By Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, Michael Allred, Steve Leialoha & various (Vertigo)
ISBN: 978-1-84576-566-8
Written by Bill Willingham, Fables details the exploits of fairytale and storybook characters that humans always believed to be fictional; living secret, immortal lives amongst us, refugees from a monstrous all-consuming Adversary who had long ago conquered their original otherworldly homelands.
Keeping their true nature hidden from humanity Fables created enclaves where their magic and sheer strangeness (all the talking animals are sequestered on a remote upstate New York farm, for example) keep them in luxurious safety. Many wander the human world, but always under strict injunction not to draw attention. These magical, perfect, cynical yet perversely human creatures dream of one day returning to their own homes and interrupted lives. They used to live with the constant threat that their all-consuming foe would one day find them…
However their nemesis has been revealed as the puppeteer Geppetto, who used his gift to carve living, sentient beings out of magic wood to build vast all-powerful armies (supplemented with goblins, monsters and collaborators who joined rather than die when his unstoppable marionette forces came marching in). Ruling in anonymity from behind his greatest creation, The Emperor, Geppetto almost conquered all of Reality, but once his identity was revealed the indomitable refugees of Fabletown exacted a stunning retaliatory strike that completely changed the nature of the previously one-sided conflict…
Collecting issues # 52-59 of the monthly comic this volume brings everybody up to speed with the always-handy ‘Who’s Who in Fabletown’ featurette before the eponymous four-part Sons of Empire opens with ‘Some Ideas Towards the Prospect of a Final Solution for Fabletown’ (illustrated by Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha & Andrew Pepoy with colours by Lee Loughridge) in which focus shifts to the otherworldly realm of the Adversary and a Council of War in which the vilest creatures of myth and legend outline their options for retaliation for the indignities recently perpetrated upon them; determined not only to destroy the rebellious Fables but the entire Mundane world as well…
Each chapter is accompanied by a brief vignette starring some of the vast Earth-bound cast beginning with ‘Hair’ (illustrated by Gene Ha) in which the winsome Rapunzel describes her average day, which, since her flowing tresses grow at the rate of four inches per hour is a little different from most fancy-free New York girls…
‘The Four Plagues’ details the Adversary’s final plans whilst at the secluded farm on Earth where non-human Fables must live, newlywed dad Bigby Wolf takes on the task of civilising his and Snow White‘s troublesome brood of shape-shifting cubs, after which a smart and sassy snippet from Joshua Middleton addresses the perennial topic of curse-undoing kisses in ‘Porky Pine Pie’.
The drama switches more fully to Earth in ‘The Burning Times’ as the Evil Empire starts its campaign of doom by opening diplomatic relations with Fabletown, sending one of their own back to them as ambassador.
Once Hansel was a simple, plucky lad outwitting a cannibal sorceress, but as he matured in our world he became a religious maniac, the greatest witchfinder and the most successful serial killer in Earth’s history. …
And what he did to poor Gretel!
Mundy journalist Kevin Thorne almost discovered the secret of Fabletown once, so it’s no real surprise that Hansel and his staff rent his house for their embassy in the Michael & Laura Allred illustrated short feature ‘A Thorn in Their Side?’ and Sons of Empire concludes with ‘Over There’ as Geppetto’s “first-born†Pinocchio inadvertently refines the revenge-scheme until it is infallible and inevitable. The death-drenched scenario is counter-pointed by a delightful whimsy starring the Three Blind Mice on ‘The Road to Paradise’ by Inaki Miranda, with hues by Eva de la Cruz.
Next follows a truly magnificent and revelatory Yule tale as only Fables could present it. ‘Jiminy Christmas’ features Bigby’s Brood learning all there is know about the Big Red Guy at the Pole before this volume digresses into a two-part saga starring the entire Wolf clan. ‘Father and Son’ addresses the family rift between Big Bad Wolf and his sire – the being known as Mr. North or the Great North Wind – with Snow and the cubs along for the tempestuous ride, beginning with ‘A Man’s Home is His Castle’ and concluding in ‘Big Scary Monsters’ as the kids are lost in a forest of ravening beasts with some very uncomfortable and unsavoury family ties, courtesy of Michael & Laura Allred.
The last pages of this fabulous tome are dedicated to more short graphic stories addressing long-asked questions from readers answered in hilarious and terrifying manner by author Willingham and a pantheon of art-stars.
Beginning with ‘Did Hakim Ever Manage to get a Regular Job?’ by M.K, Perker, and ‘How Does Bufkin Keep getting his hands on the Liquor?’ by Jim Rugg, the responses (but not always answers…) come thick and fast.
‘What is Training Like for a new member of the Mouse Police?’ (Mark Buckingham), ‘Did Jack leave anyone messages before he left Fabletown Forever? (Andrew Pepoy), ‘How are the new Three Little Pigs adjusting to being Pigs?’ (JoÑ‘lle Jones), ‘Besides Fly, who else has asked questions of the Magic Mirror?’ (D’Israeli), ‘What is Boy Blue’s Favorite Song?’ and ‘What song was playing when Snow White and Bigby first danced together at the Remembrance Day Ball?’ (both by Jill Thompson), ‘What is Frau Totenkinder knitting?’ (David Lapham), ‘Who was Prince Charming’s first love?’ (John K. Snyder III), ‘How many romantic conquests has Prince Charming had?’ (Eric Shanower) and climaxes with Barry Kitson’s stunning ‘Who caught the bouquet at Snow White’s wedding?’
There is nothing around today that can touch this series for imagination, style and quality, and you’ll never know the real meaning of “happy ever after†until you turn on to this magnificent saga.
© 2006, 2007 Bill Willingham and DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.