World Famous Comics: Fables, Vol. 11: War and Pieces
Fables, Vol. 11: War and Pieces
By: Bill Willingham Publisher: Vertigo Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Vertigo Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 192 Publication Date: November 25, 2008 Release Date: November 25, 2008
Product Description: Collecting issues #60-69 of the hit series, collecting the epochal "Good Prince" storyline. Flycatcher is drawn into the spotlight as he discovers the startling truth about his own past as the Frog Prince. At the same time, he learns that the Adversary plans to destroy his foes once and for all. How can the meek Flycatcher stop this deadly foe?
The war ends If you're new to the "Fables" universe, please do yourself a favor - begin at the beginning. Otherwise, everything you read about the later volumes will turn into a spoiler.
But, if you're here, you've come to know the fairy-tale characters living in our New York (or something very like it). You've seen the tensions building up to the war between worlds - and you saw that brilliant, crippling first blow struck back in vol. 10. The war ends here, in a complex series of maneuvers involving the unique strengths of many favorite characters. Despite the thousands of pages that came before, this maintains the energy levels of the earlier books, and brings the war story arc to a satisfying close. In fact, the ending seems so solid that I really wonder what the next book will do to sustain the momentum.
When these stories first came out as monthly comics, they never caught my interest. Well, I'm wrong a lot - or maybe not, since the suspense of waiting month after month for new installations, plus the chance of missing an issue would have driven me bonkers. "Fables" isn't as experimental or out-there as some graphic novel experiences. Instead, it offers a good story, enjoyable characters, and a well-crafted alternative to superheroes in tights.
-- wiredweird
a great ending (sort of) It's not the ending to the series, but man, it should be, because it is a great ending to what has been a great series so far. I can't imagine how it could get any better or even keep up at the level it has been going for so long now. Great work Willingham.
It's not the end... Bill Willingham, Fables: War and Pieces (Vertigo, 2008)
The best thing about War and Pieces, the eleventh volume of Bill Willingham's wonderful series Fables, occurs in the afterword, and I don't think this is a spoiler that I'll be criticized for revealing: we are told that, despite this being the close of the story arc that's been building for the ten previous books, we're only about halfway through the greater work that is Fables. Which means eleven more books. Glory be and hallelujah. Why? Because when I picked up the first one, I wasn't really sure about the series, but it took off pretty darned quick, and has become one of my most anticipated series as each book comes out (I get about as excited about The Walking Dead or the soon-to-be-ending 100 Bullets, but as far as American graphic novel series go these days, that's as far as that goes).
Yes, here it is, the long-awaited war between Fabletown and the Empire. This is the book that changes everything. More twists and turns than a curveball clinic, action that never lets up, and the coolest flying ship this side of the old Wonder Woman comics. How can you go wrong? If, by some chance, you've managed to let Fables go by under the radar the past few years, I strongly recommend going back to the beginning and giving it a try; once you get hooked, trust me, you'll be hooked for good. ****
A rather abrupt tying up of the story thusfar The better portion of the collection focuses on the war with the Adversary/Empire, and perhaps it was just my expectations from previous story arcs seeming to take longer, but this REALLY seemed to wrap up rather quickly.
The pacing and characters were excellent as always, but everything seemed to come to final conclusion much more rapidly than normal. I was also expecting a little more with regard to "sneaky tactics" from the Empire and less of them being handily defeated.
I'm not certain how I feel about Willingham not having an "exit strategy" for the series, as the better comics I have read all had definite ends to go with their definite beginnings ('Preacher' and 'Sandman' both immediately jump to mind). I am somewhat afraid that after another 75 issues or so that the plots will start to get stale and that the series will go out with a whimper vice a bang, but for the moment Willingham et al continue to produce a high quality story that rarely fails to enthrall this reader.
So, as you can plainly see, it takes a while for War and Pieces to actually get to the war part of everything.
I've waited a long time for this pinnacle battle, and once the battle ensued, I found myself more than frustrated by its brevity and irreverence. It also seemed a little too formulaic and lacked the usual panache I've come to expect from Fables.
So while I still tout Fables as the best comic series currently running to anyone who will listen, War and Pieces proved unimpassioned, hurried, and a bit too unoriginal when compared to earlier volumes.
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