Jack of Fables
By Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges (W) and Tony Akins (A)
Published 2007 by Vertigo, originally as issues 1-5. $14.99
The Plot: In being forthright, I have to say I don’t know Jack about Fables. The series is among those that I’ve always wanted to read but am waiting for a big omnibus. I liked the first issue, like the concept, like Willingham. Just hasn’t happened yet. So, I wasn’t sure what to expect when Vertigo sent this over. Luckily, there’s an adequate amount of exposition (fables are real and most of them are nuts) to establish the larger world. Almost entirely, the story is about Jack (and the beanstalk, the giant killer, etc.) as he’s kidnapped and forced into a mysterious prison for fables. The villain, Revise, has a clever name and seems like a more suave version of the bad guy from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The plot focuses on Jack attempting to escape and generally being a smug ass, both of which are entertaining.
The Positives: Like most of Vertigo’s lineup, this is a cool idea for a story and Jack is an entertaining character to follow. He’s arrogant and dumb all rolled together, and his adventures always teeter back and forth between great success and abysmal failure. He reminds me of a cousin of mine who one minute would be careening up and down mountains in his jeep and shagging every girl he could find, then the next accidentally lighting his face on fire with white gas. Like a train wreck and a roller coaster, rolled all together.
The huge cast of peripheral characters also works well in the book’s favor. A lot of recognizable faces show up (Humpty Dumpty, Tortoise and Hare, Paul Bunyan and Babe), and a lot of lesser known ones. For the most part, Willingham and Sturges make clever twists on the characters, even if it’s just a small visual gag like the mud flaps on Tortoise. Then there’s the psychotic, nymphomaniac Goldilocks…
While you could draw a parallel between this and something like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Jack of Fables heads in a much more whimsical direction (though it contains plenty of dark moments, it’s more like Looney Toons in how a character can be terribly hurt but never dies). You’re not going to find any literary-ness in Jack of Fables, but that’s okay. It’s over-the-top and fun and moves fast enough that you don’t worry too much over the few problems.
The Negatives: On that note, the book definitely isn’t perfect. All the breaking-the-fourth-wall moments didn’t do much for me. Of course, I can’t remember any instances of that doing anything for me. But, Jack is no Ambush Bug. Also, the art is fine but nothing memorable. Seems very pedestrian for a book like this. Other than that, though, there’s nothing to complain over.
The Grade: B+ Mostly, this book just reaffirms that I should eventually read Fables. I wonder how much longevity Jack will have as a solo character, especially kept entirely separate from Fabletown, but I’m at least intrigued enough to stick with the tale.