Fables

• Title: Fables #130
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Bill Willingham
• Artist: Barry Kitson

For the month of June Fables writer Bill Willingham gives us a single adventure of a precocious young Junebug exploring the castle on the day she and her parents move into Fabletown. June’s adventures will take her all over including getting underfoot from time to time, and eventually discovering something the young girl wasn’t supposed to see deep with the bowels of the castle.

Willingham does a terrific job of presenting the entire comic from a child’s point of view including using what the adults around her say to her advantage and having them disregard her fanciful story of giant rat monsters when she returns later that night. As to what those scary rats are actually doing, we’ll have to wait and see how that story unfolds.

June’s delivery is perfect and her adventure, even when it turns dark and scary for the young girl, is a hell of a lot of fun. My only real complaint with the story is we only get one issue with the character before the comic moves on to its next arc next month. Best of the week.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

• Title: Fairest #16
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Sean E. Williams
• Artist: Stephen Sadowski

Besotted with Nalayani, the new maharajah (who we discovered last month is actually Prince Charming) agrees to lend a force and accompany the warrior woman home to save her village from the wild dhole. However, on their way back to the village the travelers’ camp is attacked by a group of the wild demon dogs who both injure and manage to separate Nalayani and Prince Charming from the rest of the group.

There are plenty of questions the latest issue of Fairest raises but doesn’t try to answer. Why is Charming in India? How did he become maharajah? And where exactly did he get a .45 automatic hand gun? Who is the mystery man responsible for unleashing the dhole into the camp?

The issue ends with Nalayani’s life in serious danger as the pair track down and kill some of the remaining dhole that attacked their camp. Although I don’t think Fairest #16 is quite as strong as the opening issue of the arc there’s certainly enough here for me to continue with these characters, and this arc, for at least a few more issues. For fans.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

• Title: Fables #129
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Bill Willingham
• Artist: Mark Buckingham

The Snow White arc comes to an end with the character (finally) refusing to no longer play the victim to Prince Brandish physical and mental attack which over the past few months has included breaking her arm, turning her husband into a glass statue, threatening to murder her children, borderline sexual assault, and keeping her hostage from the rest of Fabletown.

As her friends work to cancel the magical protections surrounding Brandish, Snow and the man claiming to be her true husband have a final duel which leaves Snow White free of Brandish but not without a price as one of Fables leading characters won’t survive the issue (although in a land of magic and resurrection anything is possible).

I’ve had very mixed feelings about this arc which cast Snow in the role of victim for fall too long. Although she finally gets some justice, the loss of Bigby actually makes it feel like Brandish is the real victor here. Hit-and-Miss.

[Vertigo, $2.99]

• Title: Fairest #15
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Sean E. Williams
• Artist: Stephen Sadowski

With Fairest #15 writer Sean E. Williams and Stephen Sadowski step-in to tackle a Hindu legend and introduce a new character to the Fables universe. Nalayani is the toughest and smartest warrior of a small village continually under attack by both rogues and wolves.

With her village in desperate need of aid, Nalayani travels to the new Maharajah (who is not what you’d expect). On the way she will make an unusual friend in a Tabaqui, a jackal who proves to be more trustworthy than she first suspects, and will have another run-in with the rogues which will teach the men the errors of messing with a woman known for her skill with a bow.

More off the beaten path than the more recognizable characters of the first few arcs, this opening issue of Nalayani and her story is well told and the art works well. The stylized lettering by letterer Todd Klein leave something to be desired as at times some of the wording is difficult to read, but overall Fairest #15 succeeds in selling it’s latest arc and an intriguing new character. Worth a look.

[Vertigo, $2.99]