Customer Reviews

Fables Vol. 6: Homelands

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I absolutely love Fables. That's the best way to express it. I lover everything about it...its originality, its irreverance, its twists, its art, everything. Homelands is the sixth volume in the series and collectes Fables #34-41.

The first arc picks up after the battle in volume 5 and shows what Jack has been up to. I don't want to give anything away but let's say that it involves Hollywood and a trilogy. A very entertaining read and is told from the POV of characters that Jack had interacted with in show business and pokes fun at the current media obsessed society of today.

The second story follows Boy Blue after his return in the Homelands. He slowly and after spilling much blood, finally learns the true identity of the Adversary...this one is worth the price tag of the book alone. After being captured by the Adversayr, Blue finally learns motives behind the Adversary's actions and finally finds out the truth about Red Riding Hood. This story really puts Boy Blue and makes him shine. His side as a cunning warrior is explored as evident by the way he escapes from the Adversary.

Fables has quickly become one of my favorite non-superhero title. It is one of the best adult-themed comics in the market alongside the likes of 100 Bullets. The author Willingham really flshes out each character and humanize them with the imperfections that come with the territory. Fables has been a very fun read since its inception and the trend continues with the Homelads. Very high recommendation for old fans and new fans alike.

Volume 6 opens with Jack of the Tales in Hollywood, using the billions of dollars of loot he stole in the last volume to start his own studio. This story (and the entire volume) takes place over a period of years, so Jack's scheme actually works better than most of his previous ideas, though as usual, things don't turn out quite the way he wanted in the end.

But tying up many loose threads left dangling in previous volumes, the main star of "Homelands" is Boy Blue. No longer a blues-playing office clerk, in this volume he hacks and slashes his way across the many worlds from which the Fables originally fled, giving us a look at what this fantasy realm is really like and how the Empire ruled by "the Adversary" really works. On his quest to kill the Emperor, we get the answers to many questions, but the war continues, and the future of Fabletown is still an open question.

Back home, there are several interesting developments both in Fabletown and up on The Farm. We meet Mowgli of the Jungle Book, who has a conversation with Bagheera (imprisoned since his participation in the failed rebellion in Volume 2) and then is given a secret mission by Prince Charming. A long-time character is revealed to be a traitor, Snow White's children are growing up, and the volume ends with a sad twist. Many subplots from previous volumes have been wrapped up, but plenty of new ones are spawned.

This sixth volume of the "Fables" series does not disappoint. If you want to start the series at this point....don't. In order to fully appreciate this volume, you should start with Volume 1 and work your way forward. Storylines that have been under development for sometime are tied together at this point.

Don't even read anymore of this review! :-)

In a way, this graphic novel is about what happened to the things 'stolen' from Fabletown after the Adversary's attack and Prince Charming's election as Mayor.

The first part deals with Jack Horner and what he did with the contents of the late Bluebeard's missing treasure room. Up until now he has been portrayed as the pathetic hustler with one flawed get-rich scheme after another. Jack is the kind of guy that got your sister pregnant and then skipped town. He's the guy that's always borrowing money with no intention of paying it back. This is the loser your girlfirned dumped you for.....

Well this is one of his good ideas. Old Jack is a huge success. Even though he's set back at the end, he's still set up for his own personal series that I've reviewed elsewhere.

As satifying as the Jack tale is, it can't compare with Boy Blue's saga. He's left Fabletown stealing the Witching Cloak, the Volpal Blade and his best friends Pinocchio's body. He's returning to the Homelands to 1) Find Gepetto and see if he can fix Pinocchio 2) Reunite with his lost love - Red Riding Hood.

This is where Willingham and company's genius shines. Our nerdy trumpet-playing office clerk is really a man of cunning, brilliance, conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity. It's like Peter Parker and Spiderman. His primary motives are loyalty and love to the people closest to him. For this he risks his life in returning to the Adversary's empire, the Valley of the Shadow of Death referred to in the title. The journey is perilous and skillfully plotted with surprises and revelations along the way.

If I'm ever in jam, I'd want Boy Blue to come to my rescue.

After Sandman, I thought there would be never be anyhting as good but this series proves me wrong. Great characters and nice story arc.

I am on some kind of FABLES kick right now, as I rapidly tear thru the trade paperbacks. FABLES Vol. 6: HOMELANDS collects issues #34-41, opening with Jack Horner's departure of Fabletown and his dubious Hollywood adventures, which span several years (but only two issues). If you like the kind of protagonist Jack is (self-absorbed, scheming, a tad shady), then you might see how Hollywood is a perfect fit for him. It's a fun story arc, and Willingham manages a couple of wicked digs at Tinseltown. Jack does get his comeuppance at the end, and nobody really gets hurt except for several Hollywood low-lifes (but, then again, they're Hollywood low-lifes). Oh, and Jack turns out to be pretty mean to tiny, pocket-sized Jill, who left the Farm and went with Jack to see the world, only to find the world not as comforting as the Farm (and there's always that bit about having to stay out of sight of the humans). But Jill, in the end, is able to orchestrate her own measure of get-back at Jack.

As writer Bill Willingham puts it, "...Jack was never seen in Fabletown again, unto the very end of days." But for fans of this inept trickster, this two-part "Jack Be Nimble" storyline only paves the way for his own series JACK OF FABLES (see Jack of Fables Vol. 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape). From what I hear, it's not half-bad.

And then we get into the meat of this trade, the all-important five-part "Homelands," the central figure of which is the surprising Boy Blue, who one day simply left Fabletown.

But, hey, a segue: FABLES first introduced Boy Blue as the unassuming but efficient office clerk to Fabletown's administrative offices, and as someone, it seemed, doomed to be perenially relegated to mere background character status. Occasionally, he likes to play moody jazz on his horn. But, hold up. We eventually find out that Boy Blue has had a tragic, bloody past. And, not one to toot his own horn (hah!), but Boy Blue, in truth, is quite the accomplished warrior. Last featured in Fables Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers, we learned of his part in the fables' last stand in the Homelands and his ill-fated romance with Red Riding Hood. We then learned of how Baby Yaga posed as Red Riding Hood and attempted to invade Fabletown, and how she caught and tortured Boy Blue for days. The invasion was fought off successfully. Boy Blue, in time, fully recovered.

"Homelands" is about Boy Blue getting his vengeance on, of an assassination in mind and the quest for the real Red Riding Hood. Armed with the powerful Witching Cloak and the fabulous Vorpal Sword of the Jabberwocky fame (and with his best friend Pinocchio's wooden corpse in tow), Boy Blue cuts a gory swath thru the Homelands, as he goes thru the magical back-alley gateways, each time getting closer to the Adversary's homeworld. It's very neat seeing Boy Blue in this light, as he cooly braves the dangers of the Adversary's conquered kingdoms. Man, there's plenty of bloody snicker-snack! action for those craving sword & sorcery derring-do. And, finally, finally, we find out the identity of the mysterious Adversary, who, after more than a millennium, has only now accomplished the total take-over of the European fable worlds (the Arabian fables are next!).

Then, for Boy Blue, there's one final bit of tragedy.

Issue #39 is appropriately titled "Meanwhile" as it cuts in the middle of the "Homelands" story arc to catch us up with current doings in Fabletown. In "Meanwhile" Mowgli, one of the Tourists (Fabletown's secret agents sent out into the mundy world), returns to Fabletown on mayor Prince Charming's behest. Charming has a proposition for Mowgli, who, having just discovered that his friend and mentor, Bagheera, is being kept caged for past acts of rebellion (see Fables Vol. 2: Animal Farm), is eager to broker a deal to free the proud panther.

Also, a traitor is unearthed in the confines of Fabletown.

As usual, writer Bill Willingham invests layers of realism and grit and twisted humor into these stories. His "Jack Be Nimble" stretch is particularly snarky. "Homelands" actually comes close to being a throwback to classic heroic fantasy, although Willingham throws in enough of a contemporary perspective to skew the traditional fantasy elements. Again, Boy Blue proves to be a sympathetic lead character and very impressive with the Witching Cloak and the Vorpal blade. David Hahn pencils and inks "Jack Be Nimble," and he shows off his simple, clean lines. But, predictably, it's Mark Buckingham, with inks by Steve Leialoha, who makes you sit up and take notice. His rendering of "Heartlands" is flawless. And, of course, James Jean's covers are worthy of long, long looks.

FABLES is hands down one of the best comic books currently going on. If you haven't yet checked this series out, you're in for hours of terrific reading. The good news is that it doesn't look like Bill Willingham's run of creativity will dry out any time soon. Hopefully, "happily ever after" is a long ways away.

In this case, it's the world of "Fables," the place where storybook characters have (or had) real lives versus the hundred or more planets under control of The Adversary. The Fables live in exile here on Earth, blending in when they look human enough, and withdrawing to a private enclave if they don't. No matter how many hundreds of years they live among us, they still have a dream of returning to their one-time home. Five of the seven monthlies collected in this volume follow a heroic quest to make return possible - an attempt to assassinate The Adversary himself. The story takes several startling turns, and promises more action in future volumes.

The other two monthlies reproduced here each tell one-issue stories of their own. In the first, Jack (of the Beanstalk, of the giant-killing and of many other stories) sets out to find his fortune, as he's done so very successfully so many times before. And he does - up until he incurs the wrath of a woman scorned, and doscovers just how much wrath can be packed in even a small woman. The other story looks inside the new administration. It's not nearly so solid as they'd like people to think, and a side-trip of an adventure gets under way. By its nature, it's best told in small glimpses at long intervals, so I'm looking forward to more of it.

This collection represents something a turning point in the Fables' tale. For one thing, we learn far more about the scope and power of The Adversary, with hints that the war is about to heat up. For another, it makes less mention of the Fables' fabulous lives. Partly for that reason, this might be the first in this series of collections that I wouldn't recommend to a newcomer. It certainly lives up to the standards of the earlier stories, but really works best for someone who already knows something about the characters and the premise of the story. It's very enjoyable, make no mistake, but easier to enjoy if you've been reading the series in order so far.

-- wiredweird

The premise of this wonderful series is to rewrite and expand the world of fairy tales. They characters of which has entered our world fleeing a great evil. Lost of fun, smart and witty, typical american style illustrations for the most part, but nice. Some similarities of premise to the Sand Man series, but not quite as inventive or as extensively research and deep. Start at #1 for the best read.

I really have to hand it to them, I wasn't that much of a fan of Jack or Blue until I read this collection. Jack's story takes place with his greatest scheme yet, which places him in Hollywood, creating a blockbuster trilogy and boom... well, you have to see. And Boy Blue's story is just fantastic as he battles his way across the Homelands to rescue Pinnochio and Red Riding Hood. A definite must.

With shadowed hints about the Homelands and how various Fables escaped this may be the volume fans have been waiting for. But upon opening the cover, they have to wait a little longer. The first two issues tell the tale of Jack. He has left Fabletown and hit the road. Now he is in California and using stolen Fabletown funds to finance a new movie industry. The idea is to make a series of movies about himself and increase his popularity/presence. But we know things do not always work out the best for Jack. I was a little disappointed in this tale as Beast now seems able to change at will as opposed to in relation to Beauty's feelings. This is just wrong, he is Beast nor Bigby.

After Jack's little adventure we finally move to the Homelands. Boy Blue has taken the Witching Cloak, the Vorpal Blade and Pinocchio's body and fled to the Homelands. Now we see what he is up to and what is going on in these fabled lands. Boy Blue is quite the unstoppable force as he secretly works his way from world to world. His quest takes him through many adventures and brings him face to face with many powerful denizens including the Snow Queen and the Emperor. But when trouble takes him to the second part of his quest, Blue and the readers learn the truth behind what has been going on in the homelands. Eventually Blue returns to the Mundane world to face the consequences of his actions and we learn even more secrets.

While Blue is on his adventures, things are not completely quiet in Fabletown. Beast is growing into his role as Sheriff while Prince Charming has his hands full as Mayor. We learn a little more about the Tourist and even meet one. We learn of a traitor and his fate. We even learn a little about hoe the Fable community plans to respond to the Adversary and his incursions into the mundane world.

All in all this volume is packed with adventure, intrigue and revelations. Like earlier in volumes there is a lot of action off-stage. This makes the story move quickly but may be disappointing to some (although they should be used to it by now). If you have been following the series you will really want to read this one. Check it out.

The five-part Homelands arc of Bill Willingham's amazing series Fables drops a huge bombshell on us by finally revealing the identity of the mysterious Adversary. At last, the exiled Fables have a face to place with the name of the being responsible for enslaving their lands and exiling them to the mundane world of ours.
Before I get into the Homelands story, though, I will start off by reviewing the first arc in the collection, Jack Be Nimble. It tells the story of Jack of the Tales in Hollywood, which starts off around the same time as the events of The Mean Seasons. After the Battle of Fabletown in March of the Wooden Soldiers, Jack was able to steal a large amount of treasure from the Fabletown vaults and use it to finance a series of films about his life. He, along with the Fable Jill (who, for some reason, is a miniature woman who has been forced to live at the farm her whole time in our world due to her inability to blend in with "mundies") start a production company and become one of the most "fascinating" people in Hollywood due to their elusive nature. This is a fun arc that leads directly into the spin-off series Jack of the Fables, set to premiere next month.
The Homelands arc involves Boy Blue's return to the Homelands after the Battle of Fabletown. After stealing a cloak with a powerful enchantment, the Vorpal Blade of Jabberwock fame, and Pinnochio's lifeless body, Blue has been trekking across the Homelands in order to defeat the Adversary once and for all and to save Red Riding Hood, his lost love. However, nothing is what it seems to be, with the Adversary's true identity coming as a huge shock as well as a bizarre reunion with Red. An intermediary issue in the Homelands arc shows what has been going on in Fabletown. Prince Charming, Beauty, and Beast, have finally settled into their roles, and they must find out who has been leaking information to the Adversary, while Mowgli, of the Jungle Book, is introduced. He is called a "tourist", which is a Fable agent under the sheriff who travels the world performing missions. Beast's latest mission for Mowgli, though, may prove to be fatal for the man-cub.
All the stories in this collection are good, but it seems like nothing can compare to March of the Wooden Soldiers, which was an amazing story. The Homelands arc also has a strange pace, but it still very enjoyable. And while the revelation of the Adversary's identity might seem like the beginning of the end of the series, it is really a catalyst for many more stories to come. The following story arc is alluded to when the Adversary states that after countless centuries, he has just finished conquering the lands of European Fables, and is prepared to begin enslaving the Arabian Fables. Also, now that his identity is known, the Fabletown Fables may try to strike back, or he may try to make another attempt at enslaving Fabletown. This series is amazing, and it seems like things are only going to get more interesting...