Hey folks, we’re back for the second week running with a special Vertigo edition of 5.2 Reasons. If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to check out last week’s Sandman column right here. But this week we’ve left the world of dreams and entered Fabletown. So, sit back, relax, and get ready for a little tale we like to call "The Fables fable."
Once upon a time, there was a little series called Fables. And in this series, fairy tale characters from throughout history—princes like Charming and Beast, princesses like Cinderella and Snow White, animals like the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs—struggled to survive in the real world after being forced from their home by the conquering Adversary.
They battled foes, loved and lost, and because of it, Fables captured the imagination of readers worldwide and grew from one of Vertigo's newest titles to one of its flagship series.
It would be easy to say after all its success that Fables lived "Happily Ever After," but despite multiple spinoffs, a few original graphic novels, an all-new video game, several awards, and more, this fairy tale is far from over.
In fact, for fans like us, we're in for the time of our lives.
Submitted for the approval of the Midni—wait, no, that's the lead-in to "Are you Afraid of the Dark?" You're about enter another dimension. A dimension of sigh—nope. That's also wrong. Screw it, this is 5.2 Reasons it's a Great Time to be a Fables Fan!
1. So Many Ways to Become a Fan
Not only is it a great time to be a fan, it's also a great time to become a fan! There's a ton of ways to catch up on the series—from regular trade paperbacks, deluxe hardcover editions, and, of course, every issue is available digitally.
2. Still Going Strong
Over 100 issues and nearly 20 trades and the main Fables title is still going strong. Although they've beaten the Adversary (the reveal of the villain’s identity was so good we don't want to spoil it here), new challenges constantly arise for our fairy tale heroes, with the current story arc featuring the return of the Knights of the Round Table because that idea is too awesome not to happen.
3. Fairest
Fables already featured one spin-off series, Jack of Fables, which centered on everyone's favorite trickster and scam-man, Jack. So for this second spin-off, the Fables team took a different approach. Instead of centering on one particular character, Fairest features different storylines and arcs written by a revolving slate of superstar creators, each story focusing on one or two of the female characters of the Fables universe, including Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Nalayani, and many others still to come.
4. Fables Encyclopedia
Available later this month, the Fables Encyclopedia goes behind-the-scenes and into the backstories of everything Fables. Learn everything there is to know about your favorite characters with detailed biographies researched and written by Jess Nevins and annotations from Fables creators Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham.
5. The Wolf Among Us
Telltale's highly anticipated game based on the long-running title finally made its debut this week and holy mirror on the wall it's awesome. Set prior to the events of Fables #1, you play as Bigby Wolf as he polices Fabletown in a planned 5-episode adventure that features many familiar faces from the pages of the comic, including two of our personal faves Beauty and Beast!
5.1 The Upcoming Fairest: In All the Land Graphic Novel
5.2 Adam Hughes' Fairest Covers
Just... Good lord we love this man's art
Who are your favorite Fables characters? What's your favorite storyline so far? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out The Wolf Among US, available now!
