Comic Info
Comic Name: Fables
Publisher: DC Comics/Vertigo
Writer: Bill Willingham
Artist: Mark Buckingham
# of Issues: 5
Release Date: 2003
Reprints Fables #6-10 (December 2002-April 2003). Snow White is off to the Farm with Rose Red after her faked death. The Farm is where all the non-human Fables have been isolated, but there is a darkness at the Farm that even Snow White doesn’t know about. When Colin the Pig is found murdered, Snow White learns that the animals of the Farm have different plans for their future. With a wicked ringleader in Goldilocks, Snow White finds herself on the run and seeking help in loyal Fables in stopping the revolution…but what side is Rose Red on?
Written by Bill Willingham and illustrated by Mark Buckingham, Fables 2: Animal Farm continues the surprise hit series from DC Comics’ Vertigo line of comics. Following Fables 1: Legends in Exile, Fables 2: Animal Farm has also been collected as part of the hardback Fables Deluxe Edition—Volume 1 (which also contains the first storyline).
The first volume of Fables really focused on how the Fables live among men…this volume follows how the Fables live among themselves. The continued exploration of the Fables culture really gives the readers an introduction to the Fables while setting up future events.
In my opinion, the more Fables, the better, and Fables 2: Animal Farm introduces tons of Fables characters by heading to the Farm. So many classic stories involve characters that cannot survive in society and Willingham sets up the Farm as the solution to that problem. The ties to Orwell’s Animal Farm are also smart and cleverly set-up.
One of the nice aspects of Fables (especially these early storylines) is the dynamic between Rose and Snow. I was always a fan of the Rose Red and Snow White fairytale and even as a kid never understood if Snow White was the same Snow White from the Seven Dwarfs fairytale. Here, we get to see more of Rose’s resentment for Snow White and that she is a “forgotten” Fable.
Another great character introduced in this story is the psychopathic Goldilocks. With her Three Bears, Goldilocks is the mastermind behind the revolt and also shoots Snow White in the head. I love how the classic characters are twisted in different ways and Goldilocks is a great example of Willingham’s dark take on the tales.
I love Fables. I have always had an interest in mythology, and many of the characters in this story are modern mythology…they are creations handed down from generation to generation. Willingham’s invention has been duplicated since its release, but Fables still remains my favorite version of the idea. Fables 2: Animal Farm is followed by Fables 3: Storybook Love.
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