FABLES #1
"Chapter One: Old Tales Revisited"
Recommended (8/10)
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DC Comics/Vertigo imprint
Writer: Bill Willingham
Pencils: Lan Medina
Inks: Steve Leialoha
Colors: Sherilyn van Valkenburgh & Zylenol
Letters: Todd Klein
Editor: Shelly Bond
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
Like other Vertigo titles, this book boasts some mature themes. It has its roots in the supernatural and fantasy. It's inventive and unlike typical mainstream comics. But unlike most Vertigo books, it can perhaps be best described in one word: fun. Willingham's sense ofhumor serves him and the reader well in Fables. His juxtaposition of old stories through the eyes of modern society is clever and entertaining.
The characters from our children's stories -- Snow White, the Big Bad Wolf and more -- are no characters. They're real, and they're living in New York. They wear human forms and live among us, but they live in a separate world as well. They live in Fabletown, not a place, but a society, a government, a system of rules. And the authorities of Fabletown have a problem on their hands: one of their number has disappeared, her apartment covered in blood.
Lan Medina and Steve Leialoha's detailed, smooth collaboration tells the story quite well. It puts me in mind of Gary (Kin) Frank's work and that of Jose Luis (Deadman) Garcia-Lopez. The art achieves a nice balance between light and dark, and the same can be said of Van Valkenburgh's muted colors, which boast an odd, uneasy look. And Alex Maleev's cover is beautifully haunting.
Snow White stands out as by far the most compelling character in this opening chapter. Her confidence, competence and authority are all admirable qualities, but what makes her easy to understand and more realistic is her annoyance with those around her. We've all felt like we're the only ones keeping things going around us, and I see the same feeling in Snow here. Willingham also manages to include a lot of exposition through her dialogue, and he does so seamlessly.
Willingham has quickly introduced us to a colorful cast of characters, and at the same time, given us the impression that he's only begun to scratch the surface. This opening story arc seems to be a mystery, but there's a great deal of potential for much more in the core concept. At its heart, Fables is a fantasy title, but I have a hunch that it will cross genres often throughout its run.
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