Say this for Bill Willingham: He's not afraid to shake things up. I'm not sure if there are some big revelations coming that will restore the status quo of this series to some extent, but at the moment, it sure looks like two of the lead characters are essentially being supplanted by other characters, that one of the other familiar faces is engaging in a dangerous and perhaps even suicidal mission and that another has fallen from his position of power to be supplanted by one of the others. All of this change in the status quo also serves to provide answers to questions, some of which have been lingering and some of which the reader doesn't really know they had. With Buckingham and Leialoha continuing to serve up a detailed and believable world for these characters and Willingham writing like nothing is safe, Fables feels more alive and intriguing with each passing issue.
This story began last issue, but that was almost more of a transition between the "March of the Wooden Soldiers" and the new tale which explores the ramifications of that war, the mayoral election and the birth of Snow's children. This is where the story really kicks in, as we see Snow and Bigby picking their replacements as a result of the changes in their lives, the transition between King Cole and Prince Charming and the aftermath of the war for some characters, like Boy Blue. I'm actually rather astounded at the amount of changes going on here, and more astounded that even with all of this change, I can easily see the book continuing on without having to undo the changes. The stories can still focus on the same characters if Willingham wants it to, they'll just be in different roles, and he's already used some of these newly prominent cast members to good effect before as well.
There are so many changes in this issue that it's hard to focus on any particular one, and easier just to note that the change feels natural and lasting, as opposed to something being done for shock value and the illusion of change. However, to get just a little more specific, I love the choices of replacements for Snow and Bigby, and I hope that this means we'll be seeing more of both of these characters as the story goes on. The revelation of how Bigby funds his unauthorized operations was also a clever use of another previously unseen Fable, and the moment where Snow meets her new babysitters is striking as well. Willingham is doing an excellent job of mixing whimsical fantasy with realistic character relationships in this book, as always.
Buckingham and Leialoha aren't the only art team that this book has had, but they are my favorite. Buckingham's innovative panel designs are at their best this issue, with each header hinting at the focus of the panel itself and the side panels giving a sense of the rest of the world that surrounds the story we're watching. There's also some lovely subtle touches in the artwork, such as Prince Charming waking up with two girls in his bed, as well as more overt touches, like the downcast look of the defeated King Cole, the amount of emotion in the fight and last goodbye between Snow and Bigby or the way that Rose Red seems to have grown and matured since last we saw her.
The last page of this issue is bad news for Snow White, but great news for the rest of us, because it means that things are going to stay interesting for us readers. I love Fables for a lot of reasons, including the great characters and Willingham's masterful mix of old stories and modern appeal, but the main reason I love it is that I never know what's going to happen next. Despite the series itself being a known quantity at over 30 issues, Fables still retains the capacity to surprise and feel new at every turn. 10/10
