Jack of the Tales is in Americana, the American Fable land stationed somewhere in the Homelands.
He is with the Pathetic Fallacy, Humpty Dumpty and begrudgingly one of his former captors, Hillary Page, Paul Bunyan, Babe the Tiny Blue Ox, and Raven of Native American mythology. While Page has another mission, Jack is (of course) searching for gold.
Credit: DC
The group meets Tom Sawyer and Jim on their way to Steamboat, the Mississippi River region of Americana and travel to Idyll, a 50s town populated by Zombies.
When I read comics that take place in a central universe, I always wonder how what happens in one series affects the other. When a big bad attacks the X-Men and threatens the planet, I wonder what the Avengers are doing, or when the Teen Titans are trying to save people from a natural disaster, I’m always mad Superman doesn’t show up to help.
The implications made in this issue of Jack of Fables can have serious ramifications for Fables and the war against the Adversary, the king that has conquered many Fable Homelands.
Jack’s main opponent is Mr. Revise, a Lovecraftian creature that hides in human form. His goal is to capture Fables for so long that mankind will forget them so they’ll fade away. Revise wants to erase magic from ours, the Mundane world. He and his men are powerful creatures and if the Adversary were to invade our world, Revise would step in and fight to the death to keep more magic out of our world. But the tables could soon turn.
Idyll, the Zombie town, is from the 50s. James Fenimore Cooper’s Hawkeye is from pioneer times. There is rumor that the Americana version of Chicago is filled with 20s gangsters. The worlds controlled by the Adversary have not developed beyond the medieval ages. While they have magic, there are not many sorcerers - the Adversary didn’t want there to be too many people with too much power that could one day overthrow him. The Fables of Fables‘ one big advantage against the Adversary is the use of non-magical, projectile weapons like missiles and guns. But, if there is gun technology in the Homelands, then the Adversary could easily assimilate it and use his vast resources to arm his goblin legions, tipping the scales in a conflict that is now stalemated.
While writer Bill Willigham has done well to keep both series separate, I think he has implied that there is still a way for the Adversary to make the war just a little more difficult for the Fables in the future.
Matt Knicl: My name is Matt Knicl. I'm a U of I alumn and one of those unemployed English majors Garrison Keillor likes to make fun of. I've been reading comics since high school and one day I would like to write them. My goal is to expose readers to what is out there in the world of comics and using my English powers, show what is worth reading or not. I can be reached at buzz.comics@gmail.com.
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Buzz Magazine
Matt Knicl
My name is Matt Knicl. I'm a U of I alumn and one of those unemployed English majors Garrison Keillor likes to make fun of. I've been reading comics since high school and one day I would like to write them. My goal is to expose readers to what is out there in the world of comics and using my English powers, show what is worth reading or not. I can be reached at buzz.comics@gmail.com.
Capes & Cowls » Blog Archive » Stand-up Comics for Jan. 30, 2008 (Capes & Cowls » Blog Archive » Stand-up Comics for Jan. 30, 2008) says:
(Posted January 28th, 2008 at 9:12 am)
[…] of Fables #19 (Vertigo/DC) - Jack is still in Americana and it looks like the crew is going to the Fable version of Chicago, or at least, I assume Chicago. […]