Fables

Everything today:

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Fables 71-72

Cinderella goes on a mission to rescue Pinocchio and bring him back to Fabletown.  Along the way, they convert former wooden soldiers Rodney and June to their cause.

The last James Jean cover I'll be showing here; he leaves the title w/ issue 81 :(

Rating: Pretty good

Fables 73-75

Even with the extra-long issue 75, the war against the Emperor takes way less time than I would have imagined.  Which isn’t to say that it’s bad.  It’s super awesome.  The Fables’ war strategy is superior in concept and execution, and their win over Geppetto is well deserved.  Prince Charming’s death is suitably heroic and sad.  Bill Willingham did a really nice job of developing him beyond the cad who divorced three lovely ladies.  Kudos also to Mark Buckingham, who matches Willingham beat for beat in making this just as fun to look at as it is to read.

Rating: Really good

Fables 76

The aftermath issue, where Geppetto starts his new life in Fabletown and everyone hates him.  This would have been a lot better if Mike Allred didn’t exhibit such an inability to draw children who don’t scare the bejeezus out of me.  

Effing terrifying.

Rating: Nice

Fables 77-82

Mister Dark is accidentally released from his prison in the Homelands, and immediately destroys Fabletown.  The Fables flee to the Farm, Dark begins to build his fortress in New York City, and Boy Blue succumbs to wounds suffered in the war.  (But not before he emotionally eviscerates Rose Red.)

So.  Harsh.  (But true.)

*sniff*

Eating teeth off the jaw like corn on the cob.

Something's definitely wrong when Santa's fingers start bleeding.

Blue’s death is achingly sad.  Willingham spent a lot of time on him, and I felt the impact of his death as much as the entirety of Fabletown.

Rating: Good

Fables 83-85

Literals 1-3

Jack of Fables 33-35

“The Great Fables Crossover.”  So not worth the effort.  Everyone gathers to defeat Kevin Ford, the Great Storyteller with the ability to erase the world and rewrite it as he sees fit.  While the idea of anthropomorphizing all the literary devices and genres out there is a neat concept, the result is kitschy and not nearly as clever as Willingham and Matt Sturges want it to be.  

This also reminded me how much I don’t miss Jack.  I cut pretty much his entire series for a reason.  I just can’t stand him.  (Though the Hollywood storyline was really good.)

Another also: The stupidity of Stinky and the Cult of Boy Blue annoys me almost as much as Jack.

Rating: Didn’t suck

Fables 86

Mister Dark monologues about how he was captured the first time around.  Nice information to have.

Rating: Pretty good