Fables #55 - Review and Spoilers

[Jack]

Among other things, this issue is the very satisfying counterpoint to #53, with Pinnochio explaining in very detailed terms exactly why the Snow Queen's plan to destroy Earth won't work, and exactly how screwed the Empire would be if they tried it.

Which is very, very, totally screwed. Basically, Pinnochio explains that spreading disease with magic will kill millions, but it will also prove to the mundies that they're under attack, which will let Fabletown step in and direct them to the Homelands, which they will be able to destroy with relative ease, thanks to the way that the Empire is organised. And Earth will be more than happy to take their revenge, while also taking the Empire's hundreds of worlds for themselves.

Because of Pinnochio's magically-ensured loyalty, everything he says is the exact truth, so Gepetto agrees that their plan is useless... unless every member of Fabletown and the Farm is dead first.

Also, Beast and Prince Charming discuss what Hansel and his men are up to, which is apparently just exploring NYC, which is what both tourists and spies would do. And Blue talks to Rose about Red, leading to the possibility of a romance between the two of them.

The backup is about the Three Blind Mice, and is very entertaining.

Great issue, and as I said incredibly satisfying for anyone who has read #53. There are some great and very funny moments in it. My favourite line is "I've got my eye on a cozy valley down the way that needs a new King." :D

Mark Buckingham gets some great images to draw, full of things we've never seen in Fables before, and things that are just downright fun. Who doesn't want to see a modern army parachuting directly on top of a group of monster siege towers?

EDIT - it occurs to me that it may not have been #53 that I'm talking about. I can't go check at the moment. #53 or #52, one of those.

[Schmakt]

I think this one is probably my favorite of the arc so far. Great story and art... "Just don't shoot the big wolf... you'll just make him really angry." :)

Does Pinnochio actually know about the genie? I thought he was just guessing that the mundys would figure out something and that the art was just showing what that something would be... but Pinnochio doesn't actually KNOW about the genie, right?

That could be helpful.

Oh yeah... I liked seeing those F-16's fry those dragons too. :)

And I'm very much looking forward to seeing how the Homelands decide to take out ALL of the Fables without alerting the mundys to what's going on.

I am wondering, however, about the witches... Couldn't they just cast a spell to, I dunno, turn all the oil into ducks or something? That would pretty much screw up anything the mundys could do...

[Jack]

I am wondering, however, about the witches... Couldn't they just cast a spell to, I dunno, turn all the oil into ducks or something? That would pretty much screw up anything the mundys could do...

I don't think Fables magic is so convenient, and even if it is, there are too few witches and wizards, too sparsely spread out across the Empire. And we saw the Earth solution to magic is to take out all of the magic-users from a distance before starting proper assaults.

[Butters415]

Yeah, I'm a little ignorant here. How did you guys get issue #55 already? I thought it doesn't come out until the week of Nov 15.

[Raziel]

Does Pinnochio actually know about the genie? I thought he was just guessing that the mundys would figure out something and that the art was just showing what that something would be... but Pinnochio doesn't actually KNOW about the genie, right?

No Pinnochio doesn't know about the genie. They showed US how they would do it. Pinnochio says and I quote "I'm not sure how they'll do it, but it's just a practical problem which they'll overcome because they have to."


Also is it me or has Beast been getting bigger everytime we see him?

[Mikey Did It]

Just put this one down and can say I was extremely pleased with where he took it. This wasn't so much just the other side of the story, but a quick change from what I thought was going to happen in the coming storylines. Instead of some sort of giant war ahead he's left us a multitude of character rich story possibilities, as assassinations tend to be more personal; to contrast the last big battle which was more a community effort.

Also, my first post, so it's nice to find other people who dig Fable.

Boy Blue ftw.

[Ray192]

Nice. I really want to see the Fabled Lands vs. Earth thing play out.

And I want the African/Asian fables to get involved sometime too.

[ultramandingo]

Pinnochio left out the part where we nuke all the disneylands and "reprogram" the kids who watch fabel happy meal propaganda catroons over and over . hit em where it hurts