Books of 2022: Quarter 4 - Everything Not "Fables"

 

So, just like the title says, this is everything else minus everything Fables

 

A Wanted Man by Lee Child

Following the events of the previous book, Jack Reacher is again on the side of a highway still looking to hitch a ride to Virginia. Picked up by three strangers, Reacher finds himself in more trouble when the woman in the back seat secretly reveals that she's been kidnapped. Finding no one is simply who they say they are, Reacher is pulled into a conspiracy involving the FBI, CIA, a dead man, and a collection of terror cells operating on American soil.

Needing a breather after completing the entirety of the Everworld series, I decided to go back to the Jack Reacher series. In case you're also wondering, yes, I am also excited for Amazon to release season 2 especially after how well the first season did. This book though, probably not at the top of the list for them to pull for a TV adaptation. A good chunk of the story is either Reacher riding or driving the car while an investigation takes place outside the car involving other characters. It still has enough of the Jack Reacher action and mystery I love from these books. I also learned how to talk continuously for a minute without using the letter "A" so that's a nice bonus.

 

Never Go Back by Lee Child

Jack Reacher finally makes it to Washington DC to meet with Major Susan Turner, a woman he's only ever spoken with on the phone and who now has his old job. Instead of finding Turner at his old desk, however, he finds that she's been arrested for accepting a bribe. At the same time, Reacher is pulled back into the US Army to face charges from his past that he can't recall.

The final book of the last four with some continuity (as most of the other books can be read as stand-alones) and the basis for the 2nd of the Tom Cruise "Jack Reacher" movies. To be honest, I liked the movie more than the book in this case: it provided better clues related to the plot and the Big Bad was also better. The book made Reacher's "daughter" less of an annoyance (plus she wasn't there for a majority of the story) so that's a thing the book did better. Other than that, another Jack Reacher novel. You know what to expect by now.

Deadly Class Vol 12: A Fond Farewell (part 2) by Rick Remender

The final chapter of Deadly Class! Marcus and Maria left behind their old lives of death and bloodshed to begin again as simple, regular folks trying to get by in America. Finding some fame as a writer, Marcus still struggles to reconcile his past ideals with his present situation. Meanwhile, a few of their old King's Dominion classmates are cleaning house, taking out anyone with connections to either past as well as anyone in their way, including the couple.

It's the end of the series! To think I only started this because of the cancelled Syfy show. To tell you the truth, it ended a lot differently than I expected. I didn't expect them to get to adulthood, for one, and though instead the story would stay within their school/ teenage years. And, simply based on Marcus's attitude, I expected the whole thing to end on a down note. But, as Marcus says about his own story, everyone knows that the protagonists are eventually going to die, but the story doesn't have to end there. It could just end and leave the audience in a happy, content spot, and that's what this story does.

The Magic Order by Mark Miller

In Volume One, someone is killing wizards, and not just any wizards but members of The Magic Order - a secret society of magic users sworn to protect humanity from the monsters that once ruled the Earth now driven into the darkness. They hide in plain sight, people you might see everyday: on your way to work, sitting behind a desk, a vendor on the street. The Magic Order will need all its members, even those reluctant to be a part of it, to stop those responsible.

In Volume Two, those that hide in the shadows decide to strike while The Magic Order undergoes a change in leadership. An evil warlock seeks to restore the world to the times when monsters reigned and humanity cowered before them. Cordelia will need to lead The Magic Order against those foes from the past to keep humanity safe.

Set in the present day, The Magic Order is about a secret group of wizards who protect humanity from the monsters that once ruled the world now hiding in its shadows. Though they have magic, the members are encouraged not to use it for personal gain, their current leader even refraining from using his abilities at his job as a stage magician. What I really liked about the story is that while both stories involve magical fighting, the spells weren't just generic blasts of magical force (seen in the finale of Willow on Disney+) but actual spells that did more than just go "pew-pew".

I picked up the first volume wandering Other Realms one day on simply a whim and name recognition  alone while knowing nothing about the storyline, characters, artwork, etc. Yeah, just because it had Mark Millar's name on it. If you've never heard of him, he wrote Kick-Ass, Wanted, Marvel's Civil War, Nemesis and a bunch of other comics. I loved a lot of his other work and decided to just put my trust that though this is the first magic-based comic I recall him writing, that if its as good as his superheros stories, it was going to be good - and it did not disappoint.

I Hate Fairyland by Skottie Young

I Hate Fairyland Vol 1: Madly Ever After

Gertrude was just seven years old when she was whisked away against her will to a magical fairy world. Simply wishing to return home, she is sent on a quest to retrieve a key that will return her home. Unfortunately, Gert is terrible at the tasks assigned to her and what should've been a quest filled with joy and happiness turned into Gert's blood-soaked, terror-filled rampage across fairyland lasting almost thirty years as she tries (and fails) to find the magical key to return home.

In my comic-reading binge, OtherRealms also hands out this free "Coming Soon" newsletter which is where I read that something called "I Hate Fairyland" was going to restart. Interested in the title, I took a look at the synopsis and said, "meh, why not give it a try." And holy shit, I did not expect this! Obviously, the beginning depicts Gertrude disappearing into the magical world, only the beauty is juxtaposed with kidnapping scene. The story jumps ahead by the roughly thirty years to find Gert still on her mission, obviously no longer filled with the wonder and whimsy of a child but the harsh bitterness of adulthood, comically still trapped in the child-body she arrived in. Gert solves ... all, yeah, all of her problems and encounters with excessive amounts of cartoon violence. I mean, right from the beginning, she shoots down the moon with a cannonball for annoying her with its narration, then kills a whole bunch of stars for being witnesses to the act. It's really funny and outlandish, just taking the idea of being whisked to a magical world and turning it on its head.

I Hate Fairyland Vol 2: Fluff My Life

Having ruined her own escape from Fairyland by murdering the queen, and thus becoming the queen, Gertrude must now undertake her new royal duties (which she is still horribly bad at completing). She'll meet a new dragon-costumed child who was sucked into Fairyland, enter a fighting tournament, gamble with dark wizards, and be forced to choose between two paths that could either lead her home or mean the destruction of Fairyland and everyone in it.

I Hate Fairyland Vol 3: Good Girl

Deciding to try a new tactic, Gertrude decides that perhaps if she attempts good deeds that will help her accomplish her task of getting home. Larry gets a small sneak peek at what his life might've been like if he were assigned to guide any other child. In her travels, Gert will meet her idol (as well as become one), wander a labyrinth, and encounter some old friends.

I Hate Fairyland Vol 4: Sadly Never After

It appears Gert has met her demise, finding herself in Fairyland's Hell. Fairyland, however, can't seem to let Gert rest as a new evil threatens to end the world. The fate of the world now rests upon Larry and Duncan the Dragon to bring Gert back in an effort to save Fairyland.

I Hate Fairyland (issues #1-2)

Finally back home, Gertrude bounces unhappily from job to job as the homicidal nature developed in Fairyland makes her a very, very poor employee back on Earth. In the end though, one man is willing to hire her for her very, very specific skills - to rescue his son from Fairyland.

Devil's Reign

 

 

Wilson Fisk, the former Kingpin of New York, has been elected its new mayor. In his bid to secure his power and put down the superheroes for good, he enacts a law making it illegal to be a masked vigilante in New York City. To back up his scheme, he has recruited Dr. Otto Octavius, a special squad of armored officers, and even his own Thunderbolts team. The heroes of New York will set out to defeat and expose Fisk to the people before the next election.

 

So, one of the reasons you don't see any of the traditional Marvel or DC superhero comics is just the simple fact that I have no idea what's going on in the current storylines. Seriously, this one even included end notes detailing in which specific issue a particular event happened. I personally had to stop reading at time simply to look up who certain characters were (apparently Matt Murdock has a con-artist brother or something). The only reason I picked this one up is because I bought a couple issues of the "Devil's Reign" event on a whim and decided to finish that particular storyline. It's different from the traditional hero vs villain story as Fisk is already in control, and the heroes can't simply use their powers to fight him. Yeah, I know that part of it feels like another version of "Civil War" or a Superhuman Registration Act but I mean, that's usually a big thing heroes can't just punch their way out of, so I understand using it again.

 

Quickstops (#1-3) by Kevin Smith

 

 

 

 From Kevin Smith's "Askewneverse" comes short stories based around the characters you know from the slacker movies you love. In the first issue, we get the interview with Ben Affleck's character, Brody, during the Jay and Silent Bob Reboot movie during which he describes working at the Quickstop and the inspiration behind the popular "Bluntman and Chronic" comics. In Issue Two, Randall attends the funeral of his cousin (the one that died from a broken neck while trying to suck his own dick), reminiscing about the past and his excitement at working at the video store. The third issue shows Elias working at the religious summer camp and how he got into cryptocurrency (a big part of Clerks 3).

 

Though I admit I haven't watched all of the movies that I guess fit into Smith's View Askewniverse I really liked reading all of these short side stories involving its characters. The writing, artwork, and jokes fit right in with the movies and are great accompaniments to them as well. 

Damn Them All by Simon Spurrier (#1-3)

 

 Demons aren't supposed to be summoned as easily as a dog, or a servant. Ellie Hawthorne however just discovered that someone has bound a lot of devils from the infernal realm to be called upon just like that. It'll be up to Hawthorne to send them all back to Hell.

A different take on the typical "demons from hell" stories, in this case the main character seeking to return the demons to Hell to get them away from the real bad guys.

 

 

Least We Can Do by Iolanda Zanfardino (#1-4)

 

 

A young woman sees the evil of the government and seeks to do something about it. Stealing a family heirloom in the dead of night, she sneaks off to join the rebellion with nothing except her optimism and hope. But can just one person actually make a difference?

 

An Evil Empire suppressing the masses. A growing rebellion looking to change the way things are. A new comer with no experience, boundless optimism, and a potential to turn the tide. It's a story that's of course been told countless times before. What makes Least We Can Do stand apart is just how focused on the main character's progress the story is, focusing on her growth rather than simply action and adventure as other stories might. I was also interested in the magic system where power came from rare gems. For it to work though, a person must bond with a particular gem and, so far, it's been just one gem per person.

 

 

End After End by Tim Daniel and David Andry (#1-4)

 

 Walter Willem is dead, and that's where his adventure reluctantly begins. On his way to a traditional afterlife, he is brought to the End After End to fight for a leader he doesn't recognize against alien forces for a cause he doesn't understand. He'll need to use his strength, cunning, and bravery to survive. But why should he?

An interesting concept because, really, there's no reason for Willem to do anything: He knows that if he dies there, he'll simply more onto whatever was supposed to be next for him.

Eight Billion Genies by Charles Soule and Ryan Browne (#1-6)

 

 

 One moment, life is proceeding exactly how you expect it should. The next, everyone - EVERYONE - in the world finds themselves with a single genie ready to grant them one wish. As expected, everything goes sideways as wishes are made, and cancelled, and horded, and the human population finds itself dropping in the chaos and madness. Will humanity, or even the planet, survive when everyone is given exactly what they want?

Sometimes great ideas come from a simple question. "What if everyone got exactly what they wanted?" Obviously, there is a social commentary to it all but it's also filled with comic book action as people try to protect what's theirs from the chaos of the world. Each issue starts with a current count of the number of days since the genies appeared, as well as the current genie population representing unused wishes and human beings still alive. I heard about this series after several issues had already been released, and it took a while until I could find all of the back issues in a comic shop.

GCPD: The Blue Wall by John Ridley (#1-3)

 

 

 The rookie cops just graduated from the academy and are thrust into Gotham City. Each is hopeful and optimistic, simply looking to protect and serve and make a difference. Being a police officer though is a hard job and just because you're on Batman's turf, doesn't mean the job is easier.

So far the series is just three issues into its run but it's still really heavy with issues faced by the police especially in today's climate. Honestly, when I first picked it up (a rare grab from one of the two major publishers) I was hoping for stories from the police's point-of-view in regards to working with vigilantes and apprehending supervillains but so far the story has avoided those with just one mention of Two-Face so far. The series focuses more on real-life issues, such as racism, recidivism, and hostile work environments.

I mentioned before that I got really into comics last year (originally because Dungeons and Dragons stuff are also found in comic book stores) and if you looked at this list and said, "Hey, that doesn't look like a lot," well yeah that's not all of them. So, like how I watch TV shows, read manga, and watch anime, I'm trying to give most things that I pick up a three-episode limit so see if they'll hold my interest. There's a couple comics that I started but didn't stick with, as well several more that I only picked up one or two issues before the end of the year and so I don't want to put them on this list just yet (I think almost half a dozen just off the top of my head).

Books of 2022: Quarter 4 - Fables

 

So, I got really into comics last year, and thus only read ... wait ... that can't be right ... yeah okay, so I only read two books. Yeah, so two books and a whole bunch of comic books. And if this picture doesn't look like a lot, it isn't. I really did try to get ALL of my comics into a picture but that pile was getting too big to get into a single frame. Anyways, let's get this over with. So I didn't realize how long this was going to be when I started so I ended up having to splice out everything not Fables into another post.

1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham

Set before the events of the Fables series, Snow White attempts to meet with the Arabian Fables to form an alliance against The Adversary. Instead, she is locked away as a prisoner. Upon meeting with the Sultan, she learns that she is to be his new bride, ravished, and executed the next morning - as he has done to every woman he has wed prior. Seeking to save her head, Snow White begins a series of tales shared amongst the Fable community, each story ending just as the sun rises, the Sultan too enthralled to have her killed.

The first book I bought of the entire series because of a college reading assignment ... um like a decade ago. I don't think it was for a writing class, probably a fantasy reading class, I'm guessing in the 200 level. It was amazing seeing stories I hadn't thought about since I was a kid being re-imagined into stories for an older audience in a comic book format - complete with scenes of murder, rape, revenge. I especially liked the re-imagining of certain characters such as The Black Forest Witch being almost every single unnamed witch throughout the fairytale canon (or at least the ones common to the Grimm Brother's stories). After reading this one for class, I started down a path of picking up each of the books until its "conclusion" which I guess so far holds up as DC comics started the series again about a year ago which in turn, has led to my new comic book addiction (more on ... some of those new series at the end).

The Main Fables Storyline

 

Fables vol 1-3

 Fables Vol 1: Fables in Exile (#1-5)

Set as a murder-mystery, Sheriff Bigby Wolf (The Big Bad Wolf in human form) discovers a gruesome scene at Rose Red's apartment, leading to the conclusion that she had been murdered. Along with Red's sister and deputy mayor of Fabletown, Snow White, the two interrogate suspects and gather clues to Red's disappearance while introducing Fabletown, a hidden community of exiles and refugees seemingly related to the fables and stories told on Earth.

Fables Vol 2: Animal Farm (#6-10)

As punishment for faking her death and scaring the other Fabletown residents, Snow White takes her sister Rose Red to the Upstate Fabletown Community - a.k.a. The Farm - where those Fables unable to pass as human are forced to live. Once there, the two discover an uprising amongst the non-human fables seeking to take over The Farm, then Fabletown, and finally lead a resistance against The Adversary in the homelands.

Fables Vol 3: Storybook Love (#11-18)

Jack serves as a soldier for the Confederate army in one of his get-rich-quick schemes and tricks Death itself. A short story involving a prying journalist and the ways and measures Fabletown has protected its privacy from prying Mundy (regular, non-magical humans) eyes. Bluebeard and Goldilocks (still hiding from the Fabletown authorities for her part in the previous coup) hatch a plan to take over Fabletown, starting with the elimination of Bigby Wolf and Snow White. When their plan is discovered by the secret mouse police, Prince Charming challenges one to a dual while Wolf and White find a way to elude the other.

The first three volumes serve as an introduction to the series: setting up the characters and their backgrounds. The Fables are essentially refugees that just happen to have a connection to stories told in our world fleeing from a war ravaging their own worlds (The Homelands) into our world. The audience is introduced to Fabletown, where the Fables that can pass as human live, and The Farm, where the other Fables that cannot live. Much different than the volumes that follow as the plots are set more as mysteries than as the war story that follows.

Fables Vol 4-11

Fables Vol 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers (#19-21, 23-27)

Boy Blue recounts the last days of the resistance before the Fables left the Homelands for the Mundy world, sealing the final gate behind them. In the present day, the first refugee in a century arrives in Fabletown after escaping capture by The Adversary's agents. Suspicious of the newfound Red Riding Hood's miraculous arrival, Bigby Wolf goes in search of answers. Wooden soldiers, the shock troopers of The Adversary soon arrive in Fabletown seeking to bring the refugees back under The Empire's control.

Previous stories focused on the internal strife amongst the refugees crammed together, trying to survive, while only alluding to the terror of the Adversary and his forces faced by the Fables. This is the first book where we get to see the might of the Adversary's army, and how they could overcome so many seemingly fantastical and deadly creatures.

Fables Vol 5: The Mean Seasons (#22, 28-33)

Bigby Wolf meets with an old US Army buddy from his time serving in World War II, recounting a deadly mission during which they discovered the Nazi's conducting occult experiments. In the present, Bigby Wolf and Snow White's litter is born, resulting in changes to their living situations. The mayoral election between King Cole and Prince Charming is decided. A mysterious new killer sets itself upon Fabletown, and Bigby's mysterious father visits with his grandchildren.

Fables Vol 6: Homelands (#34-41)

Escaping with a small portion of Blackbeard's treasure, Jack leaves Fabletown with another scheme in mind. Arriving in Hollywood, he quickly makes a name for himself and founds a new studio set on creating a movie trilogy all about himself. Boy Blue, meanwhile, wielding stolen magical items from the Fabletown community business office, sneaks back into the Homelands alone on a mission to rescue Red Riding Hood and to assassinate The Adversary once and for all. Succeeding in his mission, he discovers instead the true power behind the throne, Geppetto the woodcarver.

Fables Vol 7: Arabian Nights (and Days) (#42-47)

Refugees from the Arabian Fablelands arrive at the Fabletown community in search of sanctuary and to build relations between their two communities. Upon their arrival, they discover differences between their two groups as well as some similarities. Their unlikely partnership is threatened when a djinn - a powerful, magical being - is released. A short love story between two wooden dolls, Ronnie and June, brought to life to serve The Empire. Providing a look into the minds of the wooden soldiers and their creation, it also reveals the anomaly of two experiencing feelings as those made of flesh feel.

Fables Vol 8: Wolves (#48-51)

Mowgli continues his search for Bigby Wolf in order to save a friend, traveling the world and speaking with all sorts including, of course, the wolves of the land. Upon Bigby's return to Fabletown, he is immediately sent on a dangerous mission into the heart of the Adversary's realm to deliver a message to Geppetto and, to an extent, get revenge for setting the wooden soldiers upon Fabletown. Returning home, Bigby and Snow White are reunited and married, given a plot of land where they can raise their children together.

Fables Vol 9: Sons of Empire (#52-59)

Geppetto convenes a council of advisors to discuss how to deal with the exiled Fables living in the Mundy realm, especially after the destruction of the magical grove from whose trees all wooden soldiers are formed. Shorter tales introduce other Fables that don't play as big a role in the main storyline, such as Rapunzel and the Three Blind Mice. Bigby, Snow, and their children take a trip to visit Bigby's father, the North Wind, and meet with unexpected kin. Santa Claus pays the Fables a Christmas visit, changing one Fable's life forever.

Fables Vol 10: The Good Prince (#60-69)

Restored of his lost memories, Flycatcher sets out on a quest, guided by none other than the ghost of Lancelot of the Round Table. He'll travel the depths of the underworld, gathering ghostly followers on his quest for redemption, until he ultimately faces off against the hordes of The Adversary. In the mundy world, The Fables prepare for war, training themselves with mundy technology and war tactics.

Fables Vol 11: War and Pieces (#70-75)

The exiled Fables have all their pieces in place and the war against The Adversary is under way. Right before that though, Cinderella is tasked with retrieving an important package that puts all of her operative skills to the test. In the Homelands, the Fables have mixed their own magic with Mundy world guns, bombs, and tactics to eliminate The Adversary's forces and cut off their capital from all other worlds. The plans progress smoothly until the enemy devises their own counter-offensive. *One comment about this book: Nothing cooler than seeing a wooden ship flying through the skies while a sniper on-board shoots down a dragon.

This collection of volumes tells the tale of The Fables' war against The Adversary (spoiler: It's Geppetto having gathered power with pride, self-righteousness, and his living puppets). After an attack on Fable Town by wooden soldiers and Baba Yaga, the Fables will launch an offensive against The Adversary utilizing their magic as well as knowledge gathered from their new home to overcome the Empire's forces. Lives are lost, people are found (in more ways than one), and the war comes to an end in an unexpected way.

 

Fables 12, 14-16

 Fables Vol 12: The Dark Ages (#76-82)

With the war against The Adversary finally over, the Fables move into the post-war phase. Funerals are held, scouting parties are sent to other worlds, plans are made for the spoils of war. Far, far away though, another evil locked away by the empire is released and sets its sights upon Fabletown.

Fables Vol 14: Witches (#86-93)

Frau Totenkinder, the fabled Black Forest Witch and current leader of the Fables' thirteenth floor magical community, has decided now is the time to act against the Fables' new enemy, Mr. Dark. Having abandoned her post, the others decide a change in leadership is necessary, especially to prevent Geppetto, Fabletown's newest resident, from seizing control in a time of fear and uncertainty. In the now lost business office, Bufkin the flying monkey seeks to stop an assortment of dangerous, destructive creatures from escaping, including the freed djinn brought by Sinbad, as well as the similarly freed Baba Yaga. Back in Haven, it's the baseball championship, but the real trial begins the next day.

Fables Vol 15: Rose Red (#94-100)

As tensions among the Fables grow now that they are all confined to The Farm, Rose Red's depression takes her further and further away from her duties. In her spiral, a vision appears and reinvigorates her, and we see the truth of her past. Meanwhile, Frau Totenkinder, now returned to Bellflower, confronts Mr. Dark in a dual.

Fables Vol 16: Super Team (#101-107) 

Having defeated the djinn, Baba Yaga, and the other monsters lurking in the business office, Bufkin sets upon a quest to return home. Having retreated to Haven, Ozma and Pinocchio put together a team to take on Mr. Dark based on Pinocchio's comic book knowledge. We also take a glimpse into the sleeping Imperial City, the center of Geppetto's former empire, and Sleeping Beauty, who put the city to sleep.

The defeat of The Empire led to the release of many powerful entities kept captive, one of them Mr. Dark. An entity embodying darkness and all the things that go bump in the night, Mr. Dark sets his sights upon Fabletown for a perceived slight against him while he was locked away by The Adversary's forces. Against such a terrifying foe and with a lot of their resources depleted during the war, the Fables will need to abandon Fabletown and retreat to their last sanctuary, put together a team of their best, and rely on allies willing to challenge an enemy seemingly unstoppable.

 

Fables 13

 

Fables Vol 13: The Great Fables Crossover (#83-85, Jack of Fables #33-35, The Literals #1-3)

Taking a break from the main storyline, Jack Horner delivers a warning that the end of the universe is coming. Seeking him out, Bigby Wolf and Snow White discover The Literals, personifications of genres, and that one of them is seeking to rewrite the universe, effectively erasing all of them. Bigby and Snow team up with The Pathetic Fallacy and Mr. Revise to save the world. 

A crossover event between The Fables comic and its spin-off, Jack of Fables which focused on Jack Horner's adventures after being kicked-out of Fabletown for his antics. It was one of the spin-offs I never got around to reading because, well, money. 

Fables 17-19

Fables Vol 17: Inherit the Wind (#108-113)

After Bigby's father, the North Wind, sacrificed himself to imprison Mr. Dark and save all of the Fables, his mantle must now be passed on to one of his grandchildren. Meanwhile, Bufkin leads a revolution back in his homeworld. A Christmas time story where Rose Red learns her new duties as a paladin of Hope.

Fables Vol 18: Cubs in Toyland (#114-123)

A new toy received by Therese transports her to Toyland to become their new queen. Therese quickly becomes disenchanted with her new role when she finds herself surrounded by discarded toys and no sustenance, quickly spiraling downward into madness. Darian, rising to his role as the pack leader amongst the cubs, sets off to save her. Instead of finding a typical boyhood heroic quest, he's instead confronted with the test of a true hero.

We've had other stories of sacrifice and gone through the deaths of other characters thus far, but this story was the worst of them all (and possibly through the rest of the series). Darian's sacrifice, oh, this one his me hard. Not just his sacrifice but the moments leading up to it as he wanders the desert alone looking for another clever option. "Will it hurt?" and "Will anyone ever know? Will they find out I did the right thing?", oh those moments...

Fables Vol 19: Snow White (#124-129)

The saga of Bufkin continues as he not only completes his overthrow of a tyrant but commits countless heroic deeds across countless worlds until his eventual retirement. Back in Fabletown, the Fables are returning after the defeat of Mr. Dark only to find a new fiend hidden in plain sight - Snow White's first betrothed - Prince Brandish. While Bigby is away searching for their missing cubs, Snow, with the help of the other Fables, will look for a way to stop the evil prince.

After the defeat of Mr. Dark, the cubs are selected as the best candidates to succeed the North Wind. While one of them becomes king and takes on the role of the North Wind, another becomes queen of her own realm. In the end, all of the children learn what it means to be a part of a pack, and about responsibility that comes with it.

Fables 20-22

Fables Vol 20: Camelot (#130-140)

Embracing her role as an Avatar of Hope, Rose Red decides to bring about a new Camelot complete with knights and a round table. At the same time, Snow White and her cubs mourn the death of Bigby, who finds himself wandering a type of afterlife. Also, a short story describing how Fabletown finally comes to an end.

Fables Vol 21: Happily Every After (#141-149)

The Fabletown community finds itself split as both Snow White and Rose Red gather forces loyal to themselves. At the same time, a hidden enemy has brought Bigby Wolf back from the dead as a vicious killer and set him upon the residents of New York City. Also mixed in are epilogue stories featuring several Fables characters.

Fables Vol 22: Farewell (#150 and extras) 

The battle between Snow White and Rose Red comes to a close. Fabletown meets its end. An epilogue in which we get one last glimpse into the lives of the Fables before we leave them forever.

The end of the Fables saga finds two sisters, Snow White and Rose Red pitted against each other due to the curse passed down their bloodline. The Fables are choosing sides between the two, and its conclusion will lead to the destruction of Fabletown. As an ending, I was satisfied as the last volume provided an epilogue for a majority of the Fables as many set out back to the Homelands while others stayed behind in the Mundy world. There was more that could be done with it (obviously as they've recently restarted the series for a short run) as magic was finally exposed to the world, but the story still ended on a good note.

Fairest (Fables Spin-off)

Fairest Vol 1: Wide Awake (#1-7)

Taking place between the war with The Adversary and after the battle with Mr. Dark, we take a look at what became of Sleeping Beauty, aka Briar Rose, after putting the Imperial City to sleep. Awoken by Ali Baba, the Prince of Thieves with a kiss, they are both captured by the Snow Queen who did not appreciate being put to sleep by Fabletown's secret weapon. Along the way, we learn more about Sleeping Beauty's curse and even have an encounter between her and the evil fairy.

Fairest Vol 2: Hidden Kingdom (#8-14)

Rapunzel receives an ominous message from her past in regards to her children. Sneaking off to Japan with her hair cutter, Joel Crow, and Jack (of all the tales), she'll find herself in a war between two factions of Japanese Fables, all refugees from the Hidden Kingdom. There, she'll confront her past and try to own up to the mistakes she's made.

Fairest Vol 3: Return of the Maharaja (#15-20)

Nalayani is the sole defender of her village after all of its men went to fight The Adversary's army. Though The Empire may be gone, that doesn't mean her village is still safe from other monsters prowling the area, and she sets off to meet with the new Maharaja for aid. Instead she finds a restored Prince Charming, thought dead after sacrificing his life in the war. The two will set out into the land of Indus to battle against monsters, and though Nalayani requires his help, it is Prince Charming who will emerge truly changed.

Fairest Vol 4: Of Mice and Men (#21-26)

Cinderella, Fabletown's greatest spy, is sent on a mission to uncover a mysterious organization threatening Fabletown and its inhabitants. Traveling the globe, she'll uncover connections to her past she believed resolved at midnight that one fateful night.

Fairest Vol 5: The Clamour for the Glamour (#27-33)

After receiving a magical glamour that allows him to pass as a human as well as being welcomed into Rose Red's new Camelot, Raynard the Fox sets to woo a number of Fable women. Instead, he finds himself thrown out on his own where he'll meet a Mundy woman enchanted with fantasies of princes and happy-ever-afters. After a series of hijinks finds the two of them on the run, Raynard will need to put his sly fox nature aside if he wants to be regarded as a man.

Fairest in all the Land

Someone is killing the "Fairest of them all" and it is up to Fabletown's greatest spy, Cinderella, to uncover the killer and stop the murders.

Putting the spotlight on the female Fables, Fairest is a collection of tales centered around strong female protagonists from the pages of Fables, all working against tropes typically placed upon the female characters in fairytales.

Cinderella (Fables Spinoff)

 

Cinderella Vol 1: From Fabletown with Love

The defeat of The Adversary has led to some unintended consequences, one of them being the unchecked and unmonitored transportation of magical items from the Homelands into the Mundy world. To find out who is behind the distribution and put a stop to it, Fabletown sends their top spy, Cinderella, to track them down. She'll team up with another dashing, rags-to-riches fable and even encounter an enemy from her own storied past.

Cinderella Vol 2: Fables are Forever

Fabletown has long known that they weren't the only Fables from the homelands to retreat to the Mundy world when The Adversary took over. A shadow Fabletown, operating in secretive cells across Earth, with their own elite death-dealer (and Cinderella's arch-nemesis). Thinking she was safe, her opposite has risen out of hiding and it's up to Cinderella to take her out, once and for all.

Told in the genre of your typical spy thrillers, the two stories force Cinderella into missions only she is capable of handling.

Fables #151-156

Fabletown is gone and many of its refugees have scattered. King Cole and Cinderella attempt to speak with the proper authorities as magic spreads throughout the Mundy world. Snow White, Bigby Wolf, and their cubs settle on a new world, and, like all parents just looking to get a job done in silence, send their restless kids off into the wild in search of adventure. A new Jack in the Green is sent upon a quest to bring a villain to justice, this time none other than Peter Pan.

I didn't know the series was being revived through DC Comic's Black Label (supposedly its "mature" line of comics or something). I just happened to be at OtherRealms on RPG Day looking for free stuff and I saw the first issue. Since then, everytime I've gone back to pick-up an issue, I seem to be getting the last copy off the shelves, so either everyone else is getting their early, or they're ordering a single issue for me. It's only supposed to be a 16-issue run (unfortunately not forever). Definitely the reason I had to go back and re-read ALL of the other volumes over several months.