Written by Bill Willingham.
Art by Lan Medina; Steve Leialoha; Craig Hamilton; Sherilyn van Valkenburgh; & Todd Klein.
Collection Cover Art by Mark Buckingham.
SUMMARY:
First published in 2002, for its Vertigo Comics imprint, DC Comics re-released this 10th Anniversary edition of Fables, Volume 1: Legends in Exile in 2012. Like before, 2002’s Issues # 1-5 have been compiled, but multiple extras (as listed below) are now included. Hence, the page count is now 160 pages.
In New York City’s secret Fabletown community, an ultra-bloody crime scene sends Jack (of old Beanstalk fame) rushing to its security chief’s disheveled office claiming his girlfriend, Rose Red, is missing. Supervised by Rose’s estranged sister, Snow White (Fabletown’s Deputy Mayor/Director of Operations), an insightful Bigby Wolf begins his hunt for the perpetrator. Among his potential homicide suspects are: a scorned Bluebeard; the perpetually-conniving Jack; Snow White’s sleazeball ex-husband: Prince Charming; and possibly even Snow White herself.
Meanwhile, a high-profile lottery for Charming’s supposed riches from the lost Homelands is set for this year’s Remembrance Ball. Under increasing pressure, it’s up to Bigby to reveal the ugly truth scandalizing Fabletown. He senses full well that all isn’t what it seems.
REVIEW:
Despite resorting to excessive profanities, writer Bill Willingham conjures up an intriguing murder-mystery. Bigby Wolf, as Fabletown’s world-weary, Sam Spade/John Constantine-esque gumshoe, dominates Volume 1, exactly as Willingham intends.
Providing Bigby a welcome pendulum is Snow White as his politically savvy tag-team partner, no matter how reluctantly (and emotionally) involved she is. Their crime-solving, ‘odd couple’ chemistry concocts this book’s most traditionally appealing asset. As to the mystery’s twist ending, Willingham’s revelations are fair game when Bigby explains the assorted visual clues.
Padded with bonus materials, Fables, Volume 1: Legends in Exile delivers an excellent first journey into Willingham’s long-running saga.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
A table-of-contents is provided. Willingham slyly pens a two-page introduction. In a full-page format, artists James Jean’s original covers are included, as is Alex Maleev’s variant for Issue # 1. Jean also supplies the double-page cover accompanying the initial release of Fables, Volume 1: Legends in Exile.
Entitled “A Wolf in the Fold,” in traditional fable-like prose, Willingham’s eight-page prequel reveals Bigby & Snow White’s first encounter centuries before, along with why the Wolf later assumed human form to accompany her overseas to The New World. Willingham supplies two full-page black-and-white illustrations.
There’s also three previews:
- From Peter & Max, A Fables Novel: The eight-page “The Price of a Happy Ending” depicts the raven Clara’s wartime recruitment of Little Bo Peep and Peter as black ops assassins on Fabletown’s behalf. Written by Willingham, he is joined by artist Steve Leialoha & letterer Todd Klein.
- From Fables, Volume 2: Animal Farm: In an eight-page excerpt, Snow White & Rose Red visit Fabletown’s private sanctuary amidst talk of an imminent revolution to seize their long-lost Homelands. Written by Willingham, he is joined by artists Mark Buckingham & Steve Leialoha.
- From Fairest # 1: A seven-page excerpt depicts a nocturnal twist on the Sleeping Beauty tale. Written by Willingham, he is joined by artists Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning, with cover art from Adam Hughes.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
