Comic books/Graphic novels/Manga Reading Challenges discussion

We have a tie for this month so will have two groups reads. Also check out the thread for Watchmen.

Fables is one of our group read for March. It features fairy tale and folklore characters living among the "normal" citizens of modern day New York.

I've never read any of the Fables comics but have heard very good things and enjoy fairy tale inspired stories in general. Looking forward to checking this out.

Will grab a copy!

Nice start. I really like Willingham's take on the classic characters he uses and the "realistic" feeling he gives to their emotions and problems despite the magical aspects of the story. Snow and Bigby are great point of view characters. Hope they stay central to the series going forward.

Full review.

Just finished reading this title. I'm surprised about how much I enjoyed it. I usually don't overly enjoy fairy tale retellings. The artwork is great, modern classic. The dynamic between snow and bigby was one of the highlights for me.

I completely agree with mike. The storyline and characters felt grounded even though there was magical subject matter.

Read volume 2. Nice follow up, as Snow visits the Farm mentioned in volume 1 and more of the workings of Fabletown are explored. Known characters get fleshed out a bit more and there are several new (and occasionally disturbing) ones added to the mix. This is a very weird ride so far, but a fun one.

I love Fables. Having been reading it for years and watched the universe get bigger and bigger, it was really nice to go back and read the first one again. Great storytelling, and beautiful art. I also love the humour WIllingham puts in. It adds to the feel of 'real life' the series captures so well, rather than succumbing to comic book or fairy tale tropes.
Not that I don't like comic book tropes, mind, just in the right place. This series goes to some seriously dark places...

I also love series that infuse a "real life" feeling into fantastical surroundings. So far Fables is excellent in that respect. I enjoyed the second volume even more than the first, and got a taste of some of the "dark places" you mention.

Any other series come to mind that defy the usual tropes to good effect? Top 10 comes to mind for me (although it more embraces all the superhero tropes and then adds realistic characters and interactions to them).

That's a tough one. I think Fables is unique because it has the reality feel to it, whilst being based in fairy tales. So books like Preacher, Transmetropolitan and Sandman all have, to one extent or another, the reality thing going on, but don't have that same fantastical feel to them.
I'll have a think and see if I can find anything.
If you like the way Willingham plays around with story, i can recommend Jack of the Fables, the spin off. I think it was released as trades and is splendidly bizarre :)

Sorry, forgot to mention that I love Top 10. I'm a fan of most of his stuff, but Top 10 just nailed it for me. Also, Promethea was wonderful.

Very good point. It's really the combination of realism and fantasy that shines in Fables. Planetary had a little of that going on. There's a sense of wonder and awe to all the strangeness in their world while still firmly grounded by Snow's pragmatism and cynicism.

Cool. I'll have to check out Jack of Fables sometime. Thanks!

Top 10's also my favorite of Moore's work. I haven't read Promethea except the first few issues when it first came out. I really have to revisit it at some point.

Just played the first episode of the tie in adventure game The Wolf Among Us. A little short but quite good. Willingham's world is nicely realized and the voices, etc are all appropriate and well done. Doesn't seem to be in cannon, but we'll see as the subsequent episodes unfold.