From the moment I began reading on
my own I have been obsessed with stories that put an innovative spin on
traditional fairytales. Perhaps this is because it gives me a new way to
experience a familiar world, or because it allows me to cheat by using
preexisting mental constructs, or even because I’m an uber-nerd, but to this
day I remain enchanted by these tales. The first time I picked up an issue of
Bill Willingham’s comic series Fables,
I knew I was in for a treat. Fairytale characters exiled from their homelands by
an unknown Adversary and forced to survive in modern society? How could it get
any better? I devoured two magical volumes in less than a day and was eager to
purchase more but unfortunately this was around the time I went back to school,
and my nerdy habits were forced to take a hiatus until I graduated at which
point I returned to these beloved characters like the prodigal son returning to
his father. Thankfully they welcomed me with open arms.
The deluxe edition of Book Three,
titled “March of the Wooden Soldiers,” picks up immediately following the
events of the first two books. Fabletown’s community is finally on the mend
following the murder of one of their own, an uprising at the home for non-human
Fables (known as The Farm), and an assassination attempt aimed at their
second-in-command (Snow White) and Sheriff (the Big Bad Wolf, or Bigby). Things
start to look up when Red Riding Hood suddenly appears on the steps of
Fabletown, almost a century after the last Fable escaped the Homelands. This
unexpected miracle is exactly what the citizens need for a quick morale boost,
but Little Boy Blue (Red’s former lover) and Bigby are both skeptical about her
mysterious appearance after she had been presumed dead for so many years. Old
King Cole, the Mayor of Fabletown, insists that the citizens shouldn’t look a
gift horse in the mouth and quickly welcomes Red into their community.
Unfortunately, it turns out that
Blue’s and Bigby’s suspicions were correct and Red is not all that she seems.
To further complicate matters, an envoy of wooden soldiers appears in the
mundane world and wreaks havoc before giving an ultimatum to the Fables: accept
the Adversary’s dominion over the new “colony” of Fabletown in exchange for
amnesty, or be subject to rule by force. Understandably, this confrontation throws
the community into a panic over fear of falling subject to the Adversary’s
cruel reign but one Fable in particular feels the tension more than the rest.
For Pinocchio, the existence of these wooden soldiers is proof that his father
is still alive, trapped somewhere in the Homelands. As the battle for Fabletown
draws near loyalties are tested, lives placed in jeopardy, and the fate of
their happily ever after hangs in jeopardy.
This type of storyline is something
I have been waiting for ever since I began the series; although I enjoyed the
previous volumes my mind has never left the Adversary and the inevitable clash
between two worlds. In “March of the Wooden Soldiers,” Willingham provides more
action for the Fables and hints at what may come without slacking off on
character development. With mainstays such as Snow, Rose, and Bigby already
well-established, flashbacks and glimpses behind the scenes serve to flesh out
characters who appeared two-dimensional at first. Giving these Fables a voice
of their own is essential to helping the battle sequences transition beyond mindless
violence because it gives the reader a reason to invest in the timeless
characters.
For me, one point of curiosity is
Willingham’s constant reference to the Homelands and the Adversary. This is
most likely a simple way of setting up a black-and-white conflict where good
and evil are clearly defined, and yet it makes me wonder if the author holds
pro-Israeli views that are subtly spilling out into his writing. Leaving aside the
politics of such opinions, it makes me excited that the readers may witness
Fabletown’s retaliation against the Adversary in an attempt to reclaim their
rightful territories. After all, the Fables have had centuries to build up
their strength and develop knowledge of both the magical and mundane, and this
time the forces of evil will not be able to take them by surprise. All of that
is speculation on my part but I am excited to continue the journey with these
Fables, they have worked their way into my heart.
Rating: 8.5/10
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fables-bill-willingham/1103588477?ean=9781401230975
No comments:
Post a Comment