bishop2knight

I just read the first two trade copies of FABLES (so issues 1-12 I believe). What's so special about this title? I don't see it. It was okay, but great? Naw. I just hope it gets better with the next trade since I already ordered it.

benedict

I thought this was a rant aganst Aesop rather than, er, Bill Willingham ( hence the slight title edit)!

I've not read any of these comicbooks but anyone so minded can check out all of the covers here and download a pdf copy of the first issue here.

MrN

I think the draw is that its characters you already know in a totally different setting. Except that the characters have 'grown up' and have post-modern problems like divorce etc. Some of the fun is in figuring out who the characters are (which story they're from) because some of them are more obscure.

I don't really think its an acquired taste - you have to go with the premise or not. So, I doubt you'll enjoy the third trade (comes out in a couple of weeks right?) - if you're still going to read it, you might as well also get 'The Last Castle' which is about the last ship to leave the 'fable world.'

Chew

I also didn't find it all that great. I read the first two storylines and really couldn't get into it.

tonyc3742

I've read the first two TPB's, which is I guess the first two story arcs. I liked it, but I like 'alternative universe', 'what if', kind of things. And seeing how the classic understandings of the characters are interpreted in a modern day setting.
I don't know if it's 'great;' I enjoyed reading it. I borrowed TPB 1 from a coworker, and bought TPB 2 with that 25-off @ Dynamic Forces.
I also, however, have not stepped into a comic shop in about 1.5 years, so I have nothing recent to compare it to.

MrBob

Personally, it is one of my favorite series along with Y the Last man, It has a great mixture of humor with drama with great storytelling. If you didn't like the 2nd arc, which is my favorite arc (haven't read the current one yet) then you probably won't care for the 3rd TPB. Also Last Castle is just an excellent stand alone book.

Rogue588

I came thisclose to buying this book, but with the amount of titles I get every month, it didn't really jump out as a book I had to have.

And judging by Willingham's writing on Robin...perhaps it was a wise decision.

Sessa17

I am definitely in the camp that considers this book "great" & easily one of the 10 best mainstream comics being published. Why is it "great" & above average. Well, look at all the other crap out there. Fables is completely unique. The stories are complex, something that happens in one of the first issues can have repurcussions 20 issues later, in a modern comic book world that no longer uses continuity I find this very refreshing. The writer has taken known characters from known worlds & put completely new dark, modern twists on their seemingly innocent classic attributes.


I read the first trade & actually didn't see what the hype was, the second trade I thought was amazing & since, I've been getting the series in monthly form. I definitely think it's worthy of being called "great", & it deserves all the hype, if not more.

kevin75

while i really like fables, i think that y-the last man is better.

Trevor

I haven't read Fables yet, but I loved Willingham's early Elementals stuff from Comico back in the 80s.

Sessa17

JP, a bit off topic, but I though you might be interested. I got my copy of Dead@17: Blood of Saints #1 last week. It proves that these guys aren't one trick ponies.

Gamblor187

Don't judge "Fables" based on Willingham's work on "Robin". "Fables" is, in my opinion, one of the best books to come out in recent years. The bit that I've read of "Robin", though, is pretty damn awful.

bishop2knight

I got that too and enjoyed it even more than the first. I can't wait to read more of this series.

I actually interviewed Josh Howard for paperbackreader.com. It was supposed to be posted on Sunday with a review/preview, but the damn_thing hasn't seen the light of day yet. ARGH!

bishop2knight

As for FABLES, I'm going to read the 3rd arc to see if it captures the fun I saw in the first arc. If it does, I'm on board. If not, I'm not.

mljones99

You wouldn't happen to have another copy you could send me do you? My local comic shop is awesome but their only fault is that they never get any comics in from Viper!

mljones99

Yeah it doesn't come out till the 14th but my local comic still won't have it. I checked their release list online.

Rogue588

Quote:

Originally posted by Gamblor187
Don't judge "Fables" based on Willingham's work on "Robin". "Fables" is, in my opinion, one of the best books to come out in recent years. The bit that I've read of "Robin", though, is pretty damn awful.

Hmmm...Well, he still has a pass thanks to Elementals & Ironwood...

Who knows? Down the line I might check out a TPB [even though I loathe TPBs]

JasonF

I'm enjoying Fables a lot, but what would really make me happy is if it leads to a resurgence in Willinham's popularity that causes somebody to bring the Elementals back into print. I have a TPB collecting the first five or so issues, and would love to read the rest of the series without having to scrounge back issue bins.

Trevor

I'm pretty sure i have almost every appearance/issue of the Elementals. I sort of stopped buying it when it got sleazy, but by then I think Willingham had stopped writing it. I'll have to dig them all out someday. I remember really enjoying the first 20 or so issues, but I'm not sure if I have read much beyond that. It had a strange publishing history if I recall, switching companies and such.

Sessa17

Damn, I remember your first email to me asking what is good in comics nowadays, b/c you might get back into them, & now you are interviewing the guys creating the books I recommended you. I've trained you well grasshopper, I expect a published thanks when you right your first comic

I have a review of Bite Club #1 at Broken Frontier up now, but I just don't have the time to right reviews or do any columns, I don't know how much longer I'm going to keep the gig.

Trevor

Getting even more off topic here, but all this great comic conversation has me thinking. I want to make sure I stay up on all the latest news in comics, and was wondering if there are any good comic book forums out there.

My first choice would be to stay here, as I don't want to be overwhelmed with a huge forum where I can't keep up.

But maybe you guys have some input on this?

bishop2knight

Trevor, there are a number of good sites for news: newsarama.com, brokenfrontier.com, comicbookresources.com, silverbulletcomics.com, even the site I'm working for (paperbackreader.com) is slowly getting there. All of these sites have good content in reviews, columns, news, etc.

Each of these sites has its own forum, but to be honest, many of them are childish. You might find a worthy thread, but it'll be surrounded with drivel. If you need to post to a forum, I'd suggest doing it here, at brokenfrontier, or paperbackreader just because there are few fans at each of these. That sounds counterintuitive, but with fewer fans, you end up getting better, more educated responses.

bishop2knight

Sessa, you hit the nail on the head with the end of your Bite Club review. I was reading the issue and kept thinking I'm going to need the next chapter to really enjoy it. But damn, it's hard to pass up that cover (I'm a huge cover man, and have been known to buy comics just for the cover, regardless of the book's content).

Oh, and thanks for all of the good suggestions for books. Right now I have about 20 regular reads. Of those, I bet you recommended 12-15. Next up for me is checking out Fallen Angel and Human Target.

Look at that, I'm highjacking my own thread....

Sessa17

I have the PERFECT forum for you: http://brokenfrontier.com/ where I write reviews. It's a one of the best comic book websites out there. We have lots of creators post in the forums, are always up to date on the big comic book news & gossip, & the forums are great, not overwhelming, & I post there frequently under my real name (Glen). Stop by & check the place out.