What I'm Reading Now-Fables Vol.1: Legends in Exile

My next Weekly Geeks catch-up review is:


Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham-This is the first graphic novel that I have ever read, and I had been hearing so many great things about it, I figured it would be a good place to start. Briefly, all the characters that you know and love from your childhood stories like Snow White, the Big Bad Wolf, Blue Beard, Prince Charming, etc. have been run out of their homelands by an evil adversary and are now living in Fabletown among us normal folk. They have all agreed to set aside their differences, asylum has been granted for past deeds (like giant killing, home destruction, and granny consumption), and they are preparing to celebrate Remembrance Day when the murder of Rose Red sends Fabletown's sheriff, Bigby (The Big Bad Wolf), on a search for the killer.

Quite a few of you had questions about this, so let's get started!

Nymeth of Things Mean a Lot asks Are you planning to continue with the series? I'm not sure that I necessarily "plan" to continue with the series; let's just say, I wouldn't be averse to it. I did enjoy it, but I'm not going crazy wondering what happens next. Although...somebody call me if Snow and Bigby ever get together cuz I'm pretty sure that would be hot! Who was your favourtie character? Why? Speaking of Bigby, I think he might be my favorite character. He's great as the reformed-bad-guy-turned-sheriff, he can still wolf-out in the name of the law, and he looks hot in a towel (and it doesn't look like I'm the only one who thinks so!). I also kind of like Prince Charming though. Well, actually, I found him despicable, but that's exactly what I liked about him. In all the fairy tales he's the hero, the one true love, the savior, and here we see the other side of that. He's a mooch, and a playboy and totally full of himself. No wonder Snow White divorced him! Do you think the concept behind the series was well executed in this book? I do think the concept was well executed. I like some of the ideas that Willingham came up with to make the story workable. For instance, Jack (famous for growing beanstalks and killing giants), is a prime suspect in Rose Red's killing, but all of that giant killer stuff is inadmissible since that happened before the general amnesty. I also liked the little side stories we got like Beauty and the Beast having marital difficulties-she gets mad, he starts turning back into a beast, and it's hard to keep a low profile when you're walking around all half-beasty and all. Pinocchio is pissed because he's over 300 years old and still hasn't gone through puberty. Little things like that make for a fun departure from the main story.

Bart, over at Bart's Bookshelf said, I've heard so many good things about the series, if you had to pick one thing to convince me to go out and find a copy what would it be? Honestly, the fact that it's so short is a big sell for me. My tastes might not be your tastes, what I liked you might not like, I've never read anything else in this genre, so I don't really have anything to compare it to, etc.; but you can always give it a try, and if you don't like it, you haven't wasted days reading it, and if you do, then bonus!

Eva from A Striped Armchair wanted to know-Did you enjoy Fables? What did you think of the illustrations? I did enjoy it, and I liked the illustrations OK. They didn't particularly stand out for me in any way, but, again, I don't really have a lot to compare them to. What I did like was that at the beginning of each issue appears the original series covers by James Jean and Alex Maleev, which are quite different from the artwork within each issue.

Thank you, everyone, for your questions! I enjoyed my foray into the graphic novel set, and I will certainly let you know if I come back for more.

Other reviews:

Eva at A Striped Armchair

Chris at Stuff as Dreams are Made On...

Joanne at The Book Zombie

Fyrefly at Fyrefly's Book Blog

Kim L. at Bold. Blue. Adventure

Sally at Books and Musings from Down Under

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think? Will you be reading the rest of the series? How do you like it compared to other graphic novels? If you've reviewed this book let me know, and I will add a link to your review (Nymeth, did I miss yours?)