What Is Techno Again?

Fables has been on my must-read list for awhile, so I was pretty happy to find a shiny review copy of the new Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 waiting for me in the mail. It retails for about $30, which isn’t too shabby for a deluxe book. Here’s a preview of my review:

Bill Willingham’s popular series Fables continues to reshape our cherished fairy tales into a modern, edgy new form, and now Vertigo has recast the magic that first captured the comic’s audience with a deluxe printing. The book splits into “Legends in Exile” and “Animal Farm” and also features a collection of color artwork and sketches titled “Treasures from the Woodland Vaults”; otherwise, there’s not much new to be discovered if you’re already familiar with the series.

“Legends in Exile,” the first arc, introduces the eccentric and memorable characters of Fablestown (pencilled by Lan Medina). From the classic and alleged beanstalk-climber Jack to the murderer turned detective Bigby Wolf, and the disciplined and stern Snow White in charge to her promiscuous and dishonest ex Prince Charming, Willingham’s focus on reinventing the characters of old cements his comic as a success. Many great and long-remembered comics began with a murder mystery, and Fables follows the same path when Snow White’s sister, Rose Red, becomes the center of bloody attention. In between dealing with the Beauty and Beast’s marital rough patches and keeping her manipulative ex-husband at bay, Snow White joins the Fable once infamously known as the Big, Bad Wolf in solving the puzzle of Red’s whereabouts—dead or alive.

To read the full article and learn more about the highs and lows of the trade, check out my review over at the Girls Entertainment Network.