Fables #145 – Review

As we get closer to the end of this series, I find a little less to say about it each issue. Of course, this may have something to do with Willingham killing off a character or two each month, but mostly it’s because we’re veering away from the stuff that makes Fables compelling—exploring and reimagining classic fairy tales—in favor of physical conflict, which isn’t Willingham’s strongest suit. There’s not much tactical brilliance at work in these battles; it’s simply a matter of who’s stronger.

Given that Bigby is just a couple steps short of godhood, that means only a few contenders can hope to face him and survive. A team-up of Rose and Totenkinder seems promising, and in fact the old Frau has Bigby on the ropes for a few panels. But even she is blind to Leigh’s part in all this, giving Bigby his second wind and comeback. The match ends in a draw, but it reveals how powerful Leigh has become—undeservedly, I should mention. Leigh is only this strong by virtue of her connection to Mr. Dark, not because she’s particularly formidable in herself.

You can say sort of the same thing about Rose, who only manages to cross blades with Bigby by a still unexplained gift of power. That’s why her borderline contemptuous dismissal of Snow from the battle is hard to tolerate. Totenkinder is her usual tactless (“The template has been locked in. You’d only pollute it.”), but Rose uses fighting words, seemingly getting back at her sister for all the years Snow has dismissed (rightfully, I might add) her:

“Besides, Frau Totenkinder and I trained for months as a duo. We can’t just add a third wheel now. You might freeze up at the critical moment, like Ozma did… Sorry, Sis. You may be dressed up like me, but I’m the king of New Camelot, while you’re…well, you’re not. For once you’re the one superfluous to our needs.”

In a way, this makes Rose’s defeat (well, draw) all the more satisfying. Honestly, it would’ve been more entertaining to see Snow face her husband. She’s got the street cred, for one thing, and the added dimension of her relationship to Bigby obviously has emotional potential that Rose, swearing to kill him the next time, does not.

I’m curious to see how the next encounter with Bigby turns out, but I’m actually more interested in Brandish’s next move, now that he’s revealed himself and demanded a trial by combat.* He thinks his victory is assured, since he can’t be killed on account of his missing heart, but what happens after? Kill off all the other knights of New Camelot? Reunite with Leigh? Take revenge on Snow, Rose, etc.? Finish what he started with Bigby? The possibilities are dazzling, compared to the ongoing Bigby nonsense.

Buckingham isn’t terribly inspired where action sequences are concerned, but he can make them as convincing as everything else he draws. As always, I have little to say other than his work is the meat and potatoes of comic book art: simple, unambitious, and satisfying.

More impressive is Nimit Malavia’s bodacious art in the back-up, which, in a weird twist, gets placed at the front of the episode. Even though the bit is nearly all talking-heads, Malavia fashions the reaction shots well enough to give them some heft. You have no problem with the art, but the back-up itself is sort of pointless since its conclusion will be part of the main storyline anyway. It’s just silly and confusing to peek at Snow and Cinderella talking about current events in the past. It can only diminish the importance and undermine the suspense of what’s going on right now.