by Russell Burlingame
Fables #75
What many had probably assumed would be the final act in Bill Willingham’s Fables epic has played itself out with this week’s Fables #75, and yet the series will continue. The Fabletown heroes and their Arab comrades finally make their last stand against The Adversary, with some surprising results. Unlike many of the superhero “event” books, there’s little feeling of obligation here to kill or maim central characters in service of making the story seem “epic.”
Instead the scope of the book speaks for itself and the story that fans have been waiting more than six years to read is told with the focus largely being on the story itself. Even one prominent Fable, injured and near-death, impresses on his would-be rescuers that it’s the battle that’s important. Even the layout of the pages—all virtually identical “widescreeen” pages, but not splashes—seem to suggest an air of importance to the reader reminiscent of 1992’s Superman #75.
The ending of the tale is a bit of a surprise, but ultimately what’s important is not the outcome as much as the tease for the next issue—“a completely new beginning,” which seems logical given that up until now, war with the Adversary always loomed as a threat in the background, and with that story wrapped up, Willingham will face the substantial challenge of taking his brilliant, long-running series in a completely new direction while remaining entertaining and true to its unique premise.
Preview the issue!
Learn more about the evolution of the cover to issue #75!
James Jean's Process Recess shows the evolution of the cover at
http://www.processrecess.com/index.php?uid=A97E5D
All the details on this month's issue
Written by Bill Willingham ... Art by Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha ... Cover by James Jean
Don't even ask us the title, because it's a secret!
Have you ever read those new-comics blurbs that promise things like, "After this issue nothing will ever be the same again," but you know in a few months none of those so-called big events will have mattered? Well, this isn't one of those times. This time when we say FABLES will never be the same again after this issue, that's a promise you can take to the bank. So, without further ado: After this issue of FABLES, nothing will ever be the same again. Oh, and someone dies.
Vertigo | 64pg. | Color | $4.99 US | Mature Readers
On Sale September 3, 2008
Page last updated on October 12, 2008