Fables (comics)
Fables is an ongoing Vertigo comic book series created and written by Bill Willingham, starting in 2002.
The series deals with various characters from fairy tales and folklore – referring to themselves as "Fables" – who have been forced out of their Homelands by a mysterious enemy known as the Adversary. They have traveled to our world and formed a clandestine community in New York City known as Fabletown. Fables who are unable to blend in with human society (such as monsters and anthropomorphic animals) live at "the Farm" in upstate New York.[It is not, as Booklist reported, a spin-off of The Sandman.]
Overview
Willingham reinterpreted many of the characters, evident in the divorce of Snow White and Prince Charming due to his infidelity. The former is deputy mayor of Fabletown as the series begins. Another principal character is the Big Bad Wolf (calling himself "Bigby"), who has not only reformed, but gained the ability to take on human appearance, and serves as Fabletown's sheriff at the series' beginning.
Earlier story arcs each take on the form of a different genre: the first is a murder mystery, the next a conspiracy thriller, and then a caper story. More recently Willingham has explicitly tied his series to a pro-Israeli political stance, stating "Politically, I'm just rabidly pro-Israel and so that, as a metaphor, was intended from the beginning." He adds, however, "as much as politics are going to intrude in Fables, that's as far as I think I'm willing to go. It's impossible to keep them out entirely. We're all political creatures whether we cop to it or not.  Yeah, it's not going to be a political tract. It never will be, but at the same time, it's not going to shy away from the fact that there are characters who have real moral and ethical centers, and we're not going to apologize for it."
Various artists have worked on the title. The covers are done by James Jean, although it was recently announced that he will be leaving after issue 81 (no new cover artist has been named). The majority of the interior work has been done by Mark Buckingham, who reportedly will be given the reins to the story if Willingham becomes unable to continue it.
Spin-offs
July 2006 saw the debut of a spin-off series, Jack of Fables, that focuses on Jack Horner. That series is co-written by Willingham and former Clockwork Storybook author Matthew Sturges.
1001 Nights of Snowfall is a prequel to Fables written by Willingham. It was initially released in hardcover on October 18, 2006.
At the Fables Panel at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con, an illustrated Fables novel - titled "Peter and Max"[ - was announced as being written by Willingham and illustrated by Steve Leialoha. It will center around Peter Piper and his brother Max, who will later grow up to be the Pied Piper.]
A Fables crossover with Jack of Fables called: "The Literals," was also announced, with Matthew Sturges writing the first part of the three-issue miniseries, which is projected to be in stores in 2009. Also announced was a spin-off miniseries called: "Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love." Written by novelist and publisher Chris Roberson (another of Willingham and Sturges' fellow Clockwork Storybook alumni), the miniseries will be drawn by Shawn McManus, and is expected (according to ComicBookResources' Timothy Callahan) to "answer the question of what happened to Cinderella's fairy godmother."["CCI: Vertigo Voices "Fables" Panel," by Timothy Callahan, July 28, 2008. Accessed July 29, 2008]
Characters
The main characters of Fables are public domain figures from folklore, mythology, and literature. Bill Willingham has said the only considerations in deciding whether or not he chooses to use a character are "is the character or story free for use?" and "do I want to use it?"[ Interview with Bill Willingham] Most of the characters seen so far are from European stories.
Story arcs
1001 Nights of Snowfall (graphic novel): Based on the One Thousand and One Nights, tells the story in a time early in Fabletown's history, when Snow White was sent as an emissary to the Arabian Fables. The Sultan's Vizier secretly presents Snow to Sultan as his next wife, in order to delay his daughter Scheherazade from suffering the same fate. Snow must amuse the Sultan with a new story every night to prevent him from executing her at dawn, as he has done with all his former wives.
A Wolf in the Fold (prose story from the Legends In Exile trade paperback): Explains the history of Bigby Wolf and Snow White, and how they came to the mundane world.
Legends In Exile (issues 1 to 5): The introduction to Fabletown, and Sheriff Bigby Wolf investigates the apparent murder of Rose Red.
Animal Farm (issues 6 to 10): A revolt occurs on the Animal Farm, a place for inhuman Fables.
Bag 'O Bones (issue 11): A tale set during the American Civil War, where Jack finds a way to cheat Death.
A Two-Part Caper (issues 12 and 13): A mundane journalist finds out about the Fables and they have to decide how to react.
Storybook Love (issues 14 to 17): Bluebeard hatches a plot to rid himself of Bigby and Snow by enchanting them, and the homicidal Goldilocks attempts to kill the pair. Charming decides to run for Fabletown Mayor.
Barleycorn Brides (issue 18): Bigby tells the story of a Smalltown tradition to Flycatcher.
The Last Castle: (Prestige format one-shot): Boy Blue relates the tale of the last stand against the Adversary's forces in the Homelands.
March of the Wooden Soldiers (issues 19 to 21 and 23 to 27): Prince Charming runs for Mayor of Fabletown, while the community deals with the apparent escape from the Homelands of Red Riding Hood. The Adversary sends his first troops into Fabletown to begin an assault.
Cinderella Libertine (issue 22): Cinderella's apparently frivolous lifestyle is revealed to be a front.
War Stories (issues 28 and 29): Bigby's adventures during World War II.
The Mean Seasons (issues 30 to 33): Snow gives birth, and realizes she must relocate to the Animal Farm. Bigby can't go there and instead exiles himself. Snow encounters Bigby's estranged father, North Wind. One of her children is revealed to be more powerful than the others, so she sends him to find his father, Bigby.
Jack Be Nimble (issues 34 and 35): Jack goes to Hollywood and sets up a film studio. Spins off into Jack of Fables.
Homelands (issues 36 to 38 and 40 and 41): Boy Blue goes on a mission to the Homelands with the aim of assassinating the Adversary. He fails, but learns the Adversary's identity.
Meanwhile (issue 39): What has been going on in Fabletown during Blue's adventures.
Arabian Nights (and Days) (issues 42 to 45): A delegation of Arabian Fables led by Sinbad visit Fabletown reveal they have brought a D'jinn with them.
The Ballad of Rodney and June (issues 46 and 47): A side story of the seemingly ill-fated love of Rodney and June, two soldiers in the Adversary's army.
Wolves (issues 48 and 49): Mowgli searches for the missing Bigby and brings him a message from Fabletown.
Happily Ever After (issue 50): Bigby returns and gets revenge against the Adversary, and marries Snow.
Big and Small (issue 51): Cinderella continues her mission in the Cloud Kingdom, but in order to treat a sick giant king must be turned into a mouse and enlist the aid of Smalltown's resident medic.
Sons of Empire (issues 52 to 55): The Adversary calls a conference of the Imperial elite to decide the ultimate fate of Fabletown and Pinocchio has to face up to his divided loyalties.
Jiminy Christmas (issue 56): Santa Claus' existence as a Fable is addressed.
Father and Son (issues 57 and 58): Bigby decides that the time has come to square things with his father, the North Wind. On a hunt, his children encounter Bigby's siblings, who have became more beasts than men.
Burning Questions (issue 59): Readers were invited to participate in a contest by asking Willingham questions of unresolved events in the series. Here, they are answered.
The Good Prince (issue 60 to 63 and 65 to 69): Flycatcher, who has never fully accepted the death of his wife, must face up to his past.
The Birthday Secret (issue 64): A peek inside the Witching Well and the birthday of Bigby's children.
Kingdom Come (issue 70): Boy Blue and Rose Red discuss their relationship; Flycatcher's offer is brought to the Farm. Plans are made to begin the war.
Skullduggery (issue 71 to 72): Cinderella repays her debt to Frau Totenkinder by going on a mission down South.
War and Pieces (issue 73 to 75): Fabletown and the Empire go to war.
Awards and praise
To date, Fables has won fourteen Eisner Awards;
Best New Series in 2003
Best Serialized Story three times ("Legends In Exile" in 2003, "March of the Wooden Soldiers" in 2005 and "Homelands" in 2006)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team (for Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha) in 2007
Best Anthology ("Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall") in 2007
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (Interior)Jill Thompson, (in Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall) in 2007
Best Short Story ("A Frog’s Eye View," by Bill Willingham and James Jean, in "Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall") in 2007
Best Cover Artist (for James Jean) in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008.
Best Lettering (for Todd Klein) in 2008.
Prominent review site IGN has called it "the best comic book currently being produced"
Television series
A television series based on Fables was put into development by NBC in 2005. The show received a script order and was developed by Craig Silverstein and Warner Brothers Television[Shows A-Z - fables on nbc | TheFutonCritic.com] but was not developed any further than the scripting stage.
Collected editions
The series is being collected in trade paperbacks.
External links
 Fabletown Forums
The Official Bill Willingham Homepage
Bill Willingham at Wizard World L.A.: Writer Bill Willingham discusses the legend of Fables and his other current and upcoming projects (video)
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