Fables: Arabian Nights (and Days)
Hard to believe Bill Willingham’s FABLES has been around long enough to already merit a seventh trade paperback collection, but here it is nonetheless, in the form of FABLES: ARABIAN NIGHTS (AND DAYS).
Four of the six consecutive issues from the acclaimed, award-winning Vertigo series within comprise the ARABIAN NIGHTS story arc, with the New York headquarters of the Fables (those classic storybook characters living, breathing and hiding in our modern-day world) visited by their Arab emissary, the esteemed Sinbad. The strapping young sailor takes a shine to the American Fables’ way of life, which upsets his slave-loving sidekick, who unleashes a djinn to slaughter all his enemies, thus placing him in total power.
Meanwhile, Prince Charming – Fabletown’s reigning mayor – makes a move for Deputy Mayor Beauty, and it’s probably for the best that her husband – Sheriff Beast – doesn’t find out. Yet.
Those who have never read FABLES may think it all sounds childish. It’s not. And here’s a glimpse as to why: The other two issues tell the story of two of Gepetto’s wooden puppet creations, Rodney and June. They fall in love and want to be made human so they can express their love carnally, which doesn’t go over well with Rodney’s peers: “Do you know what meat does? They shove dead animal and plant matter into one hole and shit runny, stinky, disgusting, worm-infested dung out of another! Several times each day!”
Just when it seems that this story stands alone from the regular FABLES characters, it takes a rather unsuspected turn that I hope plays out in future issues. Since the level of quality from issue to issue is about as solid as today’s comics come, I look forward to them all. –Rod Lott
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OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES:
• FABLES: HOMELAND
[...] WEDNESDAY >> 7.26.06 Speaking of comics, Rod Lott was all over the seventh FABLES collection, ARABIAN NIGHTS (AND DAYS). I love the general premise of FABLES, proving once again that good writing and good ideas are still hanging around in comics despite the industry’s ongoing efforts to the contrary. [...]
[...] ONCE UPON A TIME… In an effort to lure more readers to its Eisner Award-winning comic series FABLES, Vertigo/DC Comics is reprinting the first issue on Oct. 11 at a can’t-beat-it price of 25 cents. Additionally, the special issue will contain a preview of its first hardcover spinoff, FABLES: 1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL. We here at BOOKGASM love FABLES, if you haven’t been paying attention. C’mon, people: 25 cents! You can afford that. [...]
[...] Kapur’s DEVI is another high-kickin’, leather-wearing hot babe adept at fighting baddies in the realm of the supernatural. She’s dispatched to assignments by a brooding inspector who looks a lot like FABLES‘ Bigby Wolf, mussed hair and frumpy overcoat and all. Kapur and Chopra’s RAMAYAN REBORN is a hardcore fantasy concerning a blue-skinned warrior. Its influences seem to be CONAN, PLANET OF THE APES and that trendy manga. [...]
[...] OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES: • FABLES: ARABIAN DAYS (AND NIGHTS) • FABLES: HOMELAND • VERTIGO: FIRST OFFENSES [...]
[...] OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES: • FABLES: ARABIAN DAYS (AND NIGHTS) • FABLES: HOMELAND • FABLES: 1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL • VERTIGO: FIRST OFFENSES [...]
[...] BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES: • FABLES: ARABIAN DAYS (AND NIGHTS) • FABLES: HOMELAND • FABLES: 1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL • FABLES: WOLVES • JACK OF FABLES: THE [...]