Fables

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Fables ( German  fables ) is a comic series, conceived and written by Bill Willingham . The main draftsman was Mark Buckingham , other draftsmen were for example Lan Medina and Steve Leialoha . In the US, the series began in July 2002 at Vertigo , an imprint of DC Comics . After a total of 150 issues, or 22 anthologies, Fables ended in July 2015. The series received 14 Eisner Awards .

The so-called Fables are characters from fairy tales and legends, who were expelled from their home countries. They found refuge in the human world and built a community in New York City called Fabletown , where they have lived undetected among the people ever since. Fables that cannot hide as people in the city due to their shape are kept hidden on the farm in New York State. For them there is a war against someone who is only known as an enemy and who has invaded and conquered all their empires one after the other.

In Germany, Panini has presented all of the anthologies in translation, with individual additional volumes from the USA belonging to the main series. After the start in November 2006, 26 volumes were published in Germany, which actually ended the main series in December 2015. In January 2016, however, Fables: 1001 Snow-White Nights was added as the 27th volume, whereupon the offshoot series Fables: Cinderella followed in October 2016 as the 28th volume.

Story arcs

  • Legends in Exile (Issues 1 to 5)
Introducing Fabletown and its main characters. Sheriff Bigby Wolf investigates the apparent murder of Rose Red.
  • Animal Farm (Issues 6 to 10)
The introduction of the farm , a place for non-human fables. A revolt slowly breaks out on the farm, which Snow White must contain.
  • A sack full of bones (issue 11)
A story set during the American Civil War in which Jack Horner finds a way to cheat death.
  • The Sharp Affair / Dirty Business (Issues 12 and 13)
A human journalist learns about the fables and they have to decide how to react to them.
  • Fairytale Liaisons (Issues 14 to 17)
Bluebeard tries to get rid of Bigby and Snow White by casting a spell on them and setting the murderous Goldilocks on them. Meanwhile, Prince Charming decides to run for Mayor of Fabletown.
  • Barley grain brides (Issue 18)
Bigby tells Flycatcher the story of an ancient smalltown custom.
  • Deployment of the wooden soldiers (issues 19 to 21 and 23 to 27)
Prince Charming continues to run for Mayor of Fabletown as the community investigates Red Riding Hood's apparent escape from his home country. The enemy sends their first troops to Fabletown to begin an attack.
  • Cinderella rampant (issue 22)
Cinderella's apparently frivolous way of life turns out to be a cover for other activities.
  • War Stories (Issues 28 and 29)
A Bigby adventure during World War II.
  • Dark Seasons (Issues 30 to 33)
Snow's children are born and she realizes she needs to move to the farm. Bigby is not welcome there and instead goes into exile. Snow encounters Bigby's estranged father, the north wind. One of her children is different from the others, so she sends it off to find its father.
  • The brisk Jack (issues 34 and 35)
Jack goes to Hollywood and starts a film studio. This action is continued in the Jack of Fables offshoot .
  • Foreign Home (Issues 36 to 38 and 40 and 41)
Boy Blue is on a secret mission back home with the aim of murdering the enemy and finding out his identity.
  • Intermezzo (issue 39)
What happened in Fabletown during Blues adventures.
  • Arabian Nights (and Days) (Issues 42 to 45)
A delegation of Arabic fables, led by Sinbad, visits Fabletown to forge an alliance against the enemy.
  • The Ballad of Rodney and June (books 46 and 47)
A side story of the seemingly ill-fated love of Rodney and June, two members of the enemy's armed forces.
  • Wolves (issues 48 and 49)
Mowgli searches for the missing Bigby and brings him a message from Fabletown.
  • And if they haven't died (Issue 50)
Bigby returns to Fabletown, delivers a warning to the enemy, and marries Snow White.
  • Big and Small (Issue 51)
Cinderella continues her mission in the Cloud Kingdom, but must be turned into a mouse in order to enlist the help of Smalltown's doctor who is treating a sick giant king.
  • Sons of the Empire (Issues 52 to 55)
The enemy calls for a conference of the imperial elite to decide how to proceed with Fabletown. Pinocchio has to choose a side.
  • Herrjemine, Christmas (issue 56)
A short story about the existence of Santa Claus as Fable.
  • Father and Son (Issues 57 and 58)
Bigby decides the time has come to speak to his father, the North Wind. On a hunt, his children meet Bigby's siblings, who are more animals than humans.
  • Burning Questions (Issue 59)
Readers had been asked to enter a competition by asking Willingham about unresolved events on the series. Here they are answered in the form of one to four-page short stories.
  • The good prince (issues 60 to 63 and 65 to 69)
Flycatcher, who never fully accepted his wife's death, has to face his past.
  • The birthday secret (Issue 64)
Preparations for war against the enemy begin on the farm. Bigby and Snow's children are celebrating their birthdays.
  • Off to the afterlife (issue 70)
Boy Blue and Rose Red discuss their relationship. Flycatcher's offer will be transmitted to the fables. The final plans to start the war are being made.
  • Lousy tricks (issues 71 and 72)
Cinderella repays Ms. Totenkinder's debts by taking on a mission that takes her south.
  • War and other trifles (issues 73 to 75)
Fabletown and the Empire go to war.
  • In the city (issue 76)
Fabletown's newest member is given a guided tour of the city, much to the displeasure of some of the other residents.
  • The Dark Years (Issues 77 to 81)
A new era begins as the residents of Fabletown feel the aftermath of the war. New challenges arise and a dark force has awakened in a distant land.
  • Waiting for the blues (issue 82)
An epilogue to The Dark Years .
  • The big fables crossover (issues 83 to 85)
Bigby and Beast get into a fierce battle that shows the influence of the new dark forces. Rose Red is sinking deeper and deeper into depression. Stinky founds a new religion that foretells Boy Blues heroic return. Jack Horner returns and uses this new religion for his own purpose before meeting his son, the new Jack Frost. (Note: the story must be read with booklets Jack of Fables 33-35 and The Literals 1-3.)
  • The Boxer Order (Issue 86)
Mister Dark tells how he was trapped in a magical box by a group of Imperial warlocks and the rise of their leader, Dunster Happ.
  • Witches (Issues 87 to 91)
The leaders and witches of Fabletown discuss how to defeat Mister Dark. In the meantime, Bufkin experiences his own adventures in the lost office with Baba Yaga and many other monsters.
  • On the Green Grass / A Little Murder (Issues 92 and 93)
The story takes place in Haven, where the local baseball game leads to a murder.
  • Rose Red (Issues 94 to 98)
The farm is in chaos as different factions fight for control. To restore order, Rose Red must face her greatest enemy - herself.
  • Darkness over the City (Issue 99)
Mister Dark uses his powers to build a new citadel in New York City.
  • Wizards' Competition (Issue 100)
The final fight between Frau Totenkinder and Mister Dark.
  • The rise (issue 101)
Bufkin climbs the tree in the lost office and comes to Land Ev (a land neighboring Oz).
  • The super team (issues 102 to 106)
Ozma puts together a team of fables to mimic superheroes in comics and face Mister Dark.
  • The kidnapping (issue 107)
A short story that shows the fate of the thorn-sealed capital of the defeated empire.
  • Heirs of the Wind (Issues 108 to 111)
One of Snow and Bigby's children becomes the successor of the North Wind. In Ev, Bufkin forms a resistance movement to overthrow the evil Nome King.
  • "In a single night" (Issue 112)
A short story based on Charles Dickens' Christmas story that puts Rose Red in the spotlight.
  • In those days (Issue 113)
A collection of short stories about various fables.
  • Puppies in Toy Land (Issues 114 to 121)
Snow and Bigby's daughter Therese is taken to a desolate, mysterious land inhabited by discarded toys and set in motion a series of heartbreaking events. Bufkin's adventures in Land Ev are told.
  • As Fate Played (Issues 122 and 123)
A look at how fate works in the Fable universe. Bufkin's adventures continue.
  • Revolution in Oz (Issue 124)
Finale to Bufkin's heroic adventures.
  • Snow White (issues 125 to 129)
A man from Snow White's past claims she is his rightful wife.
  • Junebug (Issue 130)
The daughter of Rodney and June, exploring the opponent's wooden soldiers who became human.
  • Camelot (issues 131 to 133 and 135 to 137)
A new dark age needs a new round table with modern knights who agree to rebuild the destroyed Fabletown.
  • Deeper into the woods (issue 134)
Bigby Wolf wanders into a sky similar to the woods in which he hunted while he was still alive. Here he meets a long-lost friend again.
  • Root & Branch (Issue 138)
Geppetto uses his dirty tricks in this short story and fills the void from a long-ago event in Fabletown.
  • The guys from the band (issues 139 and 140)
Peter Piper, Joe Shepherd, Puss In Boots and Briar Rose - the members of Boy Blue's Band - set out to free a small land of fable.
  • Happy to the end (issues 141 to 149)
Good knight versus bad knight. King Arthur versus Morgan le Fay. Rose Red versus Snow White. The two sisters are trapped in the roles Camelot intended for them and now they are ready to fight.
  • Farewell (issue 150)
Once upon a time ... for the very last time.

Anthologies

tape title German Initial release content
1 Fables: Legends in Exile November 16, 2006 Fables # 1-5
2 Fables: Animal Farm March 14, 2007 Fables # 6-10
3 Fables: fairytale love affairs July 25, 2007 Fables # 11-18
4th Fables: the last fortress October 17, 2007 Fables: The Last Castle and Fables # 19-21
5 Fables: deployment of the wooden soldiers February 15, 2008 Fables # 22-27
6th Fables: Darker Seasons June 20, 2008 Fables # 28-33
7th Fables: a foreign home October 10, 2008 Fables # 34-41
8th Fables: Arab Nights (and Days) February 20, 2009 Fables # 42-47
9 Fables: wolves June 19, 2009 Fables # 48-51
10 Fables: fathers and sons November 20, 2009 Fables # 52-59
11 Fables: The good prince April 20, 2010 Fables # 60-69
12 Fables: war and other trifles August 24, 2010 Fables # 70-75
13 Fables: The Dark Years May 17, 2011 Fables # 76-82
14th Fables: The great Fables crossover September 20, 2011 Fables # 83-85, Jack of Fables # 33-35, and The Literals # 1-3
15th Fables: witches March 12, 2012 Fables # 86-93
16 Fables: Rose Red August 14, 2012 Fables # 94-98
17th Fables: Wizards' Competition 12th March 2013 Fables # 99-100
18th Fables: City of Werewolves June 18, 2013 Fables: Werewolves of the Heartland
19th Fables: great team 19th November 2013 Fables # 101-107
20th Fables: heirs to the wind March 18, 2014 Fables # 108-113
21st Fables: puppies in toy land 16th September 2014 Fables # 114-123
22nd Fables: Snow White December 9, 2014 Fables # 124-129
23 Fables: Camelot February 18, 2015 Fables # 130-140
24 Fables: Unwritten fables June 16, 2015 The Unwritten # 50-54
25th Fables: Happy to the end 22nd September 2015 Fables # 141-149
26th Fables: Farewell December 15, 2015 Fables # 150
27 Fables: 1001 snow-white nights February 23, 2016 Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall
28 Fables: Cinderella October 18, 2016 Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love # 1-6 and Cinderella: Fables Are Forever # 1-6

Spin-off anthologies

title German Initial release content
Fables: 1001 snow-white nights January 18, 2008 Fables 1001 Nights of Snowfall
Fables: Cinderella - With love from Fabletown November 15, 2011 Cinderella - From Fabletown with love # 1-6
Fables: Cinderella 2 - A quantum of magic 17th July 2012 Cinderella - Fables are Forever # 1-6
Fables: The Wolf Among Us - The Wolf Is About 1 March 22, 2016 Fables - The Wolf Among Us # 1-4
Fables: The Wolf Among Us June 28, 2016 Fables - The Wolf Among Us # 5-8
Fables: The Wolf Among Us 22nd September 2016 Fables - The Wolf Among Us # 9-12
Fables: The Wolf Among Us January 24, 2017 Fables - The Wolf Among Us # 13-16
Fables: Peter & Max 17th October 2016 Peter & Max: A Fables Novel
Fables: Everafter - Once Upon a Time 1 April 25, 2017 Everafter: From the Pages of Fables # 1-6
Fables: Everafter - Once Upon a Time 2 November 14, 2017 Everafter: From the Pages of Fables # 7-12

Video game

The developer Telltale Games released from October 2013 under the name The Wolf Among Us, a five-episode video game in which players take on the role of Bigby Wolf.

reception

Spiegel Online sees Fables "in the best Vertigo tradition", similar to Neil Gaiman's comic series Sandman . He succeeds in “a fascinating combination of mythology and modern everyday life” and “does not have to shy away from comparison with literature”.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ "Telltale's The Wolf Among Us launches on October 11" . Gamesradar. October 9, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  2. ^ Jörg Böckem: Vertigo Comics: Tarantino's cool colleagues . In Spiegel Online . January 20, 2007, accessed December 18, 2018.