Fables

A new fantasy series about fairytale characters, and their refugee community in the real world

by Bill Willingham and various artists

(principal artist Mark Buckingham)

Fables Vol. 4:
March of the Wooden Soldiers

Rating: Young adult to adult.

Genre / themes: Alternate fairy tales, alternate universes, refugees, urban fantasy, modern world.

Art level: Good, coloured, western.

Star Rating: 4/5

Number of Books: Currently 14, nearly completed (I haven't been able to read the last couple of books yet).
 Also a spin-off series of nine books called 'Jack of the Fables'

and a single spin-off title, Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love


Other notes: Variable books quality and length, but gets into its stride later in the series. Worth reading as an entire series.

The Fables books are a very new graphic novel series, and definitely worth picking up. The books are extremely variable in both length and quality - but skipping any isn't the best idea, as there is an actual narrative storyline! The first book is probably the least impressive, but later ones definitely make up for it! (I wouldn't recommend the first book alone, but I strongly recommend the entire series)

Fables is the story of the Fables - story book characters, fairy tales and myths - Snow White, Baba Yaga, Bigsby (the Big Bad Wolf), Prince Charming, Shere Khan, Bluebeard, Geppetto and Pinochio, the major King Coal, and the frog prince, to name but a few. They are refugees, fleeing a terrible army, who have established a city in the real world and are trying to get by without being noticed.

Fabletown is initially run by the affable and portly major, King Coal, and his ruthless secretary, Snow White. Bigsby, oncet he Big Bad Wolf, and the son of the North Wind, plays the sheriff, and the rest of the fables make up the diversity of the rest of the community, that they try to keep in line and out of site of the Mundanes. All signed a compact forgiving past crimes, and swearing to obey the laws of Fabletown. The (visually) non-humans live up on the Farm, also a source of tension.

The books follow both their individual adventures (Jack, knave of many stories, from tarts to beanstalks, wanders off to make himself a movie star at one point, and the first book revolves around the apparent murder of Rose Red), the politics and life of Fabletown (an uprising on the Farm, Prince Charming's election campaign), and the actual war with the Enemy (both in their homelands, and when spies and armies invade Fabletown).

The entire published Fables series in order, from left to right

Rapunzel's Revenge

Rapunzel's Revenge

A red-haired cowboy Rapunzel saves the day!

By Shannon, Dean and Nathan Hale

Rating: Young adult, childrens

Genre / themes: Alternate fairy tale, cowboys and wild west, feminism,

Art level: Very good! Western art style. Colour.

Star Rating: 4/5

Number of Books: Two so far, but this title can be read on its own.

Other notes: Beaten out by Neil Gaiman's Coraline for teen graphic novel of the year (review here).
book/

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My Review
Rapunzel's Revenge is a wild west take on fairy tales. Here, Rapunzel has grown up with her 'mother', the tyrannical Mother Gothel, until she discovers her real mother is a slave in the mines, faces off with Mother Gothel and gets trapped in a giant tree until her hair grows long enough for her to escape (due to Mother Gothel's growth magic saturating the tree). From there, she goes on to save the thief, the day and the kingdom with her hair-whipping skills and sense of justice. The art is very well done, and she makes a nice change from all the blonde princesses!

I love this book! It's a collaborative effort between the author, Shannon Hale, and Dean and Nathan Hale. Admittedly, it's definitely for the 'younger' end of the young adult scale, but the swashbuckling take on the old Rapunzel fairytale is both fun and magnificently illustrated. If you're looking for a Rapunzel Saves The Day book to distract your child from the overly pink Disney Princess version, Tangled, then this is the book you want. There's no pink in it at all!

Calamity Jack

A lot like the Fables books, this is a quirky take on established fairy tales - and has its own roguish Jack and the beanstalk appearance, among other things. The sequel, Calamity Jack (parodying the film Calamity Jane) has a jabberwocky and giants, and a lot more steampunk.

For a longer review and a peek inside the book, check out the Rapunzel's Revenge page! And if you're interested in finding other books about Rapunzel, then look no further than the Books About Rapunzel page.