courtesy DC

The War is over. The Adversary deposed and the Homelands are in shambles. Ancient evils that the Empire had contained are now free, changing the status of magic and the Fables world. The first big change - the complete destruction of Fabletown.

It seems as though writer Bill Willingham spent years building up the characters and the status quo just so he could tear it apart. The real story is just beginning, Willingham claimed at San Diego Comic Con, and we can see what is going to happen: new enemies, new problems, Charming is dead, Boy Blue injured and a mechanical tiger leads a resistance of Jungle Book Fables with Mowgli.

What Vertigo books do in general, unlike DC or Marvel books, is change. You can see this in DC and Marvel’s constant story rebooting with franchises like Superman or Spider-man. There’s a formula and we have to stick to it. Willingham and other “graphic novel” writers write more like TV or movie writers, where things do change. Unlike shows like House or comics like Spider-man, where the status quo is rigidly enforced with the illusion of change, Fables progresses. The rigid formula shows aren’t bad of course, but after awhile of the same web-slinging and similar trial-by-error diagnosis wear a bit thin, and comics like Fables set up a formula to break it down, making the alteration much more satisfying and expected.

So what I’m saying, in the semi-words of The Simpsons‘ Comic Book Guy, is: “Best comic ever.”

According to recent news, Bill Willingham’s comic epic, Fables, will be given the chance to wow the top ABC brass to see if the show could make it to air. Fables is about a world where fairy tales are real and live in our world. Forced from their otherworldly fairy tale dimensions, the Fables try to keep themselves hidden from us and the foe they have fled.

The series is one of the best comic books out there today, mixing spy thriller, comedy, romance, epic fantasy and political genres into one massive story that deals with the lives of several popular, less popular or never heard of fairy tale legends. While the story focuses primarily on the Big Bad Wolf, reformed of course, and Snow White, later we see characters like Little Boy Blue, King Cole, Beauty, Beast, The Frog Prince, and dozens of others take center stage.

Fables would make a great TV show in the current market due to this chemistry. Shows today focus on several characters (think Lost or Heroes, even Grey’s Anatomy has several players). More people means more drama and more story-driven conflict due to various interactions. This would be on top of the epic fantasy and political drama the external storylines Willigham crafted to guide the characters.

But of course, a pilot is just a first episode, meant to see if the show would be worth it in the long run. Fables the comic had a lot of mileage, but if we try to slow down the conflict to have a lot of star-studded drama scenes, would the show be a legitimate translation? Probably not, but then again, for this series, I’m willing to wait and see what we get.

courtesy DC

I was excited about this issue when I heard about it in San Diego. I’m less excited about the Page sisters, and more interested in the forgotten Fables - the legends and stories erased from the collective unconsciousness.

The cover and interiors are riddled with these invented legends, like Captain Scurvy the pirate and the bipedal camel. Writer Bill Willingham continues to amaze me with his crazy, off the wall stories that still have a touch of humanity to them (which is really the crude and campy humor).

I’d say at the beginning the series would only be fun to read for fans of Fables, but now Willingham has put enough time and development into these past few issues that Jack of Fables is something non-Fables fans can enjoy.

I made a promise I couldn’t keep. Covering Comic-Con by oneself is impossible. The convention center took days to explore, and each panel had a line so long, you would have had to be there an hour before hand to ensure attendance. I thought I’d have free time, but at night when I thought I’d post, I was occupied by parties.

As far as the Con went, I have mixed feelings. As a comic fan, everyone and everything you’d want to see would be there, and lines in teh comic book area wouldn’t be too horrible. But, the movie and TV and video game and toy stuff really stole comics’ limelight, and filled the con with tourists and kids who admittedly didn’t read. Harold & Kumar were there, for example, and their booth put Marvel’s to shame. But once I stayed out of the entertainment section and kept to the comics area, I had a good time meeting with publishers and creators.

The parties were by far the best part of the Con because I could meet and talk to people one on one. You’d turn around and Joss Whedon or Bruce Campbell would be chilling. I met Mark Waid, Stephen Baldwin, Bill Willingham, the heads of DC and Marvel, Keith Giffen, and Grant Morrison at these parties, and as a professional and a fan boy I had a great time just talking to people.

News: Read the rest of this entry »

courtesy DC

Avengers: The Initiative #12 (Marvel) - The first class is revolved out for new super heroes. The best series Marvel putting out right now.

BPRD Vol. 8: KIlling Ground TPB (Dark Horse) - The plot gets icky…

Black Panther: Little Green Men TPB (Marvel) - I thought it was an episode of classic Star Trek, but there is a planet where 20s gangsterism is a way of life. How will the New Fantastic Four react?

Uncles Sam and the Freedom Fighters #8 (DC) - The last one! Go buy 10 copies! This is a great series no one is really giving a chance. Those of us who read it, love it, because the characters are balanced and the plot is hilarious and creepy. Don’t wait for the trade!

Jack of Fables #22 (Vertigo) - After the Pathetic Fallacy one-shot last issue, we return to Jack’s adventures, but this time in the Old West! What (and who) hasn’t he done?

Thor #7 (Marvel) - J. Michael Straczynski has not yet really wowed me. His run on Amazing Spider-man lacked direction and ended (probably by editorial mandate) with the erasing of about half of Spider-man’s continuity. The Twelve was a dozen new faces I didn’t care about. His run on Thor so far has been similarly lack-luster, with the exception of some funny moments (like the Asgardian gods attending a local government meeting). However, the momentum has been building in the series. I’m hoping the series does get better soon though, because I’m giving it one more issue until I’m out.

Angel: After The Fall #5 (IDW) - Time for big fights between all the demonic lords of LA! Read the rest of this entry »

Greeting programs!

If you’ve been in the Illini Union Bookstore (not to be confused with the Illinois University Bookstore) this past week, you may have seen a book display of spring leisure titles picked by staff members. I’ve got my own little section! No, 70% of these aren’t comics, but they are good, fun reads. Some are light-hearted, but some will f^$% you up.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Savage Sword of Conan Vol. 2 TPB (Dark Horse/Marvel) - Reprinting old Marvel Conan comics, Dark Horse has been bringing most of the Conan books to us as color comics in slim, expensive trades. These Dark Horse Presents books are like the Marvel Essentials - about twenty issues of black-and-white reprints in one volume. It may seem nit-picky, but it seems to me that the paper quality is much better for these Dark Horse editions when compared to Essentials or Showcase Presents. This volume contains classic Conan adaptations like “The Slithering Shadow” and “The Pool of the Black One.” Read the rest of this entry »

Jack 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. The issue’s description said, “Do you like mobsters? Do you like shootouts? Do you like frogs in top hats? What about Canadians? Do you like them? If so, then this is the story you’ve been waiting for your entire life.” I don’t know how I feel about a Canadian Fableland, but the tour of America’s subconscious has been fun so far, and after the zombies of last issue, I’m convinced this series can do no wrong.

New Avengers Annual #2 (Marvel) - The Hood is pissed after the last issue of New Avengers the where the Avengers and an army of illusions dismantled his super crime headquarters, but now this new Kingpin is ready to rumble and he’s bringing his super villain army with him. The result: a big fight and Spider-man and Hawkeye making a bunch of jokes! According to Marvel, “This double-sized issue ties into or wraps up threads from Civil War, World War Hulk, both Avengers titles and the upcoming Secret Invasion!!”

Mighty Avengers #8 (Marvel) - Dr. Doom has released a Venom virus onto Manhattan, turning everyday citizens into alien killing machines. We’ve already seen this fight in New Avengers, but now we get to see this battle in the book it was meant for. I like that while these are two separate teams, Brian Michael Bendis keeps the stories together so it’s almost like one massive series.

Captain America #34 (Marvel) - I’ve talked about this issue twice, once in October about the new Captain America costume, and then again about Cap’s new identity. This is the issue where we find out who is taking Captain America’s place after the original Cap was gunned down. I want to say that this will be Bucky, but then again, that’s what Marvel wants you to think, so maybe they’ll throw you a curve ball and not choose Bucky. Then again, maybe Marvel expects that you’ll think that they think you’ll think it’s Bucky and not pick a curveball, but Bucky. Hmmmmm. Of course, Bucky is probably a Skrull, so that may cause issues down the road.

Avengers: The Initiative #9 (Marvel) - The Initiative will be rocked to the core as the sins of the past resurface. I don’t care about that. I’m more excited to see how Eric O’Grady will react to it!

Images courtesy DC and Marvel

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. Read the rest of this entry »