Matt Lowder Reviews FABLES

Guest review by Matt Lowder . . . . .

FABLES VOLUME ONE: LEGENDS IN EXILE by Bill Willingham (DC/Vertigo, 2013) Seventh printing, new edition with new cover. Rprints Issues #1-5. Matt's rating: 4.5 STARS our of a possible 5 STARS,

Fables is something that I knew absolutely nothing about beside it being one of the more unique and successful comics with Vertigo. I can definitely say that I need to get into more Vertigo stuff, because this has got to be one of the most original, award-winning comic books that I've read over the past two years from Vertigo, including Sandman, Preacher, 100 Bullets, and Sweet Tooth. Vertigo really has some massively special sh*t to read.

FABLES is no exception, and it's almost written on the bones of a very straight, classic late 20th century contemporary murder-mystery. I almost expected Inspector Poirot to come out with a mustache and solve the murder mystery on BBC in the Parlor Room. What I love about this is it takes a very traditional art style and a very basic genre trope and puts it through a really special fantasy filter where all of the fable characters that have ever been written have been exiled for some reason 200 years ago and have been living in our world, secret refugees, in places like New York City. And they are all taking on the role of humans if they were not human already. Big Bad Wolf, the Three Little Pigs. Prince Charming. Snow White. Bluebeard. Belle and the Beast. Jack and the beanstalk. Pinocchio and Little Red Riding Hood, etc.  

There was so much dense writing, and so many great character voices, that I was genuinely blown away. This is great world building per issue. Exceptional. I didn't even care that I found the art style okay-to-good, though everywhere I read claims it is this phenomenal artwork. I will give it this: it is meticulously detailed in its settings and backgrounds, and very, very well inked. Colors are matted without shading. Depth and texture come from the inker. 

 

I don't know how this particular book fares in the halls of public opinion, but I would almost call it a Vertigo essential for pure creativity, and a must-try comic of the past 20 years. I believe it owes a bit to Gaiman's Sandman comic, and his Neverwhere and American Gods novels. I've also recently learned FABLES has a lot of issues through 2011, like 100+, so if I continue, there are many, many more stories, arcs, and thrills to explore in this world. I'm in it for Bill Willingham's writing mostly, we'll say 80% of why I would continue. The art is certainly good, and I'm probably under-selling it. I'd guess others can appreciate the traditional style more. It works.

FABLES has truly just begun, and I bet the art gets better and better. And I'm interested in this absorbing, fascinating world -- one of my favorite premises in comics. Clearly it entertained fans for almost a decade, with multiple publishings and Deluxe editions coming out often. 4.5 out of 5.