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Fables
Fables, Vol. 16: Super Team
Now why, oh why, in this mixed-up world would we saddle an important series that has never had anything to do with Super Heroes with a title like "Super Team"? And why has that snotty little Pinocchio suddenly got it into his head that he needs to design tight-fitting costumes for a carefully selected team of Fables? In fact, why was the little brat caught looking over his own comic-book collection, mumbling things like, "We can call him Werewolf Man, and he can be The Golden Knight, and she can be called The Green Witch?"
This volume also includes a special story illustrated by Terry Moore (Echo, Strangers in Paradise)!
Collecting: Fables 101-107
This volume also includes a special story illustrated by Terry Moore (Echo, Strangers in Paradise)!
Collecting: Fables 101-107
160 pages, Paperback
First published December 14, 2011
58 people are currently reading
2511 people want to read
About the author
Bill Willingham
994 books2,828 followersIn the late 1970s to early 1980s he drew fantasy ink pictures for the Dungeons & Dragons Basic and Expert game rulebooks. He first gained attention for his 1980s comic book series Elementals published by Comico, which he both wrote and drew. However, for reasons unknown, the series had trouble maintaining an original schedule, and Willingham's position in the industry remained spotty for many years. He contributed stories to Green Lantern and started his own independent, black-and-white comics series Coventry which lasted only 3 issues. He also produced the pornographic series Ironwood for Eros Comix.
In the late 1990s Willingham reestablished himself as a prolific writer. He produced the 13-issue Pantheon for Lone Star Press and wrote a pair of short novels about the modern adventures of the hero Beowulf, published by the writer's collective, Clockwork Storybook, of which Willingham was a founding member. In the early 2000s he began writing extensively for DC Comics, including the limited series Proposition Player, a pair of limited series about the Greek witch Thessaly from The Sandman, and most notably the popular series Fables
In the late 1990s Willingham reestablished himself as a prolific writer. He produced the 13-issue Pantheon for Lone Star Press and wrote a pair of short novels about the modern adventures of the hero Beowulf, published by the writer's collective, Clockwork Storybook, of which Willingham was a founding member. In the early 2000s he began writing extensively for DC Comics, including the limited series Proposition Player, a pair of limited series about the Greek witch Thessaly from The Sandman, and most notably the popular series Fables
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 437 reviews
January 18, 2022
Things really don't go as planned for Ozma and her Super Team.
But is that always such a bad thing...?
Bufkin goes on an adventure that didn't really interest me much, but I'm guessing it will tie into the larger story somewhere down the line.
Bigby and his father have words when The North Wind finds out his son has been harboring the zephyr - Bigby & Snow's 7th son, Ghost. What will the Cubs think of him when Grandpa kills their brother?
The awful Mrs. Spratt goes on a diet with a little help from Mr. Dark, in order to seek her revenge on all the Beauties in Fable town who've made her feel (whether they meant to or not) less than for all these centuries.
Moral of the story? Don't fuck with former fat chicks.
I will say that since this one had the final showdown with Mr. Dark, I was expecting quite a bit more. I thought Mr. Dark was so much delicious as a villain than silly Gepetto as The Adversary, and seeing how he finally went down (while it made complete sense) was underwhelming, to say the least.
This was still a great volume, though, and I'm 100% looking forward to seeing what happens next with Bigby & Snow's kids!
But is that always such a bad thing...?
Bufkin goes on an adventure that didn't really interest me much, but I'm guessing it will tie into the larger story somewhere down the line.
Bigby and his father have words when The North Wind finds out his son has been harboring the zephyr - Bigby & Snow's 7th son, Ghost. What will the Cubs think of him when Grandpa kills their brother?
The awful Mrs. Spratt goes on a diet with a little help from Mr. Dark, in order to seek her revenge on all the Beauties in Fable town who've made her feel (whether they meant to or not) less than for all these centuries.
Moral of the story? Don't fuck with former fat chicks.
I will say that since this one had the final showdown with Mr. Dark, I was expecting quite a bit more. I thought Mr. Dark was so much delicious as a villain than silly Gepetto as The Adversary, and seeing how he finally went down (while it made complete sense) was underwhelming, to say the least.
This was still a great volume, though, and I'm 100% looking forward to seeing what happens next with Bigby & Snow's kids!
March 30, 2021
In which the embattled Fables in Haven decide to create a 'super team' to combat the encroaching Mister Dark; in which Bumpkin and Oz the flying monkey seek to build a legend; in which the great power North Wind needs to commit a murder; in which we check on Briar Rose and the Sleeping City. One of the ongoing good things about this series is that I never seem to be able to determine where the story is going, like real life for most of us; I'm not sure if this was purposefully done but it works really well, even on 2nd and 3rd readings. 7.5 out of 12.
March 12, 2020
The story moves along in this 16th volume. We start seeing Bufkin who is stuck in the study at the old Fabletown find a way to get out. I will miss Frank and the mirror. That was some funny stuff. We meet Jack Pumpkinhead in a far off place of Oz. I love that this is now part of Fables. I have been wanting to see more Oz characters.
Fabletown is putting together a Super Team with all their best fighters to try and take down Mr. Dark. They come up with superhero costumes and everything. It's pretty great. Ozma embraces it and dresses the part. I'm ready to see more of Ozma and what she can do. Who is she? and what makes her tick?
The North Wind finds that he has to kill his own grandson according to his own laws he laid down. He takes one for the team and then he engages Mr. Dark and finds a way to defeat him and save his grandson. it seems overly simplistic, but it could work and I'm okay with that.
The last issue, we finally go back to see Sleeping Beauty who pricked her finger and put 9 million people to sleep. There is an emperor trying to wake her up again and now she is back in the story. I'm assuming that will be the next volume.
This issue wasn't as grand and epic as the past handful have been, but it was a good story and a transition story. I can't wait to see what Bill Willingham does next.
Fabletown is putting together a Super Team with all their best fighters to try and take down Mr. Dark. They come up with superhero costumes and everything. It's pretty great. Ozma embraces it and dresses the part. I'm ready to see more of Ozma and what she can do. Who is she? and what makes her tick?
The North Wind finds that he has to kill his own grandson according to his own laws he laid down. He takes one for the team and then he engages Mr. Dark and finds a way to defeat him and save his grandson. it seems overly simplistic, but it could work and I'm okay with that.
The last issue, we finally go back to see Sleeping Beauty who pricked her finger and put 9 million people to sleep. There is an emperor trying to wake her up again and now she is back in the story. I'm assuming that will be the next volume.
This issue wasn't as grand and epic as the past handful have been, but it was a good story and a transition story. I can't wait to see what Bill Willingham does next.
March 25, 2023
Here we are again
Let me say i was surprised
i thought that by some miracle their silly plan will work out, and ofc i laughed at the mimicking of wolverine profesor x scarlet witch the wasp and maybe brock blueheart is the green lantern!
but they had to make us see how silly that was and finish it in an epic way
the north wind kills mr.dark and himself in the process, and now one of bigby's cubs has to take over the role of north wind !!!
Only when you think there is no more stories to tell they come up with new intriguing ones
I also liked the outcome of bufkin's adventures and what it might lead too as well
He is now in the world of oz and setting a revolution in motion against its new leader
The briar rose story line might turn out good as well am not sure what the goblins want with her or if we are supposed to know them or not
The weird thing is i remember briar rose went to sleep with two guardians a witch and a mage i think or something what happened to them now?
Let me say i was surprised
i thought that by some miracle their silly plan will work out, and ofc i laughed at the mimicking of wolverine profesor x scarlet witch the wasp and maybe brock blueheart is the green lantern!
but they had to make us see how silly that was and finish it in an epic way
the north wind kills mr.dark and himself in the process, and now one of bigby's cubs has to take over the role of north wind !!!
Only when you think there is no more stories to tell they come up with new intriguing ones
I also liked the outcome of bufkin's adventures and what it might lead too as well
He is now in the world of oz and setting a revolution in motion against its new leader
The briar rose story line might turn out good as well am not sure what the goblins want with her or if we are supposed to know them or not
The weird thing is i remember briar rose went to sleep with two guardians a witch and a mage i think or something what happened to them now?
October 17, 2012
Today I Learned That:
1) An overweight woman who lives among beautiful, skinny women will inevitably end up a nasty, mean-spirited asshole, explicitly because they are pretty and she is not.
2) A woman's self-esteem and temperament is inextricably tied in to her physical appearance
3) A woman will sell her soul and endure horrible pain for beauty, and a handsome prince, because
4) Love and physical appearances are ALL THAT MATTER to a woman.
Thanks for the enlightenment, Willingham!
1) An overweight woman who lives among beautiful, skinny women will inevitably end up a nasty, mean-spirited asshole, explicitly because they are pretty and she is not.
2) A woman's self-esteem and temperament is inextricably tied in to her physical appearance
3) A woman will sell her soul and endure horrible pain for beauty, and a handsome prince, because
4) Love and physical appearances are ALL THAT MATTER to a woman.
Thanks for the enlightenment, Willingham!
June 21, 2022
First we check-in with Bufkin. Then Pinocchio has convinced the Fables they need to build a super team to defeat Mr. Dark who is knocking on the doors. It's some good fun as they try and build their own X-Men. The final confrontation blows through like a hurricane and is over way too fact. But I get it. Sometimes that's just the way things are, especially when we just had that big confrontation in issue #100. Finally, we check in with Briar Rose and the remnants of the Empire. Overall one of the weaker volumes of the series. The final issue does lead in to Fairest.
May 7, 2012
Bill Willingham's Fables series has now been running for about ten years - hard to believe. While I think he has yet to capture the momentum of some of the more epic moments during the war against the Adversary, and the series has had a few fumbles since that arc ended, Willingham still manages to pull out grand ideas with each new story arc, even if they don't always quite live up to their potential.
This volume brings to an end the Mister Dark storyline. To be honest, I'm glad, since we really didn't need another Dark Lord for the Fables to fight. It was almost as if Willingham was thinking, "Well hell, now that the Adversary has been defeated, who will pose an existential threat to the Fables for the next hundred issues?" Then perhaps he realized that the series doesn't necessarily need a steady stream of existential threats.
So, since the Fables are all about mythology, and power fueled by mundy belief, it was inevitable that sooner or later we'd get superheroes. But the notion is really only flirted with here, as Willingham I think wanted to give tribute to some of his legendary inspirations. The plan to go up against Mister Dark with a hand-picked team of Fable "superheroes," complete with four-color costumes, was as entertaining as it was silly, but in the end, what we got was a deux ex machina and a heroic sacrifice. It was rather an abrupt resolution, but it killed several birds with one stone, and left enough loose ends for plenty of new stories. (Like our dear treacherous Miss Sprat, and the continuing Cult of Boy Blue, and the rather obvious "mystery" of Beauty and the Beast's child, and do I sense a hint of a Pinocchio/Ozma ship?)
There were two secondary stories in this volume: one starring Bufkin the no-longer-flying monkey, who apparently is going to get an entire story arc of his own, and one involving the sleeping city that was once the capital of the Empire, back in the Homelands, and the fate of Sleeping Beauty, with yet another ominous plot seed laid for the future.
Fables has not yet completely worn out its freshness, and Willingham has said he's going to continue it as long as he can, so I imagine there are still a few good years left in it.
This volume brings to an end the Mister Dark storyline. To be honest, I'm glad, since we really didn't need another Dark Lord for the Fables to fight. It was almost as if Willingham was thinking, "Well hell, now that the Adversary has been defeated, who will pose an existential threat to the Fables for the next hundred issues?" Then perhaps he realized that the series doesn't necessarily need a steady stream of existential threats.
So, since the Fables are all about mythology, and power fueled by mundy belief, it was inevitable that sooner or later we'd get superheroes. But the notion is really only flirted with here, as Willingham I think wanted to give tribute to some of his legendary inspirations. The plan to go up against Mister Dark with a hand-picked team of Fable "superheroes," complete with four-color costumes, was as entertaining as it was silly, but in the end, what we got was a deux ex machina and a heroic sacrifice. It was rather an abrupt resolution, but it killed several birds with one stone, and left enough loose ends for plenty of new stories. (Like our dear treacherous Miss Sprat, and the continuing Cult of Boy Blue, and the rather obvious "mystery" of Beauty and the Beast's child, and do I sense a hint of a Pinocchio/Ozma ship?)
There were two secondary stories in this volume: one starring Bufkin the no-longer-flying monkey, who apparently is going to get an entire story arc of his own, and one involving the sleeping city that was once the capital of the Empire, back in the Homelands, and the fate of Sleeping Beauty, with yet another ominous plot seed laid for the future.
Fables has not yet completely worn out its freshness, and Willingham has said he's going to continue it as long as he can, so I imagine there are still a few good years left in it.
January 22, 2015
Sloppy, and Mrs. Spratt's arc continues to be one of the most hateful, misogynistic storylines I have had the displeasure of reading in a long time.
November 7, 2023
Un po' deludente la risoluzione del problema "Oscuro Signore", specie se paragonata allo scontro finale contro l'Imperatore.
Però ha senso visto il divario si poteri e l'esito dello scontro con Totenkinder, e soprattutto visto quanto il Vento del Nord doveva fare.
Alla fine la soluzione era già sotto i nostri occhi fin dal viaggio della strega alla ricerca della scatola, no?
Geniale invece non tanto il piano di un gruppo scelto che attacchi il nemico, quanto la svolta che gli dà Pinocchio con la scusa degli archetipi e della fede collettiva: Pinocchio Xavier intento a fare il casting per il supergruppo fiabesco, a ipotizzare scenari e a parlare di come per i fumetti sarebbe dovuto andare il combattimento è pura gioia.
E i nove cambi di costume di Raperonzolo sono perfettamente in tema Pinocchio, Elio e le storie tese sarebbero stati d'accordo!
Non mi ha convinto moltissimo invece la Speranza, ma vedremo se più in qua la cosa avrà più senso...
Però ha senso visto il divario si poteri e l'esito dello scontro con Totenkinder, e soprattutto visto quanto il Vento del Nord doveva fare.
Alla fine la soluzione era già sotto i nostri occhi fin dal viaggio della strega alla ricerca della scatola, no?
Geniale invece non tanto il piano di un gruppo scelto che attacchi il nemico, quanto la svolta che gli dà Pinocchio con la scusa degli archetipi e della fede collettiva: Pinocchio Xavier intento a fare il casting per il supergruppo fiabesco, a ipotizzare scenari e a parlare di come per i fumetti sarebbe dovuto andare il combattimento è pura gioia.
E i nove cambi di costume di Raperonzolo sono perfettamente in tema Pinocchio, Elio e le storie tese sarebbero stati d'accordo!
Non mi ha convinto moltissimo invece la Speranza, ma vedremo se più in qua la cosa avrà più senso...
March 15, 2025
Can't say it's bad because the whole series is awesome and keeping a high level of gripping developments, but I can say that this is the volume I least liked so far.
The formation of the super fables league taking centrepoint in this volume and then it gets disbanded without seeing them tested in a true battle was a waste, and the demise, or more adequately put, the second defeat of the Dark Man is absolutely anticlimactic in its self and more so compared to the duel with Frau Totenkinder in the last volume, the non battle with the Northwind takes like a couple of pages and that's it?
The only way to salvage something from this volume is that we discover in the coming parts that this was not the end of the Darkman, and that there is more to him...
Also, did this volume try to put a justified closure to Rose Red's role in saving the Fables? As we have been being prepped for a major role by her for sometime, but her ralying the fables to move to Haven was not the kind of deed I was expecting as her ultimate, save the day heroic act.
MiM
The formation of the super fables league taking centrepoint in this volume and then it gets disbanded without seeing them tested in a true battle was a waste, and the demise, or more adequately put, the second defeat of the Dark Man is absolutely anticlimactic in its self and more so compared to the duel with Frau Totenkinder in the last volume, the non battle with the Northwind takes like a couple of pages and that's it?
The only way to salvage something from this volume is that we discover in the coming parts that this was not the end of the Darkman, and that there is more to him...
Also, did this volume try to put a justified closure to Rose Red's role in saving the Fables? As we have been being prepped for a major role by her for sometime, but her ralying the fables to move to Haven was not the kind of deed I was expecting as her ultimate, save the day heroic act.
MiM
May 17, 2016
I can't put my finger on it, but this one wasn't a five star read for me. I think part of it's that I'm so sick of the Dark Man storyline. I just want him to be dealt with so we can move on. It was cute, how the Fables are forming a Team of heroes to fight the Dark Man, but it wasn't a strong enough concept to hang the story on. Also I didn't find the leads as compelling as Snow and Bigby are. I do like the twist with Fran Tottenkinder, but she's less present in this book as well. I just wasn't feeling this like I have past books. It's still really good, just not as good.
September 7, 2011
I can't actually tell anymore when reading Fables if the story is as excellent as I think it is or if I'm just blinded by my love of these characters. Either way I really enjoy this series.
December 2, 2024
Now that Fables is in the 'Public Domain', I thought it was time I read the entire series (including all spinoffs and specials) from start to finish in sequential tpb reading order. Here we go!
Fables First-to-Finale reading #29
Fables vol 16: Super Team
First up, Bufkin the Brave seeks out his next heroic act. Next is the beginning of the main arc, Super Team. Bigby learns the situation is dire, and also that he has been recruited. Pinocchio and Ozma hold tryouts for the Super Team. Training begins for the battle with The Dark One. Bigby and his Father North Wind have a chat. The winds of change blow through, and then it's over.
I am not sure how satisfying the ending was, but we will see the repercussions next volume.
The trade ends with a backdoor pilot for the Fairest series, so more to come there, it seems.
Overall, this was a mid volume. Hopefully, things pick back up.
Fables First-to-Finale reading #29
Fables vol 16: Super Team
First up, Bufkin the Brave seeks out his next heroic act. Next is the beginning of the main arc, Super Team. Bigby learns the situation is dire, and also that he has been recruited. Pinocchio and Ozma hold tryouts for the Super Team. Training begins for the battle with The Dark One. Bigby and his Father North Wind have a chat. The winds of change blow through, and then it's over.
I am not sure how satisfying the ending was, but we will see the repercussions next volume.
The trade ends with a backdoor pilot for the Fairest series, so more to come there, it seems.
Overall, this was a mid volume. Hopefully, things pick back up.
August 21, 2019
The Fables are preparing to fight Mr. Dark for the final time. Pinocchio decides to try to put together a Super Team of powerful fables. Meanwhile the North Wind has learned about Bigby's son Zephyr, whom by his own law he must kill. Oh and Bufkin manages to find his way out of the Business Office and ends up in Ev (next door to Oz).
That about sums up this issue without giving away spoilers. The fight against Mr. Dark has an unforeseen, and slightly anticlimactic, ending. I honestly don't know what to think and am suspicious if this is the "end". Perhaps because of the nature of the ending of the fight that made me deduct a point. Somehow though, while quite good, this volume didn't really measure up to the standards of the previous volumes. I don't think the Mr. Dark story has ended, since he still has a few minions. But the part about the state of the former Empire and the various pretenders to the throne, was interesting. I have no idea who the goblins were or what the story is with them, never mind all the sleeping beauties, but this seems like a promising story arc.
So while not the greatest of volumes, even a "decent" Fables volume seems heads and shoulders above most of the typical comic crap out there. So count me in for Vol 17 to see where this is all going.
That about sums up this issue without giving away spoilers. The fight against Mr. Dark has an unforeseen, and slightly anticlimactic, ending. I honestly don't know what to think and am suspicious if this is the "end". Perhaps because of the nature of the ending of the fight that made me deduct a point. Somehow though, while quite good, this volume didn't really measure up to the standards of the previous volumes. I don't think the Mr. Dark story has ended, since he still has a few minions. But the part about the state of the former Empire and the various pretenders to the throne, was interesting. I have no idea who the goblins were or what the story is with them, never mind all the sleeping beauties, but this seems like a promising story arc.
So while not the greatest of volumes, even a "decent" Fables volume seems heads and shoulders above most of the typical comic crap out there. So count me in for Vol 17 to see where this is all going.
August 8, 2013
Fables Volume 16 immediately tells you from the cover that it must be a superhero volume. Which makes one (or at least made me) a little squeamish. How can the writers successfully mix together superheroes and the fairytale genre? As it turns out, but using the idea of superheroes as a little gimmick or side idea to the main twist and revelation in this story.
This features (as far as I know) the final confrontation with Mr Dark which does involve the superhero theme. But as far as that goes I'll leave you to read the collection and find out for yourself. All I will say is that it turns out to be very interesting in my view and that this volume, to me, turns out to be more invested in the relationship between Bigby and his father rather than anything else. It also seems to feature more of a look into Flycatcher's kingdom as well as an interesting perspective from Mr Dark.
Again, a strong graphic novel in a fine series with few blemishes. Definitely recommended by myself as one of the smartest graphic novels around and a clear winner with critics and award committees.
April 23, 2012
I'd like to start by stating that I am a fan of Bill Willingham, I love his work on Fables, Robin back in the day and the occasional other comic that he's done like Thessaly and Shadowpact which I actually thought was pretty cool. That said, I'd like to add that I am a huge fan of Fables, couldn't wait for the possible t.v. series that sadly became the lame duck shows about fairy tales that you now see all over television. Fables, at its best, is a biting satire on our past fantasies, fairy tales, politics, relationships between men and women and everyday life and magic. Lately however, Fables has been anything but its best. Mind you, I add a caveat to that, I'm speaking of the trades, which is how I read Fables now exclusively, though had this storyline been more powerful that would have changed.
Something has happened to Mr. Willingham's work since he introduced the major villain Mr. Dark, who has plagued our Fables for the past 3 volumes or so. He seems to have lost his writing edge a bit. Dealing with the character and the fall out of his last major story line I think has deprived or perhaps left Mr. Willingham a little lost in the direction of the books recently. I've noticed a possible move in his writing style to write for trades in mind rather than as the story dictates. As this 16th volume of Fables begins we pick up with Buffkin in the offices of the Mayor's office in Fable town in a one issue story that sets up what is likely to be the next big conflict, some kind of revolution in Oz. I think, honestly, it was a bad idea to present it in this way, as a whole stand-alone issue at the start of the book, since nowhere else in the book is the matter handled settled or even mentioned again. As I said, Mr. Willingham is setting up the next big conflict. All well and good, but why a whole issue at the beginning of the book that has absolutely nothing to do with the story at hand? Buffkins adventures have not really dealt with the Dark one but rather with being isolated in the business office with a powerful witch. It seems a pity to waste all that time on something that could have been sparced out over the length of the book as a subtle back story while diving us into the main conflict which quite honestly has been a long time in coming to a resolution.
Mr. Willingham did something similar a few trades back introducing the threat of Mr. Dark only to then whisk us away on a horrid, and possibly editorially mandated crossover with a lower selling title Jack of Fables. Why Jack ever got a book is beyond me, as he isn't and never has been a good fable is beyond me. Snow and Bigby could have easily had their own book or even Prince Charming, even a book following Cinderella's exploits or Bigby's agents out in the mundy world would have been infinitely more interesting than the pap served to us as Jack's adventures. I speak for his early adventures as I bought the first half dozen issues or so of the book before I quit it, and the ones from the crossover which where quite honestly horrendous.
The whole crossover book was horrendous and simply a stupidly cumbersome and unnecessary giant bump that through the main Fables book severely off track.
If you remember back to that book you'll remember Rose Red shacking up with Jack for countless useless issues and her being haunted about having an important destiny, that quite honestly in this book comes to naught. Which lends credence to the thought that perhaps Mr. Willingham does not plot out his stories but writes them first and sees where they take him. (Its cool, I write that way and so do many successful writers.) What happens however, is that nothing comes of it. Rose's big destiny was to move all the Fables from the farm to Haven. That's pretty much it. No great battle with Mr. Dark, no revelatory moment at the pinnacle of climax where she finds the answer or reveals the killing blow to a villain who has been established rather eloquently and well in other books as being a damn big menace. No. Simply, you did something cool, you saved lives oh and you may yet do something more important later on down the road, thanks.
Mr. Willingham is the master of the big build-up, and for a lot of volumes of Fables he's paid off. Even here he sets up a fight between Bigby and his father that has been a long time coming over the fate of one of Bigby's children but again the way in which it is resolved is, quite honestly, a bit too deus ex machina. The big fight we're promised and the fall out all seem great and even when it turns out that Bigby doesn't stand a chance against his father I'm still excited for it but then ... nothing. By then the plot has become predictable and we can see the resolution coming a mile away.
For a villain of whom much is done, who went up against Frau Totenkinder and still managed to win, Mr. Dark receives a lame and rather stupid end, leaving in my opinion a lot of loose ends, and henchmen. Hopefully, Mr. Willingham will see to do something good with them down the road but for now we're left to wonder exactly how they're going to deal with the fall out and defeat of Mr. Dark.
All of that said, where the hell does the Super Team in the title come from? Well, Pinocchio has gotten it into his head that a team of Fables in the archetypes of certain comic book super team icons can take down and stand a better chance of defeating Mr. Dark. To say that that's the main storyline is true, but just as true is it to say that it fails at it miserably. One would expect a send up of popular comic book tropes, and characters and situations and likewise one would not be wrong to expect it to be deftly handled by someone who has written superhero comics as well as non-hero comics for years. However, if you're looking for biting satire or good parody about comics this is not the place to look. Aside from a few jabs at X-men/Doom Patrol's characters and maybe Wasp from the Avengers the books don't really deal at all or with any depth or seriousness or comedic seriousness anyway, the roles of super heroes. Nothing on the objectification of women, which isn't surprising coming from DC comics and their recent track record. Nothing about the quirky team dynamics or how disparate individuals gel into a team. Essentially nothing. Bigby is Wolverine, the Badger is a Green Lantern stand in, Pinocchio is Professor X or The Chief. Outside a little more of that we get nothing really. No big send up on superheroes or great satire on the comic industry nothing. Just another idea that Mr. Willingham just doesn't seem to bring to complete fruition.
Its frustrating to see so many possible great scenarios and situations suddenly cut short because the writer seems to be losing interest, or perhaps they were not well thought out. I honestly believe that Mr. Willingham was simply tired of dealing with Mr. Dark, as tired as I was of reading about his impending destruction of the Fables. It just seems like he wished to go back to dealing with things other than the fall out of the Empire, as exampled in the last story which leads straight into the new Fables series Fairest.
Despite all my disappointments with the plot, I would still recommend reading this book, it is better than anything else being written in comics, easily in the super-hero realm, but amongst the other books its still tops too. The dialogue is spot on, the fights and arguments, the little squabbles and machinations that Mr. Willingham has laid will hopefully bear better fruit than anything that has touched the Mr. Dark story lines. He has left enough little seedlings as to future troubles for our beloved Fables that one hopes he will pick one and follow it through. Perhaps smaller storylines dealing with individual Fables are more in order, as too much epic stuff, like too much candy, can get cloying.
To say that Mark Buckingham's artwork is still the most beautiful and best suited to this book is an understatement. I love Eric Shanower and Terry Moore, both of them very competent and illustrious illustrators but Mr. Buckingham's pencils are the definitive Fables for me. It is really great to see him illustrating the main story lines. The next story seems to follow who will inherit a certain powerful mantle, again undermining just how relevant it was to delve into the revolution in Oz which is likely the storyline that follows that one. Mr. Willingham is still a great writer, his book is still good, though it has lost some of its sheen since the big useless crossover, but this volume easily stands about that one, if not as one of the finest in the Fables series, it is still good and one hopes lays the seeds to more promising stories ahead.
Something has happened to Mr. Willingham's work since he introduced the major villain Mr. Dark, who has plagued our Fables for the past 3 volumes or so. He seems to have lost his writing edge a bit. Dealing with the character and the fall out of his last major story line I think has deprived or perhaps left Mr. Willingham a little lost in the direction of the books recently. I've noticed a possible move in his writing style to write for trades in mind rather than as the story dictates. As this 16th volume of Fables begins we pick up with Buffkin in the offices of the Mayor's office in Fable town in a one issue story that sets up what is likely to be the next big conflict, some kind of revolution in Oz. I think, honestly, it was a bad idea to present it in this way, as a whole stand-alone issue at the start of the book, since nowhere else in the book is the matter handled settled or even mentioned again. As I said, Mr. Willingham is setting up the next big conflict. All well and good, but why a whole issue at the beginning of the book that has absolutely nothing to do with the story at hand? Buffkins adventures have not really dealt with the Dark one but rather with being isolated in the business office with a powerful witch. It seems a pity to waste all that time on something that could have been sparced out over the length of the book as a subtle back story while diving us into the main conflict which quite honestly has been a long time in coming to a resolution.
Mr. Willingham did something similar a few trades back introducing the threat of Mr. Dark only to then whisk us away on a horrid, and possibly editorially mandated crossover with a lower selling title Jack of Fables. Why Jack ever got a book is beyond me, as he isn't and never has been a good fable is beyond me. Snow and Bigby could have easily had their own book or even Prince Charming, even a book following Cinderella's exploits or Bigby's agents out in the mundy world would have been infinitely more interesting than the pap served to us as Jack's adventures. I speak for his early adventures as I bought the first half dozen issues or so of the book before I quit it, and the ones from the crossover which where quite honestly horrendous.
The whole crossover book was horrendous and simply a stupidly cumbersome and unnecessary giant bump that through the main Fables book severely off track.
If you remember back to that book you'll remember Rose Red shacking up with Jack for countless useless issues and her being haunted about having an important destiny, that quite honestly in this book comes to naught. Which lends credence to the thought that perhaps Mr. Willingham does not plot out his stories but writes them first and sees where they take him. (Its cool, I write that way and so do many successful writers.) What happens however, is that nothing comes of it. Rose's big destiny was to move all the Fables from the farm to Haven. That's pretty much it. No great battle with Mr. Dark, no revelatory moment at the pinnacle of climax where she finds the answer or reveals the killing blow to a villain who has been established rather eloquently and well in other books as being a damn big menace. No. Simply, you did something cool, you saved lives oh and you may yet do something more important later on down the road, thanks.
Mr. Willingham is the master of the big build-up, and for a lot of volumes of Fables he's paid off. Even here he sets up a fight between Bigby and his father that has been a long time coming over the fate of one of Bigby's children but again the way in which it is resolved is, quite honestly, a bit too deus ex machina. The big fight we're promised and the fall out all seem great and even when it turns out that Bigby doesn't stand a chance against his father I'm still excited for it but then ... nothing. By then the plot has become predictable and we can see the resolution coming a mile away.
For a villain of whom much is done, who went up against Frau Totenkinder and still managed to win, Mr. Dark receives a lame and rather stupid end, leaving in my opinion a lot of loose ends, and henchmen. Hopefully, Mr. Willingham will see to do something good with them down the road but for now we're left to wonder exactly how they're going to deal with the fall out and defeat of Mr. Dark.
All of that said, where the hell does the Super Team in the title come from? Well, Pinocchio has gotten it into his head that a team of Fables in the archetypes of certain comic book super team icons can take down and stand a better chance of defeating Mr. Dark. To say that that's the main storyline is true, but just as true is it to say that it fails at it miserably. One would expect a send up of popular comic book tropes, and characters and situations and likewise one would not be wrong to expect it to be deftly handled by someone who has written superhero comics as well as non-hero comics for years. However, if you're looking for biting satire or good parody about comics this is not the place to look. Aside from a few jabs at X-men/Doom Patrol's characters and maybe Wasp from the Avengers the books don't really deal at all or with any depth or seriousness or comedic seriousness anyway, the roles of super heroes. Nothing on the objectification of women, which isn't surprising coming from DC comics and their recent track record. Nothing about the quirky team dynamics or how disparate individuals gel into a team. Essentially nothing. Bigby is Wolverine, the Badger is a Green Lantern stand in, Pinocchio is Professor X or The Chief. Outside a little more of that we get nothing really. No big send up on superheroes or great satire on the comic industry nothing. Just another idea that Mr. Willingham just doesn't seem to bring to complete fruition.
Its frustrating to see so many possible great scenarios and situations suddenly cut short because the writer seems to be losing interest, or perhaps they were not well thought out. I honestly believe that Mr. Willingham was simply tired of dealing with Mr. Dark, as tired as I was of reading about his impending destruction of the Fables. It just seems like he wished to go back to dealing with things other than the fall out of the Empire, as exampled in the last story which leads straight into the new Fables series Fairest.
Despite all my disappointments with the plot, I would still recommend reading this book, it is better than anything else being written in comics, easily in the super-hero realm, but amongst the other books its still tops too. The dialogue is spot on, the fights and arguments, the little squabbles and machinations that Mr. Willingham has laid will hopefully bear better fruit than anything that has touched the Mr. Dark story lines. He has left enough little seedlings as to future troubles for our beloved Fables that one hopes he will pick one and follow it through. Perhaps smaller storylines dealing with individual Fables are more in order, as too much epic stuff, like too much candy, can get cloying.
To say that Mark Buckingham's artwork is still the most beautiful and best suited to this book is an understatement. I love Eric Shanower and Terry Moore, both of them very competent and illustrious illustrators but Mr. Buckingham's pencils are the definitive Fables for me. It is really great to see him illustrating the main story lines. The next story seems to follow who will inherit a certain powerful mantle, again undermining just how relevant it was to delve into the revolution in Oz which is likely the storyline that follows that one. Mr. Willingham is still a great writer, his book is still good, though it has lost some of its sheen since the big useless crossover, but this volume easily stands about that one, if not as one of the finest in the Fables series, it is still good and one hopes lays the seeds to more promising stories ahead.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2012
3.5
On one hand, I liked what the story did for certain characters - including the interesting goings on of Beast and Bliss (his and Beauty's child), the decision that Mr. North made, what it means for the future, and just various bits and bobs throughout the story. Plus the super-hero thing was kind of fun and goofy - and it was even cool to see Ozma act like a kid for a minute and relish in flying.
On the other hand the conclusion to the much built-up battle between the Fables and Mister Dark was anti-climactic to say the least. Of course, I don't think that every thread of that particular story is over (Mrs. Spratt, anyone?) - and it did lead to the thing with Mr. North which sets whole other things into motion... so...
While I would've liked more from the battle, I was satisfied, overall.
On one hand, I liked what the story did for certain characters - including the interesting goings on of Beast and Bliss (his and Beauty's child), the decision that Mr. North made, what it means for the future, and just various bits and bobs throughout the story. Plus the super-hero thing was kind of fun and goofy - and it was even cool to see Ozma act like a kid for a minute and relish in flying.
On the other hand the conclusion to the much built-up battle between the Fables and Mister Dark was anti-climactic to say the least. Of course, I don't think that every thread of that particular story is over (Mrs. Spratt, anyone?) - and it did lead to the thing with Mr. North which sets whole other things into motion... so...
While I would've liked more from the battle, I was satisfied, overall.
February 8, 2012
Fables soars past issue number 100 with this collection, and given the stories that have led us to this point, one might think that it’s time to start playing around with the idea behind the series, extending it to include some new characters and embrace some new themes. And I guess it does that, but it doesn’t really seem as interesting or as thematic as what’s come before. Now we’re presented with the idea that the Fables need to be superheroes instead of just Fables. I mean, they already have the magical powers, but now they’re getting wrapped up in ridiculous costumes to fight Mr. Dark? It seems odd, and not a little disjointed.
I think I get it: The costumes give the Fables, who feel powerless and useless, the hope that they need to keep moving forward in their day-to-day lives. No one in power seems to think there’s anything they can do to stop Mr. Dark, and the suits help the rest of them feel empowered. If that actually led anywhere in the story, I might be able to embrace it more, but it all winds up being an aside, as they’re not even the ones who have any input into the battle. And that annoyed me, too, that the main characters had little (if anything) to do with the battle, and then it wound up being a pat little solution that took care of two issues at once. It was disappointing.
I’ve said before that the collections seem to follow a trend where something major happens in one, and then the next one is just a throwaway arc that introduces a few elements that will take center stage in a future arc. This happens in Super Team, twice, and I have to say, I’m far more interested in those potential stories than anything that takes place here in this one. I guess I should have expected it, based on the trend, but I’d at least like to feel like the author was making an effort to write something interesting in the meantime.
I think I get it: The costumes give the Fables, who feel powerless and useless, the hope that they need to keep moving forward in their day-to-day lives. No one in power seems to think there’s anything they can do to stop Mr. Dark, and the suits help the rest of them feel empowered. If that actually led anywhere in the story, I might be able to embrace it more, but it all winds up being an aside, as they’re not even the ones who have any input into the battle. And that annoyed me, too, that the main characters had little (if anything) to do with the battle, and then it wound up being a pat little solution that took care of two issues at once. It was disappointing.
I’ve said before that the collections seem to follow a trend where something major happens in one, and then the next one is just a throwaway arc that introduces a few elements that will take center stage in a future arc. This happens in Super Team, twice, and I have to say, I’m far more interested in those potential stories than anything that takes place here in this one. I guess I should have expected it, based on the trend, but I’d at least like to feel like the author was making an effort to write something interesting in the meantime.
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March 23, 2012
In which Buffkin undertakes an arduous quest; King Flycatcher faces off against the dullahan; Pinocchio & Ozma draft a "brilliant" plan; Bigby confronts his father; more is revealed about the Great Powers; Mrs. Spratt gets engaged; the identity of Rose's shape-changing benefactor is revealed; we learn the fates of Lumi & Briar Rose; and a terrible sacrifice changes the course of Bigby & Snow White's lives forever.
I'm going to be honest, I expected this volume's central story to be an annoying parody of super-hero comics and nothing more. I assumed that this storyline would continue for at least a few more volumes, and that this would mainly be about the Fables crew goofing around -- a chance for character development before the real battle began. As such, I was taken completely by surprise when the superhero angle turned out to be little more than authorial misdirection, and the true purpose turned out to be the conclusion of two seemingly unconnected storylines. I was shocked, completely and utterly shocked. SHOCKED. Let's just say that the revelation that Frau Tottenkinder/Bellflower was on her way to becoming one of the Great Powers before she chose to fight Mr. Dark is nothing compared to what actually happens in this volume. Well, done, Mr. Willingham. WELL DONE!
I'm going to be honest, I expected this volume's central story to be an annoying parody of super-hero comics and nothing more. I assumed that this storyline would continue for at least a few more volumes, and that this would mainly be about the Fables crew goofing around -- a chance for character development before the real battle began. As such, I was taken completely by surprise when the superhero angle turned out to be little more than authorial misdirection, and the true purpose turned out to be the conclusion of two seemingly unconnected storylines. I was shocked, completely and utterly shocked. SHOCKED. Let's just say that the revelation that Frau Tottenkinder/Bellflower was on her way to becoming one of the Great Powers before she chose to fight Mr. Dark is nothing compared to what actually happens in this volume. Well, done, Mr. Willingham. WELL DONE!
January 5, 2012
With this volume I have to continue to wonder if this series has truly gone too far. There used to be a time when every issue was jam packed with real character development, amazing plots, and twists that you would never see coming, but with each successive volume since the beginning of "The Dark Man Arc" there have been less and less of these to be seen. In this newest volume Willingham has made a pointless foray into super hero tropes, which led nowhere and seemed to serve no other purpose than to occupy the character while others got the real work done. In short, this was a disappointment, and I'm starting to question how long I can continue to read a series that doesn't know when to make its exit.
August 2, 2017
After searching for what seemed like forever, I finally got my hands on a copy of this. It had been so long that I'd almost forgotten what the main conflict was at this point. However, I soon got back into it. I really liked a lot of this story, and I like that Mister Dark threat was resolved. Some new possibilities have now opened up which I am intrigued by, specifically which of Bigby and Snow's children will be the new North Wind, and what will Beauty and Beast do when they figure out what's happened to Beast's abilities? I missed some of my favorite characters getting more screen time in this volume though, so I hope we return to them in the next one (which hopefully I can pick up much faster this time!).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2014
I liked this arc. It was funny, witty and for comics readers there were very fun nods to the genre. I espeically loved stinky with the lantern suit. Ozma as a character grew on me this arc (I think it was because of Buckingham's art). I've read that some people don't like how the Mister Dark story was concluded but I liked it. It was powerful not in a rah rah punch in the face way but rather in a relationship, emotional and character development way. On to the next arc!
August 27, 2015
Another great Fables addition.
December 29, 2011
We return to the realm of Fables in this 16th volume as our heroes continue their battle against Mr. Dark. In the last volume Frau Totenkinder's battle against Mr. Dark has failed and the fables have been forced to retreat to Haven and Flycatcher cannot hold the barrier against him much longer. But all is not lost. Pinocchio and Ozma have hit upon a plan to pull their most powerful heroes together to form a superteam to tackle and defeat Mr. Dark. They've picked superhero names, costumes, and everything and are almost ready for the battle. But before their battle can begin Bigby and his father, the North Wind, have to settle the issue of Ghost, Bigby's invisible zephyr cub. And then...everything takes an unexpected turn and some surprising events happen before Mr. Dark is defeated. In other stories we get to check in with Bufkin, our hero of the lost business office, who manages to find his way back to his homeworld of Oz in "The Ascent" and continues his quest to be the best hero he can be. And we also check in with our lost hero Sleeping Beauty in "Waking Beauty."
I can see why there are some mixed reviews about this collection as the battle against Mr. Dark feels very anticlimactic compared to the previous one with Frau Totenkinder. There isn't the big explosion or the epic last battle. It's just not what you really expect at all. And yet...I like how it all goes down. It fits well within the Fables world, much like how Geppetto was finally defeated and it's going to lead the gang down a very different path than what many people I think expected. The artwork is again absolutely fantastic and I'm always impressed with the effects that they manage to pull off, such as the final battle with Mr. Dark. It just has such great imagery and such great character design.
I do have a couple of niggling little doubts, not related to the battle but to a couple of events that happen within it. One involves one of the Fables picked to be on the superteam, and I'll avoid mentioning much since it would be a spoiler, but this Fable suddenly loses their "power" and not much is ever mentioned more of it. I'm sure it will crop up in later issues, but it just left me feeling like I missed pages that talked more about what happened. The second little issue I have is that we finally get a glimpse of the person who roused Rose Red from her bed in the previous collection. It's almost presented like we should know who she is, but we don't. Again I'm sure that Bill will reveal all in good time it just bugged me a bit that we didn't get more information about these two circumstances.
Even with the two niggling doubts Bill Willingham has created a fantastic universe and continues to surprise me with the direction he's able to take the series. I have no doubt that my questions will be answered in future volumes and I look forward to seeing where he goes with the story.
I can see why there are some mixed reviews about this collection as the battle against Mr. Dark feels very anticlimactic compared to the previous one with Frau Totenkinder. There isn't the big explosion or the epic last battle. It's just not what you really expect at all. And yet...I like how it all goes down. It fits well within the Fables world, much like how Geppetto was finally defeated and it's going to lead the gang down a very different path than what many people I think expected. The artwork is again absolutely fantastic and I'm always impressed with the effects that they manage to pull off, such as the final battle with Mr. Dark. It just has such great imagery and such great character design.
I do have a couple of niggling little doubts, not related to the battle but to a couple of events that happen within it. One involves one of the Fables picked to be on the superteam, and I'll avoid mentioning much since it would be a spoiler, but this Fable suddenly loses their "power" and not much is ever mentioned more of it. I'm sure it will crop up in later issues, but it just left me feeling like I missed pages that talked more about what happened. The second little issue I have is that we finally get a glimpse of the person who roused Rose Red from her bed in the previous collection. It's almost presented like we should know who she is, but we don't. Again I'm sure that Bill will reveal all in good time it just bugged me a bit that we didn't get more information about these two circumstances.
Even with the two niggling doubts Bill Willingham has created a fantastic universe and continues to surprise me with the direction he's able to take the series. I have no doubt that my questions will be answered in future volumes and I look forward to seeing where he goes with the story.
November 17, 2013
Volume 16 collects issues 101 to 107 of the Fables comics.
Pinocchio has convinced Ozma that the fables best chance to defeat Mister Dark is by assembling a superhero team. The only problem is that Pinocchio wants to focus on the details like costumes more than the actual abilities of the people. Bigby has the worry that his father, the North Wind, has decreed that he must kill Bigby's child known as Ghost. Oh and there is the even bigger problem that the Fables realize that they don't have a raindrop's chance in the middle of the Sahara of winning their fight against Mister Dark.
There are a couple of back-up stories included as well. Bufkin returns to lead the resistance to free Oz. There is also an attempt to awaken Sleeping Beauty and free the old capital of the fallen empire of the Adversary.
This is another tale of one of the characters from Fables standing up and doing the noble sacrifice and in doing so becoming a true hero. Unlike earlier tales involving Boy Blue, the Frog Prince, and even Bufkin, the character involved here doesn't go from the unlikely to true hero. This character is already quite powerful. The change comes more in the change of character (as in personality and moral outlook). The problem for me is that the character chosen for this change didn't really interest me as much as some of the other characters picked. The story makes total sense and manages to avoid the deus ex machina that is so often relied upon to defeat an overwhelming foe. It just didn't overwhelm like earlier story arcs in this series. Still it is worth a read but is more appropriate for people who are already familiar with the series.
Pinocchio has convinced Ozma that the fables best chance to defeat Mister Dark is by assembling a superhero team. The only problem is that Pinocchio wants to focus on the details like costumes more than the actual abilities of the people. Bigby has the worry that his father, the North Wind, has decreed that he must kill Bigby's child known as Ghost. Oh and there is the even bigger problem that the Fables realize that they don't have a raindrop's chance in the middle of the Sahara of winning their fight against Mister Dark.
There are a couple of back-up stories included as well. Bufkin returns to lead the resistance to free Oz. There is also an attempt to awaken Sleeping Beauty and free the old capital of the fallen empire of the Adversary.
This is another tale of one of the characters from Fables standing up and doing the noble sacrifice and in doing so becoming a true hero. Unlike earlier tales involving Boy Blue, the Frog Prince, and even Bufkin, the character involved here doesn't go from the unlikely to true hero. This character is already quite powerful. The change comes more in the change of character (as in personality and moral outlook). The problem for me is that the character chosen for this change didn't really interest me as much as some of the other characters picked. The story makes total sense and manages to avoid the deus ex machina that is so often relied upon to defeat an overwhelming foe. It just didn't overwhelm like earlier story arcs in this series. Still it is worth a read but is more appropriate for people who are already familiar with the series.
January 12, 2015
I am still a bit undecided. I won’t join those who claim that the series has run its course and that Willingham should put it to an end, because that’s just sheer nonsense, in my opinion. Willingham will never cease to amaze and I just know it in my bones that there are many more twists and turns just waiting to spill onto paper. There are many more myths, tales, and genres Willingham will surely find a way to wave into this amazing story.
I loved how Pinocchio and Ozma tried to put together a Super Team of Fables in order to face and defeat Mr. Dark. The idea that applicants would have to pass a casting where they presented their respective super powers (or lack thereof) and their imaginative explanations why they should make part of the team was hilarious. The relatively short showdown was kind of a letdown, but probably in line with the superhero theme.
I’m not sure what to make of he whole Bufkin story, but have to admit that I’m not familiar with his origins in folklore or fairy tale and was never interested enough to investigate.
I’m pretty sure that Willingham is not finished with Geppeto yet (or that Gepetto is done with his plotting for the gain of power) and I wouldn’t be surprised if politics flared up again once the imminent threat (Mr. Dark) has been disposed of.
I’m infinitely curious as to what will become of Nurse Spratt. I hope there’s more to come involving this character.
I loved how Pinocchio and Ozma tried to put together a Super Team of Fables in order to face and defeat Mr. Dark. The idea that applicants would have to pass a casting where they presented their respective super powers (or lack thereof) and their imaginative explanations why they should make part of the team was hilarious. The relatively short showdown was kind of a letdown, but probably in line with the superhero theme.
I’m not sure what to make of he whole Bufkin story, but have to admit that I’m not familiar with his origins in folklore or fairy tale and was never interested enough to investigate.
I’m pretty sure that Willingham is not finished with Geppeto yet (or that Gepetto is done with his plotting for the gain of power) and I wouldn’t be surprised if politics flared up again once the imminent threat (Mr. Dark) has been disposed of.
I’m infinitely curious as to what will become of Nurse Spratt. I hope there’s more to come involving this character.
February 5, 2012
When I first read American comics, I started out with superhero titles. Later, I expanded my reading habits to include Vertigo titles like Fables. So, this book ought to appeal to me, by combining both ideas. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't up to the standard of some previous storylines either.
March 7, 2012
I've been curious to see what direction Bill Willingham would take 'Fables' ever since the war with the Adversary. I know this happened a while ago, but all of the Mr. Dark business felt like The Adversary Redux rather than moving in a new direction. It's hard for me to give this a star rating, because even while I have troubles with some of the plotting of the story, I always enjoy reading the newest Fables collection. Willingham has created a vast world, full of story potential, and this collection sees some of those stories beginning to take shape. I like that Bufkin has set out on his own journey, even if it is of the too-familiar 'save the world' variety. I was surprised to see the Mr. Dark storyline resolved so abruptly here. The 'Super Team' of the title never really got much of anything to do, other than give Pinocchio an opportunity to spout some superhero trivia.
This brings me to what I think is my main issue with 'Fables' as a whole- there's a whole lot of talking about big, momentous deeds and events, and then when these big, momentous events occur, they seem to happen so abruptly that they lose a lot of their dramatic impact. I had this problem with the resolution of the war with the Adversary, and here, with the final dispatch of Mr. Dark. Willingham is an excellent storyteller, but sometimes I wish he'd do more showing as well.
This brings me to what I think is my main issue with 'Fables' as a whole- there's a whole lot of talking about big, momentous deeds and events, and then when these big, momentous events occur, they seem to happen so abruptly that they lose a lot of their dramatic impact. I had this problem with the resolution of the war with the Adversary, and here, with the final dispatch of Mr. Dark. Willingham is an excellent storyteller, but sometimes I wish he'd do more showing as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2014
Yeah, so the ineffectual, limp-dick villain Mr. Dark is still around doing whatever it is he's supposed to be doing, so in one of the volume's only good moments, Pinocchio, with wheelchair and all, appoints himself the Professor X of a new superhero team of Fables based on his favorite comics to take on the persistent baddie. This is all fine and dandy...except none of this ever actually happens. I'm not actually sure what happens. I can tell you, though, whatever you might read blurb-wise about this (e.g. the back cover) has nothing to do with what actually happens. I can't even remember what actually happens, so disinterested I've become. Something about the North Wind...and that monkey ends up in Oz or something? Fables has reached George Martin levels of spread-out, diffuse, unrelatable characters and even more insignificant plot points that it's kind of, well, intolerable. There's kind of a cool bit at the end about the long-forgotten Sleeping Beauty and the Snow Queen, also criminally abandoned. Now, but a weak comic.
February 12, 2012
Forget all of the movies and television shows retelling fairy tales. Bill Willingham's series remains the standard bearer in this sub-genre. While Pinocchio thinks the way to beat the threat of Mr. Dark is to create a team like the ones he reads about in his favorite comics, Bigby's father the North Wind decides to intervene. I really do want to avoid spoilers, because Willingham's characterization of the North Wind seemed both spot on and yet it took me by surprise. Suffice to say the Mr. Dark story line has ended, but events in NYC and Homelands foreshadow new story lines.
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