I love you so much. From Jack of Fables vol. 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape.
Showing posts with label Fables. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fables. Show all posts
a scan from Jack of Fables: Tortoise and Hare!
I love you so much. From Jack of Fables vol. 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape.
Reading Jack of Fables vol. 2
Spring has sprung, so really, it's just the perfect time to put on your running shoes, and --
read trade paperbacks. Today's is
Jack of Fables vol. 2: Jack of Hearts
Jack of Fables vol. 2: Jack of Hearts
by Matt Sturges, Steve Leiahola and Tony Akins
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Jack's adventures continue! Surprisingly, there isn't just one arc in this paperback, but three. Holy Crap. The first is a delving of Jack's past, when he was Jack Frost.
It also helps flesh out the Snow Queen in Fables. The second is Jack "falling in love" in Las Vegas, and the third is Jack's further adventures thereafter.
It also helps flesh out the Snow Queen in Fables. The second is Jack "falling in love" in Las Vegas, and the third is Jack's further adventures thereafter.
WHAT I LIKED: Okay, get this, but -- there's this lady right? And she takes people's luck, see? And the way she does it is, she slices their skulls and eats the luck right out of their brain see?
It's totally gross, and even with this, the entire trade is just so fun to read! This is a perfect mesh of romance, whimsy, humor and adventure. Anyone could enjoy this.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Nothing. I'd love to reread it and get lost in the adventures again.
EXTRAS?: Ehhhhh none. Not an introduction or sketches or anything, although for 15 bucks and 3 storyarcs, that kinda compensates.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Jack of Hearts capitalizes on a lot of secondary stuff, and there are a couple references to continuity that new readers may not be familiar with. The Snow Queen, for example, first appeared in Fables as a cold-hearted ally of the Adversary. Here, she becomes more dimensional as we see her past. New readers may not have been aware of the Snow Queen's current personality.
There's a new character introduced, in a reference to the first volume too, which makes the entire thing feel like a coherent story. Although I think that anyone could still pick this up and like it, they'd like it more if they read volume 1 first.Whenever I'm down. . .
Do you know what just really picks me up, and puts a little air in my step?
A visit to my local fairy:
She's just so bright and happy all the time!
She's just so bright and happy all the time!
Courtesy Jack of Fables vol. 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape.
Jack of Fables vol. 1: Hand me my pants!
Just the other day, I was at my local Borders, loitering, and there was this one guy thumbing through the second volume of Grant Morrison's All-Star Superman. Now that is a good comic book, so I told him, "Hey, that's a pretty good comic book." You know what the guy did?
He put it away and then he walked away from me, mumbling some people! The nerve of some people! If all comic book fans are like this, then brother, that's a ship I don't wanna sail!
But enough about me. you didn't come here for a rant on the nerve of comic book fans. You came here for a review of
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: In this Fables spin-off, Jack of Fables (AKA Jack B. Nimble, AKA Jack the Giant-Killer. . .) gets his own book! Last we left him, his movie company was uprooted and he was a fugitive. Here, he gets captured by "Mr. Revise and his head librarians," and gets imprisoned in the "Golden boughs Retirement Village," so as to neuter his magic and render Jack, among others, mundane.
Of course, Jack doesn't take too well to this, so he hatches an escape plan! Will it work?
WHAT I LIKED: I loved all the cameos that other fairy tales play in here! It's like Willingham and Sturges wanted to include a lot more Fables in Fables, but it could only carry so much, so they put a lot of cameos in here.
Now that's what I call fanservice.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: If Matt Sturges can carry through a complete and coherent plot/arc in five issues, why can't he do the same in House of Mystery? Why does he have to make the House be a complete veil of vagueness over some more vagueness!
It is honestly frustrating how that title is going nowhere, and that's why I've dropped it. And uh, with today's trade paperback, I have nothing against it.
EXTRAS?: Some of Tony Akins's character designs are at the end of the thing. Not much else.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The best thing you can take away from the trade is Jack's character. It is certainly one of a kind, and the stuff of fairy tales. What a read!
He put it away and then he walked away from me, mumbling some people! The nerve of some people! If all comic book fans are like this, then brother, that's a ship I don't wanna sail!
But enough about me. you didn't come here for a rant on the nerve of comic book fans. You came here for a review of
by Bill Willingham, Matt Sturges and Tony Akins
Of course, Jack doesn't take too well to this, so he hatches an escape plan! Will it work?
WHAT I LIKED: I loved all the cameos that other fairy tales play in here! It's like Willingham and Sturges wanted to include a lot more Fables in Fables, but it could only carry so much, so they put a lot of cameos in here.
Now that's what I call fanservice.
It is honestly frustrating how that title is going nowhere, and that's why I've dropped it. And uh, with today's trade paperback, I have nothing against it.
EXTRAS?: Some of Tony Akins's character designs are at the end of the thing. Not much else.
FINAL THOUGHTS: The best thing you can take away from the trade is Jack's character. It is certainly one of a kind, and the stuff of fairy tales. What a read!
Three Blind Mice. . . in paradise!
This being a Holiday week in the states, comics don't come out until Thursday. Not only are my peers gone for college and maybe already in their second week of college, now I can't get comics 'til tomorrow? Why am I living a delayed life???
ALSO: The weather sucks.
Anyways, to cheeryou me up, here's the next little snippet from the next volume of Fables.Since I didn't post any kind of scan last time, here's a full 3-page short story from Fables vol. 9: Sons of Empire. I won't try to spoil you with my own words; this story is just that delicious:
If you noticed, the three blind mice all have stubby tails. That's because the farmer's wife chopped them up with a carving knife when they tried to steal some food!
ALSO: The weather sucks.
Anyways, to cheer
If you noticed, the three blind mice all have stubby tails. That's because the farmer's wife chopped them up with a carving knife when they tried to steal some food!Unfortunately, that's as far as my Fables reading goes. I haven't read the "The Good Prince" arc, but I'm going to collect issues #73-75 as singles, because of the big seven-five. After that, I'm crossing my fingers that my library will get Volume 10 soon. Maybe I'll put these posts together in one place or something. So people can remember that Fables exists.
Never get relationship advice from a goblin
How long has it been since I talked about Fables?
Well, I can't give you an exact measurement, but I can tell you that's it's been too darn long!
If my memory serves me right, we did volume 6 last time, so now we're on volume 7: Arabian Nights (and Days). Here is where Prince Charming tries to enlist the help of the Eastern Fables, and a djinn even comes into play!
That's the main story, but the side story is just as strong. It's about a wooden soldier who wants to be more than a wooden soldier. He falls in love with one of the female toy nurses, and he wants to laugh, to live, to love!
Maybe he should consult an anatomy book first.
I don't exactly want to spoil you, but Rodney Greenwood does become human, on the Adversary's condition that he spies on Fabletown for the rest of his life. It's really bittersweet =(.
Well, I can't give you an exact measurement, but I can tell you that's it's been too darn long!
If my memory serves me right, we did volume 6 last time, so now we're on volume 7: Arabian Nights (and Days). Here is where Prince Charming tries to enlist the help of the Eastern Fables, and a djinn even comes into play!
That's the main story, but the side story is just as strong. It's about a wooden soldier who wants to be more than a wooden soldier. He falls in love with one of the female toy nurses, and he wants to laugh, to live, to love!
Maybe he should consult an anatomy book first.
I don't exactly want to spoil you, but Rodney Greenwood does become human, on the Adversary's condition that he spies on Fabletown for the rest of his life. It's really bittersweet =(.
As always, source over here.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves. . .
Boy Blue takes up the spotlight to continue our Fables saga, and unfortunately, no, he doesn't get into a crazy saxophone solo in the next volume of Fables.
Instead, he travels to the Homelands by himself to strike at the Adversary's heart and kill lots of Goblin butt.
Do you see the two things he's holding right there?
The blue cloak is enchanted, and it's called the Witching Cloak. It's pretty much impenetrable, and it lets Boy Blue turn into any animal he desires!
(Yes, he does turn into a bluebird for one page.)
And I think you can guess what sword he's holding: it's the Vorpal Blade from the poem "Jabberwocky!"
I may be speaking for myself, but that's the coolest literary reference I've ever read.
Instead, he travels to the Homelands by himself to strike at the Adversary's heart and kill lots of Goblin butt.
Do you see the two things he's holding right there?
The blue cloak is enchanted, and it's called the Witching Cloak. It's pretty much impenetrable, and it lets Boy Blue turn into any animal he desires!
(Yes, he does turn into a bluebird for one page.)
And I think you can guess what sword he's holding: it's the Vorpal Blade from the poem "Jabberwocky!"
I may be speaking for myself, but that's the coolest literary reference I've ever read.
Scan taken from Fables vol. 6: Homelands. Not only is there a straight-up classically-written adventure story, there's also a hollywood fame story and a one-shot of one fable's return to Fabletown.
Snicker-snack!
Snicker-snack!
Achtung!: Fables volume 5
We're gonna take a break from the week's comics with -you guessed it- some more love for Fables.
One of the more interesting aspects is that the Fables have a mortality determined by their popularity. Snow White, for example, since she's so popular among our culture, managed to survive a sniper's bullet to the skull!
Jack of the tales also became a Hollywood producer at one point, and produced a Jack trilogy, which made him incredibly famous, so that he wouldn't die.
This enhanced mortality also means that the Fables have been living for a pretty damn long time, and for us readers, it means that there's a wealth of stories to see about our favorite characters.
One of the more interesting aspects is that the Fables have a mortality determined by their popularity. Snow White, for example, since she's so popular among our culture, managed to survive a sniper's bullet to the skull!
Jack of the tales also became a Hollywood producer at one point, and produced a Jack trilogy, which made him incredibly famous, so that he wouldn't die.
This enhanced mortality also means that the Fables have been living for a pretty damn long time, and for us readers, it means that there's a wealth of stories to see about our favorite characters.
Like, for example, Bigby Wolf fighting Nazi Frankenstein:
Don't worry; Bigby totally wins.
Don't worry; Bigby totally wins.
Raaaarrrgghh! Scans courtesy of Fables vol. 5: The Mean Seasons. These scans are from only a peripheral storyarc, and the trade is really about the election for a new mayor and a major life change for Snow White.
Hint: they're fuzzy; they're cute, and they fly!
Hint: they're fuzzy; they're cute, and they fly!
Cover to Cover: In Hell, bacon eats you!
Continuing with this week: Squadron Supreme 2 #1 came out. As you may know, I was a huge fan of Straczynski's squadron, but since it doesn't appear as if Howard Chaykin is writing with the past squadron in mind, I'm gonna wait it out and see what other people think about it.
I hope it's damn good though, so on that note let's talk about the comics I did get.
House of Mystery #3
Okay, Bill Willingham's name is on the credits on the cover, except it doesn't seem like he wrote the back-up story in this. What is going on?
This issue was definitely not as good as the last two. Not much happens here, except for Fig figuring out that she can't leave the House of Mystery.
Also: where's the horror? Where's the fantasy? So what if some guy got impaled on a gas pipe? I don't pick up House of Mystery to read crime stories. I pick it up to read horror stories.
Right now, I probably sound angry, but that's not how I really feel about the House. It's just that this issue is a step down from the previous two. As always, the dialogue and the art is just delicious, but I'm really hoping that issue four brings back the magic.
Fables #74
So here, the attack on the Adversary continues, and we get to see it through Boy Blue's eyes.
I don't think I need to tell you how awesome it is, but I will spoil some plot points for you.
-Reading the issue, you later get to see the inspiration for the cover art, which is a girl lying on some steps with her fruit askew. Briar Rose (aka Sleeping Beauty) pricks her finger in the Imperial City, putting everyone around her into a deep sleep. That girl with the fruit is only one of them, and yes, that is some very cool inspiration.
-Pinocchio is back in Fabletown!
The next issue is the big seventy-five, so it's there that we get to find out why the Emperor sent all his dragons out save one, and how the Fabletown forces try to deal with it.
Overall, not a particularly strong week for vertigo, but certainly not a weak week.
I hope it's damn good though, so on that note let's talk about the comics I did get.
House of Mystery #3
by Bill Willingham, Matthew Sturges and Luca Rossi
Okay, Bill Willingham's name is on the credits on the cover, except it doesn't seem like he wrote the back-up story in this. What is going on?
This issue was definitely not as good as the last two. Not much happens here, except for Fig figuring out that she can't leave the House of Mystery.
Also: where's the horror? Where's the fantasy? So what if some guy got impaled on a gas pipe? I don't pick up House of Mystery to read crime stories. I pick it up to read horror stories.
Right now, I probably sound angry, but that's not how I really feel about the House. It's just that this issue is a step down from the previous two. As always, the dialogue and the art is just delicious, but I'm really hoping that issue four brings back the magic.
The best dialogue on bacon also appeared in this issue:
"In Hell, the bacon eats you!"
"In Hell, the bacon eats you!"
Fables #74
by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
So here, the attack on the Adversary continues, and we get to see it through Boy Blue's eyes.
I don't think I need to tell you how awesome it is, but I will spoil some plot points for you.
-Reading the issue, you later get to see the inspiration for the cover art, which is a girl lying on some steps with her fruit askew. Briar Rose (aka Sleeping Beauty) pricks her finger in the Imperial City, putting everyone around her into a deep sleep. That girl with the fruit is only one of them, and yes, that is some very cool inspiration.
-Pinocchio is back in Fabletown!
Holy buckets!
The next issue is the big seventy-five, so it's there that we get to find out why the Emperor sent all his dragons out save one, and how the Fabletown forces try to deal with it.
Overall, not a particularly strong week for vertigo, but certainly not a weak week.
I have a newfound respect for rabbits
You know how when you were little, you'd sometimes go up to rabbits to scare them away?
Harmless enough right?
Harmless enough right?
Yeah, never do that again. Like, ever.
From this week's Fables. Reviews are forthcoming.
Everything I know about war. . .
. . . I learned from Fables!
1. Always wear a hard hat.
It helps to get a pointy one.
2. Keep your weapons modern.
You don't bring an knife to a gun fight, after all!
3. Always have a battle cry when you're dropping bombs.
It helps if you talk to the bomb.
It helps to get a pointy one.
2. Keep your weapons modern.
You don't bring an knife to a gun fight, after all!
3. Always have a battle cry when you're dropping bombs.
It helps if you talk to the bomb.
And there you have it. Everything that I know about war!
Look -- up in the sky! Is it a bird?
Yes! In fact it's a multitude of birds!
Raining grenades down the street! Bwahahahaha!
And now it's a cow, jumping over the moon for good measure --
--and raining more grenades down the street!
Moooooo!
Raining grenades down the street! Bwahahahaha!
And now it's a cow, jumping over the moon for good measure --
--and raining more grenades down the street!
Moooooo!
Scans taken from Fables volume 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers. It's one of the best trades in the series, and has Snow White hugging Bigby as a wolf. It's unbearably cute, and you don't get much better than that. Mainly though, the Adversary makes some covert moves against our Fables, and we learn a little more about Little Boy Blue.
He was a total Rambo in his former life.
He was a total Rambo in his former life.
more Fables love
You may have noticed the way I've been going through each Fables trade. Here's a moment from the first, in which Prince Charming is great in the sack, and the second, in which Snow White sets a barn on fire.
Regardless, today we continue pimping out Fables, because honestly, when fandom is in constant complaint over who writer X has brought back in book Y or how artist X just anglicized character Z, they could spend their time reading comics that are awesome instead.
I'm sure you have those books that you regularly hate to read, but for some reason --maybe out of habit, or brand loyalty, or a delusion that the writing will get better-- read them faithfully. That's exactly how I am with Judd Winick on Green Arrow/Black Canary, but instead of wasting our money, maybe we could read something better instead.
So here, we have Bigby Wolf (The Big Bad Wolf!), who is the sheriff of Fabletown, and Snow White (Snow White!), who's the deputy mayor. Bigby kind of has a crush on Snow White, and here, in volume 3: Storybook Love, their relationship grows, as both of them find themselves in the forest with no memory of how they got there. . .
The writing's still coy, but after the entire ordeal, Snow gets softer around Bigby. You can read the trades if you wanna find out more. . .
. . . and any good local library should have volume one: Legends in Exile at the very least. Plan a trip today, folks!
Those sound worse when you type them out.
Regardless, today we continue pimping out Fables, because honestly, when fandom is in constant complaint over who writer X has brought back in book Y or how artist X just anglicized character Z, they could spend their time reading comics that are awesome instead.
I'm sure you have those books that you regularly hate to read, but for some reason --maybe out of habit, or brand loyalty, or a delusion that the writing will get better-- read them faithfully. That's exactly how I am with Judd Winick on Green Arrow/Black Canary, but instead of wasting our money, maybe we could read something better instead.
So here, we have Bigby Wolf (The Big Bad Wolf!), who is the sheriff of Fabletown, and Snow White (Snow White!), who's the deputy mayor. Bigby kind of has a crush on Snow White, and here, in volume 3: Storybook Love, their relationship grows, as both of them find themselves in the forest with no memory of how they got there. . .
The writing's still coy, but after the entire ordeal, Snow gets softer around Bigby. You can read the trades if you wanna find out more. . .
. . . and any good local library should have volume one: Legends in Exile at the very least. Plan a trip today, folks!
lightspeed serials
Lots of things to worry about, so we're gonna finish the week with some short-esque reviews!
Don't worry; they're all awesome and my ridiculously thorough reviews wouldn't have done them justice anyways.
Fables #73
by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
Boy Blue's the narrator for this issue as the Fable community makes their move on the Adversary. That's right; they're finally waging to reclaim the Homeland!
We go through how everyone's a part of the war, from Snow's underground coordinating to Boy Blue's messenging, to Prince Charming and Captain Sinbad's aerial assault. The Fables have human technology on their side, so the Adversary et al. are pretty much overwhelmed, except there's a small foreshadowing segment about sending every dragon to the air but one.
A very thorough issue that sets up the three-issue storyarc in which the Fables are totally gonna win the war.
Ultimate Spider-Man #122
by Brian Bendis and Stuart Immonen
If you're not reading this, you're really missing out on some good Peter-Parker-as-a-teenager. I really mean this. Like, two great stand-alone issue just came out, and you'd be remiss if you mised them.
The only gripe I have here is that the Shocker talks very thug-like when he's pretty much a scientist who's created all that technology. Also, this could have been a nice issue reconciling Kitty's and MJ's animosity, but the issue revolved more around the Shocker.
The art by Immonen is so expressive and clear and perfect for this book. Brian catches the perfect tone as well between Peter Parker the teenager, Peter Parker the goofball, Peter Parker the boyfriend and Peter Parker the superhero.
It's a damn shame that Amazing is selling better.
Don't worry; they're all awesome and my ridiculously thorough reviews wouldn't have done them justice anyways.
Fables #73
by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
Boy Blue's the narrator for this issue as the Fable community makes their move on the Adversary. That's right; they're finally waging to reclaim the Homeland!
We go through how everyone's a part of the war, from Snow's underground coordinating to Boy Blue's messenging, to Prince Charming and Captain Sinbad's aerial assault. The Fables have human technology on their side, so the Adversary et al. are pretty much overwhelmed, except there's a small foreshadowing segment about sending every dragon to the air but one.
A very thorough issue that sets up the three-issue storyarc in which the Fables are totally gonna win the war.
Ultimate Spider-Man #122
by Brian Bendis and Stuart Immonen
If you're not reading this, you're really missing out on some good Peter-Parker-as-a-teenager. I really mean this. Like, two great stand-alone issue just came out, and you'd be remiss if you mised them.
The only gripe I have here is that the Shocker talks very thug-like when he's pretty much a scientist who's created all that technology. Also, this could have been a nice issue reconciling Kitty's and MJ's animosity, but the issue revolved more around the Shocker.
The art by Immonen is so expressive and clear and perfect for this book. Brian catches the perfect tone as well between Peter Parker the teenager, Peter Parker the goofball, Peter Parker the boyfriend and Peter Parker the superhero.
It's a damn shame that Amazing is selling better.
Snow White's HOW TO SET A BARN ON FIRE
Step 1:
Call everyone an idiot and tell them what's what in your Fabletown.
You're the goddamn Snow White after all!
Step 2:
Get your trusty walkie-talkie and call in your pet dragon, Clarathea.
Every mayor should have a pet dragon.
Step 3:
LOOK AWESOME.
Call everyone an idiot and tell them what's what in your Fabletown.
You're the goddamn Snow White after all!
Step 2:
Get your trusty walkie-talkie and call in your pet dragon, Clarathea.
Every mayor should have a pet dragon.
Step 3:
LOOK AWESOME.
Snow White will end you. Scans taken from Fables vol. 2: Animal Farm, by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham.
Oh, and I'm back by the way, if you couldn't tell.
Oh, and I'm back by the way, if you couldn't tell.
Begins with "H" and ends with "iatus"
I want you to brace yourself, kids, because what I'm going to tell you. . . will devastate you out of your spider-man undies.
Are you ready? Do you have your teddy bears firmly in hand? Have you hidden your heads tightly enough inside your shirts?*
Whoa now! Don't let Mr. Ursine slip out of your grip! Are you ready?
Your friendly neighborhood comics blogger has to go on hiatus. Since I'm a student, the scores that I get on standardized tests determine my future and, quite frankly, I'd like that future to be less bleak than it currently appears.
And what could possibly brighten it better than --
--THE BEST SEX DIALOGUE EVER:
This is Prince Charming from Fables, if you couldn't tell. He's great in the sack, as you can see, but he's a complete and total jerk. Doesn't stop me from being jealous though. Sigh.
So yeah, no blogging from me for two weeks roughly. I thought it'd be appropriate to warn what readership I have (KOFF KOFF!), so there ya go.
I really, really wanted to talk about the May comics for Marvel and DC, but this test thingamajig, it just won't let me. My soul is burning to chew the fat with the solicits for books like Final Crisis #1 or Birds of Prey #118 (with Tony Bedard's run beginning!!!) or Marvel Adventures Avengers #24 (featuring the return of fan-favorite Jeff Parker!)
If you'd like to say anything, about the blog, about the comics, about what you found in your shoe today, you can always leave a message to this post, because I'll still be checking my mail and roaming the blogosphere.
Some tests won't make me disappear off the face of the earth, after all! Furbies maybe, but tests we don't have to worry about.
*assuming you're wearing any.
Are you ready? Do you have your teddy bears firmly in hand? Have you hidden your heads tightly enough inside your shirts?*
Whoa now! Don't let Mr. Ursine slip out of your grip! Are you ready?
Your friendly neighborhood comics blogger has to go on hiatus. Since I'm a student, the scores that I get on standardized tests determine my future and, quite frankly, I'd like that future to be less bleak than it currently appears.
And what could possibly brighten it better than --
--THE BEST SEX DIALOGUE EVER:
This is Prince Charming from Fables, if you couldn't tell. He's great in the sack, as you can see, but he's a complete and total jerk. Doesn't stop me from being jealous though. Sigh.So yeah, no blogging from me for two weeks roughly. I thought it'd be appropriate to warn what readership I have (KOFF KOFF!), so there ya go.
I really, really wanted to talk about the May comics for Marvel and DC, but this test thingamajig, it just won't let me. My soul is burning to chew the fat with the solicits for books like Final Crisis #1 or Birds of Prey #118 (with Tony Bedard's run beginning!!!) or Marvel Adventures Avengers #24 (featuring the return of fan-favorite Jeff Parker!)
If you'd like to say anything, about the blog, about the comics, about what you found in your shoe today, you can always leave a message to this post, because I'll still be checking my mail and roaming the blogosphere.
Some tests won't make me disappear off the face of the earth, after all! Furbies maybe, but tests we don't have to worry about.
*assuming you're wearing any.
Cover to Cover CONCLUSION: Birds, babes and --wait for it--
--Pinocchio! That's right; today we review Birds of Prey #117 and Fables #72. You can find the rest of the week here and here, but come here to see it conclude!
Fables #72
by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
The two-part "Skulduggery" ends here, as Cinderella: Super-Spy, safely delivers Pinocchio to the Homeland, with an explosion here and there.
What can I say about this issue? I'm not so sure. It's really gearing up for the Big Thing That Will Happen -- the war between the Adversary and the Fables.
This issue ran like a James Bond spy story, and at the end, battered and bruised, Cinderella rests well knowing that she did her job and did it well.
This issue was standard spy action, much like the first, and I should probably catch some trades other than the first and third before I can really talk about this.
You don't need any background reading to appreciate this though:
Yurf! This scene is smart to boot, because this is Cinderella, the lady legendary for losing her shoe!
Also, there was a "free" preview of the upcoming Vertigo book, House of Mystery. The premise is that everyone's stuck in a bar, so they pass the time by telling stories. Vertigo characters pop in like Kid eternity and Swamp Thing and Bigby Wolf, and it's all narrated to us by the waitress, which is a really cute technique.
The preview is a little disjunct, but it sounds like a nice book to commit to. On the art side, Luca Rossi looks a lot like Tim Sale, except the inking is much sharper and the coloring is a bit darker.
Birds of Prey #117
by Sean McKeever and Nicola Scott
I. LOVED. THIS. ISSUE.
It's like an apology from McKeever for how he played around with the characters in the beginning of the arc: Barbara was broody; Misfit was angsty; Helena was (kind of) too gentle, and also, Superman was a jerk.
But here, this issue redeems EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG IN THE UNIVERSE.
The Big Fight happens here, with the Birds facing a metahuman gang in Platinum Flats. McKeever does the fights here very well -- fights are on occasion opportunities for gratuitous punching, but they should really be opportunities for characterization.
Like for example, Misfit is spunky again!:
And here's an awesome beat for Huntress. Mrs. Simone set her up as "the chick who really hates criminals but is really soft for everyone else," and McKeever hits it here:
Tony Bedard was really smart about this as well, in a stand-alone Birds story featuring Huntress. In it, the "criminals" were just a couple of high school students, and the better side of Helena wins out. He's a guy who really understands our Birds.
To get back to the issue --and this is the most important part-- Barbara apologizes for being a jerk to Misfit!
The birds win out in the end, and Oracle decides to move her base to Platinum Flats. The epilogue, of course, involves a little shadowed figure called Tabitha Brennan.
Aaaaaand cue the suspense for next issue, but right now, I'm just glad that I read this one. If I have some free time, I'm gonna talk about Tony Bedard, and why I think you should pick up his Birds next month.
Fables #72by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
The two-part "Skulduggery" ends here, as Cinderella: Super-Spy, safely delivers Pinocchio to the Homeland, with an explosion here and there.
What can I say about this issue? I'm not so sure. It's really gearing up for the Big Thing That Will Happen -- the war between the Adversary and the Fables.
This issue ran like a James Bond spy story, and at the end, battered and bruised, Cinderella rests well knowing that she did her job and did it well.
This issue was standard spy action, much like the first, and I should probably catch some trades other than the first and third before I can really talk about this.
You don't need any background reading to appreciate this though:
Yurf! This scene is smart to boot, because this is Cinderella, the lady legendary for losing her shoe!
Also, there was a "free" preview of the upcoming Vertigo book, House of Mystery. The premise is that everyone's stuck in a bar, so they pass the time by telling stories. Vertigo characters pop in like Kid eternity and Swamp Thing and Bigby Wolf, and it's all narrated to us by the waitress, which is a really cute technique.
The preview is a little disjunct, but it sounds like a nice book to commit to. On the art side, Luca Rossi looks a lot like Tim Sale, except the inking is much sharper and the coloring is a bit darker.
Birds of Prey #117by Sean McKeever and Nicola Scott
I. LOVED. THIS. ISSUE.
It's like an apology from McKeever for how he played around with the characters in the beginning of the arc: Barbara was broody; Misfit was angsty; Helena was (kind of) too gentle, and also, Superman was a jerk.
But here, this issue redeems EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG IN THE UNIVERSE.
The Big Fight happens here, with the Birds facing a metahuman gang in Platinum Flats. McKeever does the fights here very well -- fights are on occasion opportunities for gratuitous punching, but they should really be opportunities for characterization.
Like for example, Misfit is spunky again!:
And here's an awesome beat for Huntress. Mrs. Simone set her up as "the chick who really hates criminals but is really soft for everyone else," and McKeever hits it here:
Tony Bedard was really smart about this as well, in a stand-alone Birds story featuring Huntress. In it, the "criminals" were just a couple of high school students, and the better side of Helena wins out. He's a guy who really understands our Birds.
To get back to the issue --and this is the most important part-- Barbara apologizes for being a jerk to Misfit!
Yay!
The birds win out in the end, and Oracle decides to move her base to Platinum Flats. The epilogue, of course, involves a little shadowed figure called Tabitha Brennan.
Aaaaaand cue the suspense for next issue, but right now, I'm just glad that I read this one. If I have some free time, I'm gonna talk about Tony Bedard, and why I think you should pick up his Birds next month.
Fables #71: Girls just wanna have guns
Time and time again, I'll find the guts to try a book that I've only read from the library or only heard from hearsay.
Oh look, here they are, in:
Fables #71
What if the legends of Aesop and Grimm lived and hid secretly in our world?
The answer is this book, Fables, in which the "fables" try to reclaim their homeland, Fabletown, from an unknown invader, the Adversary. Meanwhile, the humans, or "mundys" (short for mundane) live ignorant of them.
Strong enough premise, right? I've read the first three trades for this or so, and it hasn't disappointed me, so I thought I'd check out last month's issue.
Here, Cinderella (the spy!) goes to Argentina to get a "package." She meets up with some people who end up kidnapping her:
Note the little heels on the right side. They are so adorable. Those lined the borders of each page, alternating from (white heel in black circle) to (black heel in white circle), depending on the panel. It helped create the feeling that we're reading a fairy tale.
Cinderella kills her kidnappers and gets to the "package," who turns out to be Pinocchio, the long-nosed wonder!
Since their transportation arrangement went under, Cindy and Pinocchio have to get to a hotel.
There, Hansel (who's a villain!) takes Pinocchio in order to understand the war plans that the Fable community has for the adversary.
Cindy takes a seat, looks down, checks her watch: the assault for Fabletown has already begun. Cliffhanger is GO!
That's the issue. According to this wiki, Fables is predominantly crime fiction, which I'm not exactly a rabid fan of. I would've liked to see more "fantasy" here than "crime," but it's always good to broaden your horizons right?
I'll be getting next issue (coming out next week!) which concludes the two-part "Skulduggery," but if I'm not too excited for the series, I think I'll take a look at The Exterminators.
Anything you wanna say about the series? Maybe you read it with much more background knowledge than me, and you can enlighten me? 'cause I'm very much up for that.
Oh look, here they are, in:
Fables #71
by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham
What if the legends of Aesop and Grimm lived and hid secretly in our world?
The answer is this book, Fables, in which the "fables" try to reclaim their homeland, Fabletown, from an unknown invader, the Adversary. Meanwhile, the humans, or "mundys" (short for mundane) live ignorant of them.
Strong enough premise, right? I've read the first three trades for this or so, and it hasn't disappointed me, so I thought I'd check out last month's issue.
Here, Cinderella (the spy!) goes to Argentina to get a "package." She meets up with some people who end up kidnapping her:
Note the little heels on the right side. They are so adorable. Those lined the borders of each page, alternating from (white heel in black circle) to (black heel in white circle), depending on the panel. It helped create the feeling that we're reading a fairy tale.
EXCEPT WE ARE TOTALLY NOT.
Cinderella kills her kidnappers and gets to the "package," who turns out to be Pinocchio, the long-nosed wonder!
Since their transportation arrangement went under, Cindy and Pinocchio have to get to a hotel.
There, Hansel (who's a villain!) takes Pinocchio in order to understand the war plans that the Fable community has for the adversary.
Cindy takes a seat, looks down, checks her watch: the assault for Fabletown has already begun. Cliffhanger is GO!
That's the issue. According to this wiki, Fables is predominantly crime fiction, which I'm not exactly a rabid fan of. I would've liked to see more "fantasy" here than "crime," but it's always good to broaden your horizons right?
I'll be getting next issue (coming out next week!) which concludes the two-part "Skulduggery," but if I'm not too excited for the series, I think I'll take a look at The Exterminators.
Anything you wanna say about the series? Maybe you read it with much more background knowledge than me, and you can enlighten me? 'cause I'm very much up for that.
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