A Sense of Doubt blog post #2721 - FABLES IS BACK! Comic Book Sunday for 2207.31

A Sense of Doubt blog post #2721 - FABLES IS BACK! Comic Book Sunday for 2207.31

Fables returns!!!

I linked Wikipedia there in the title in case you do not know what the comic called Fables is.

In 2015, after 150 issues, when Fables ended its 13 year run, I thought it was ending forever. Story told. Ending made. No more.

It's not "back back" like in perpetuity. But a couple of months ago DC launched a 12 issue series to continue the saga.

This comic book is one of the best of all time.

I wanted to do a set of my own comments on the first two issues, but these writers do well enough.

I am behind again on my blog.

Thanks for tuning in.


https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/vertigo/fables




https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/vertigo/fables/151

https://geekdad.com/2022/05/review-fables-151-return-to-fabletown/

Review – Fables #151: Return to Fabletown

May 17, 2022Ray Goldfield

Fables #151 – Bill Willingham, Writer; Mark Buckingham, Artist; Steve Leialoha, Colorist

Ray – 9/10

Ray: After a 150-issue run and countless spin-offs (mostly by frequent Willingham collaborators Lilah Sturges and Chris Roberson), Fables came to an end with an expansive epilogue that seemed to be the end of the road—until now. A recent team-up of Bigby Wolf and Batman didn’t make many waves and was hard to place in continuity, but now the original series returns for a twelve-issue engagement with the original art team on board. Does it hold up? The original series had a brilliant first third, but many felt it became scattered and overly dark and cruel afterwards. This revival doesn’t have those problems, and does a good job of reacquainting us with its very complex world. It helps that there’s a good entry point—Fabletown has just been exposed to the world after the epic final battle, and King Cole has to welcome the Mundys within its destroyed walls and explain to them what they’ve been missing. And at the same time, a lot of new and old players head on to new adventures.

The introduction of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, some of the biggest characters missing from the original story, is intriguing. He seems to be cast as a lawful-neutral character coming to clean up Gepetto’s messes. Far more in-depth this issue is a plot centering around a character named Jack in the Green, based around an obscure English folk tale. A young girl named Gwen seeks out her destiny as the old Jack in the Green, at the same time the old retired version sits in his treehouse. Is there any connection to the more famous Jack that played a huge role in the original series? We’ll see. And then there’s Snow, Bigby, and their Cubs as they settle into a new world—seemingly occupied by Red Panda critters named Hesse—and some of Bigby’s bad old ways seem to be making a comeback as he claims it for his own. Then there’s an unexpected return in the last page. It’s as chaotic and dense as it ever was, and based on this issue at least, it’s good to have it back.

https://dccomicsnews.com/2022/05/17/review-fables-151/

Review: Fables #151

by Matthew Lloyd May 17, 2022 0 comment

Review: Fables #151
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Bill Willingham
Art: Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha
Colors: Leigh Loughridge
Letters: Todd Klein

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

“In which things continue more or less where we left off.”  Including, catching up with Snow and Bigby, meeting Jack in the Green for the first time and a couple of mysteries rear their heads.

Positives

It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly seven years since Fables #150.  The creative team drops the reader into Fables #151 with only seconds appearing to have passed, at least to some of the fables.  This feeling of familiarity and the appearance of Mayor Old King Cole reassures the reader that this is indeed the beloved comic he/she has been missing.  The most amazing thing of all is that in this one issue, it’s all there- the art, the look, the voices, the tone.

Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha gave Fables a look.  This is one of those penciler/inker teams that work incredibly well together and this look was integral to making Fables the success that it was.  With this issue, the reader is reminded of old family and friends, it’s almost like looking at pictures of the house one grew up in.  The brilliance of Buckingham’s layouts is there, including the wonderful images outside the panels that go to the edge of the page.  For the uninitiated, it’s like scrollwork that reflects the theme of the story in the panels.  It’s a truly unique approach that makes this comic look like nothing else.

Leialoha and Buckingham have been working on the titles for a long time and they own the look as much as Willingham owns the stories.  Old King Cole, Bigby, and Snow White all look magnificent.  The animal fables are a delight, in that  Buckingham and Leialoha communicate the facial expressions on them with the same impact as the human fables.  The art is perfect and perfectly aided by Lee Loughridge’s colors.  He’s been doing Fables for a while as well, and it’s no secret that his choices for the different settings masterfully evoke these different milieu.  

Positives Cont’d

It wouldn’t be right not to introduce a “new” fable to the series in this restart, and on page 6 we meet Jack-in-the-Green!  Jethro Tull fans can rejoice at this second Tull connection to the series, the first being “The Mouse Police Never Sleep,” the title of issue #14.  The aspect of Fables that is so intriguing is how Willingham incorporates the different fairy tales and folklore into the series.  The introduction of Jack is an opportunity to see this all over again.  Interestingly, Willingham gives us something extra, even if one is familiar with the folklore, there’s a story to go with it.  This Jack is the new Jack, and she’s out to find the previous one to tell him she’s taking his place.  There’s some meta-textual commentary ass she reveals to him that she carries a bow and arrow and that “It’s “all done with female archers now.”  It’s easy to see Merida from Brave and Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games here, but also Helena Wayne’s Huntress who took over for her father, the Earth-Two Batman, and carried a crossbow.  Gwen, the new Jack is immediately likable.

There are a couple of surprises along the way in Fables #151 as well.  There’s some intrigue in the first few pages that raise questions, and the end of the issue has an additional surprise, but we won’t spoil that at all.  It’s a classic “tune in next month for more” which is a staple of serialized fiction.  This title is known for that, so it’s a joy to see it here.

Finally, it’s refreshing to have Fables restart with issue #151 instead of launching with a new #1.  Comics don’t utilize their legacies nearly enough.  It tells the reader that this is indeed part of a greater whole and not just a flavor-of-the-month or ploy.  There’s something satisfying about reading a comic with a high issue number and knowing it is connected to something with a pedigree, that new #1 doesn’t make it a better comic, it actually just dilutes the significance of true #1 issue.

Negatives

There are no real negatives for Fables #151.  However, some fans might have questions about how Everafter: From the Pages of Fables and Batman vs. Bigby!: A Wolf in Gotham fit in.  I think Willingham will reference what he needs to as the story progresses.  The Batman crossover could’ve taken place at almost anytime and doesn’t really affect the continuity.  Connor Wolf, one of Snow and Bigby’s sons features heavily in Everafter, and as he shows up in Fables #151, one sort of wants to know how these two series fit together.  It’s nothing to lose sleep over, however.

Verdict

Fables #151 is like coming home for existing fans.  This first issue indicates it’s going to be just as excellent as it’s ever been.  For new readers, Willingham has the right amount of new characters like Jack-in-the-Green to love and learn about as well as some existing mysteries.  It’s going to be an adventure for old and new alike as Fabletown and the Mundy World learn to get along which new and existing readers should find intriguing immediately.  And, all readers will enjoy the art.

https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/vertigo/fables/152



https://www.superpoweredfancast.com/fables-152-review/

Deron GenerallyJune 21, 2022

Fables #152

DC Comics

Written by Bill Willingham

Art by Mark Buckingham

Inks by Steve Leialoha

Colors by Lee Lougheridge

Letters by Todd Klein

The Rundown: Geppetto gets an unexpected visitor as a once dead Fable gets a new lease on life.

In the aftermath of the destruction of their home, one of the dead fables has been taken to the city morgue. Unfortunately, she’s not as dead as some people think and the charm that restores her requires the help of a mundy to be removed from her healing body. At the same time, the new Jack in the Green makes her presence known with her predecessor and the two come to a tenuous understanding.

While Bigby and family continue to try to make a life for themselves in a new world, Geppetto gets a visit from someone of immense power. Someone powerful enough to be the one pulling the puppeteer’s strings all these years. Someone who does not like failure and delivers quick punishment.

The Story: Willingham delivers an entertaining and intriguing story in this issue. The characters and conflicts are compelling and the mystery is unfolding in ways that keep me engaged as a reader. Each part of the story brilliantly transitions into the other creating a wonderful and rich world of character and conflict.

The Art: Buckingham delivers some beautifully detailed art on every page. There are some brilliantly evocative moments that are a feast for the eyes.

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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2207.31 - 10:10

- Days ago = 2585 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.