Bill Discusses “Cubs in Toyland” with CBR’s Jeffrey Renaud

Jeffrey Renaud, staff writer over at CBR, just posted up a piece on Fables and the latest arc in the series, “Cubs in Toyland”. It’s a really great piece and Renaud asks all kinds of fantastic questions, so make sure you check it out. The first half is posted here and to read the rest (including the bit with the interview), make sure to visit CBR by clicking here.

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Winner of 14 Eisner Awards, “Fables” by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham is one of the most highly-decorated comics in the history of the industry. And yet, after 121 issues, the story of Bigby Wolf, Snow White and the rest of the residents of Fabletown somehow keeps getting better.

In “Fables” #121, in stores now, Willingham and Buckingham closed an epic eight-issue arc titled, “Cubs in Toyland,” one of the most powerful and moving stories told since the series debuted in 2002. Primarily featuring Therese and Dare — two of Bigby and Snow’s cubs — the arc fulfilled key parts of the “Fables” prophecy originally revealed as a one-page story at the 2009 Comic-Con International in San Diego.

As the story began, Therese received a Christmas gift from an unknown admirer, a red plastic boat, which takes her on a deep and disturbing journey through Toyland where she eventually becomes Queen. As the young girl became a young woman and was forced to do unthinkable things at the behest of her subjects, her brother Darien made the ultimate sacrifice for her salvation.

Willingham spoke to CBR News about the choice he and Buckingham made for the Cubs and shared insight into where the Vertigo-published “Fables” is heading over the next year, revealed the title of the next major arc and outlined how the upcoming graphic novel, “Werewolves of the Heartland” will tie into the ongoing series. He also confirmed that he has no plans to end the series anytime soon, citing the 300-issue run Dave Sim and Gerhard completed on “Cerebus” as the benchmark he’s aiming for.