Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Fables: The Deluxe Edition

Fables: The Deluxe Edition, Book Five

Rate this book
Bill Willingham's hit series FABLES continues here, for the first time in hardcover. In the aftermath of the Adversary's attack on Fabletown, FABLES: THE DELUXE EDITION BOOK 5 follows Boy Blue on a mission of revenge as he uncovers the Adversary's true identity! Plus, the 2-part story of Jack's adventures in Hollywood and the one-shot story of Mowgli's return to Fabletown.

Fables Deluxe Edition Book 5 includes issues 34-45 of the original series.

304 pages, Hardcover

First published June 5, 2012

21 people are currently reading
616 people want to read

About the author

Bill Willingham

994 books2,821 followers
In 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

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
1,118 (50%)
4 stars
847 (38%)
3 stars
213 (9%)
2 stars
13 (<1%)
1 star
6 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
Profile Image for Little Timmy.
7,398 reviews59 followers
June 20, 2024
Wow another excellent volume it this fantastic comics series. If you want some great reading and something entirely different in an comics this is the series to try. Very recommended
Profile Image for El Tapiz de Fionavar.
125 reviews
June 19, 2021
Este tomo me ha encantado, porque en su mayoría transcurre en las Tierras Natales y conocemos al enemigo número uno. Una sorpresa jamás esperada, me he quedado flasheando.

Mientras tanto, en Villa Fábula, Encantador debe resolver algunos problemas acuciantes que se le presentan en tanto administrador, siempre ayudado por el nuevo sheriff. Las peripecias en el exilio son tan complicadas que se ven obligados/as a rastrear a Lobo, luego de que este dimitiera del cargo y se perdiera en las inmensidades del universo mundano. El indicado para ese trabajo es un personaje que se ha criado entre el mundo salvaje.

La historia es muy buena y la calidad de Willingham como guionista nos depara lecturas que son ágiles, sorprenden y dan giros inesperados todo el tiempo.

El dibujo es increíble así como las portadas y los entintados. No es casual que haya recibido tantos premios Eisner y haya sido nominada tres veces a los Hugo como mejor novela gráfica.

Se las recomiendo...
Profile Image for Jeannette.
807 reviews193 followers
September 23, 2017
Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.

I feel like there was a bit of bad period for Fables around Vol. 2-3, but then it started picking up pace here and I’m really happy with the current progression. I see a development both in the characters that we already have as people, a narrative progression towards the Adversary, and an increase of fable characters, which I highly appreciate.

My favourite part of this deluxe edition, however, were the 1001 Nights of Snowfall. I thought that that was just fantastic, because I love backstories and they make characters feel more realistic to me. Most of all, I was interested by the stories of Flycatcher and Snow White. I seem to have either missed it, or it still hasn’t been explained, but I had no idea why Snow felt the way she did about the seven dwarfs. As I am aware that Disney Snow White and fable Snow White are very different characters, I wasn’t sure how these two stories would fit into the same world, or whether they would fit at all, but I expect something more grotesque to be revealed soon.

In all honesty, I am already reading the next volume, so I already know that the story is getting even more juicy, and I’m definitely hyped right now.
Profile Image for Skip.
3,855 reviews584 followers
March 31, 2021
Another very good Fables edition, with three stories. Jack and Jill going Hollywood was the first story and just average, with things coming to an abrupt ending when the law shows up. The other two stories were quite good: Boy Blue seeking to rescue Red Riding Hood, with a vengeance, eventually finding the identity of the dreaded Adversary (big surprise) and a much better Arabian Nights story than the one with Snow White. Ex-Mayor King Cole gets extra credit from me for saving the day as ambassador when Prince Charming forgets his responsibilities as a host when the Baghdad envoy arrives. I liked Mowgli and Badira joining the story, and the old crone recruiting an elemental force to battle a djinn. Still through, I dislike the different illustrators versions of recurring characters.
975 reviews247 followers
February 18, 2014
I did NOT see that coming!

The Adversary is... Nope, didn't expect that, mind is blown. Also Boy Blue is ridiculously awesome. I'm kinda hoping on a Rose Red and Boy Blue thing happening at some point... (Doubtful but hoping)
Profile Image for Robert.
2,191 reviews148 followers
April 14, 2022
What more can be said? The series gets back to its very best with storylines following Jack, Boy Blue and the Fabletown gang. I REALLY enjoyed

Well he certainly LOOKS adversarial...

I'm still ALL IN.
Profile Image for Alex.
809 reviews37 followers
December 10, 2018
This is the volume with the big revelation we've been all expecting, and what a plot twist it was! It's adversary time! An easy 5/5 for the finale of the first cycle of fables.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
147 reviews4 followers
September 22, 2024
3.5* rounded down - Volume 5 starts branching out in a focused way, turning the spotlight on Jack and Boy Blue in present-day storylines that take place in both the Mundane world and in the Fable lands. Jack of Fables, a spinoff comics series, gets its launch here with Jack (as in Jack Horner, Jack and Jill, Jack be nimble, Jack and the Beanstalk, and whatever other references I missed) leaving Fabletown for a fresh start in Hollywood. As he is one of my least favorite characters, I'm not sure if I'll follow him into this anti-hero series, but if it's by the same creative team, I'm sure there'll be plenty of surprises.

The 'Homelands' stories are full of swashbuckling adventure featuring Boy Blue on a revenge quest. Travelling through new realms while recounting what happened in the Homelands post-diaspora provides immense potential for new storylines. In spite of my delight with this new branch, I couldn't help feeling disappointed with the big reveal that happened. It was so anticlimactic I thought it was just a Red Herring and am holding on to the hope that it will somehow turn out to be just that once I get farther into the series.

Politics and diplomacy are parodied in Arabian Nights and Days, which I felt was too Euro-centric in tone. Firstly, the mash up of characters from Arabian, Persian, and Indian tales gave off an offensive "they all look the same" vibe. And that's not to be overshadowed by the portrayal of the brown characters as slave-owning, harem-toting, turban wearing modern barbarians. Idk - it just bothered me.

Although I felt the political commentary was a bit heavy handed in this volume, I do like how both the Adversary's misguided conquest and the struggles of Fabletown's administration are painted as Sisyphean efforts. The stories demonstrate how ignorance of the limitations of polity can create an unstable foundation for idealism and activism, making them easily collapsible under the weight of bureaucracy as well as corruptible under the influence of ambition. Overall, good storytelling with meaningful undercurrents makes this volume a nice addition to the series.
Profile Image for Relstuart.
1,248 reviews114 followers
April 16, 2017
Really enjoyed the story with Boy Blue returning to the homelands and finding out the identity of the Adversary that chased from their homes to hiding on Earth.

The Arabian Nights story was a very creative way to work in some other artists.
Profile Image for Highland G.
542 reviews31 followers
August 18, 2022
Finally feels like we have some progress to our main story in the book. The advisory has finally been revealed. I really enjoyed this, despite the few artist changes that didn’t really work.
I mean how can you get Flys hat wrong 4 books in, seriously its like the artist didn’t even try to match the character designs.
All our main fables seem to have made some progress and yet we keep adding in more fables all the time. I feel at this point they could keep this going for a long time, so much to explore both in the past and as we progress our characters into their future.
Profile Image for Chaitra.
4,507 reviews
August 15, 2017
Yeah! We finally know who the adversary is, and he's decidedly NOT who I expected. Boy Blue journeys to the Homelands with his witching cloak to rescue Red Riding Hood. The cloak helps him pass several gates, and right into the court of the adversary. He swipes the adversary's head off with a swing of his sword, but then. I think Boy Blue is my third favorite character of all of Fables, right after Bigby and Snow. This section is great, and I would think so even if the reveal of the adversary wasn't there.

This edition also contains Arabian Nights, which is about Arabian fables come to pay Fabletown a visit, but they are a little lost in translation. I liked this too, as it gave poor King Cole something to do, proving that he is actually quite a suave customer. I veer on my opinion of Prince Charming and the Beast, because they're not totally useless. But sometimes they are. (Also irritatingly, Beast resembles Jason Segel and I don't really like Jason Segel). But this was fine.

The first section was Jack of the fables in Hollywood. I couldn't care less for Jack of the fables. Nothing in this story made me change my mind.

It's a good edition, despite the serious lack of Bigby and Snow. Mark Buckingham's art is good when it's the homelands he's drawing, but not very good when drawing Fabletown. I'm hoping that changes as I read more of the Fables.
Profile Image for Christina (A Reader of Fictions).
4,574 reviews1,757 followers
February 9, 2024
Alright, in Deluxe Edition 5, we have volumes 6 and 7 of the Fables series, plus some Jack stuff.

Jack Be Nimble: Were you wondering what Jack was doing after he left Fabletown? Look no further. Personally, I don't like Jack, so this was so-so. And boy did we run through five years really damn fast.

Homelands: This was a really fucking cool installment. The first real look at the homelands! Boy Blue being an absolute and total badass. PLUS we find out about the Adversary, and MY. BODY. WAS. NOT. READY.

Arabian Nights (And Days): Listen, this one was rough. I think diversity is one of the things that consistently comes up weak here. I'm not saying keeping it all white is the answer, but sometimes I do cringe a bit. Also, just, not its fault, but anything would be less good than Homelands. This is a very political maneuverings kinda installment with fewer actual exciting happenings.
Profile Image for Bookishrealm.
3,240 reviews6,418 followers
January 4, 2018
This was another great introduction to the Fables world and the craziness that is about to ensue. I absolutely adored and loved everything about this volume including finding out who the adversary is and why he decided to conquer so many lands. I didn't realize it at the time, but this volume also includes information related to the volume Arabian Nights and Days. It was great to see characters that were considered to be Fables from the Middle East. I don't remember thinking about this when I read these volumes the first time; however, I'm interested in knowing where there are more fables and what areas of the world they inhabit. I'm coming close to the volumes where I stopped so after that I'll be gaining new information and I'm really excited. As always the characters were fun and refreshing, the artwork was extraordinary, and I'm really digging the plot. I'm currently waiting for the next volume at the library.
Profile Image for Vlad Rusu.
273 reviews52 followers
August 13, 2016
This is a god damn good fucking volume. I mean it. I'm impressed.

Homelands. Geppetto. The Adversary. Snow Queen. Boy Blue. D'Jinns. Foreshadowing to Aladin and Ali Baba. And that random mention of Lugoj and Timisoara, Romanian cities. This. This was the best volume so far. I pray to God that all the next books will be just as good, or even better.
Profile Image for Nate.
1,975 reviews17 followers
Read
June 15, 2024
Three arcs here. The first is about Jack going to Hollywood and starting a successful movie company. This has some amusing moments, but I really don’t like Jack in these two issues. He actually seems quite different than he was before. This is the prelude to his 50-issue spinoff series, which I doubt I’ll read.

Then we get a big storyline of Boy Blue venturing into the Homelands to retrieve the real Red Riding Hood and confront the Adversary. Yes, his identity is revealed here, and it’s kind of underwhelming. The signs seemed obvious to me before. That aside, I liked this arc for its other revelations and all the adventure. Boy Blue is probably my favorite character in Fables.

The last arc is pretty fun, if comparatively slow. The fables from Arabia (Sinbad, etc) come to Fabletown and one of them stirs up trouble with a djinn. Willingham introduces a whole new part of his universe, while setting up a potential new conflict with the Adversary. We also see Mowgli for the first time. And Prince Charming goes through some changes.

Overall, a solid volume. I’m still not in love with this series, and may not ever be, but I’m enjoying it enough to keep reading.
Profile Image for Petra Valković.
Author 4 books37 followers
October 3, 2018
Pete Bajke donose nekoliko priča, a prva od njih je ona o junaku Janku koji je ispao sve samo ne junak. Varajući i kradući dospio je u Hollywood gdje je htio ostvariti svoj san da postane najpoznatija bajka i o sebi snimi trilogiju filmova u stilu Gospodara prstenova. Njegov plan bio je uspješan sve dok nije bio prokazan od svoje suradnice i kažnjen po zakonima Bajkograda. Sljedeća (meni najbolja) priča je ona o osvetničko-špijunskom pothvatu Šegrta Plavog koji u misiji otkrivanja pravog identiteta Protivnika u staroj Domovini postaje pravi badass lik dostojan superjunaka. Treća priča u Bajkograd dovodi Sinbada i njegovo veleposlanstvo iz istočnjačkih bajki koji će se uskoro naći na meti Protivnika i traže savez s gradonačelnikom Kraljevićem Bajnim dok čarobnjak Jusuf pomoću džina iz boce pokušava osujetiti taj plan i pregovore.
Ovaj me strip, osim crtežima, osvojio i pričom koja je prilično maštovita i isprepliće različite žanrove u cjelinu.
Profile Image for Tom Becker.
47 reviews1 follower
December 14, 2022
Really enjoying this series but 15 books? We will see how far I get. Truly was surprised by who is behind the evil empire.
Profile Image for Lana.
222 reviews
December 13, 2020
5 stars does not even begin to describe how great this was
Profile Image for Arctialuna.
217 reviews9 followers
September 18, 2016
Finally I decided to buy Fables in the original version (I've read the first 4 books in spanish) and at least I can say I have not been suffering about how they translated the names of every fable as I was reading it.

I have serious issues with Fables. I LOVE the edition, the covers and the art of it. But the story is another thing. I want to know how it continues but I'm not sure if the price is fitting with this desire.
While I'm reading it I am not sure if I am enjoying it that much, the writting is not that good in my opinion and the ending of every problem is so soft...

About this volume I really enjoy Boy Blue's adventure on the Homelands and finally meeting the Adversary (which I should have guessed before, since its hability suits perfectly with its achived power). But again, the rest of the volume was missing something. Maybe this something is Snow and Bigby (how pleasant to write their names and not Blanca and Feroz) and their children. I really want to know more about them but of course with this amount of characters (and adding more in each volume) you need to leave some behind and rescue them later.

I want to buy the 6th volume even if I am affraid I will end having the complete Deluxe Collection and not liking it that much. Maybe this is how this comic works, you think you are not enjoying it but at the end, you always want more.
Profile Image for Meagan.
1,317 reviews58 followers
December 28, 2013
This is up to volume five, so I'm going to proceed on the assumption that anyone reading book five in this series already knows the basic story and whether or not they're interested in continuing the series. No plot review. Nothing too much beyond "I liked this volume."

Instead, a list of my favorite Fables, many of whom were most decidedly not my favorites before reading this series:

1. Bigby Wolf
2. Snow White
3. Little Boy Blue
4. Frau Totenkinder (aka the witch of Hansel & Gretel fame, even though she's scary and kind of evil)
5. Old King Cole
6. Britomart
7. Robin Hood

Which is interesting, because my favorites from the original tales would probably have been more along the lines of Beauty, Cinderella, etc. everyone on the list above is a favorite only because of the graphic novels, and none of my original favorites made the cut. I take it as a sign that these characters were built right.

Here's hoping I get more Bigby in volume six. I miss Bigby.
Profile Image for Jeff Raymond.
3,092 reviews211 followers
February 3, 2014
If I have any complaints at all about Fables, it's that we quickly get to the point where there are a lot of transitional stories. In this volume, the one significant plot moving the timeline forward is the three-part Arabian Nights arc. While we do get a spinoff arc for Jack and get the identity of the Adversary, the way this deluxe hardcover was set up didn't really create a good narrative separation.

Outside of that? Another solid entry. The Blue and Arabian arcs were great, with the Jack one the only stumble (even if I'm going to try those trades soon as well).
Profile Image for Shannon Appelcline.
Author 30 books167 followers
June 30, 2013
Jack Be Nimble (34-35). Jack’s Hollywood years are an OK story, but they miss the core of trickery that should be Jack’s heart, and thus they don’t excel [6/10].

Homelands (36-41). At the time it was published, I suspect that this story was absolutely amazing, with its revelations about the Adversary. Even on rereading, it’s quite a good story for the details it offers on the Adversary’s Empire and for Blue’s exciting adventures [8+/10].

Arabian Nights and Days (42-45). This feels like a much smaller and slower story, but it also opens up a whole new world of Fables [7/10].
Profile Image for Aildiin.
1,488 reviews35 followers
August 1, 2013
This edition contains three stories.
Jack in Holywood is average, the other two ( Homelands and Arabian Nights) are very good.
We finally learn the identity of the adversary in this book (in Homelands, during Blue boy trip back to the Homelands).
At 296 pages this is one of the biggest deluxe edition too, all in all I would say that so far this is my favorite Fables deluxe book with Vol 3 ( because March of the Wooden soldier in vol 3 is probably the best story so far).

Profile Image for Sam.
962 reviews33 followers
December 25, 2015
I really love reading this series. The characters and storylines are great. I don't know why I put this aside for so long, but I'll probably pick up Deluxe Edition Book Six pretty soon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.