Fairest, Volume 5: The Clamour For Glamour

 

Reynaud the Fox recently obtained a glamour to become human from Rose Red after he became a member of her New Camelot army. Now bragging about his new exploits as a human, the morale of the other animals on the Farm is lower than ever. Why can't they become human too? It's all that sly Fox's fault...

   With Reynaud run out of town, the rest of the animals stage a protest. As a result, the witches of the thirteenth floor create 5 glamours, to be disbursed during a lottery. But when one of the glamours turns up missing, the list of suspects is as vast as the population of all  the enchanted realms.

The idea behind the Fairest, the sister title to Fables, is to explore the rich back stories of the ladies of Fable Town. But this volume focuses about 50% on the male Fox, Reynaud and 50% the animals of the Farm. The last time Fairest shifted focus from its intended subjects to that of Prince Charming, the results were uneven at best. Thankfully that is not the case here.

  The last volume of Fables(which wrapped up the series) felt a little rushed and I remember wondering why the final storyline of that fantastic series didn't focus more on the Farm. The Clamour for Glamour is the answer to that mystery. With this volume my reading of the complete run of Willingham’s Fables and Fairest is complete and I was very happy with the results. (Though I still have Jack of Fables and Wolf Among Us to look forward to but I don't think either is written by Willingham.)

I must admit cheating a little to see what happens at the end because Willingham introduced a new character that I just feel in love with and the author has a reputation of unmercifully killing them off. ( FYI- they survive, but you'll have to read it for yourself to figure out who that character is.)

   'The Clamour for Glamour' was a fun read that I wished wouldn't end. Lots of fun with great art by regular series art Mark Buckingham, covers by Adam Hughes, and many more. Plus a special story that follows up with a character that I thought was long dead and gone! Wicked cool!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Fables Volume 22: Farewell (AKA Fables #150)

 

  Not only does this volume round out the trade paperback collections of Bill Willingham's Fables, this book as doubles as the final issue of the award-winning Vertigo series, #150. 

   At 160 pages, this very well may be the longest single issue in comic book history. For this last go round, Vertigo pulled out all the stops, including a tri-fold cover that features almost every character to have ever appeared in this series, a lengthy afterword by Willingham, and a slew of guest artists, including Neal Adams, Joelle Jones, and Gene Ha. Regular series artists Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha, who join Willingham to help this series go out on a very positive note. 

   Does that mean everyone has a happy ending? Not at all- this is Fables we are talking about. But the series did end in such a way that I don't need it to continue. 

   Right now, there is a miniseries called 'Fables: The Wolf Among Us' which is based on a video game of the same name. It takes place before Bigby married Snow White, so the events in that series shouldn't affect this series ending. But once that's over, I hope Vertigo breaks all of the rules of comic book publishing and let this series end with style and grace. (That doesn't mean I would be opposed to a live-action series on AMC someday...)

    A fantastic ending to a fantastic series that I began reading almost from the very beginning some 13-years ago. My best friend Todd got me hooked on this series right as the first trade came out collecting issues 1-6. With the ending of Fables, I'm a little saddened, as my friend Todd is no long with us. But I'm glad I got to finish this journey through the world of Fables that he didn't.

  Very Much Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Fairest: In All The Land

  

Someone is killing the beauties of Fabletown! Working on a list of potential victims from the seer Woman of the Ford, super-spy Cinderella must become a gumshoe (as Bigby is still missing and Beast is forced into exile on the farm due to his unpredictable changes back into a monster.) Reluctantly, Cindy accepts the mission and along with Hadeon the witch turned magic car and several animals from the farm, the princess is tasked to find the murderer within 7 days or those slain can never be returned to life. 

   Meanwhile, in the missing Mayor's office of Fabletown castle, the Magic Mirror and several of the Barleycorn Women work to try an assist Cinderella from afar. Someone found a way into the office and stole a vanishing cloak and a powerful sword from the armory. But without an entrance into the room, how could anyone have gotten in and out without being seen by the Mirror?

   'In All the Land' was a great read. As a stand alone graphic novel from both the Fables and Fairest titles, this book seeks to fill in some important gaps before writer/ creator Bill Willingham concludes Fables with issue #150. Helping him along is over 20 artists, inkers, and colorists, including series regular artist Mark Buckingham, Gene Ha, and Ming Doyle.

    The book does start off a little slow. The first dozen or so pages are in text form (with illustrations) but by the second act, the book really gets going. With flashbacks to the 60s and 70s, readers will finally get a better understanding of the motivations of some of the series most famous and infamous characters. (Hopefully, we might get a return to the Fables universe from time to time with several miniseries being devoted to the history of Fabletown, USA. Fingers Crossed!!!)

   Lots of great Easter eggs, cameos, and loose plot threads almost a decade old are waiting for loyal readers of Fables like myself. I just hate to see that dynamic series go, but I'm glad to delay its demise a little longer thanks to gems like this.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Doctor Who A Fairytale Life #1

 

Companion Amy Pond really wants to see an honest to goodness dragon. Coming up with the next best thing, The Doctor takes Miss Pond to a pleasure planet in which tourists act out medeval scenes with an all-automated cast. Only, there’s no tourists to be found and the automated systems gone into hibernation.

Before the Doctor can surmize what’s happened, Amy comes down with a strange virus and has been informed that her demise will come at the hands of the dragons of the looming Black Tower.

For a Doctor Who issue, it’s got some work to be done. The art sometimes looks like the Doctor and Amy and sometimes just a random nerdish young professor and a sassy redhead. Thankfully, the Mark Buckingham cover of Fables fame, does not disappoint when it comes to capturing the duo. The scenery and planet resident’s artwork is very good. The Tardis interiors, however, are quite photo-realistic.

The story isn’t bad. It captures the essence of the 11th Doctor. But, I have this nagging feeling that I’ve read this story before. Stay tuned for a confirmed analysis.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.