Fables is every bit as good as I expected it to be, which is saying something given that Willingham's past work has given me pretty high expectations for his future work. It's fun and charming, with an amusing take on the nature of a post-happy ending Prince Charming and Snow White and several other characters, but it has a darkness and an edge to it with hints of an "adversary" and a mysterious and bloody crime that stands at the center of the plot of the first arc. In addition it is, no kidding, drop-dead gorgeous. Lan Medina, a new name to me, combines with veteran inker Leialoha to provide a magical and enveloping world of New York with Fables lurking beneath the surface.
Like the best stories, the high concept for Fables is remarkably simple, but it provides plenty of room for stories to be told. We're introduced to several members of our cast of characters in this issue, but there remains a veritable army of other characters to meet later in the series. We get the full shape of a plot, and an introduction to several main characters, but at no point does the first issue feel like it's rushing through too much story or, on the other hand, too sketchy and light on actual information. The pacing is perfect, and the potential of the series on display in full force.
Willingham's style is hard to describe, but easy to spot, a mixture of light humor, dark thoughts and an unapologetic appreciation for the dramatic tension possibilities of sex and violence. There are cute and funny moments to be found here about the love lives of Fables characters, notably in a hilarious examination of what happens after the happy ending for the married Beauty and the Beast or a lewd joke about Snow White's relationship with the seven dwarves, but there's also a darkness lurking under the surface. The mention of an adversary who drove the Fables out of their homelands points out that this isn't the ideal situation for any of them, and the blood-soaked contents of Red Rose's room leave little doubt that something monumentally horrible has happened.
Lan Medina is a name I don't know, but I expect to be seeking out his work from here on out. The detail on this artwork is simply stunning, particularly when we're shown the city streets of New York or when we see the double-page splash of Snow White's office. In addition, he and Leialoha have a great command of characters, with distinctive and expressive designs for the various denizens of the underground Fables government and some nice and subtle expressions for the characters. Bringing this work to life requires the same balance of fantasy and reality that Willingham brought to his script, and Medina and Leialoha nailed it.
When I reviewed Willingham's Proposition Player a couple years back, I think I ended just about every review by hoping that we would soon see an ongoing Vertigo title written by Willingham in the near future. Now I've gotten my wish, and it's everything I had hoped it would be. Fables is a strong addition to Vertigo's stable, and one that every fan should take a look at. After all, Transmetropolitan ends in only four issues... doesn't that mean you have room for a new title on your monthly buying list?
