Fables, Vol. 1: Legends in Exile By Bill Willingham
Typical fairy tale opening, but in “fictional” NY. A man takes a taxi, and stiffs the guy on a tip. Blonde headed fella, Jack from the Beanstalk runs into a ritzy building to see Bigby, the Wolf, but a man. Meanwhile, Snow White is listening to Beauty and the Beast talk of their marital troubles, Beast still periodically turning beastly once in awhile because of the curse still working when the 2 fought because of it. Beauty asserts it was normal anyways, for being together for thousands of yrs, and on top of it, Beast having a speech impediment caused by his overgrown fangs. Finally, it’s revealed Snow works with the Fable government as Director of Operations, she empathetic, but getting to the point of Beast being called about not being in compliance with staying hidden to the Mundane world.
The other problem is ofc, money, since they didn’t maintain any of their royal finances, the 2 barely making enough to survive. Snow White relates if Beast couldn’t control his appearance then he’d have to be moved to the Farm where the other non-humans lived. Snow White clarifies as well, she couldn’t help them, since everyone had lost everything from their enemy making them all flee from their homes. As a government worker, Snow barely got a decent wage since they relied on donations, but they being focused on keeping their community knit.
Snow also states they had every right to speak with King Cole, but he was the event guy, and left her in charge, so Beauty and the Beast leave, it being revealed Snow had dropped her Prince 100s of yrs ago. Beauty also raggs on Snow about the dwarves, which is when she ends their meeting. “Blue boy” says to them as they leave how no one should speak of the dwarves to Snow. Next, a handsome man flirts with his waitress, she becoming quite forward, so he admitting he couldn’t pay his check, she finding him charming enough to pay his bill, and take him home for a bit of piece, then introing himself as Prince Charming.
Back with Snow, Wolf comes in to tell news she reveals she already knew, regarding her ex being back, since he’d worn his welcome with the Euro royals. Wolf clarifies his news is of her sis, Rose Red missing, her apt trashed, and being discovered by her bf. Snow is at first unphased by this, due to RR’s rep as a party wild child, til Wolf mentions there’d been copious blood, she then threatening him she’d be coming or he’d lose his job, since he’d been refusing for her possible contamination of the crime scene. So the 2 take a cab to the apt, Jack of the Beanstalk being RR’s bf, and stationed outside to keep everyone out.
Wolf reveals how as sheriff of fabletown, he felt obligated to be candid with Snow. Jack is glad Wolf’s back, showing how gorey the scene is, Snow shocked. Wolf instructs the 2 remain outside whilst he did his work, going in and examining the room, Snow piping in, til he clarifies she had to shut up for him to work properly, so begrudgingly obliges for now. When he joins them back outside the door, he arrests Jack, saying he’s resisting arrest, Snow asking if he’d done it, Wolf implying this is how they’d find out.
The next day as Snow comes in, she’s greeted by a man mopping. At Wolf’s apt, he’s trying to kick out the pig he’d blown the house of straw down to, saying he is actually going to the Farm this time, but the Pig feeling he was owed, still. He explains how he is a city pig, and Biggs is showing he’d changed his ways by allowing him to remain alive through the night. Wolf offers the pig breakies of ham and eggs before kicking him out, Pig not amused as he smokes a ciggy.
In Manhattan, Molly is asleep after her romp with PC, whom leaves a note detailing his plan to get his things from Port Authority, and dropped some of his stuff for dry cleaning. He also requests she pick them up before she goes to work, as well as asking for laundry favors, and letting her know he’d swiped a spare key, and some of her cash; he certainly is a charmer. Meanwhile, Wolf gets a chance to sit in the garden, and Snow asks about his suspicion on Jack, he only keeping him to build his case, and uncover more info, the blood definitely being Rose’s. Wolf doesn’t believe Jack did it, but knew a Fable had, so would q him today.
Wolf suspects correctly of Snow wanting to see the interrogation, but whilst he relents, he states of Snow needing to be q’d, but she currently on her way to meet the ex. for late breakies. Meanwhile, Cinderella is sword training with Bluebeard, and reveals the rumor of Rose being killed by her creepy bf, Jack. Snow’s meeting with PC reveals his plan to sell everything he owns to a ritzy Fable, Snow stating she had no reason to help him, since he’d cheated on her with Rose. She remembers he also should be a suspect in her disappearance.
Back with Jack, he willingly cooperates and tells of how Bluebeard had dated Rose to make him jealous, and Bluebeard used to have a temper, so Wolf with Snow look into him next. He lives on the 4th floor in a magical apt, escaping with his riches, and castle. When the 2 are led inside, it’s not long before Wolf accuses Bluebeard of murdering Rose, he denying involvement. After, Bluebeard admits Rose and he had been serious, and even still had a secret engagement planned.
So, Bluebeard confesses he’s as much interested in finding the culprit, and even will put a bounty out for him. Bigby is having his hired movers recreate Rose’s belongings in her apt with the blood spatter, so they could learn how much blood was used.. Snow chats to King Cole, whom mentions having heard from Bluebeard about their accusations. Snow admits Wolf’s go-to strategy is to accuse whomever he’s speaking with, which is why if she actually signed the contract to wed Bluebeard in a yr, he normally’d kill his wife the wedding night.
Snow details the people he’d interviewed including herself, Wolf also warns of an underling of the enemy could be starting an act of war on them, so to keep him in mind. All of this means to King Cole of Snow needing to help get this settled before Remembrance Day, otherwise their next yrs budget could be affected. Whilst Bluebeard goes hunting, Wolf requests to look through 1 of Jack’s home computers, whilst he took care of his lunch. He also reveals she knew most of what happened, but the “who” and “why” still in progress, then asking for Snow to accept helping PC sell his title, but for a different purpose.
Blue Boy and Flycatcher finish recreating Rose’s apt as Wolf learns Bluebeard has come to feed Jack, so rushes in to find him threatening Jack with a knife to confess to Rose’s death. Bigby changes to part wolf, and makes an agreement with so Jack is released and to be put in his apt, whilst Bluebeard remains in custody. Bigby then states to Snow of he planning to be at the Remembrance gala this yr, and requests she be his date for his plan to work (very Poirot). Per Wolf’s phraseology, Yesterday is the only easy day, he instructs his 2 hireables on how long they had to return the apt, and Rose’s apt back to normal, before the Mundy’s see it, he only having rented the 1 room for a couple days.
Wolf then goes to see Snow to break the news of if the amt of blood Rose would’ve lost in the apt is accurate or even close, she wasn’t alive. Remembrance Day has come, and it’s a spectacle to behold. Beauty and Beast have come, she apparently feeling happy enough about the party, Beast, looking human. Beauty’s excited about winning the lottery, as well; Beast isn’t as enthusiastic.
Snow chats with PC of how well sales have gone, and seem to speed up. PC can’t help himself, but to comment on how Snow wouldn’t let go of how he treated her centuries ago. Snow gets her last dig of replying how he can look forward to truly being no one, once the auction is done. The start of the Fable communities once being many, and every type of driven person mostly not affecting each other.
Then, invasion brings them together, and either a fallen god or a jacked up wood sprite starts to quench his endless thirst. The creature takes over his own lands, then the Emerald City, then Narnia, and after this point, he’s become to powerful to stop. Most not having time to escape, so since the enemy doesn’t seem interested in the Mundane world, they join here as 1 community. Even those who can’t come to the event are celebrating.
At the party, Pinocchio looks bored, talking to a lady of how pissed off he is at the blue fairy, since he can’t age, and so has no chance of a sexual relationship. Meanwhile, Wolf is relenting on letting Jack and Bluebeard attend the gala, not revealing how much trash he had on either of them, yet. In the kitchen, it’s busy with multiple projects and timing being key, some having to slow and others speed up, Pig wandering in looking hungry. Snow and Wolf go to the dance floor, she teaching him how, then he wanting to eat after he steps on her feet.
Wolf next shares how he wants her to spread quietly to people of if they were interested or did the deed, to come to King Cole’s terrace after the drawing. Jack wins, then everyone along with him goes to the terrace where Wolf uncovers Rose’s scheme, Snow in shock, whilst Wolf calms everyone and prepares to tell all the details. Wolf is absolutely preening over how he’s getting his chance to perform the beloved parlour scene most detectives dream of getting 3 whole page panels to fluff it. Then, Wolf starts by telling of Jack’s overacting when he’d come to tell of Rose’s apartment.
Then, the apartment itself, looking very staged, Snow asking why he’d let her think Rose was dead, and clarifies he hadn’t known if she’d truly survived, yet or who had possibly killed her. Also, Rose has done all this in fear of someone, she naming Bluebeard, and he showing the signed contract. The plan was to try and get out of her debt, which Jack’s plan had failed to fix, so Snow decides they’d figure out how to pay off Bluebeard without making Rose marry against her wishes. Wolf sees Snow’s large apt for the 1st time as she tells him what she needs and the order, since she is having to plan everything to equally distribute the unhappy burden.
PC attempts to keep most of the cash winnings, but Snow makes clear it’s Bluebeard’s, now. Meanwhile, Bluebeard had to agree to take back the amt he’d paid her as dowry and break the contract, since he’d told them about it before his yr was up. Wolf and Snow then tell Rose and Jack of having to accept PC’s deal to buy hack his titles and lands to cover their legal fees, and they getting to stay out of jail. Wolf then confesses he having Snow be his date was for selfish reasons, she telling him straight to not pull it again.
A prequel tale of Wolf as a wolf sampling the new snobs attempting to take over the area, he not caring for the taste of goblins. As Wolf eats different enemies, they still don’t sate his appetite for being slightly off. The soldier’s he allows to speak to him for a moment, make him realize he didn’t want to be recruited as an underling to the enemy emperor. Wolf is careful over the coming yrs, 1 time being able to take advantage of a route escaped prisoners took, these ones caught and being led in a chain line, so Wolf chomping on the back walkers.
Wolf works his way in toward to sisters who stand their ground as others attempt to flee or drop to the ground. The black haired sister picks up a sword nearby, from a fallen soldier Wolf had eaten. Wolf isn’t scared and also guesses why they could be there for their accents, he saying how he knew of a witch’s cave, but he can’t take them unless they allow him a taste for their flesh, to be sure they aren’t with the Emperor; they had a tainted flavor. Yrs later, Wolf sees the dark haired woman, Snow again with an aristocratic fella, whom keeps himself between Wolf and her.
Normally, Wolf could detect people’s emotions, but doesn’t vibe anything off this guy. She then offers him the chance to be curse with humanity, he accepting and at 1st is uncomfy by the clothes, but knows he’d chosen for his being intrigued by Snow. It’s a fine volume, I don’t really care for it though, so whilst it is available for free on getcomics.info, I’m good.
