Fables: Compendium Two

Fables: Compendiums

by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham (Illustrator)

Fables Compendium Two starts with the story “Arabian Nights (and Days)”, when foreigners start showing up in Fabletown–much to the dismay of longtime residents–plunging Fabletown into a culture clash of dire proportions! Prince Charming is in over his head and must call on the help of a Fable character not seen in these pages for far too long…and this is one wish he can’t take back.

This collection takes on a life of its own, ending with the story “The Dark Ages”–taking place post-war–but if the Fables knew the consequences, they might not have gone to war at all.

Collects Fables #42-81 and Peter & Max: A Fables Novel HC.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Fables, Comic Book, Collections, Graphic Novels Comics

1064 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2009

About the author

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

Reviews

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember some of these stories not hitting so well the first time, but this time, I was in for all of it. It was such a great set of stories. Can't wait until I get to the next one.

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well underway with the biggest series of the year i am tackling, Fables. Its another big book, collecting issues 42 until 82. I found that this compendium started a bit slower then the first, but now its full on War and many things keep happening at once keep you on your toes every time reading. Bill Willingham keeps on pushing the medium with resourcefull story telling, and Mark Buckingham still knocks it out of the park on art. Also included are a couple Christmas tales and short stories where Willingham and co answer questions from readers in short tales, really original !

3.5 stars

[Vojtech Sroub · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is even better than first one, it includes war with Adversary, sad story od Blue boy and best bittersweat story, that I have ever read, of my favorite Character Flycatcher. This volumes of Fables are top notch and whoever likes fairytales and new approach to them must appriciete this book.

The other day I was thinking why I love fables so much and I realize, it connects with the times when my mum read Russian,European and Arabic tales when I was kid, couldnt read, and before going to bed I get to know most of the characters.

For example I didnt know who Kay is....after googling I realized that it is Ka'j from Snow Queen from Andersen...and memory clicked it me, that I didnt know I even still have, how I am 7 year old sitting next to window during rain listening to Audio LP of story of Ka'j and Gerda and full od fear of Snow Queen...and just for this magic Fables will be always 5 stars for me

[Eric Nhem · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how rich the worldbuilding and mythology is. I've grown so attached to a lot of the characters who are put through some serious trials and tribulations. I'm very excited to see what happens with the new villain and how our scrappy underdog fables will persevere.

[Steven "Steve" · Rating 5 out of 5]

The saga continues. Once I start reading these, they are hard to put down.

[TheMadReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this second compendium a drag to get through. The entire war was a huge letdown, characters were quickly killed off and the idea or D list fables becoming noble or having their own arcs and their quests were a bit tiresome…quite frankly, uninteresting. Will be dragging my feet on opening the third compendium, tons of other shit to read before that day comes.

[Shane Findlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply magnificent!

[Simone S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arabian Nights (and Days) (issues 42 to 45)
Il secondo Compendium di Fables che contiene i numeri dal 42 all'82 si apre con una lunga storia da quattro numeri intitolata Arabian Nights (and Days). Sinbad arriva in visita a Fabletown per discutere un'alleanza dopo che l'Adversary ha invaso le terre delle fiabe arabe. Non si può dire che Willingham avesse paura di toccare argomenti sensibili, tra l'altro in un momento storico in cui gli Stati Uniti erano alla seconda guerra in pochi anni contro stati dell'Est (Afghanistan e Iraq). La critica a Sinbad per l'uso degli schiavi e la facile soluzione finale in cui l'American Way si impone sulle fiabe arabe imponendo l'abbandono della schiavitù per poter restare a Fabletown, di fatto, mi sono sembrate fin troppo semplicistiche...
In ogni caso, la storia funziona ed è avvincente. La struttura è quella standard, con uno sviluppo abbastanza lineare ma in cui un mistero viene rivelato nel finale cambiando le carte in tavola a sorpresa (una sorpresa chiamata ancora una volta Frau Totenkinder). E anche stavolta la cosa funziona benissimo, con il malvagio Yusuf che fa la fine che merita per mano del D'Jinn che intendeva usare per prendere il potere.
Certo che se Sinbad è in possesso di una creatura di tale potenza, com'è possibile che le armate dell'Adversary riescano a conquistare le terre delle fiabe arabe? Dovrebbe essere un gioco da ragazzi sconfiggerle! Chissà se Willingham affronterà mai l'argomento... In ogni caso, continua ad espandersi il mondo di Fables, inserendo nella normale continuity qualcosa che si era già visto nella bella storia di Snow White intitolata 1001 Nights of Snowfall. E King Cole si prende una rivincita su Prince Charming rendendosi utile grazie alla sua conoscenza dell'arabo e alle sue abilità diplomatiche che lo fanno diventare ambasciatore nella Baghdad delle fiabe, ancora libera dalle truppe dell'Adversary. Per ultimo, spero vivamente che il bacio tra Belle e il nuovo sindaco non porti a niente, l'ho vissuto come un momento un po' troppo soap opera per i miei gusti...
The Ballad of Rodney and June (issues 46 and 47). Mi piacciono i cambi di prospettiva, e in un universo così grande come questo sono particolarmente succosi. Qui ecco la storia di due figli di Geppetto che si innamorano al fronte (contro le fiabe arabe di cui sopra) e che pagano un prezzo altissimo pur di essere trasformati in creature di carne ed ossa. Eccoli quindi a New York, a due passi da Fabletown, a fare da spie e a portare a termine imprecisate missioni per conto di Geppetto, missioni apparentemente terribili e sanguinolente...
Si vede un po' di impero, e viene ricordato una volta ancora quanto sia malvagio Geppetto, nonostante la sua apparenza mite e docile. Si prende cura dei suoi sudditi, certo, ma a caro prezzo! E la sua idea di prendersi cura di qualcuno non è la stessa che potrebbe avere una madre per i propri figli...
Wolves (issues 48 and 49). Fables ha dimostrato ampiamente di poter fare a meno di quello che all'inizio sembrava esserne il personaggio principale. Dopo la sua scomparsa, però, non poteva non tornare con una storia epica come quella di Mowgli che lo cerca nei posti più isolati e freddi del mondo per conto del sindaco Prince Charming! Gran personaggio Mowgli, e gran personaggio Bigby, che ha provato a dimenticare Snow White senza riuscirci e accetta di tornare a Fabletown. Certo, ma come farà a restarci, data la situazione?
Happily Ever After (issue 50). Per evitare l'ovvio spoiler, il titolo di questo numero appare soltanto alla fine. Bigby torna alla Farm di Fabletown, quindi, ma a patto di portare a termine una missione decisamente pericolosa nelle terre natie. Ed è una missione che svela che fine abbiano fatto i semi di fagiolo magici di Jack. Come era prevedibile, lui li ha persi da tempo, e Prince Charming decide di usarne un paio per stringere un'alleanza con il Cloud Kingdom (il Regno sopra le nuvole) e per vendicarsi sull'Adversary dell'attacco di March of the Wooden Soldiers. Bigby e il suo C4 fanno un ottimo lavoro (reminescente di Dog Company, la storia di Bigby nella Seconda Guerra Mondiale), si rivede Pinocchio, che però resta col padre pur sembrando in balia degli eventi, e Bigby si guadagna il diritto di stare con la sua famiglia presso la Farm. E ci scappa pure il matrimonio con Snow White!
Willingham continua a sorprendere i lettori appoggiandosi davvero a tantissime fiabe della tradizione e tirandoci su un mondo che per adesso resta convincente e pieno di personaggi interessanti e sfaccettati. Come continuarà la guerra, però? Non credo che Geppetto accetti pacificamente una vendetta come quella portata a termine da Bigby...
E questo Fly mano nella mano con Red Hood (Cappuccetto Rosso)?
Big and Small (issue 51). Cinderella continua le sue missioni per conto del governo di Fabletown. Dopo quella di Cinderella Libertine per smascherare il malvagio Ichabod, eccola nel Cloud Kingdom a negoziare l'alleanza coi giganti che vivono sulle nuvole (pure metaforicamente, visto che non sembrano sveglissimi). Ci riesce, ma si fa un paio di nemici e si porta a casa un esaurimento nervoso, l'unica parte che trova piacevole della missione è il lancio col paracadute per scendere dalle nuvole alla Farm!
Cinderella è un personaggio molto interessante, una ragazza forte, indipendente, e che non ha paura di accettare le missioni più pericolose. Ben diversa dalla Cenerentola di disneyana memoria!
Sons of Empire (issues 52 to 55). Ben quattro numeri per mostrare come effettivamente Geppetto non abbia intenzione di rinunciare a Fabletown, e anzi stia preparando un attacco a tutto il mondo dei mundy, cioè la Terra come la conosciamo. Il piano fa paura, ma la possibile reazione dipinta da Pinocchio lo fa ancora di più!
È divertente vedere un possibile futuro in cui le nazioni della Terra non siano dovise, ed è ironico che si uniscano solo per poter fare la guerra unite ad un nemico comune. Che poi è anche quello che immaginava Alan Moore nel suo Watchmen, anche perché è difficile pensare ad un'altra ragione più nobile (a quello pensa Star Trek, secondo cui l'unità viene raggiunta per cominciare insieme l'esplorazione dello spazio con le navi a motore warp).
In ogni caso, pare che tra tre anni Geppetto darà il via all'invasione della Terra, e prima di quella data gli abitanti di Fabletown e tutto il resto dei rifugiati dovranno essere eliminati... Intanto, è Hansel a trasferirsi a New York come responsabile di un'ambasciata che già si sa che non porterà a niente di buono.
The Road to Paradise (issue 56). La strada verso il paradiso è composta da una serie di microstorie volte ad introdurre la figura di Babbo Natale. Perché dovrebbe mancare proprio lui in Fables?
Carimo come Willingham usi l'allegra famigliola di Bigby e Snow White (che pacioccoso che è Ambrose!) per portare questo nuovo personaggio nel suo mondo, e intrigante come tra tutti pare che sia Fly destinato ad avere un ruolo cruciale nell'imminente guerra tra i nostri eroi e l'Adversary. E continuando con il romanticismo che non abbandona mai queste pagine, che dire dell'intraprendente Red Rose con Boy Blue?
Father and Son (issues 57 and 58). Con lo stesso titolo di una famosa canzone di Cat Stevens, questa Padre e figlio non poteva che parlare di un rapporto problematico. Ed infatti il conflitto tra Bigby e North domina questa storia da due numeri che mi è piaciuta nonostante i disegni veramente brutti di Michael Allred (ma d'altronde in una serie così ci sono così tanti srtisti che è normale ogni tanto leggere storie che piacciano meno di altre visivamente).
Bigby se ne torna alle sue terre con la promessa che il padre gli dia delle nuove spie invisibili (degli zephyr) e coi suoi fratelli più piccoli puniti ed imprigionati in forma di pesci rossi da tenere in casa.
Burning Questions (issue 59). Le domande pressanti arrivano dai lettori, e questo numero è dedicato a rispondere ad undici di esse. Un divertissement innocente in cui si rivede Jack prima che se ne vada da Fabletown, si scopre chi ha preso il bouquet di fiori lanciato da Snow al matrimonio, e che Frau Totenkinder sta facendo a maglia un vestitino per il futuro figlio di Beauty e Beast (e avrà quattro braccia e dei piedi molto strani...).
The Good Prince (issues 60 to 63 and 65 to 69). Questo story arc, il più lungo fino ad ora, ha come protagonista il principe ranocchio Fly e lo trasforma da sempliciotto dal tragico passato che passa il tempo a pulire i pavimenti ad eroe e spina nel fianco dell'Adversary. Willingham usa intelligentemente anche l'armatura che da sempre vedevamo appesa nell'ufficio del sindaco pieno di libri e cianfrusaglie varie, che si rivela essere quella di Lancillotto, sfavillante quando indossata da un eroe puro come Fly. Il fantasma del cavaliere di Artù si riguadagna l'onore guidando proprio Fly nelle terre natie a fondare un regno alternativo all'impero grazie ad un'annata di fantasmi recuperati dal witching well. Riecco quindi il buon Weyland, ma anche i cattivissimi Bluebeard e Shere Kan, che tornano così in azione come temevo, ma in un modo decisamente soddisfacente.
L'arco narrativo di Fly è impressionante e il suo cammino verso lo status di eroe segna anche la redenzione di Trusty John. Ci ho rivisto ben più di un'eco di Aragorn che guida l'esercito dei fantasmi ritrovato nelle White Mountains. E poi ritrovarlo umile che a volte torna a pulire i pavimenti a Fabletown lo rende un personaggio davvero unico, se la merita la bella Red Riding Hood (Cappuccetto Rosso)! L'unica cosa che manca a questa storia è una reazione dell'Adversary alla perdita della sua armata d'oro composta esclusivamente da suoi figli, temo non l'abbia presa benissimo e la reazione immagino che sarà tremenda...
The Birthday Secret (issue 64). A fare da intermezzo per sdrammatizzare la tragicità della storia di Fly che fonda il regno di Haven, ecco una breve storia con dei disegni molto accattivanti (di Aaron Alexovich) in cui Bigby e Snow rivelano ai loro sei figli l'esistenza del settimo, Ghost, quello invisibile. In tutto questo, gli abitanti della Farm e di Fabletown si preparano seriamente alla futura guerra con l'Adversary e hanno tutte le intenzioni di usare le devastanti armi umane, visto che siamo così efficienti a produrre cose in grado di autodistruggerci. Evidentemente i venti di guerra dei primi anni Duemila non potevano che ispirare Willingham a scrivere di un conflitto epico, tra le altre cose...
Kingdom Come (issue 70). Come scrive lo stesso autore al principio, questo è un ultimo passo prima della vera e propria guerra. Un passo in cui, dopo che Blue dichiara inutilmente il suo amore a Red Rose, si riunisce il consiglio di guerra che decide sulle mosse di Cinderella e Briar Rose, e durante il quale King Cole prende il posto di Belle, anche se teoricamente solo per due o tre giorni. I piani di Bigby non vengono spiegati, ma sicuramente diverranno chiari ben presto...
Skulduggery (issues 71 and 72). Letteralmente qualcosa tra sciatteria, imbrogli e manovre, Skulduggery narra di un'operazione segreta condotta da Cinderella per portare a Fabletown Pinocchio. Dopo continui colpi di scena, la cosa riesce, e a Fabletown arrivano anche le spie di Geppetto conosciute in The Ballad of Rodney and June, con relativo figlio. Interessante come Pinocchio le convinca dicendo che lui non può che fare il bene del padre (causa incantesimi vari), e che sconfiggerlo sia il modo per salvarlo, facendogli del bene. Non l'abbiamo ancora visto, ma è cominciata l'offensiva per riprendere le Homelands...
War and Pieces (issues 73 to 75). Wow! Una vera e propria guerra lampo quella tra Fabletown (e i suoi alleati delle fiabe arabe e il Regno delle nuvole) e l'Impero! Pensavo che Willingham si sarebbe soffermato di più su questo evento preparato così a lungo, con gli scenari catastrofici che avevamo visto ipotizzati da Geppetto e dai suoi luogotenenti, e con la certezza che la guerra sarebbe stata un evento catastrofico. Invece prima di tutto è un attacco preventivo quello di Fabletown, che ricorda molto da vicino quello di Bush a Saddam per evitare che quest'ultimo usasse le famose armi di distruzione di massa che non aveva. E poi la superiorità tecnologica di Fabletown dimostra come l'artiglieria abbia la meglio su draghi e warlock senza il minimo sforzo, specialmente se in combinazione con artefatti come il Witching Cloak usato da Boy Blue e con il potere della Bella Addormentata Briar Rose.
Insomma, nel giro di pochi numeri, tra The Good Prince e War and Pieces, l'Adversary perde gran parte dei suoi eserciti, tutte le sue terre, e viene pure accolto a Fabletown firmando la sua amnistia totale. Perdonato, il passato è passato, guardiamo al futuro. Se la storia è fin troppo militarista, per lo meno il finale è positivo ed ottimista, anche se le ultime parole di Boy Blue (narratore di questa vicenda) lasciano presagire problemi... ma alla morte di Prince Charming non credo nemmeno per un secondo!
Around the Town (issue 76). In giro per la città va Geppetto in una storia abbastanza inutile e disegnata in modo pessimo da Michael Allred (presentato come Guest Artist, io ne avrei fatto a meno, ma scopro ora che è un artista acclamato). Il messaggio è uno solo: a Geppetto è stata concessa l'amnistia affinché Pinocchio rivelasse informazioni chiave per vincere la guerra. Naturalmente, la popolazione di Fabletown non ne è contenta, e Geppetto deve abituarsi a non comportarsi da imperatore. Pinocchio dovrà avere pazienza (mentre Bigby è convintissimo che il vecchietto tornerà presto a compiere crimini indelebili)...
The Dark Ages (issues 77 to 81) e Waiting for the Blues (issue 82). Se la guerra è stata breve e quasi indolore, le sue immediate conseguenze si fanno subito pesanti. L'età oscura comincia con un Signore Oscuro (Mister Dark) che viene liberato in un mondo in preda al caos dopo la caduta dell'impero, e si vuole vendicare su chi ha usato parte dei suoi poteri nel witching cloak e nel witching well... La nostra Fabletown! In apertura, poi, ecco il funerale di Prince Charming, e in chiusura quello di Boy Blue, cosa che sconvolge sia le vite di Fly e Pinocchio, che di Red Rose, che immediatamente abbandona Sindbad solo per essere psicanalizzata da un Blue in fin di vita che la distrugge psicologicamente facendole capire come lei vada sempre cercando il pericolo, l'emozione, invece di provare a costruire una relazione stabile con una persona la possa amare veramente. E tra i due funerali, cade Fabletown, Baba Yaga non è più prigioniera, e Dark uccide senza pietà pure Kay, il cieco che si era appena cavato gli occhi un'ennesima volta, stavolta dopo aver visto tutto il dolore causato da Geppetto.
Come se non bastasse, le favole sopravvissute alla guerra e alla caduta di Fabletown si rifugiano alla Farm ma qualcosa non va e serpeggia il malumore che tocca l'apice nell'imminente scontro tra Bigby e Beast! Nemmeno Frau Totenkinder sembra non avere più il polso della situazione. L'unica parte più leggera di tutto questo story arc è il ritorno di Mowgli nel suo mondo insieme a Bagheera e ai fratelli di Bigby (lì come guardie del corpo), dove appare un nuovo strano personaggio: Mountbatten, una tigre meccanica in pessime condizioni.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fables: Compendium One - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Fables: Compendium Two - ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

While Fables: Compendium Two was a bit more hit-or-miss than its predecessor in my opinion, it still delivered a lot to love and told compelling narratives set in this familiar yet fictional world.

As with the last volume, there were things that didn’t age well (or maybe didn’t set well in the first place). Specifically, I’m thinking of the way that the Arabian Fables were treated--there was some stereotyping and, I felt, some white saviorism in the way that an “English” school was set up for them to learn English, but then this plotline of them learning English went absolutely nowhere and the English Fables made no real effort to learn their language either? I can go more in-depth about that if anyone is curious. Also, there was some heavy pro-Israel messaging around the middle there that felt very shoehorned and uncomfortable. Again, I do really enjoy this series, however I also do try to be critical of what I read and acknowledge the implicit and explicit messaging framed by the personal biases of a conservative white man in the early 2000s.

Now that I’ve addressed that, I’m going to frame this (long) review in the same way I did for the first compendium. So…buckle in because this will be a doozy! I tried to mark all of the major spoilers, but proceed with caution anyway if you want to avoid any mentions of what happened in the first Compendium or allusions to certain events/characters in this set of volumes. You've been warned!

Volume Seven: 4 stars

This volume contained two separate story arcs: “Arabian Nights and Days” and “The Ballad of Rodney and June.” The former follows the Arabian fables who arrive in the New York Fabletown. I was looking forward to this volume due to the “1,001 Nights of Snowfall” issue from the previous compendium and I thought that this one mostly lived up to expectations. I thought the plotline with the djinn and how it was resolved was very interesting and probably my favorite part of this volume. That being said there may have been some issues with the portrayal of these new fables, as addressed above. Meanwhile, “The Ballad of Rodney and June” follows two wooden soldiers who fell in love and petitioned to become real humans…now they live in Fabletown as spies to the other Fables, reporting back to Gepetto. This had a different art style I believe which I didn’t love quite as much as Buckingham’s, but overall it was interesting to get a more intimate look at the Empire’s worldbuilding after spending so much time in Fabletown.

Volume Eight: 3 stars

The first arc in this was "Wolves"—As always, I love Mowgli and want him to be the protagonist of more of these arcs. Although I thought that Bigby apparently cheating(?) on Snow White was a weird choice, especially since it didn’t really have any consequences. This arc was fine but nothing super special.
Next, there was Bigby’s Arc/stretch of comics—As you all probably know by now, Bigby isn’t my favorite character ever, but his mission here was still interesting to see and I enjoyed his moment of reuniting with Snow White and his children (including Ghost, the invisible child.) The twist of Bigby blowing up Gepetto’s house was one that I hadn’t been expecting and made for an exciting turn of events.
Finally, there was a single issue narrative called "Big and Small"—This issue alone was probably 5 stars and, perhaps surprisingly, my favorite issue in this “volume”! I liked seeing Cindy—I don’t remember having an opinion of her either way previously but now I am definitely a fan. The time limit was exciting and I thought that the pacing and execution was done very well, with poignant and solid results that will no doubt be relevant moving forward. And, for my own notes, hanging plot threads here include the price Cinderella paid Frau Totenkinder as well as two of the giants in the kingdom being angry at her (and possibly Fabletown?), but Fabletown did sign an alliance contract with the Cloud Kingdom which was interesting. I’d love to see more about the Cloud Kingdom in the future and unlike Cindy, I am a fan of learning more about fantasy politics.

Volume Nine: 4 stars

Speaking of fantasy politics, we got another glimpse into the political structures of these worlds with a war council/meeting between the Adversary and his councilmen (including Hansel who is now stationed in the mundy world near Fabletown, and the Snow Queen who I personally enjoyed seeing more from.) This dynamic was very interesting, and I liked seeing a broader view of the behind-the-scenes in the Empire. And kudos for the ending hook with Gepetto and the Snow Queen’s plan to eliminate all the Fables covertly in whatever means necessary. Besides that, I also liked seeing subtle hints of the relationships between Red Riding Hood and Flycatcher, as well as between Boy Blue and Rose Red. I like both of those potential romances more than Boy Blue and Red Riding Hood personally, so I’m glad it’s going in that direction.
There were various other stories within this volume as well—a Christmas story following several Fables which was cute, a “Father and Son” two part comic which followed the Wolf family and their shenanigans, and a special edition issue answering fan questions. The latter was actually probably my favorite but the others were nice too and expanded a bit of the universe in some ways.

Volume Ten: 5 stars

BY FAR MY FAVORITE VOLUME OF FABLES YET IN EITHER COMPENDIUM. “The Good Prince” felt very classic Fables, and it was everything I expected and wanted from a sweeping Fantasy comics series. I didn’t appreciate the storyline/subplot of the Arabian Fables being taught English since I found it very unnecessary and white saviory in a way. But other than that, all of the subplots were interesting and engaging despite the obvious main plot with Flycatcher in the Empire stealing the show. Flycatcher was a surprisingly poignant lead character in this volume. He’s gone underappreciated in the past—including by yours truly—but he really came into his own here. Maybe his character development happened a bit fast but there have been seeds for a while painting him as a good and noble dude. The way that he fought his battles without spilling enemy blood was really cool and a unique take for a sweeping war story like this one. It felt true to the character and I appreciated that a lot. Plus, the Aragorn-esque ghost army control was pretty badass. My favorite method of fighting by far. This volume definitely felt cinematic and out of all of the arcs this is the one I would most want to see on a big or small screen! (Side note: yes I still ship Red Riding Hood and Flycatcher but is it weird that I also kind of shipped him with Lancelot as well..?)

Volume Eleven: 4.5 stars

Kingdom Come: Honestly I really liked Blue before, but the misogynistic way that he reacted to Rose Red here really soured him to me. I didn’t like his whole “nice guy” spiel and it felt very awkward and almost out of character. His interactions with Stinky the badger were hilarious though, and I liked seeing some of the thought processes and considerations from the Animal Fables as they considered a move to Flycatcher’s Haven in the Homelands. This issue was probably ~3 stars.
Skulduggery: Once again, I am a Cinderella stan. I liked the use of her inner narration posted over the actual dialogue and what was happening, it helped clarify that while she sometimes leans into the “dumb blonde” stereotype for her advantage, she always has a plan and knows what she’s doing. I’m still curious about her price she paid to Frau Totenkinder; I thought it would be brought up here but it wasn’t. Still, a fun two part story that read like a fast paced spy flick.
War and Pieces: And finally, the defining story/arc of this particular volume where a war is fought, the Adversary captured and brought back to Fabletown, and everything seems to be at an end. This was the climax that had been built up to for the past eleven volumes, and it would have been very easy fall flat or feel anticlimatic, but it actually really delivered and lived up to expectations. Boy Blue was sort of the leading player in this, but there were multiple different storylines and all of them felt equally tense. I liked the pacing, the art style (as always), and the execution. Well done all around and definitely a worthy addition to this world!

Volume Twelve: 4.25 stars

This volume was definitely a come down from the constant tense pacing and go-go-go action of the last three arcs. But the war with the Adversary is over, and the Homelands have been returned to the Fables. But as a certain musical once said, “winning was easy, young man. Governing’s harder.” This look at how the Fables are managing their new land and situation was very interesting and very necessary. I’m glad the author took this route. The loss of Prince Charming in the war and the declining health (and eventual death) of Boy Blue are both tragic. I was especially struck by how much I missed Prince Charming. He has been such a staple of these comics and has had such a satisfying, gradual character development from complete vain womanizing tool to competent and actually somewhat likable leadership figure. I’ll miss him and Boy Blue both! This volume also included the introduction of a new enemy who actually completely demolishes Fabletown and uses teeth to control the ghosts of his victims: a mysterious figure known as “Mister Dark.” I have a feeling we’ll see more of him in the next volume/compendium.
Also, random shoutout to the line “God will judge you, Gepetto. Mark my words!” “If he does, he’ll think he’s looking into a mirror.” because that made me do a full doubletake, it felt very cinematic/epic in a way!

If you made this far, thanks as always for sticking around! I would say that my favorite arc within this compendium was definitely “The Good Prince,” but “War and Pieces” and “The Dark Ages” held their own as well. I calculated my average rating for this compendium, which ended up being 4.125 stars. Ironically, this is higher than my average rating for the past volume, even though I felt like a lot more of these storylines dragged or were inconsistent. I’m going to round down to 4 stars, but I may revisit this someday and bump it back up to 5, because despite all of its flaws I genuinely do love this series and plan to continue reading (and maybe even rereading?) it in the future! Onwards!

[OmniBen · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review)
So, that's Fables Compendium two done with, and I must say, despite enjoying it overall, I'm relieved that its over and I can move on to something else. Much like the first compendium, the stories vary somewhat in quality overall, with the main arc of this story being the definitive highlight. If anything, this was a slightly stronger collection overall than Compendium one. The main arc seemed to have more thrust, more twists and turns. The little side stories continued to (mostly) be of lesser interest to me, both narratively and artistically, with Willingham and Buckingham clearly using them at semi regular intervals to give Buckingham a break. Whilst the secondary artists contributions are generally stronger here than on the first book. (there was only one artist I distinctly disliked out of the lot), its still a bit jarring whenever the stellar Buckingham isn't on the book. I'm not sure what the circumstances around this as it was being released were. He only pencils, and his panels rarely take up the whole page. Either he was pulling double duty elsewhere or he is a rather slow artist. Either way, despite the occasional artist swap, the art throughout was above average to excellent.
The main issue I had with the main arc was the pacing. Sometimes it was ploddingly slow, other times it felt rushed. The final issue or two of the main arc being the main culprit, with Willingham seemingly realising he only had two issues left, and went about cramming as much in as he could. It was a tad underwhelming, although overall, a strong collection of stories, even if at over 1000 pages, it was occasionally a bit of a slog.
Finally, a little complaint that carries over from the first book. Why on earth is this rated as adults only content. Its 17+ for mature readers, and I for the life of me can't tell why. A smattering of cartoon blood, the occasional swear word and one nipple. Hardly makes for the most extreme of content now. When I first heard about Fable when I was getting into comics, the mature aspect of it was hyped up to the point where I thought I was going to be getting some genuinely mature content. Ala, here we are again, and nothing. If you have similar predilections as me, you may come away disappointed. Its far more childish than it seems.
I've complained a bit about this collection, though I genuinely enjoyed it, and will continue to purchase and enjoy the final two compendiums upon release. It really is pretty good. 4/5


OmniBen.

[Sean Lassiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A satisfying conclusion to Fables. It’s a gut punch of an ending and I don’t know if I want to read the next two because this ends so well. Seeing how Fly grows into his future, seeing how Blue grows into his, it’s mesmerizing, and heart wrenching. I don’t know if I want to see any further because I know Bill originally wanted to write only two compendiums worth of story, and it shows in these two with how well crafted they became. If you enjoy either the Fables Telltale game, or the classic fables of old, you will enjoy these stories as well.

[Shin · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am forever MAD about the world's underappreciation for #BillWillingham. he is literally one of the best comics writers ever. i guess he's a bit off radar because for #Fables to be fully appreciated for its worth you really have to get into it for the long haul. reading an issue or two could make up for a lackluster experience, given the "fairy tale characters in the modern world" setup.

but the thing about Fables is that it's like those huge panoramic paintings that go on and on, room to room, where there's all these fun minute details and when you step back to look at the larger picture you'll be dumbstruck with awe. to think that one person had come up with all of this (!!!). the foreshadows and payoffs, the inside jokes, cleverness and class.

Fables is not derivative of the tales they are borrowed from, nor is it reliant of themes done before. i can't emphasize enough how this is a masterpiece of its own level, much like how George RR Martin built Westeros or Tolkien with Middle Earth, or even better for its visuals. the timeless "fairy tale" feel is also kept throughout.

Compendium two collects issues 42 to 82 of the original serial comics. this contains political (but made very entertaining) deals with Arabian myths, more than one spy espionage, and war. not just a nasty gunfight war or a commentary on present day war, but more on strategies and clever problem-solution narratives with rules and drama of their own.

i can't express enough how i admire this work.

[Matthew Pollak · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun time! There was so much content I can’t remember all the details, but I was left so satisfied and with eager anticipation for the next compendium. The story flows so smoothly and the characters—both in Fabletown and in the Homelands— are so captivating. Hansel’s story was a refreshing take on the character. And the contrast with Frau Totenkinder’s growth makes it that much better.

The part I love most is the follow up to the end of the war. It’s the end of the war, but the beginning of other problems. Gepetto was right to some degree that there was good done by the empire. Peace and evidently the containment of larger evils, but at what cost? I guess we’ll see the price of peace.

[Camilo Guerra · Rating 5 out of 5]

llegan las fabulas arabes, el Adversario se mueve, y la guerra es inminente.

SPOILERS !!!

LO BUENO: Es hermoso, perfecto, el arte de Buckingham se sale en cada pagina ,diseño, y pone el nivel al estado que venia, con un detalle que te sobrecoge, y creo...creo, que acá están varias de las mejores portadas de James Jean. El arco de papamoscas es genial, intenso, y el arco de las ERAS OSCURAS se siente tenebroso, intimidante.

LO MALO: En el arco de Papamoscas, hay algo de magia que nos e explica, muy Jesucristo, y eso raya...y la corrida a Villa Fabula es muy, no se, sacada de la manga. ¿ la pelea del Adversario contra Lobo, no pudo ser un poco mas epica?.

[Callum Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall an excellent conclusion to the war with the Adversary. The writing continues to be top notch, keeping a steady pace and spending just the right amount of time on characters. Buckingham’s art is excellent as always, though sadly the one off comics didn’t quite work for me.

Without divulging too far into spoilers, the end of this compendium very much felt like an end point for this series. To my surprise I found that there are another seventy five issues, spread over another two compendiums. I’ll reserve judgement for when I read those, though from what I’ve seen online the second half of this series fails to capture the same magic as the first.

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely didn't enjoy this as the first 1/4 of the series but maybe that's because I had like a 6 month break in reading. I still do find it good but it doesn't have the same pull as before but I definitely found it more interesting near the end. I do also find certain parts anticlimactic but I still would recommend this series with all of its many flaws because I think this is an enjoyable read.

[G.A.Monster · Rating 5 out of 5]

FABLES continues to be one of if not the best fantasy in any medium. Admittedly Compendium Two seemed to drag a bit early on, middle/late in the book three huge story line picked up the pace to an extreme speed. This book also sees (for lack of a better word) less characters from the first book flesh out and really take center stage. And not to be spoiler but....prepare for death.

[Bart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is not as good as the first compendium, seems to lack direction, though it does get more interesting toward the end. Same complaint about this one as I did with the first one: switching up artists takes me out of it and really only feels to me like a cheap approach to saving money by hiring out less established artists. A couple issues feel very amateur because of this.

[Nick Belhomme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compendium one was stronger as there was a lot more world building and character development. However this is still going pretty strong. As a standalone it is 5 stars compared to other comics. However compared to fables compendium one, it is not that strong.

[David Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm impressed with the combination of great story-telling, wonderful and varying illustrations, and humor perfectly sprinkled in. The stories continue to be original and enjoyable, and the attention to detail is astounding.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really exciting volume. While it tied up the main storyline, it is headed in a direction I did not see coming. There were several character arcs that were really interesting as well. I love the play on classic fairy tales and how they were created.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series continues to surprise me with how original and thrilling it is. Seemingly "side characters" become main characters in deeply endearing and profound ways. For whatever reason, at this point in my life, this series reanimates hope and delight in me.

[Christian Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As far as quality goes, “Fables” is consistently one of the best books in the comic book world.

Another great compendium - this one filled with intrigue and war and peace, and sometimes all at once.

Worth the read!

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Lots of big developments in this one.

[Juane Pizarro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Había ignorado una red Flag pero el zionismo fue insuperable, creo q me quedo hasta aquí x un tiempo

[Reyne Derrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the first volume. With great tragedy, Valor and character development. I really enjoyed this section of the story and found boy blue to be the stand out character.

[Michael Geer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another thrilling addition to the fables saga! I really enjoyed the dramatic conclusion of the initial antagonist storyline as well as the expanding universe of fables.

[Jordan Olivo · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories in this compendium were wild, intense, exciting, scary and sad, yet I’m only halfway through!

Toward the end they start to dip their toes into meta conversations, lightly tapping the “fourth wall” as it were, which was fun.

I almost forgot to mention there were one or two grammatical errors which surprised me, and we all know how much that bugs Jordan. But the stories and art made up for them.

[Chloe Bean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish the main character was in it more often :/

[Nicklaus · Rating 3 out of 5]

My graphic novel phase is over. No longer interested. Took me over a year to complete this book. I won’t read the next two in the series.