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Fables
Fables, Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers
Bill Willingham's runaway hit series continues its success in this fourth trade paperback, featuring the rise of a new threat to Fabletown.
When Little Red Riding Hood suddenly walks through the gate between this world and the lost Fable Homelands, she's welcomed as a miraculous survivor by nearly everyone - everyone except her old nemesis, Bigby Wolf, who smells spying and subversion more than survival. But will he be able to prove his case before disaster strikes? And how will it all affect Prince Charming's upstart campaign to become the new mayor of Fabletown?
Collecting: Fables 19-21, 23-27, The Last Castle
When Little Red Riding Hood suddenly walks through the gate between this world and the lost Fable Homelands, she's welcomed as a miraculous survivor by nearly everyone - everyone except her old nemesis, Bigby Wolf, who smells spying and subversion more than survival. But will he be able to prove his case before disaster strikes? And how will it all affect Prince Charming's upstart campaign to become the new mayor of Fabletown?
Collecting: Fables 19-21, 23-27, The Last Castle
244 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2004
214 people are currently reading
6658 people want to read
About the author
Bill Willingham
833 books2,824 followersIn 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 years. He contributed stories to Green Lantern and started his own independent, black-and-white comics series Coventry which lasted only 3 issues. He also produced the pornographic series Ironwood for Eros Comix.
In the late 1990s Willingham reestablished himself as a prolific writer. He produced the 13-issue Pantheon for Lone Star Press and wrote a pair of short novels about the modern adventures of the hero Beowulf, published by the writer's collective, Clockwork Storybook, of which Willingham was a founding member. In the early 2000s he began writing extensively for DC Comics, including the limited series Proposition Player, a pair of limited series about the Greek witch Thessaly from The Sandman, and most notably the popular series Fables
In the late 1990s Willingham reestablished himself as a prolific writer. He produced the 13-issue Pantheon for Lone Star Press and wrote a pair of short novels about the modern adventures of the hero Beowulf, published by the writer's collective, Clockwork Storybook, of which Willingham was a founding member. In the early 2000s he began writing extensively for DC Comics, including the limited series Proposition Player, a pair of limited series about the Greek witch Thessaly from The Sandman, and most notably the popular series Fables
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 972 reviews
November 7, 2021
A preggers Snow White has to cobble together a bunch of fables to fight The Adversary while Bigby is trying to track down how this dude got his army into their city to start with.
The Wooden Soldiers themselves looked like Mr. Anderson from the Matrix, only funnier.
And WTF with Pinocchio!?
Ah! That was awesome and unexpected at the end.
Little Boy Blue and Red Riding Hood both had some great backstories, and I can't wait to see how all of that eventually resolves itself. <--there are apparently 4 billion volumes left to go, so I'm thinking that might make for quite a few twists and turns along the way.
I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to read these but I thoroughly regret my choices up till now.
Good stuff.
The Wooden Soldiers themselves looked like Mr. Anderson from the Matrix, only funnier.
And WTF with Pinocchio!?
Ah! That was awesome and unexpected at the end.
Little Boy Blue and Red Riding Hood both had some great backstories, and I can't wait to see how all of that eventually resolves itself. <--there are apparently 4 billion volumes left to go, so I'm thinking that might make for quite a few twists and turns along the way.
I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to read these but I thoroughly regret my choices up till now.
Good stuff.
February 21, 2021
In which the first refugee for centuries comes to Fabletown; King Cole has to learn about politics; Bigby goes on a mission; and mayhaps Fabletown could be under threat! This volume was the decider for me, when I first read this series - under highly testing and trying conditions the mettle of the immortal fables is shown for what it is, as Bill Willingham and co. make clear that for all their humanity, the Fables are not human. The extension of a well known fairy tale, to provide the origin of the Wooden Soldiers is a stroke of genius, especially in regards to how the Soldiers see humans. This is such a wonderful read. 8.5 out of 12.
February 1, 2023
Well now, that's more like it!
This volume tells of a very famous Fable making it into our world: Red Riding Hood. The mayor is still reeling from the revelation that Prince Charming is gonna run against him when the young lady arrives under mysterious circumstances.
But Bugby smells that something's off about her and Boy Blue soon confirms it too. But she's not jus . Turns out, . And she hasn't come alone either. Who even if they got the name wrong. *lol*
Time to put Snow White's plans to a test. Hoo-rah!
This volume was full of suspense and I was so here for it. I loved Bigby's usual investigative skills being put to the test as much as having my suspicions about the three weird guys confirmed. However, I think I liked .
So yes, we FINALLY get a closer look at the Adversary. ! It's weird to think that .
If you think there are a lot of spoiler tags in this review, you're not wrong. *lol* But I'm doing this for your own good. A lot was revealed here and discovering it piece by piece was half the fun.
I hope the following volumes can keep this up.
This volume tells of a very famous Fable making it into our world: Red Riding Hood. The mayor is still reeling from the revelation that Prince Charming is gonna run against him when the young lady arrives under mysterious circumstances.
But Bugby smells that something's off about her and Boy Blue soon confirms it too. But she's not jus . Turns out, . And she hasn't come alone either. Who even if they got the name wrong. *lol*
Time to put Snow White's plans to a test. Hoo-rah!
This volume was full of suspense and I was so here for it. I loved Bigby's usual investigative skills being put to the test as much as having my suspicions about the three weird guys confirmed. However, I think I liked .
So yes, we FINALLY get a closer look at the Adversary. ! It's weird to think that .
If you think there are a lot of spoiler tags in this review, you're not wrong. *lol* But I'm doing this for your own good. A lot was revealed here and discovering it piece by piece was half the fun.
I hope the following volumes can keep this up.
March 9, 2016
This volume of fables is by far the ongest one yet and consists of 8 issues (and a bonus one at the beginning). It's really a turning point for the series as we get to meet a few more characters, lose some familiar names and learn a lot more about the age-old adversary of the Fables.
The first issue within this was very battle heavy yet it did teach a lot more about the history of the Fables, the next few issues were all an interlinked story about the current problems facing Fabletown and I loved seeing the two come together in the end.
My favourite character is still Snow, but I definitely think characters like Boy Blue, Bigby, Charming and Fly are kind of creeping up on me and becoming characters I find funny or interesting. I like that the depth of this world and these characters continues to grow with time, and I think that this bumper volume really did help to flesh a lot of things out.
I always find these fun to read and this one was certainly no exception. I will be looking forward to going into Volume #5 a lot more now as I really found myself hooked by the turns we took in this story and I think things will only get more dramatic from this point on! 4*s overall :)
The first issue within this was very battle heavy yet it did teach a lot more about the history of the Fables, the next few issues were all an interlinked story about the current problems facing Fabletown and I loved seeing the two come together in the end.
My favourite character is still Snow, but I definitely think characters like Boy Blue, Bigby, Charming and Fly are kind of creeping up on me and becoming characters I find funny or interesting. I like that the depth of this world and these characters continues to grow with time, and I think that this bumper volume really did help to flesh a lot of things out.
I always find these fun to read and this one was certainly no exception. I will be looking forward to going into Volume #5 a lot more now as I really found myself hooked by the turns we took in this story and I think things will only get more dramatic from this point on! 4*s overall :)
November 29, 2008
Maybe my favorite volume.
(concerning the march of the wooden soldiers towards Fabletown)
Mother: Tom, look at THIS!
Son: Is it a parade?
Mother: I don't think so. Maybe a demonstration?
Father: No, they're all too WHITE to be Black pride, or Latino pride, or Asian pride.
Mother: They're all well-dressed. Could they be gay pride?
Father: I doubt it. Their suits are way too conservative.
Son: And they have all those guns.
Father: Oh my God! You're right! It finally happened! It's the Young Republicans! They're marching in -- taking over New York!
Mother: Just like when they marched on Paris in '39.
Son: Weren't those the Nazis?
Mother: Is there a difference?
Son: Does this mean we get Giuliani back?
(concerning the march of the wooden soldiers towards Fabletown)
Mother: Tom, look at THIS!
Son: Is it a parade?
Mother: I don't think so. Maybe a demonstration?
Father: No, they're all too WHITE to be Black pride, or Latino pride, or Asian pride.
Mother: They're all well-dressed. Could they be gay pride?
Father: I doubt it. Their suits are way too conservative.
Son: And they have all those guns.
Father: Oh my God! You're right! It finally happened! It's the Young Republicans! They're marching in -- taking over New York!
Mother: Just like when they marched on Paris in '39.
Son: Weren't those the Nazis?
Mother: Is there a difference?
Son: Does this mean we get Giuliani back?
May 20, 2018
Great issues. It had multiple woodies. ha. Well, the Adversary has found the citizens living in their new world and he is sending people in to collect them. There is an epic battle of witches not seen since Glinda and the Wicked witch of the west or Merlin and mad madame Mim. Battle of the crypt keepers.
Bigby saves the day, snow is very pregnant and the race for mayor is really heating up. Charming is putting his charm on high, set for stun. A lot is happening and it is a entertaining story. Even the animals from the farm get involved in this one.
I'm along for the ride.
Bigby saves the day, snow is very pregnant and the race for mayor is really heating up. Charming is putting his charm on high, set for stun. A lot is happening and it is a entertaining story. Even the animals from the farm get involved in this one.
I'm along for the ride.
Read
November 13, 2020Жила-була і переклала, і це - чи не найулюбленіший том із серії.
Уже вирує наскрізний сюжет: казки, утікши з казкових земель від наступу Ворога, вирішили, що наш прозаїчний світ його не зацікавить. І прогадали.
Тут багато того, що я люблю:
* фішечки міського фентезі про інтерфейс життя великого міста (і так химерного) з усякою міфологічною й казковою хтонню;
* пафос про make our last stand, про безнадійну битву не на життя - на це вже ніхто не сподівається - а на протриматися чимдовше і цією ціною виграти комусь іншому якісь мізерні хвилини, які врешті можуть дати шанс (найпафосніший розділ довелося перекладати двічі, бо вперше випадково стерла половину тексту - й обидва рази ридала так, що клавіатуру не бачила);
* кумедні обігрування казкових мотивів, як завжди;
* як завжди, смішно: скажімо, ось моя улюблена сторінка, де армія дуболомів іде знищувати Казкополь, а прозаїчні мешканці намагаються з'ясувати, що це за марш такий дивний ("Всі такі нарядні. Може, це гей-прайд?" - "Костюмчики надто консервативні. А ще вони всі озброєні." - "Це ж молоді республіканці! Вони на марші, вони захоплять Нью-Йорк!" - "Ага, як захопили Париж у 39-му" [...] "Нам що, тепер повернуть Джуліані?")
Уже вирує наскрізний сюжет: казки, утікши з казкових земель від наступу Ворога, вирішили, що наш прозаїчний світ його не зацікавить. І прогадали.
Тут багато того, що я люблю:
* фішечки міського фентезі про інтерфейс життя великого міста (і так химерного) з усякою міфологічною й казковою хтонню;
* пафос про make our last stand, про безнадійну битву не на життя - на це вже ніхто не сподівається - а на протриматися чимдовше і цією ціною виграти комусь іншому якісь мізерні хвилини, які врешті можуть дати шанс (найпафосніший розділ довелося перекладати двічі, бо вперше випадково стерла половину тексту - й обидва рази ридала так, що клавіатуру не бачила);
* кумедні обігрування казкових мотивів, як завжди;
* як завжди, смішно: скажімо, ось моя улюблена сторінка, де армія дуболомів іде знищувати Казкополь, а прозаїчні мешканці намагаються з'ясувати, що це за марш такий дивний ("Всі такі нарядні. Може, це гей-прайд?" - "Костюмчики надто консервативні. А ще вони всі озброєні." - "Це ж молоді республіканці! Вони на марші, вони захоплять Нью-Йорк!" - "Ага, як захопили Париж у 39-му" [...] "Нам що, тепер повернуть Джуліані?")
September 11, 2017
"Make sure their heads are removed, no matter how dead they seem."
In my opinion, this is the best volume of Fables so far. Lots of fast plot and action with a not too overwhelming amount of romance and drama. Loved it! 4.75
In my opinion, this is the best volume of Fables so far. Lots of fast plot and action with a not too overwhelming amount of romance and drama. Loved it! 4.75
December 10, 2017
this was pretty good, but one question remains: WHAT. HAPPENED. TO. THE ART? I can barely recognize some of the MAIN characters anymore. WHY DOES EVERYONE LOOK SO UGLY? I don’t understand.
March 2, 2018
Fables volume 4 is probably the longest chapter so far, but easily the best of the bunch.
So what happens when Little Red Riding Hood comes strolling into fabletown. I thought she was dead? Least Boy Blue told the story of the fight of his life with his solider buddies before the Advisory and all his minions came to fuck shit up and force the fables to retreat into our world. However, not all is what it seems. Bigby right away knows something is up but will he be too late to uncover it all? Will the evil of the red riding hood convert everyone against the wolf? The mystery builds as does the war.
Good: The fight is really great here. Bloody, some unexpected deaths, some screwed up torture scenes, and some heartfelt, sad, and broken moments for each character. The ending too leaves a lot to be excited for. Also how great was the backstory to their world and how damaged our poor fables are? I loved all that.
Bad: It felt a little long in pacing. A issue cut here would have done wonders because sometimes I wanted to skip ahead some of the fluffy dialog that got in the way.
This is the strongest volume yet, giving us a lot of great moments, both fighting and dialog. I only hope the series continues to deliver in this quality. A 4 out of 5.
So what happens when Little Red Riding Hood comes strolling into fabletown. I thought she was dead? Least Boy Blue told the story of the fight of his life with his solider buddies before the Advisory and all his minions came to fuck shit up and force the fables to retreat into our world. However, not all is what it seems. Bigby right away knows something is up but will he be too late to uncover it all? Will the evil of the red riding hood convert everyone against the wolf? The mystery builds as does the war.
Good: The fight is really great here. Bloody, some unexpected deaths, some screwed up torture scenes, and some heartfelt, sad, and broken moments for each character. The ending too leaves a lot to be excited for. Also how great was the backstory to their world and how damaged our poor fables are? I loved all that.
Bad: It felt a little long in pacing. A issue cut here would have done wonders because sometimes I wanted to skip ahead some of the fluffy dialog that got in the way.
This is the strongest volume yet, giving us a lot of great moments, both fighting and dialog. I only hope the series continues to deliver in this quality. A 4 out of 5.
September 6, 2015
I made frands with the comic book store owner. We connected over a deep mutual hatred for Prince Charming and double layer chocolate cake.
Also, I love this series.
Also, I love this series.
December 4, 2013
The ever addictive graphic novel series of Fables is one of the smartest and most fun graphic series I've read in a long time. The one issue is that it's not always structured or coherent fun (at least not yet). That said due to the continuing strength of the fractured fairytale series I fully recommend these novels to fans of fairytales, graphic novels/comics and television shows like 'Grimm' or 'Once Upon a Time'.
In a way, Fables is structured like a procedural type of drama. It has a set of returning characters and each volume is like a continuing episode of the previous graphic novel. In this particular edition Snow White's pregnancy continues to develop, along with the stigma and issues connected to that; Prince Charming runs for mayor; Bigby hunts out dangers to Fabletown and Boy Blue's love life is brought under the spotlight.
Now some more snobbish or literary motivated individuals might take affront to the fact that I've taken a break from my more literary endeavours to read an addictive 'comic book series'. Or the very fact that my most recent books are in fact lightweight comics and graphic novels with the exception of Eliot's The Wasteland and Other Poems. However, I hold firm to the idea that our lives are made up of stories and genres and therefore see no problem with variation and reading multiple graphic novels for a change. In fact I would claim that those who do not read graphic novels at all are far more limited and read less broadly because they do not take the time to develop an education in popular culture alongside the older more literary driven works. That is what I aim for in my reading as of late - a grounding in both classical and contemporary works to try and reach a balance between two types of readership.
If you're wanting a quality fantasy graphic novel series to start with some deeper ideas and themes. There are plenty of interesting twists to the old fairytales in this series - I particularly love how Prince Charming is made out as a womaniser because of how he pursues so many princesses in all the stories - which reveal how old fashioned ideas and morality both succeed and fail in modern society. But aside from all the ideas and interest these graphic novels just have plain good stories (and you can read one in an hour's sitting - or so).
May 14, 2017
I can't believe I paid £3 for an interlibrary loan to read these comics.
Snow White is still acting like an idiot so that Bigby can be the big-damn-hero and swoop in and save her. In this case, she failed to consider the consequences of setting things on fire before she built her entire strategy around... setting things on fire.
Oh well, I'll guess we'll just have to blame it on the baby-brain. The romance-not-romance subplot between Bigby and Snow White is obnoxious as ever. Snow White is heavily pregnant and although suffering dreadfully because her injuries make the pregnancy much harder for her, she is not considering abortion. This could've been an interesting moment to delve into the ethics of abortion – a tough topic – but thoughtfulness would be a step too far for Fables. So instead, the doctor coyly alludes to abortion (what's up with American fiction hinting at abortion but not actually saying the word 'abortion' like it's more offensive than saying cunt or something?). Snow White threatens to ex-communicate him if he ever mentions it again. Authors might as well have written: 'NO ABORTION FOR PLOT REASONS OKAY? NEED FORCE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAIN CHARCTERS LACK WRITING SKILL FOR GENUINE LOVE STORY'.
Bigby continues to be a whiny self-involved man-child, which is twice as infuriating because he's presented as trying really hard.
'What can I do to be a good father to our child?'
How about stop smoking in the face of the pregnant woman, dickhead!
The big Red Riding Hood twist is not a twist. If you happen to have any basic human empathy then you understand that, in general, women who have just escaped from sexual slavery do not lustfully leap onto the cock of the first teenage virgin they encounter.
The silliness of the world-building continues unabated. Having established that Snow White can ex-communicate people without due process, execute people with show trials, allocate funds however she wishes, rule without any checks and balances – yet Prince Charming can initiate an election with nothing more than a fucking petition? Does that make any sense? He can openly admit to murder and yet suddenly Fabletown has laws that prevent his prosecution? Where was this respect for the rule of law when everyone on the Farm was being executed? And why haven't the Fables learned how to use a telephone? It's so clunky to contrive to remove Bigby for an act by sending him off to Canada to talk to some people. And why are the fables throwing all their dead down the magic well if that prevents characters from resurrecting? Why not just wait until the magic of Mundy belief brings them back to life? Why can this comic series not follow through on the logical consequences of any of the established rules of the universe?
Excitingly, we get to see a bit more of the witches. It turns out that, yes, they do possess unlimited power. All of Fabletown's survival depends on these witches to defend them and to keep them hidden. There's no explanation of why they agree to perform these spells for money instead of, you know, everyone's total and eternal submission to their every whim.
Snow White makes threats to them like: 'Obey me, woman, or you'll discover just how much shit I can unleash on Fabletown citizens who piss me off!' But this is exactly the kind of empty bluster that makes Fables such a hollow and frustrating read. Snow says things like this, other characters cave, and the reader is left wondering: 'What could she possibly do to them? They can turn her into a toad! Send in the army; send in a dragon? They can turn everyone else into a toad too!'
It's tantalising when Totenkinder says: 'I prefer to work from the shadows'. There's just a hint that there might be a reason why the witches are so overpowered, and yet don't use that power. Maybe there are darker forces at work here? But then I look back over the last 4 books and think: 'Nah, it's just bad world-building.'
Snow White is still acting like an idiot so that Bigby can be the big-damn-hero and swoop in and save her. In this case, she failed to consider the consequences of setting things on fire before she built her entire strategy around... setting things on fire.
Oh well, I'll guess we'll just have to blame it on the baby-brain. The romance-not-romance subplot between Bigby and Snow White is obnoxious as ever. Snow White is heavily pregnant and although suffering dreadfully because her injuries make the pregnancy much harder for her, she is not considering abortion. This could've been an interesting moment to delve into the ethics of abortion – a tough topic – but thoughtfulness would be a step too far for Fables. So instead, the doctor coyly alludes to abortion (what's up with American fiction hinting at abortion but not actually saying the word 'abortion' like it's more offensive than saying cunt or something?). Snow White threatens to ex-communicate him if he ever mentions it again. Authors might as well have written: 'NO ABORTION FOR PLOT REASONS OKAY? NEED FORCE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAIN CHARCTERS LACK WRITING SKILL FOR GENUINE LOVE STORY'.
Bigby continues to be a whiny self-involved man-child, which is twice as infuriating because he's presented as trying really hard.
'What can I do to be a good father to our child?'
How about stop smoking in the face of the pregnant woman, dickhead!
The big Red Riding Hood twist is not a twist. If you happen to have any basic human empathy then you understand that, in general, women who have just escaped from sexual slavery do not lustfully leap onto the cock of the first teenage virgin they encounter.
The silliness of the world-building continues unabated. Having established that Snow White can ex-communicate people without due process, execute people with show trials, allocate funds however she wishes, rule without any checks and balances – yet Prince Charming can initiate an election with nothing more than a fucking petition? Does that make any sense? He can openly admit to murder and yet suddenly Fabletown has laws that prevent his prosecution? Where was this respect for the rule of law when everyone on the Farm was being executed? And why haven't the Fables learned how to use a telephone? It's so clunky to contrive to remove Bigby for an act by sending him off to Canada to talk to some people. And why are the fables throwing all their dead down the magic well if that prevents characters from resurrecting? Why not just wait until the magic of Mundy belief brings them back to life? Why can this comic series not follow through on the logical consequences of any of the established rules of the universe?
Excitingly, we get to see a bit more of the witches. It turns out that, yes, they do possess unlimited power. All of Fabletown's survival depends on these witches to defend them and to keep them hidden. There's no explanation of why they agree to perform these spells for money instead of, you know, everyone's total and eternal submission to their every whim.
Snow White makes threats to them like: 'Obey me, woman, or you'll discover just how much shit I can unleash on Fabletown citizens who piss me off!' But this is exactly the kind of empty bluster that makes Fables such a hollow and frustrating read. Snow says things like this, other characters cave, and the reader is left wondering: 'What could she possibly do to them? They can turn her into a toad! Send in the army; send in a dragon? They can turn everyone else into a toad too!'
It's tantalising when Totenkinder says: 'I prefer to work from the shadows'. There's just a hint that there might be a reason why the witches are so overpowered, and yet don't use that power. Maybe there are darker forces at work here? But then I look back over the last 4 books and think: 'Nah, it's just bad world-building.'
July 20, 2018
This is when the bomb drops and this series becomes one of my favorites of all time.
World: The art is Buckingham, and it's gorgeous. One of the best things about his art are the characters, they are the core of the series and Buckingham gives them so much life and personality that this book would be nothing without his art. The splash pages this time around with the invasion was pretty fantastic and detailed. The world building here is brilliant. The detail from the 'Last Castle' the machinations of politics and then the invasion is all stunningly good. Then there's the pieces of the Emperor we hear about and the characters that show up, so good. This world is fun, enjoy.
Story: The 'Last Castle' story is pretty heartbreaking and that fact that it makes a side character from the book become so much more is amazing. After this story if you don't fall in love with Boy Blue you have no pulse. Then there's the great story that will be further developed with Charming and what he's doing, his story is interesting and full of status quo changing potential. Then the meat of this arc is of course the invasion and it's so good, I won't go into detail except that the pacing is great, the dialog is amazing and the huge cast of characters new and old are mesmerizing to read, it's so good.
Characters: Boy Blue is great, his story is heartbreaking and also so deep and complex that I love this character now. Then Bigby and Snow get further development and it's all the things readers want (I love a slow boil). The villains this time was so good, deep, unexpected and smart and nuanced, it kept us guessing. There are so many great characters but I don't want to spoil it, just read it for these beautifully realized characters.
Love this arc, this was the arc that made me love this series and make me hooked for life.
Onward to the next book!
World: The art is Buckingham, and it's gorgeous. One of the best things about his art are the characters, they are the core of the series and Buckingham gives them so much life and personality that this book would be nothing without his art. The splash pages this time around with the invasion was pretty fantastic and detailed. The world building here is brilliant. The detail from the 'Last Castle' the machinations of politics and then the invasion is all stunningly good. Then there's the pieces of the Emperor we hear about and the characters that show up, so good. This world is fun, enjoy.
Story: The 'Last Castle' story is pretty heartbreaking and that fact that it makes a side character from the book become so much more is amazing. After this story if you don't fall in love with Boy Blue you have no pulse. Then there's the great story that will be further developed with Charming and what he's doing, his story is interesting and full of status quo changing potential. Then the meat of this arc is of course the invasion and it's so good, I won't go into detail except that the pacing is great, the dialog is amazing and the huge cast of characters new and old are mesmerizing to read, it's so good.
Characters: Boy Blue is great, his story is heartbreaking and also so deep and complex that I love this character now. Then Bigby and Snow get further development and it's all the things readers want (I love a slow boil). The villains this time was so good, deep, unexpected and smart and nuanced, it kept us guessing. There are so many great characters but I don't want to spoil it, just read it for these beautifully realized characters.
Love this arc, this was the arc that made me love this series and make me hooked for life.
Onward to the next book!
April 26, 2015
3.5 stars
Really enjoyed the addition of the wooden soldier army, loved how they talked and acted, they were hilarious. The battle at the end was pretty great as well. The artwork was a bit of a hit and miss though, some characters were drawn rather weirdly at times, either their facial expressions had too much detail or not enough.
Not liking the whole Snow/Bigby nonsense, I thought it might be interesting at one point but they turned Snow into a damsel-in-distress at the battle and Bigby into an over the top superhero-alpha. I have a feeling the clichés and ridiculousness will only get worse between them.
Really enjoyed the addition of the wooden soldier army, loved how they talked and acted, they were hilarious. The battle at the end was pretty great as well. The artwork was a bit of a hit and miss though, some characters were drawn rather weirdly at times, either their facial expressions had too much detail or not enough.
Not liking the whole Snow/Bigby nonsense, I thought it might be interesting at one point but they turned Snow into a damsel-in-distress at the battle and Bigby into an over the top superhero-alpha. I have a feeling the clichés and ridiculousness will only get worse between them.
December 29, 2023
Şu ana kadar ki en iyi ciltti. Heyecanlı olaylar yaşandı, ilginç yeni karakterler geldi ve merak ettirici bir sonla bitti. Devamını okumayı çok istiyoruum.
March 15, 2025
Volume 4 opens with a story narrated by Blue about the last stand made againnst the droves of the adversary, and the last ship to escape to the mundy world, then we're back to the current time, with Prince Charming campaigning to replace King Cole, as his ultimate end game to put his hands on the treasures of BlueBeard, after killing him in the last book.
All his plans are disrupted as the fables are forced to leave all their differences and quarrels aside to unite against the unyielding emissaries of the adversary led by Riding Hood, who seems to be harboring a secret of her own...
In this volume, we get to see new characters from the fairy tale rouster, but sadly, we bid a few farewell as well.
Another magical addition to the story, keeping the engaging momentum, with brilliant art and panel artistry in every page...
MiM
All his plans are disrupted as the fables are forced to leave all their differences and quarrels aside to unite against the unyielding emissaries of the adversary led by Riding Hood, who seems to be harboring a secret of her own...
In this volume, we get to see new characters from the fairy tale rouster, but sadly, we bid a few farewell as well.
Another magical addition to the story, keeping the engaging momentum, with brilliant art and panel artistry in every page...
MiM
September 11, 2017
দ্য ব্যাটল অফ দ্য ফেবলটাউন! স্নো হোয়াইটের ক্ষুরধার বুদ্ধিমত্তায় দুর্ধর্ষ যুদ্ধপরিচালনার পারদর্শিতা!! ফেবলদের বীরত্ব, ফেবলদের আত্মত্যাগ!! বিগবি উলফের শেষ সময়ের অতিকাঙ্খিত উপস্থিতি আর সেভে যুদ্ধজয়!!! উফ, পুরা রক্তগরম হয়ে গেল... কে ভেবেছিল একটা প্রাচীন শিশুতোষ রূপকথার আধুনিক রিটেলিং পড়ে এমন শ্বাসরুদ্ধকর পিঠসোজা করা টানটান উত্তেজনার অনুভূতি হবে, এহেন তুমুল যুদ্ধ-অ্যাকশন-মারামারি-কোপাকুপি'র মধ্যে দিয়ে?! ওয়াও, ওয়াও, ওয়াও। সিরিজের একেকটা বই পড়ি আর মনে হয় এইটা আগেরটার চেয়েও জোস, আর পরেরটা পড়ে আবিষ্কার করি সেটা আরো বেশি জোস! ফেবলস ঝড়ের বেগে কাহিনি এগিয়ে নেয়���র পাশাপাশি শুধু একের পর এক চমক দেখিয়েই যাচ্ছে, আশা করি সিরিজের শেষ পর্যন্ত এই ধার ও গতি অক্ষুন্ন থাকবে পুরোপুরি।
১০ এ ১০ নিশ্চিন্তে।
১০ এ ১০ নিশ্চিন্তে।
February 15, 2018
The longest and probably the best volume so far. So glad I've picked up this series.
December 1, 2021
Трішки самовідданого пафосу, трішки гумору, трішки смутку. В результаті, такий гірко-солодкий том вийшов.
Дуже❣
Дуже❣
November 6, 2018
Wow! Another great Fable comic!
January 11, 2017
Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.
I love this series more and more, the deeper we get into the story. As I said in my review for the previous volume, at the beginning, when it was just a bunch of characters seemingly without a set purpose, I wasn't fully convinced. Sure, it was fun and all, but I couldn't possibly imagine how they could make as many volumes as they did if the story continued the same way.
Good news: It didn't. Fables has slowly been evolving, volume by volume, and getting a lot more interconnected. I like the smaller story arcs, but most of all, I am really curious and excited about the major plot line, which is the Adversary.
The closer they get to that story, the bloodier and more gruesome Fables becomes. And that is a great thing! Why, you'd ask. Because the fables, and especially the fairytales, as a genre, didn't always used to be all insta-love and happy endings, the way we have them now. On the contrary, they used to be quite horrifying, starting with Hansel and Gretel being eaten, and not by far ending with Cinderella being beaten to death by her step-mother.
And speaking of gruesome characters, I absolutely loved the witch fight in this volume. I'm fully convinced that this was, as of yet, the most bad-ass fight in Fables, and I hope they keep it up.
I won't spoil anything about the actual stories, because unlike the previous volume, for example, in this one there are major spoilers. I found the stories with Boy Blue and Red Riding Hood very interesting. The present one, of course, was awesome. However, the one that I liked better was The Last Castle, which is the exact type of "origin" story that I would love to read more, in order to get what's happening with the Adversary.
I love this series more and more, the deeper we get into the story. As I said in my review for the previous volume, at the beginning, when it was just a bunch of characters seemingly without a set purpose, I wasn't fully convinced. Sure, it was fun and all, but I couldn't possibly imagine how they could make as many volumes as they did if the story continued the same way.
Good news: It didn't. Fables has slowly been evolving, volume by volume, and getting a lot more interconnected. I like the smaller story arcs, but most of all, I am really curious and excited about the major plot line, which is the Adversary.
The closer they get to that story, the bloodier and more gruesome Fables becomes. And that is a great thing! Why, you'd ask. Because the fables, and especially the fairytales, as a genre, didn't always used to be all insta-love and happy endings, the way we have them now. On the contrary, they used to be quite horrifying, starting with Hansel and Gretel being eaten, and not by far ending with Cinderella being beaten to death by her step-mother.
And speaking of gruesome characters, I absolutely loved the witch fight in this volume. I'm fully convinced that this was, as of yet, the most bad-ass fight in Fables, and I hope they keep it up.
I won't spoil anything about the actual stories, because unlike the previous volume, for example, in this one there are major spoilers. I found the stories with Boy Blue and Red Riding Hood very interesting. The present one, of course, was awesome. However, the one that I liked better was The Last Castle, which is the exact type of "origin" story that I would love to read more, in order to get what's happening with the Adversary.
May 11, 2016
This was my favorite fables volume yet. It starts with the tale told by Little Boy Blue of the fall of the final fable fortress to the Adversary. But, all is not as it seems. Red Riding Hood was assumed fallen in that conflict- but she appears in Fableland seeking asylum. Everybody save Bigby Wolf is overjoyed. He is suspicious of her story and goes to investigate. Meanwhile it seems that Gepetto is still alive and in the clutches of the Adversary and has been making wooden dolls all this time. The massed army of dolls attacks led by the mysterious Red Riding Hood. The Fables are able to band together to resist the onslaught. It also turns out that Red is actually Baba Yaga, the ancient witch. There is an excellent battle between her and the witch from the Hansel and Gretel story. Suffering some grevious losses the fables win out.
While all the Fables stories have been great so far, this one was very entertaining and exciting. I enjoyed seeing the Fables at war and especially enjoyed the battle between Baba Yaga and Frau Totenkinder (it's German for dead children). If you haven't read Fables yet-start. This series keeps getting better and better.
While all the Fables stories have been great so far, this one was very entertaining and exciting. I enjoyed seeing the Fables at war and especially enjoyed the battle between Baba Yaga and Frau Totenkinder (it's German for dead children). If you haven't read Fables yet-start. This series keeps getting better and better.
July 3, 2017
Wow that was a long one. I'm really falling in love with these.
I didn't much care for the wooden soldier villains or the conflict in this one, though I did like the addition of Red Riding Hood . Snow and Bigby are still perfect, but they didn't get much exposure in this one and I missed them.
I didn't much care for the wooden soldier villains or the conflict in this one, though I did like the addition of Red Riding Hood . Snow and Bigby are still perfect, but they didn't get much exposure in this one and I missed them.
August 31, 2021
Once Upon a Time could never.
January 5, 2022
Love this series! ❤️
The humour, the mystery, the characters and the story is so good.
Each volume gets better and more interesting by the page.
The characters are well developed and still developing as you learn more about them.
I especially love Snow and Bigby and can’t wait to see how their relationship develops, perhaps to be more than colleagues; especially as they are quite well connected due to Snow being pregnant.
The story of this particular volume was interesting and it was nice learning more about Boy Blue, who I think is really sweet. Plus, in the story I liked the almost Agent Smith reference with the “men in black suits”. How they all seemed to speak with one mind and finish each other’s sentences.
I really like all the different characters and the way you get snippets of other people’s background and their own fairy tale story.
I really am in invested in the series and can’t wait to keep reading them. 💕 Plus, total cliffhanger at the end…😱
The humour, the mystery, the characters and the story is so good.
Each volume gets better and more interesting by the page.
The characters are well developed and still developing as you learn more about them.
I especially love Snow and Bigby and can’t wait to see how their relationship develops, perhaps to be more than colleagues; especially as they are quite well connected due to Snow being pregnant.
The story of this particular volume was interesting and it was nice learning more about Boy Blue, who I think is really sweet. Plus, in the story I liked the almost Agent Smith reference with the “men in black suits”. How they all seemed to speak with one mind and finish each other’s sentences.
I really like all the different characters and the way you get snippets of other people’s background and their own fairy tale story.
I really am in invested in the series and can’t wait to keep reading them. 💕 Plus, total cliffhanger at the end…😱
May 29, 2024
Excellent story and artwork marred by cheap political comment with no subtly whatsoever. Should have been 5 stars.
December 5, 2013
Brief Introduction:
After reading the third volume in Bill Willingham’s popular graphic novel series, “Storybook Love,” I was interested in seeing more of the many adventures of the “Fables” characters! “Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers” is probably the most intense volume I had read so far in the “Fables” series as it deals with the Fables characters being engaged in war! Anyone who is a fan of the “Fables” series will definitely want to check this volume out!
What is the story?
The story starts out as a refugee had escaped from the Adversary’s oppression, which happens to be Red Riding Hood herself! But when she reveals her tragic tale to the Fables community, some Fables like Bigby Wolf, suspects that there is something fishy about Red Riding Hood’s tale. Bigby Wolf and Snow White have to find out if Red Riding Hood is who she says she is or else, something tragic will happen to Fabletown!
What I loved about this comic:
Bill Willingham’s writing!: I honestly think that Bill Willingham’s writing was definitely exciting and intense in this novel as the Fables characters are experiencing the terrible forces of the Adversary! I loved the way that Bill Willingham provided a prologue story called “The Last Castle” that actually explains about how the fables escaped from the Adversary and Little Boy Blue’s romance with Red Riding Hood since the story was truly unique and intense at the same time. I also loved the intensity that Bill Willingham put into the story “March of the Wooden Soldiers” as the theme of war is explored and all the characters are truly affected. Even though I usually do not like reading about wars in novels, I did wonder about how fairy tale characters would have to get involved in war and this idea did interest me as I read it. I was also shocked at the ending of this volume as there were so many twists to the plot line that I never would have figure out in the beginning of this novel!
The artwork: Just like the third volume “Storybook Love,” I loved the different artists working on each story (although in this case, there were only three artists working on this volume which were Craig Hamilton, P. Craig Russell and Mark Buckingham). I loved the artwork that Craig Hamilton and P. Craig Russell did for the story “The Last Castle” as it provided so much creativity to the story. I loved how P. Craig Russell did the artwork for the moments between Snow White and Little Boy Blue as Boy Blue is telling his story about how he escaped the Adversary as the artwork looks dark yet slightly detailed and I loved the way that the characters’ eyes actually shone in the artwork. I also loved the way that Craig Hamilton did the illustrations for the flashback sequence in which Little Boy Blue was working for Colonel Bearskin as the artwork looks bright and colorful and I loved the medieval influence of the artwork as the characters wear medieval clothing to represent the time period that Little Boy Blue tells his story. Mark Buckingham has done an excellent job with the artwork in the “March of the Wooden Soldiers” storyline as the artwork looks extremely dramatic, especially during the war scenes.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:
For anyone who does not like gory violence and strong language, this volume has plenty of both. There is some bloody and graphic violence in “The Last Castle” and “March of the Wooden Soldiers” as characters is killed off in a gory fashion (characters are slashed open or stabbed to death). Also, just like the previous three volumes, there is strong language involved which includes the “s” word and the “f” word, so people who are uncomfortable with reading such words might want to skim over these words.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, the “Fables” series is really picking up the pace in these volumes and “Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers” is definitely one volume that is worth a shot to read through!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
After reading the third volume in Bill Willingham’s popular graphic novel series, “Storybook Love,” I was interested in seeing more of the many adventures of the “Fables” characters! “Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers” is probably the most intense volume I had read so far in the “Fables” series as it deals with the Fables characters being engaged in war! Anyone who is a fan of the “Fables” series will definitely want to check this volume out!
What is the story?
The story starts out as a refugee had escaped from the Adversary’s oppression, which happens to be Red Riding Hood herself! But when she reveals her tragic tale to the Fables community, some Fables like Bigby Wolf, suspects that there is something fishy about Red Riding Hood’s tale. Bigby Wolf and Snow White have to find out if Red Riding Hood is who she says she is or else, something tragic will happen to Fabletown!
What I loved about this comic:
Bill Willingham’s writing!: I honestly think that Bill Willingham’s writing was definitely exciting and intense in this novel as the Fables characters are experiencing the terrible forces of the Adversary! I loved the way that Bill Willingham provided a prologue story called “The Last Castle” that actually explains about how the fables escaped from the Adversary and Little Boy Blue’s romance with Red Riding Hood since the story was truly unique and intense at the same time. I also loved the intensity that Bill Willingham put into the story “March of the Wooden Soldiers” as the theme of war is explored and all the characters are truly affected. Even though I usually do not like reading about wars in novels, I did wonder about how fairy tale characters would have to get involved in war and this idea did interest me as I read it. I was also shocked at the ending of this volume as there were so many twists to the plot line that I never would have figure out in the beginning of this novel!
The artwork: Just like the third volume “Storybook Love,” I loved the different artists working on each story (although in this case, there were only three artists working on this volume which were Craig Hamilton, P. Craig Russell and Mark Buckingham). I loved the artwork that Craig Hamilton and P. Craig Russell did for the story “The Last Castle” as it provided so much creativity to the story. I loved how P. Craig Russell did the artwork for the moments between Snow White and Little Boy Blue as Boy Blue is telling his story about how he escaped the Adversary as the artwork looks dark yet slightly detailed and I loved the way that the characters’ eyes actually shone in the artwork. I also loved the way that Craig Hamilton did the illustrations for the flashback sequence in which Little Boy Blue was working for Colonel Bearskin as the artwork looks bright and colorful and I loved the medieval influence of the artwork as the characters wear medieval clothing to represent the time period that Little Boy Blue tells his story. Mark Buckingham has done an excellent job with the artwork in the “March of the Wooden Soldiers” storyline as the artwork looks extremely dramatic, especially during the war scenes.
What made me feel uncomfortable about this book:
For anyone who does not like gory violence and strong language, this volume has plenty of both. There is some bloody and graphic violence in “The Last Castle” and “March of the Wooden Soldiers” as characters is killed off in a gory fashion (characters are slashed open or stabbed to death). Also, just like the previous three volumes, there is strong language involved which includes the “s” word and the “f” word, so people who are uncomfortable with reading such words might want to skim over these words.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, the “Fables” series is really picking up the pace in these volumes and “Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers” is definitely one volume that is worth a shot to read through!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
June 27, 2020
JUNE 2020, EDITED TO ADD: This author is a sexual harasser and his misogyny is reflected in this series. I've adjusted my rating accordingly.
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It took time for me to warm up to Fables, to feel like I knew and liked the "new" characters, the idea of Fabletown, even the tone of the storytelling. I'm not a short story reader, I'm a novel person, so the vast number of characters and the sheer weight of background history left me feeling like I'd seen bits and glimpses, but never enough to really sink my teeth into.
This volume really pulls the Fables together for me - not only because of how the recurring characters are more three-dimensional with each succeeding bit of story, but also thanks to the epic nature of the battle here. There's something very heroic about watching the Big Bad Wolf, the Beast, ogres, trolls, the three bears, and even the wicked witch of gingerbread house fame team up with Prince Charming, Snow White and Pinochio to fight the real villains of the piece.
Fables are an interesting combination of cynicism and optimism, all in one literate, worldly, well-written package. I can't say I'm in love with them - yet - but they're certainly well worth a read.
---
It took time for me to warm up to Fables, to feel like I knew and liked the "new" characters, the idea of Fabletown, even the tone of the storytelling. I'm not a short story reader, I'm a novel person, so the vast number of characters and the sheer weight of background history left me feeling like I'd seen bits and glimpses, but never enough to really sink my teeth into.
This volume really pulls the Fables together for me - not only because of how the recurring characters are more three-dimensional with each succeeding bit of story, but also thanks to the epic nature of the battle here. There's something very heroic about watching the Big Bad Wolf, the Beast, ogres, trolls, the three bears, and even the wicked witch of gingerbread house fame team up with Prince Charming, Snow White and Pinochio to fight the real villains of the piece.
Fables are an interesting combination of cynicism and optimism, all in one literate, worldly, well-written package. I can't say I'm in love with them - yet - but they're certainly well worth a read.
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