adversary. I WAS RIGHT, PEOPLE!!!! Actually, I'll be honest: I felt like it was a little too obvious after reading "March of the Wooden Soldiers," and furthermore, my reading of the new spin-off "Fairest" kind of accidentally spoiled me in a recent issue. Thankfully, I already suspected, so it wasn't that big of deal. My husband, who wasn't even close to guessing the identity, totally missed the spoiler. At any rate, I liked getting the Adversary's backstory, though I agree just a bit that it's a little anti-climatic in that of ALL the choices in fairy tale and folklore, Willingham went with that? Oh well. There's still more development on the horizon, and can I just say, I don't believe, not for a single moment, that the real Red Riding Hood is as innocent as she appears. Time will tell if I'm right.
Arabian Nights (and Days): This started out kind of funny, but then grew to be something far more interesting as we learn how the djinn function in Fable-verse. I also found myself admiring the brains behind the plan to get Boy Blue back to the Homelands. I worry about the tension growing between Beauty and Beast, especially since Beast is rather ignorant of it and I'd rather he stay that way, and I'm also not entirely sure I trust Sinbad. I kept expecting a bigger and bigger twist, and I didn't get one. I'm probably just jaded and looking for betrayals at every turn, but we'll see how it goes. As it stands, if everything is as it appears, that was quite the cool little reveal at the end.
The Art: No real commentary here. Nothing stood out as something I particularly liked or disliked, though I did note that Beauty's, well, erm, beauty was very nicely done.
My Rating: Good Read
A big addition to the collection, given that we learn the identity of the Adversary and that the volume seems to be leading into bigger developments to come. I quite enjoyed this volume, loved meeting Mowgli, but I'm really missing Bigby and hope he returns to the narrative soon. But I'm still thoroughly enjoying the series, and was happy to let other comics sit neglected on the dresser while I took my time with this volume.
As always, readers interested in the series should not start here, but rather the beginning. Your reading experience will be so much the richer for it!
Cover Commentary: It's a good cover. Not my favorite of the deluxe editions (the giant form of the Adversary doesn't do much for me), but I like the consistency of the design.
Next Up: Among Others by Jo Walton