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11th out of 1,501 books
—
3,023 voters
Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile (Fables #1)
by
Bill Willingham (Goodreads Author),
Lan Medina , Steve Leialoha , Craig Hamilton , James Jean
When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile. Disguised among the normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters have created their own peaceful and secret society within an exclusive luxury apartment building called Fabletown. B...more
Trade Paperback, 128 pages
Published
December 1st 2002
by Vertigo
(first published 2002)
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I remember being somewhat taken aback the first time I read an original Fairy Tale. They aren't child-friendly, in fact many of them were written to unnerve and frighten children. The characters in fairytales are usually half-mad, murderous, sexually-charged, and grotesque.
Authors have returned to them again and again for inspiration, exploring the history of storytelling, moralizing tales, propaganda, and archetypes. Gaiman's 'Sandman' is notable for some remarkable insights into the nature of...more
Authors have returned to them again and again for inspiration, exploring the history of storytelling, moralizing tales, propaganda, and archetypes. Gaiman's 'Sandman' is notable for some remarkable insights into the nature of...more
What do I have to say about Fables? What do I have to say about Bill Willingham’s long-running series (it’s at something like issue 126 these days) that comes complete with several spin-offs and pretty soon even a video game (according to Wikipedia), all of which have won the man somewhere around 536 Eisner awards? What do I have to say about this series after having read the first five issues?
A sound that is something between an “eh” and a “meh.”
Sure Bill is clever. He is clever every single pa...more
A sound that is something between an “eh” and a “meh.”
Sure Bill is clever. He is clever every single pa...more
17 likes · like · see review
Grabbed this comic off the bargain pile because the premise seemed promising: all the characters from fairy tales have been exiled in New York City because of some mysterious adversary that slaughtered their people and forced them out of their fairy tale land. If the authors had simply stuck to THAT premise, it would have made for a cool story.
Instead, the first volume disintegrates into nothing more than a comparatively lame murder mystery (in the style of "Clue") over "Who Killed Rose Red". A...more
Instead, the first volume disintegrates into nothing more than a comparatively lame murder mystery (in the style of "Clue") over "Who Killed Rose Red". A...more
8 likes · like · see review
This was a pretty fun read, though since the premise was better than the execution, my rating is actually a 3.5.
Fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters are forced to make it in the big city after their worlds are overthrown by the mysterious "Adversary". Bigby Wolf owns a detective agency and he's hired by Snow White to investigate the disappearance of her sister, Rose Red. In this tale meant strictly for grown-ups, Jack, of Beanstalk fame, is quite the social climber, and Prince Charming turns...more
Fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters are forced to make it in the big city after their worlds are overthrown by the mysterious "Adversary". Bigby Wolf owns a detective agency and he's hired by Snow White to investigate the disappearance of her sister, Rose Red. In this tale meant strictly for grown-ups, Jack, of Beanstalk fame, is quite the social climber, and Prince Charming turns...more
10 likes · like · see review
I have finally caught up on the current 70 issues (Vol. 1-10) of ‘Fables’ and am at a loss of words about how great this series truly is. Willingham, Jean, and Buckingham have created a highly imaginative world of depth, maturity, and beauty in all possible aspects. They have managed to redefine and present characters in a universe I have grown to sincerely care about. I originally intended to write a lengthy spoiler-filled review but found I cannot, as I feel I should refrain until the series c...more
11 likes · like · see review
Graphic Novel. The denizens of fairy tales and nursery rhymes have been forced from their fabled homes by the Adversary and for the past two hundred years have been living in exile, in New York City. Snow White is deputy mayor of their secret diaspora. Now happily divorced from Prince Charming, she's the one that enforces the laws and keeps their people in order. Today that means yelling at The Beast for reverting to form whenever Beauty is less than pleased with him. It also means teaming up wi...more
Mar 04, 2009
Shanon
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Shanon by:
Kathryn Langford
Shelves:
graphic-novels,
2009
I origionally rated this as a 3 - then I got smart and realized I only read chapter 1! Oops.
This is the first graphic novel I have read. I loved that the author is playing on all the classic fairy tale names/characters. I also enjoyed the art and story. This is a fun seires and I am looking forward to reading the rest.
This is the first graphic novel I have read. I loved that the author is playing on all the classic fairy tale names/characters. I also enjoyed the art and story. This is a fun seires and I am looking forward to reading the rest.
3 likes · like · see review
I was told this would be funny . . .
???
Maybe to some people character soup is funny on its own without any kind of actual cleverness? It seems like a pretty lazy form of humor, though, if that is actually humor. Is that humor???
THIS IS A MYSTERY, not a comedy. And a somewhat lame mystery without any comedic elements I could identify. I mean, I haven’t been that big of a fan of mystery story since I was like 10 and read most of the Agatha Christies. I think that was the same year I ate a tuna fi...more
???
Maybe to some people character soup is funny on its own without any kind of actual cleverness? It seems like a pretty lazy form of humor, though, if that is actually humor. Is that humor???
THIS IS A MYSTERY, not a comedy. And a somewhat lame mystery without any comedic elements I could identify. I mean, I haven’t been that big of a fan of mystery story since I was like 10 and read most of the Agatha Christies. I think that was the same year I ate a tuna fi...more
9 likes · like · see review
The Fables series starts off in medias res, with the daily business of running the small secret community interrupted by a murder investigation. Many of the major characters are introduced, but in retrospect it is clear that the characters are still in flux and that the larger story arc has not yet begun. As the beginning of a long story with very rich material this is surprisingly slight. I'm glad I read a later installment first so I knew it gets better.
3 likes · like · see review
Feb 24, 2011
Amber Tucker
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Recent comic book-to-GN graduates
This graphic novel really couldn't impress me that much. The straight visual quality is good but, despite the fairytale origins this story's meant to be drawing on – an immediate attraction, to me – the majority of the graphics are sadly simplistic. The graphics are the meat of a graphic novel, right? – and no matter how good the mashed potato text is, you can't have a good meal without a juicy (soy) steak, rich and chewable to the eyes. Compared to the finer graphic novels, there seems to be a...more
6 likes · like · see review
When I saw this in my local comic book shop while I was waiting out a sudden rain storm, I found myself immediately comparing Fables to an illustrated version of Gregery McGuire's stories, which I really enjoy (Wicked, etc.). The first three collections in this series were only 10 bucks each, so I grabbed them all. The guy at the counter told me, "You'll be back for more tomorrow, trust me." He also told me that the first was his least favorite, he said they get better as the series continues.
T...more
T...more
A friend gave me this, and I enjoyed it. I was never steeped in comics or fantasy, and so my appreciation of a newer (newish? or maybe just newish to me) wave of writers engaged with either/both can be troubled.
I mean, with not one ounce of snobbishness intended here, there was a reason I didn't read comics [too short, and I read too fast, and this seemed like too much buck for too little bang] and fantasy [I just couldn't stand the portentous heroism of most fantasy]. So I had to be convinced...more
I mean, with not one ounce of snobbishness intended here, there was a reason I didn't read comics [too short, and I read too fast, and this seemed like too much buck for too little bang] and fantasy [I just couldn't stand the portentous heroism of most fantasy]. So I had to be convinced...more
3 likes · like · see review
ok....before i give a review....it's come to my attention that i have been reading an inordinate amount of comics lately.....all i can say in my defense (and no...i'm not going to claim i'm not a nerd....i am one, and i came to terms with that long ago) is that i have recently begun to appreciate comics again. that's all.
anyway, my review. this was a really interesting comic in that it sets up the idea that all the characters from fairy tales are real, and that they're all living in exile in new...more
anyway, my review. this was a really interesting comic in that it sets up the idea that all the characters from fairy tales are real, and that they're all living in exile in new...more
Fractured faery tales and contemporary reimaginings of the classic fables have proliferated over the last several decades. Perhaps marked by the playfulness of postmodern revisitation, traditional narratives have seemed a ripe harvest for gleaning new meaning from old stock. So with Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham’s Fables, we can’t really find ourselves wowed by the ingenuity of exploring third-millennium expressions of old yarns—after all, it’s not as if it hasn’t been done often and recen...more
10 likes · like · see review
I was hesitant to start this series. I thought the premise - fairytale characters like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty living a shadowed life in modern day New York - would be too gimmicky and the story would just be one big in-joke.
As it turns out, Willingham never goes for the obvious plot, and these well-known characters are more human (even the inhuman ones) then they ever were in their own stories. Snow White, for instance, is a put-upon workaholic that serves as the Deputy Mayor of Fableto...more
As it turns out, Willingham never goes for the obvious plot, and these well-known characters are more human (even the inhuman ones) then they ever were in their own stories. Snow White, for instance, is a put-upon workaholic that serves as the Deputy Mayor of Fableto...more
Ecellent! Faerie Tales were real; the characters have been driven out of their various lands and are exiled in (of all places) New York City.
What are they doing there, you ask? Behaving as they have to.
re-read 11/6/2010 -
What are they doing there, you ask? Behaving as they have to.
re-read 11/6/2010 -
Now this was a fantastic read. Fables opens up a world of all and any known beings in any fable, nursery rhyme, fairytale you name it. The ensemble of potential characters that this series can contain is endless. In Volume One: Legends in Exile: it's a who-dunnit mystery. The sister of Snow White, Rose Red has gone missing. There is too much blood in her apartment to make it possible that she survived, but where's the body? Mr Wolf and Snow White take on the case together and start interrogating...more
I was spending a lot of time at the library, at a table that happened to be next to the graphic novel section, and every day I'd see this series and think "Huh. I should maybe see what that's about." So one unproductive day I chucked it all and started with this volume, Legends in Exile. About half an hour later I had the whole stack in my hands and was on my way home to spend the next two days devouring the series.
I'm not going to review every volume in this series, because I really liked it fr...more
I'm not going to review every volume in this series, because I really liked it fr...more
This is THE best book being published in the realm of comics and I would consider there to be some distance between this and anything else. That said, the first trade is the weakest of all the volumes. When I first picked up the first issue I found it boring and never even finished it. Then after selling out (repeatedly) and not being able to get restocks I waited. Finally a friend made me take the first four volumes home one weekend... and I thank him repeatedly. I've never devoured any comic l...more
This comic was a brilliant read! The murder, the lies, the suspense, and the alteration of our favorite childhood fairytales twisted into 119 pages of comics.
The graphics had the classic comics drawing. Each characters had their own spice. They were all different from the characters we remember as our childhood fairytales. The plot was breath-taking; I was at the edge of my seat. When the murder was solved it had the moment of "Holy crap! I didn't expect that! Look at all the details! How could...more
The graphics had the classic comics drawing. Each characters had their own spice. They were all different from the characters we remember as our childhood fairytales. The plot was breath-taking; I was at the edge of my seat. When the murder was solved it had the moment of "Holy crap! I didn't expect that! Look at all the details! How could...more
Really interesting world created here, but the detective story was pretty boring, especially the ending. I'll read more probably, but this is the first strike.
1 like · like · see review
I wanted to read this comic for the Once Upon a Time Challenge last Spring, but never did search it out. But last week when I was visiting Danny, I saw that he had the first 11 volumes, so I borrowed them all.
I'm not sure how I'm going to like this series yet. I'm a real story-wussy in that I always have to have a likable character or a good guy to root for, and those seem kind of few and far between here. I like Bigby Wolf, but that's just about it. It's possible other characters might grow on...more
I'm not sure how I'm going to like this series yet. I'm a real story-wussy in that I always have to have a likable character or a good guy to root for, and those seem kind of few and far between here. I like Bigby Wolf, but that's just about it. It's possible other characters might grow on...more
1 like · like · see review
Aug 09, 2011
Amery Xu
added it
To make all the characters of our childhood fairytales living in modern New York City, either hiding in the guises of humans or living in the remote area for non-human characters known as The Farm. No longer are these characters living Happily Ever After. They have been chased out from their own homes by the invading Adversary and now live in the Fable Community. They refer to themselves as the Fables and the humans as the mundanes.
It's an interesting concept and the series has potential. The co...more
It's an interesting concept and the series has potential. The co...more
Lovely lovely lovely.
6 likes · like · see review
What if characters from fairy tales were real? What if they lived in the real world? How would they survive? How would magic and modern technology interact? That's part of the premise of the Fables series published by DC Comics' Vertigo line. In this series, the Homelands--the worlds of the people and creatures in our storybooks--have been invaded and conquered by an entity known as the Adversary, causing many to seek asylum in other dimensions. A fair number have ended up in our world, making t...more
As a fan of the Sandman series, I just had to try this one and I wasn't disappointed. The premise is that some dark power has taken over all the worlds of the fairly tales and forced all fairy tale creatures and people to live in the modern world in New York City and at a farm out in the country side. There are two main stories in this collection. The first story is a classic murder mystery with Snow White's sister Rose Red supposedly murdered and Bigsby Wolf investigating the case as the detect...more
I do not like comic books. I love great literature that masquerades in the format of a graphic novel like Stitches,
Little White Duck : a childhood in China, Darkroom: A Memoir in Black and White, or Around the World.
It all begins with a murder of Sleeping Beauty's sister, Rose Red. The big bad wolf is the detective for fables and he's trying to figure out who might have wanted Rose Red dead. It could be Jack, yeah that guy with the beanstalk, or maybe it was Bluebeard. And so it goes on and on....more
Little White Duck : a childhood in China, Darkroom: A Memoir in Black and White, or Around the World.
It all begins with a murder of Sleeping Beauty's sister, Rose Red. The big bad wolf is the detective for fables and he's trying to figure out who might have wanted Rose Red dead. It could be Jack, yeah that guy with the beanstalk, or maybe it was Bluebeard. And so it goes on and on....more
Fables: Legends in Exile, By: Bill Willingham (this is a very raunchy book that I would need to get parental permission to use the whole book but for this activity I plan to just use excerpts and work from there)
Audience: High school aged reluctant readers.
Appeal: This series of graphic novels is about beloved fairy tale creatures and characters that are exiled to New York. It puts an interesting twist on the stories students grew up with. Reluctant readers would enjoy it because they are alrea...more
Audience: High school aged reluctant readers.
Appeal: This series of graphic novels is about beloved fairy tale creatures and characters that are exiled to New York. It puts an interesting twist on the stories students grew up with. Reluctant readers would enjoy it because they are alrea...more
I had to pick up this book when I found out what it was about! This is not for kids though... it's not all wrapped in a box. There is murder, smoking, sex.. and all other kinds of sins! So yes it is about our favorite fairy tale characters.. but for adults! It wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be though. I wanted more... fairy tale I guess. We only get glimpses of what happened to these characters and why they are in the modern world. The whole story follows the murder of Rose Red, whi...more
Mythology is something that we all seem to be drawn to in one way or another. I, for one, seek it out in all its forms -- television, movies, books, graphic novels...
Fables is a great concept and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Not that you asked, but my favorites were the Big Bad Wolf and Prince Charming (who, we come to discover, is not an oft-repeated pet name, but rather an promiscuous individual scumbag). I am curious to see how the series develops -- will it continue to live as a...more
Fables is a great concept and I enjoyed getting to know the characters. Not that you asked, but my favorites were the Big Bad Wolf and Prince Charming (who, we come to discover, is not an oft-repeated pet name, but rather an promiscuous individual scumbag). I am curious to see how the series develops -- will it continue to live as a...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| short story at the end | 4 | 67 | Jul 28, 2012 09:54am | |
| Graphic Novel Rea...: Official Third Book Club Discussion: Fables: Legends in Exile by Bill Willingham - Jan 19 to Feb 19 (may contain spoilers) | 40 | 82 | Jun 11, 2012 12:21pm |
In the late 1970s to early 1980s he drew fantasy ink pictures for the Dungeons & Dragons Basic and Expert game rulebooks. He first gained attention for his 1980s comic book series Elementals published by Comico, which he both wrote and drew. However, for reasons unknown, the series had trouble maintaining an original schedule, and Willingham's position in the industry remained spotty for many...more
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