| Fables | |
 | |
| Publisher | Vertigo |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Publication date | 2002-present |
| Main character(s) | Bigby Wolf Snow White Prince Charming |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Bill Willingham |
| Penciller(s) | Mark Buckingham, Lan Medina, Steve Leialoha, Craig Hamilton |
| Creator(s) | Bill Willingham |
Fables is an ongoing Vertigo comic book series created and written by Bill Willingham, starting in 2002. Vertigo is an Imprint of the American Comic-book publisher DC Comics. Ongoing series, sometimes shortened as the Noun ongoing, is a term referring to a comic book series that is intended to continue indefinitely Events January February March April May June July August September Bigby Wolf is a major character in the Comic book series Fables. Snow White is a major character in the Comic book series Fables. Bill Willingham (born December 1956 in Fort Belvoir Virginia) is an American Writer and Artist of Comics. Mark Buckingham is a British Comic book artist. He is best known for his work on Marvelman and Fables. Bill Willingham (born December 1956 in Fort Belvoir Virginia) is an American Writer and Artist of Comics. Ongoing series, sometimes shortened as the Noun ongoing, is a term referring to a comic book series that is intended to continue indefinitely Vertigo is an Imprint of the American Comic-book publisher DC Comics. A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative Bill Willingham (born December 1956 in Fort Belvoir Virginia) is an American Writer and Artist of Comics. Events January February March April May June July August September 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. A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological The Homelands are the mythical lands from Fairy tales, Folklore, and Nursery rhymes in the comic book series Fables. Geppetto is a major character albeit one that's rarely seen in the Comic book series Fables, written by Bill Willingham and published They have traveled to our world and formed a clandestine community in New York City known as Fabletown. The City of New York Fabletown is the fictional clandestine community of "Fables" resident in New York in the Fables Comic book universe Fables who are unable to blend in with human society (such as monsters and anthropomorphic animals) live at "the Farm" in upstate New York. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Although two characters from the series are slated to appear in Vertigo's House of Mystery series, it takes place in a continuity of its own, and is unrelated to the larger DC Comics continuity. The House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series In Fiction, continuity (also called time-scheme) is consistency of the characteristics of persons plot, objects places and events seen by the reader or DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company [1]
Contents |
Overview
Willingham reinterpreted many of the characters, evident in the divorce of Snow White and Prince Charming due to his infidelity. Snow White is a major character in the Comic book series Fables. 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. Bigby Wolf is a major character in the Comic book series Fables.
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. Crime fiction is the Genre of Fiction that deals with Crimes their detection criminals and their motives It is usually distinguished from The conspiracy thriller (or paranoid thriller) is a subgenre of thriller fiction. The caper story is a subgenre of Crime fiction. The typical caper story involves one or more crimes (especially thefts swindles or occasionally kidnappings perpetrated 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. "[2]
Various artists have worked on the title. The covers are done by James Jean. James Jean (born 1979 is a Taiwanese American award winning Artist and illustrator living in Los Angeles. 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. Mark Buckingham is a British Comic book artist. He is best known for his work on Marvelman and Fables. [3] Other artists include: Bryan Talbot, Lan Medina, P. Craig Russell, Mike Allred, and Linda Medley. Bryan Talbot (born February 24, 1952, Wigan, Lancashire) is a British Comic book Artist and Writer. Lan Medina is a Filipino Comic book artist best known for his work on Fables, Aria, District X and The Punisher Philip Craig Russell (b October 30, 1951 in Wellsville Ohio) also known as P Michael Dalton "Mike" Allred is an American comic book artist and writer.
July 2006 saw the debut of a spin-off series, Jack of Fables, that focuses on Jack Horner. Jack of Fables is a Spin-off of the comic book Fables, both published by DC Comics as part of that company's Vertigo Jack Horner is a Fictional character in the Comic book series Fables by Bill Willingham. That series is co-written by Willingham and former Clockwork Storybook author Matthew Sturges. Clockwork Storybook (CWSB was an Austin-based writer's collective and independent book Publisher, specializing in the Fantasy, horror and adventure genres Matthew Sturges (born October 1970 in Rhode Island) is an American Writer of Comics, most noted for the Eisner-award nominated Jack of Fables
1001 Nights of Snowfall is a prequel to Fables written by Willingham. It was released in hardcover October 18, 2006.
Characters
The main characters of Fables are public domain figures from folklore, mythology, and literature. The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone 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?"[4] 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. Scheherazade (ʃəˌhɛrəˈzɑːd -ˈzɑːdə sometimes Scheherazadea, Persian transliteration Shahrazad or Shahrzād (شهرزاد Šahrzād 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. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South
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. Flycatcher, also known as the Frog Prince, or occasionally by Ambrose his real name is a fictional character in the Comic book series Fables
The Last Castle: (Prestige format one-shot): Boy Blue relates the tale of the last stand against the Adversary's forces in the Homelands. Boy Blue is a major character in the Vertigo Comic book series Fables.
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. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including
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. Jack of Fables is a Spin-off of the comic book Fables, both published by DC Comics as part of that company's Vertigo
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. GEnie (General Electric Network for Information Exchange was an online service
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. Pinocchio is a character in the Comic book series Fables. The wooden boy magically brought to life in the story by Carlo Collodi, he was among
Jiminy Christmas (issue 56): Santa Claus' existence as a Fable is addressed. Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, or simply " Santa " is the
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.
An unnamed project has been promised to be officially announced at the Fables panel at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con. Comic-Con International San Diego, commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, is an annual multigenre Fan convention founded as the Golden In terms of what it will be about, Willingham stated that readers have already seen the two main characters, who are not happy with each other in the new story. Each one of the characters has appeared in exactly one panel each of some previous Fables project. [5]
Awards and praise
To date, Fables has won eleven 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 Short Story ("A Frog’s Eye View," by Bill Willingham and James Jean, in "Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall") in 2007, and Best Cover Artist (for James Jean) in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. The Will Eisner Comic Industry Award is a prize given for creative achievement in American Comic books It is named in honor of the pioneering writer and artist Will Eisner Prominent review site IGN has called it "the best comic book currently being produced"[6]
Television Series
A television series based on Fables was put into development by NBC in 2005. IGN (abbreviated and formerly known as I magine G ames N etwork is a multimedia news and reviews Website that focuses heavily on Video The National Broadcasting Company ( NBC) is an American Television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The show received a script order and was developed by Craig Silverstein and Warner Brothers Television[7] but was not developed any further than the scripting stage.
Collections
The series is being collected in trade paperbacks. In Comics, a trade paperback ( TPB or simply trade) refers to a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format
| # | Title | ISBN | Release date | Collected material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fables: Legends in Exile | ISBN 1-5638-9942-6 | April 25, 2003 | Fables #1–5 and the new prose story "A Wolf in the Fold" |
| 2 | Fables: Animal Farm | ISBN 1-4012-0077-X | August 2003 | Fables #6–10 |
| 3 | Fables: Storybook Love | ISBN 1-4012-0256-X | May 2004 | Fables #11–18 |
| 4 | Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers | ISBN 1-4012-0222-5 | November 30, 2004 | Fables #19–21, 23–27, and The Last Castle one-shot |
| 5 | Fables: The Mean Seasons | ISBN 1-4012-0486-4 | April 30, 2005 | Fables #22, 28–33 |
| 6 | Fables: Homelands | ISBN 1-84576-124-3 | January 27, 2006 | Fables #34–41 |
| 7 | Fables: Arabian Nights (and Days) | ISBN 1-84576-278-9 | July 5, 2006 | Fables #42–47 |
| 8 | Fables: Wolves | ISBN 1-4012-1001-5 | December 20, 2006 | Fables #48–51, maps of Fabletown and the Farm, script for #50 |
| 9 | Fables: Sons of Empire | ISBN 1-4012-1316-2 | June 13, 2007 | Fables #52–59 |
| 10 | Fables: The Good Prince | ISBN 1-4012-1686-2 | June 4, 2008 | Fables #60–69 |
References
- Fables: Legends in Exile at the official Vertigo website
- Fables at the Comic Book DB
Footnotes
- ^ It is not, as Booklist reported, a spin-off of The Sandman. Events 1607 - Eighty Years' War: The Dutch fleet destroys the anchored Spanish fleet at Gibraltar. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1700 - Battle of Narva — A Swedish army of 8500 men under Charles XII defeats "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 98 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 69 - Vespasian, formerly a general under Nero, enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1525 - Martin Luther marries Katharina von Bora, against the Celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Vertigo is an Imprint of the American Comic-book publisher DC Comics. Booklist is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of Books and audiovisual materials for all ages A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new Organization or Entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a Television series based on a pre-existing The Sandman is a Comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published in the United States by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo
- ^ Deppey, Dirk (18 September 2006). Events 96 - Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Bill Willingham (excerpts). Retrieved on 2007-07-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently
- ^ Fabletown.com Forums: Authors (2006). Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Retrieved on 2007-07-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently
- ^ O'Shea, Tom (2003). Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. "This is a Wonderful Job": An Orca Q&A with Fables' Bill Willingham. Retrieved on 2007-07-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently Interview with Bill Willingham
- ^ SDCC '07: The Fables Panel (29 July 2007). Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Retrieved on 2007-07-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently
- ^ Goldstein, Hilary (10 August 2006). Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Ten Best DC Comics. Retrieved on 2007-07-31. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 30 BC - Battle of Alexandria: Mark Antony achieves a minor victory over Octavian 's forces but most of his army subsequently
- ^ http://www.thefutoncritic.com/devwatch.aspx?id=fables
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)
- Excerpt of interview with cover artist James Jean from The Comics Interpreter #3PDF (946 KiB)
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