Customer Reviews

Fables Vol. 10: The Good Prince

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Fables 10: The Good Prince" is latest of Bill Willingham's outstanding Fables series. If you are not familiar with the series I recommend you read no further. Start at the beginning. In order to truly understand and enjoy this series and put this book done with a sense of satisfaction, you have to start at the beginning.

Even if you're familiar with the series, I'll try and not spoil it by giving away too much of the movie. :-)

This series of stories centers around Flycatcher, the Frog Prince. Recently he has come to terms with the death of his wife and children at the hands of the Adversary. He's not the same anymore. He's no longer the dim-witted, happy- go- lucky genial janitor of Fabletown. He's a man in mourning and he's finally ready to do something about it.

Along with the Forsworn Knight and wearing his armor guided by visions, Ambrose descends into the Witching Well on a desperate mission. He is the only man for the job. But before he can start, he needs the help of those at the bottom of the well........

Meanwhile, Prince Charming and other leaders of the community are preparing for war. Prince Charming is a first rate wartime leader. They have been made aware that Lord Hansel and company have a mission to rescue the heads of wooden soldiers captured in the battle for Fabletown. In the process they are a distraction while the Adversary plans to destroy our world.

As the events unfold, we find out so much. Things like who is the real power in Fabletown. We learn who originally wore the armor of the Forsworn Knight. We find that the Adversary is more than a talking puppet but someone still pulls his strings with ridiculous ease. Of course Bigby and Snow are hardly retired.....

It never ceases to amaze me how this series remains fresh. Mr. Willingham is a genius. In my previous review, I have never given proper credit to the artwork of Mark Buckingham. He is my favorite artist of the series. His style is heavily, unabashedly influenced by the late, great Jack Kirby. Look at the portrait of Boy Blue on page 32. It's very reminiscent of Kirby's Kamandi. The goblin soldiers and their uniforms remind me of Mister Miracle and the denizens of Darkseid.

This is a worthy addition to the series and reading it was a joy.

I thought by now I'd be over FABLES. I mean, Ten bound volumes, plus those Jack extras, etc.

But no. It keeps me involved and interested and delighted. While the critique that this one is not sufficiently involved with evolving characterization rings true, we nevertheless get some revelations, we get a fun plot with a twist, we get a bit of humor, and we get a trip down to the Witching Well (which, come on, weren't you curious?)

This installment, which harkens more to a traditional hero's journey, a more traditional fable, in this case, Flycatcher's redemptive journey, fills that bill nicely. We see tormented Flycatcher take the reins of his destiny--and, naturally, magic is afoot. His journey twines with that of the Forsworn Knight (another recurring background character who has been tickling curiosity out of me from the start). The two find a way to heal wounds, make amends, and do good. It will affect both the exiles and the homelanders. It's certainly gonna tick off the Big Baddie puppetmaker.

Characterization quibbles aside, and even the complaint that this too easily solves a great portion of the war build-up---well, I'm gonna give the writers credit that they'll find a way to up the stakes, despite what happens here.

This is a story of redemptions, heroism, self-sacrifice, and reaping the rewards of virtue (or the just desserts of baddieness). It's got a happy ending (which I love), and it gives a message of seeking ways other than traditional warfare to bring a resolution (at least in part) and solve problems for the greater community. That's a good lesson. Although, naturally, it's easier done when one has magical armor, Excalibur, and a band of special fighters not limited to traditional means. (Okay, so maybe that does dilute the pacifistic point. Heh.) There's even a nifty ecological message in the climactic battle.

All in all, a wonderful addition to the ongoing storyline of FABLES. I love this series. Top-notch stuff. Can't wait to get #11 to add to my collection.

Mir

For a series that continually seems to get better and better, it seems that Fables Vol.10: The Good Prince TPBs is hands down the strongest of the bunch. A great compelling read that captures a years worth of issues in to one neat little book and will keep you so enthralled in the story that you won't be able to put it down until its finished. Finally seeing Ambrose become a major character despite his humble background in the Fables landscape seems to be the most fitting of fairy tale aspects for this series while also remaining relevant to modern times and social climates. If your a fan of the series who needs to catch up or a collector who can't being themselves to open up your bag and boarded issues get this, read it, you won't be disappointed.

Bill Willinmgham's creative use of fairy, folk, and fabulous tales has yet to fall short or disappoint in any way. The stories engage the reader and journeys him through imaginative arabesques never imagined no matter how familiar the story. This volume further strengthens FABLES' ascended avatar among the best of the trade collection pantheon. The characterization remains rich, adding to the already considerable depth of Prince Ambrose, the Bigby bad wolf cubs, Weyland Smith, and Frau Totenkinder in delightful ways. The plot, while quite complex, even byzantine, for a graphic novel, winds lovingly and at length back upon itself with grace and aplomb. Again, these are not the watery and weepy nursery tales of the Disney ilk, but it is so grand to see these archetypal stories returned to the vivaciously dark and brilliant milieus from whence they originated. Superb reading and looking.

I've been a fan of Fables for a long time--I love the writing, the art, the characters and the story. I'd been a little sad to see the series fall in quality over the last few storylines, and was really looking forward to this story, as it seemed to promise a return to the glory days--an epic plotline on par with "Homelands" or "March of the Wooden Soldiers."

I was, unfortunately, disappointed.

The problem is, I think, in the plotting. I won't give much away, but suffice it to say Flycatcher, the innocent, pure janitor who only recently remembered the fate of his family under the Adversary, goes on an epic journey to redeem himself and their memory. How what he ends up doing really connects with them isn't made clear, which is a fault, but much bigger is the general lack of real conflict or character development. There's only one point, right at the end of the story, where the reader really fears for the hero's survival. I mean, given the artificial nature of narrative, the reader understands implicitly that yes, the hero probably survives at least until the climax of the story, but each tribulation that Flycatcher faces is easily overcome. They should have spent more space showing the struggles rather than summarizing their difficulty, and they should have made them more difficult overall.

It just seems as if everything is laid at the hero's feet. Yes, this is occasionally how things work out in real life (presidencies, college acceptances, cush corporate positions), but it doesn't make for very compelling reading. As a result, not only is the story dramatically flat, but the main character doesn't seem to develop all that much. Flycatcher at the end is pretty much the same Flycatcher we've loved since the beginning of the series--and after all this, he shouldn't be.

Interspersed in Flycatcher's main story are snippets of Fabletown preparing for war with the Adversary. This was interesting, but I feel it detracted from Flycatcher's journey--if he doesn't get a break from his struggles, why do we? And by the end, I didn't feel I'd read a complete story--the dramatic payoff of the Flycatcher story was too light, and the war promised more compelling drama.

Technically, the story leaves something to be desired. The writing is riddled with overly wordy, stilted, unrealistic dialogue, with characters monologuing about what they're doing or planning instead of getting on and doing it. The series has always had this problem to a certain extent, and even the best of writers do it every once in a while, but it really shows here. And though I'm a tremendous fan of certain aspects of Buckingham's art, it's been getting a little sloppy of late, and seems particularly rushed in certain parts. On the other hand, he still manages to deliver some stunning vistas and clever cuts. The best art of the book is in the guest artist's issue, however.

I struggled to decide whether to rate this two or three stars; in the end, my affection for the series won over my criticisms. But I hope they pick up the ball for the coming war and ramp up the drama. Our heroes need true obstacles, not wave after wave of easily-dispersed faux-foes. Heaven forbid, it might be useful to kill a few of them off, like they did in the early days of the series. This book hasn't soured me on Fables, but I will be looking to the next plotlines with a more critical eye. I've seen how good they can be; I expect to see that quality again.

I have to agree with the previous 3-star review by Ethan Jennings: this latest addition to the--up to now--consistently excellent Fables series is indeed a disappointment. After Santa's ominous warning in Volume 9 I expected a heart-wrenching story of Flycatcher coming to terms with his long suppressed grief over his family's murder, after which he'd move on to great and valiant deeds... Instead I find a story plotted with a very heavy hand, with most if not all of the seams showing. I'm sorry to say that the really wooden characters in this story arch aren't Pinocchio's siblings but all the others, starting with our ex janitor. He--and the Forsworn Knight, and Frau Totenkinder, and even Bufkin--is not allowed to develop but instead seems a plot puppet that advances a flat and predictable story with leaden steps, from plot point A to B to C all the way to Z.

Sorry for the--kind of--spoiler, but the fact that Willingham has resurrected a number of characters long dispensed with makes me wonder if one of the reasons for the below standard delivery is that he didn't want to mess with the real story and the characters driving it. The appearance of a certain grove of trees, however, makes me wonder if he hasn't taken the edge off the upcoming war (I read the damn things in TPBs, since I gave up on individual comics a long time ago, so even though the story is out by now I'll have to wait until November for the next volume). I wonder if another clue can't be found in Willingham's dedication to Buckingham: he confesses that the artist has championed Flycatcher as more than a background character from the start and that "this story is all his fault". Perhaps the writer wasn't altogether behind this one? And yes, on top of all this the dialogue is explicative and repetitive.

One of my continued responses to the previous Fables stories has been, simply put, delight: in the inventiveness, the humor, the roundness of the characters, the pacing of the story. I was really looking forward to this one, but sadly these qualities are lacking in The Good Prince.

I'm surprised at the negative reviews; how you could read 10 of the series, then not like this one?

Fly is quite changed, and its explained. Lots of planning was done to set things up for him to do what he does. Some nice character development.

Now - what happens next? Some friends are trading copies - I need the next one!

As the last collection of Fables I read was some months ago, I was curious to see how well I might be able to slide myself back into the narrative that Willingham has excellently created to this point.
I was not disappointed.

'The Good Prince' manages to deftly weave together parts of the scenery, previous chunks of story from Fables as well as integrate yet-untouched tales into the plot, and all rather amazingly. The art is all very evocative (with the possible exception of the brief interlude with Bigby and Snow White; whoever that artist is, he or she seems to be operating on a different wavelength from the rest of the artists on the series) of the sorts of stories that Willingham wants to create.

I was somewhat curious as to how some of what happened came about (like why suddenly Ambrose/Fly was "Da Man") and the story managed to stay one step ahead of me (with maybe the last "battle" being the exception).

I am most curious to continue the series now, as not only has it been a heck of a read so far, but now it would appear that the balance between the Fables and the Adversary has been irrevocably tipped in the Fables direction - how will this all pan out??

First, there was Boy Blue's arse-kicking incursion, which resulted in who knows how many casualties for the Adversary (see Fables Vol. 6: Homelands). Then, Bigby Wolf's secret retaliatory strike at the heart of the Adversary's Empire (see Fables Vol. 8: Wolves). Now, as the end caption of issue #60 reads: "Single-handedly invading the Homelands. Third time's a charm." It's Prince Ambrose's turn. Except that he doesn't do this single-handedly.

(Catching up on this amazing title, for those who need it: FABLES scribe Bill Willingham imagines characters from myth, folklore, and fairy tales as real people who long ago were driven from their Homelands by the monstrous Emperor. These days, these folks live among us, inhabiting a piece of Manhattan's Upper West Side even as they hide their true nature from us. As we come up to this story arc, things have come to a head between these denizens of Fabletown and the Emperor. The stench of war taints the air - or maybe it's just smog, I dunno.)

Some SPOILERS now.

THE GOOD PRINCE recounts one of the most moving story arcs Bill Willingham has ever produced for FABLES, not to mention one of the most epic, taking up almost a whole year to chronicle. If you're at all any fan of Flycatcher, then you're gonna soar to the moon because he becomes the central character for a good while. From the start of the FABLES series, Flycatcher's been one of its recurring ancillary characters. We don't know too much of him, other than he's the Frog Prince of the famous fairy tale, but that he's lost the awful memories of his family being slaughtered. In Fabletown, this unassuming guy's been reduced to perennial custodial status, thanks largely to Bigby, who was looking out for him (there's a good reason). But, recently, Flycatcher, a prince whose real name is Ambrose, has had his painwracked memories restored to him and this becomes the catalyst for THE GOOD PRINCE cycle. And, so, after weeks of near catatonic despondency and after some straightening out by Ride and his best friend Boy Blue, Fly finally sets out to do big things in memory of his massacred family. By the time Flycatcher's epic story concludes, he'll have gained a haunted kingdom and played a key role in Fabletown's upcoming struggle against the Emperor and the Homelands.

Working thru a kind of magical intuition, Flycatcher gathers a curious assembly to him, comprising in part of characters we thought we'd never see again. His right hand man is a once glorious knight in need of redemption (that enough of a clue?). Two deceased Fabletown villains return, as well as a recent traitor. Flycatcher begins his quest with a harrowing journey thru the dead lands within the Wishing Well, this being the path he chooses to return to the Homelands. Once there, he means to establish a kingdom, as a refuge for those subjects unwilling to live under the Adversary's iron rule. This act of rebellion doesn't at all pass unnoticed, and so very soon the Emperor is deploying various armies to Flycatcher's tiny kingdom of Haven. Except that Flycatcher doesn't believe in the brutality and horror of war. Even though he now wields the legendary sword in the stone. He finds another way.

FABLES Vol. 10: THE GOOD PRINCE collects issues #60-69, including the nine chapters of "The Good Prince." As well, there's an interlude issue (#64), very welcome because we get to check in with the Wolf household as my homie Bigby, Snow, and the cubs celebrate the cubs' fifth birthdays. This story also marks the children at last finding out about their invisible brother, Ghost. Aaron Alexovich's cute, lighthearted artwork definitely shifts away from the solemn mood of Fly's storyline. Meanwhile, Prince Charming and his inner circle have learned of the Emperor's intent to war with Fabletown. And, so, Willingham also presents cutaway segments devoted to Fabletown as it girds for war, with its residents undertaking various combat training (including sniper school).

This is a really terrific read. THE GOOD PRINCE ranks very much up there as one of my favorite FABLES stories. This is the tenth TPB, covering sixty-nine issues, and writer Bill Willingham just keeps it going. There's a richness and depth here which is rarely found in other comic book titles. Guy makes you care for his cast of characters. He's so good at this that he had me totally absorbed with Flycatcher, that odd, formerly negligible dude with the mop and the frog cap. Also engrossing are the passages which dwell on Fabletown's gearing up for war, the meticulous plannings and the meetings that went into it. Meantime, longtime workhorses and respective penciller and inker Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha not only provide continuity in the visuals but, as a bonus, this trade also reproduces James Jean's fabulously ethereal covers to this run of FABLES.

One very intriguing tongue-in-cheek aspect in all this is Fly's asking the magic mirror to keep his friends apprised of his doings. This results in Fly's exploits suddenly becoming a must-see TV event for the Fabletown community - Willingham's pretty cool nudge at the ribs at reality television. Another thing I like about THE GOOD PRINCE is that Flycatcher, while having come up the world in a big way, at his core remains the same unassuming cat we've come to know. I love the coda, which has Fly donning his old hat for old times' sake - a moment of respite to go out on, as the big bad war looms over the fables.

This volume pretty much blew my mind away. Flycatcher had usually been such a insignificant character, and now... wow. The whole story was incredible, and I am eager to see what Volume 11 will bring.