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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 741.5973
EAN num: 9781401205003
ISBN number: 1401205003
Label: Vertigo
Manufacturer: Vertigo
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 192
Printing Date: January 01, 2006
Publishing house: Vertigo
Release Date: January 01, 2006
Sale Popularity Level: 12682
Studio: Vertigo
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Product Description:
The sixth volume in the series explores some of Bigby Wolf's extracurricular exploits around the mundane world in 'Cinderella Libertine' and 'War Stories' before returning to the main storyline in 'The Year After,' which follows the aftermath of the Adversary's endeavor to conquer Fabletown. Rated for mature readers.
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Rated by buyers -
I am on some kind of FABLES kick right now, as I quickly tear thru the trade paperbacks. FABLES Vol. 6: HOMELANDS collects issues #34-41, opening with Jack Horner's departure of Fabletown and his dubious Hollywood adventures, which span several years (but only two issues). If you like the kind of protagonist Jack is (self-absorbed, scheming, a tad shady), then you might see how Hollywood is a perfect fit for him. It's a fun story arc, and Willingham manages a couple of wicked digs at Tinseltown. Jack does get his comeuppance at the end, and nobody really gets hurt except for several Hollywood low-lifes (but, then again, they're Hollywood low-lifes). Oh, and Jack turns out to be pretty mean to tiny, pocket-sized Jill, who left the Farm and went with Jack to see the world, only to find the world not as comforting as the Farm (and there's always that bit about having to stay out of sight of the humans). But Jill, in the end, is able to orchestrate her own measure of get-back at Jack.
As writer Bill Willingham puts it, "...Jack was never seen in Fabletown again, unto the very end of days." But for fans of this inept trickster, this two-part "Jack Be Nimble" storyline only paves the way for his own series JACK OF FABLES (see Jack of Fables Vol. 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape). From what I hear, it's not half-bad.
And then we get into the meat of this trade, the all-important five-part "Homelands," the central figure of which is the surprising Boy Blue, who one day simply left Fabletown.
But, hey, a segue: FABLES very first introduced Boy Blue as the unassuming but efficient office clerk to Fabletown's administrative offices, and as someone, it seemed, doomed to be perenially relegated to mere background character status. Occasionally, he likes to play moody jazz on his horn. But, hold up. We eventually find out that Boy Blue has had a tragic, bloody past. And, not one to toot his own horn (hah!), but Boy Blue, in truth, is quite the accomplished warrior. Last featured in Fables Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers, we learned of his part in the fables' last stand in the Homelands and his ill-fated romance with Red Riding Hood. We then learned of how Baby Yaga posed as Red Riding Hood and attempted to invade Fabletown, and how she caught and tortured Boy Blue for days. The invasion was fought off successfully. Boy Blue, in time, fully recovered.
"Homelands" is about Boy Blue getting his vengeance on, of an assassination in mind and the quest for the real Red Riding Hood. Armed with the powerful Witching Cloak and the fabulous Vorpal Sword of the Jabberwocky fame (and with his best friend Pinocchio's wooden corpse in tow), Boy Blue cuts a gory swath thru the Homelands, as he goes thru the magical back-alley gateways, each time getting closer to the Adversary's homeworld. It's very neat seeing Boy Blue in this light, as he cooly braves the dangers of the Adversary's conquered kingdoms. Man, there's plenty of bloody snicker-snack! action for those craving sword & sorcery derring-do. And, finally, finally, we find out the identity of the mysterious Adversary, who, after more than a millennium, has only now accomplished the total take-over of the European fable worlds (the Arabian fables are next!).
Then, for Boy Blue, there's one final bit of tragedy.
Issue #39 is appropriately titled "Meanwhile" as it cuts in the middle of the "Homelands" story arc to catch us up with current doings in Fabletown. In "Meanwhile" Mowgli, one of the Tourists (Fabletown's secret agents sent out into the mundy world), returns to Fabletown on mayor Prince Charming's behest. Charming has a proposition for Mowgli, who, having just discovered that his friend and mentor, Bagheera, is being kept caged for past acts of rebellion (see Fables Vol. 2: Animal Farm), is eager to broker a deal to free the proud panther.
Also, a traitor is unearthed in the confines of Fabletown.
As usual, writer Bill Willingham invests layers of realism and grit and twisted humour into these stories. His "Jack Be Nimble" stretch is particularly snarky. "Homelands" actually comes close to being a throwback to classic heroic fantasy, although Willingham throws in enough of a contemporary perspective to skew the traditional fantasy elements. Again, Boy Blue proves to be a sympathetic lead character and very impressive with the Witching Cloak and the Vorpal blade. David Hahn pencils and inks "Jack Be Nimble," and he shows off his simple, clean lines. But, predictably, it's Mark Buckingham, with inks by Steve Leialoha, who makes you sit up and take notice. His rendering of "Heartlands" is flawless. And, of course, James Jean's covers are worthy of long, long looks.
FABLES is hands down one of the best comic books currently going on. If you haven't yet checked this series out, you're in for hours of terrific reading. The good news is that it doesn't look like Bill ... Read More
Rated by buyers 
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In this case, it's the world of "Fables," the place where storybook characters have (or had) real lives versus the hundred or more planets under control of The Adversary. The Fables live in exile here on Earth, blending in when they look human enough, and withdrawing to a private enclave if they don't. No matter how many hundreds of years they live among us, they still have a dream of returning to their one-time home. Five of the seven monthlies collected in this volume follow a heroic quest to make return possible - an endeavor to assassinate The Adversary himself. The story takes several startling turns, and promises more action in future volumes.
The other two monthlies reproduced here each tell one-issue stories of their own. In the first, Jack (of the Beanstalk, of the giant-killing and of many other stories) sets out to find his fortune, as he's done so very successfully so many times before. And he does - up until he incurs the wrath of a woman scorned, and doscovers just how much wrath can be packed in even a small woman. The other story looks inside the new administration. It's not nearly so solid as they'd like people to think, and a side-trip of an adventure gets under way. By its nature, it's best told in small glimpses at long intervals, so I'm looking forward to more of it.
This collection represents something a turning point in the Fables' tale. For one thing, we learn far more about the scope and power of The Adversary, with hints that the war is about to heat up. For another, it makes less mention of the Fables' fabulous lives. Partly for that reason, this might be the very first in this series of collections that I wouldn't recommend to a newcomer. It certainly lives up to the standards of the earlier stories, but really works best for someone who already knows something about the characters and the premise of the story. It's very enjoyable, make no mistake, but easier to enjoy if you've been reading the series in order so far.
-- wiredweird
Rated by buyers -
I really have to hand it to them, I wasn't that much of a fan of Jack or Blue until I read this collection. Jack's story takes place with his greatest scheme yet, which places him in Hollywood, creating a blockbuster trilogy and boom... well, you have to see. And Boy Blue's story is just fantastic as he battles his way across the Homelands to rescue Pinnochio and Red Riding Hood. A definite must.
Rated by buyers -
This is number six in the series and it's a considerable improvement over number five. The very first story concerns Jack's aborted career in Hollywood after leaving Fabletown in possession of a large quantity of stolen loot. As a talented con-man, he turns out to be a natural in the movie world and his very first project -- a LOTR-like trilogy about his own fairy tale career -- is enormously successful. But he's still a louse, which is why the miniaturized Jill rats him out to Mr. Beast, Fabletown's new sheriff, and he finds himself on the road again, the least unpleasant option available to him. Then we go to the adventures of Boy Blue as he treks through the enemy-occupied Homelands in pursuit of Red Riding Hood, and to return the dead wooden body of his best buddy, Pinocchio, to Geppetto. And maybe he can do something about The Adversary while he's at it. Turns out Blue had a more-colorful-than-expected earlier career as a swashbuckling sword-swinger -- but things don't turn out quite as he expected. Then we return to the Farm, upstate, where Mowgli (a "tourist," i.e., undercover secret agent working abroad) has come back to try to spring Bagheera from the pokey. Then it's back to the tribulations of Boy Blue for a temporary resolution. There's a lot of good storytelling in this arc.
Rated by buyers -
The premise of this wonderful series is to rewrite and expand the world of fairy tales. They characters of which has entered our world fleeing a great evil. Lost of fun, smart and witty, typical american style illustrations for the most part, but nice. Some similarities of premise to the Sand Man series, but not quite as inventive or as extensively research and deep. Start at #1 for the best read.
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