Collecting issues 34-41, the sixth volume of Bill Willingham’s Eisner Award-winning comic series, FABLES: HOMELANDS, finds its cast of characters – and perhaps the title itself – in a bit of a transition. So as not to confuse the unfamiliar, any discussion of FABLES must begin with a rehash of the general premise: the stars of fairy tales and folklore are real, and living incognito in modern day, close to but segregated from you and me. Now that that’s out of the way…
After an amusing two-issue tale in which Jack sets out to take over Hollywood by making a three-film fantasy epic about his days of beanstalk climbing and giant killing, HOMELANDS settles in to the book’s major story arc. Heavy on the swordplay and sorcery, it follows Little Boy Blue as he ventures into enemy territory, decapitating many along his journey to assassinate the evil king known as “the Adversary.” Though action-packed, this storyline does little until a late-in-the-game appearance by Gepetto, whose famed work with the chisel belies more than a few dark secrets.
Of all six FABLES collections, this is my least favorite. Part of the problem – aside from the unfocused nature of the HOMELAND storyline early on – is that the series sorely misses Snow White and Bigby Wolf, the cornerstone characters since the very first issue. While the supporting characters are many – including newcomer Mowgli, of JUNGLE BOOK fame – they can’t match the interest of those MVPs. The art is solid as always, framed by intriguing page design every bit as innovative as the heyday of THE SANDMAN.
Still, “least favorite” does not equal “bad,” and FABLES is still stronger than most every monthly comics title out there. I think each collection is essential, but if you’re new to Willingham’s imaginative world, don’t start here. –Rod Lott
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