Comic Info
Comic Name: Fables
Publisher: DC Comics/Vertigo
Writer: Bill Willingham
Artist: Mark Buckingham/Steve Leialoha/David Lapham/Jim Fern/Andrew Pepoy/Craig Hamilton
# of Issues: 8
Release Date: 2010
Fables #86
Reprints Fables #86-93 (September 2009-May 2010). Mister Dark has taken over Fabletown, and the Fables have fled to the Farm. Now, the sorcerers of the Fables are trying to determine how to stop Dark and a battle is brewing between all the witches on how it should be done. While dealing with all this, Geppetto is staging a revolt on the Farm and trying to rally Fables to his cause. Plus, Bufkin wages a war against Baba Yaga in the wreckage of the Fabletown offices. Can the Boxers who originally trapped Mr. Dark stop him again?
Written by Bill Willingham, Fables Volume 14: Witches continues the popular DC Comics’ Vertigo title. Following Fables Volume 13: The Great Fables Crossover, Fables returns to being self-contained (the crossover tied in Fables sister title Jack of Fables) and features art by Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, David Lapham, Jim Fern, Andrew Pepoy, and Craig Hamilton.
Bill Willingham’s Fables continues to impress as it nears its 100th issue. Opposed to common series where a day sometimes last issues and issues, Fables flies through time with some events covering weeks or years in a single issue. This is a pleasant change, but the Vertigo titles themselves often are pleasant changes from the normal super-hero comics.
Fables #88
With the fall of the Emperor, Fables had to find new enemies and new stories. This sometimes has been a struggle, but Mister Dark seems to be a good match. In these issues, you get to see a bit of Dark’s origin and how he came to be trapped. I hope that through the story, the comic continues to develop Dark while presenting a side story involving the Farm. It was always a bit of a disappoint how Geppetto turned out to be the puppet master behind the Emperor but it is nice to see him back and back to his evil ways. His story ends a bit abruptly in these issues, and the coming fight for the loyalty of the subjects of the Farm could be interesting.
The two issue series that finishes these issues, while fun and providing a needed break, felt like they could have been one issue or a few back-up stories. It is interesting to see how Willingham constructs “Fable Law” and this is a good demonstration of how Fables are charged with interacting with each other. I would have rather seen more from the battle with Mr. Dark, but another story arc probably wouldn’t have fit.
Fables is a great series. It has some faults and can feel a bit disjointed and unbalanced, but the good outweighs the bad. The characters are fun and new characters continue to evolve as important players in the Fables universe (though a Bigby and Snow centered story might be nice). If you left Fables, return and if you’ve never read, don’t try starting here…go back to the beginning. It is worth the journey. Fables 14: Witches is followed by Fables 15: Rose Red.
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