(The First?) "Fables Encyclopedia" Release Day

Dust cover art for Fables Encyclopedia

It's release day for the highly anticipated Fables Encyclopedia today, and it sounds better than I could have hoped for. Covering issues 1 to 121 (and including 1001 Night of Snowfall) the book promises an excellent read, including more information on both characters and stories (and you know Willingham will be adding notes on obscure fairy tales and folklore he's included as well).

Since I'm not able to go get a copy for myself just yet, I'm going to re-blog a review by Kurt Isensee aka The Iceman from Geeks Of Doom.

Since Fables issues already numbers well into 130+  and have many (many!) spin-offs, which aren't mentioned as being covered in this volume, it should be safe to assume that a second encyclopedia is already underway/under consideration.

The Fables Encyclopedia, by Jess Nevins, covers issues 1 – 121, and 1001 Nights of Snowfall. After only a few pages, it became clear to me that this is an indispensible tome, serving to compliment, and enhance the issues it covers. Hopefully, there’ll be a second volume in another decade or so. 

It’s loaded with panels from the comics, helping to refresh memories for more obscure characters, and includes enriching sidebar comments from Bill Willingham — check out his notes on the Hope character — cryptically cool! Plus, there are also fourteen pages of issue by issue annotations, as well as lots of behind-the-scenes tidbits, and clever revelations, such as artist Mark Buckingham’s inspiration for Tom Harrow. 

The sheer depth of the Fables Encyclopedia serves as a demonstration/reminder (as if the monthly comic wasn’t enough) as to just how well-read Willingham is, especially with regards to fairy tales/mythology from a number of cultures. It’s also testament to the staggering achievement in comics literature that is Fables. 

Well before the halfway mark, this encyclopedia made me want to go back and re-read my Fables trades. 

So I did. 

Highly recommended.

Notes and annotations!! *swoon*

Summary: it's awesome aka I will be getting one ASAP.

List price is $39.99. (Amazon currently has it for $25.29 for the hardcover and the Kindle edition for $22.99).

Cinderella Super Spy Heads Up the Next Fairest Series "Of Men and Mice" & She Gets a Hardcover Too

Shawn McManus for Fairest Issue #22

If you have been even half-following the Fables news you will be aware that Cinderella is both super spy and Fables super-star, getting her own stand-alone volumes of secret super spy adventures so, being one of Fabletown's most popular ladies, it's no surprise she's getting her own series of issues in the Fairest spin-off as well.

Unlike the Fables comics, the Fairest series is a little more "fantastic", with more magical elements, so I'm curious to see what they do with the Bond girl (who is just as much "Bond" as "girl") of the fairy tale world, especially considering they're revisiting Cindy's original ball. Check the comic panels below for views of the fairy godmother activating Cindy's ride. (I'm guessing this section in the story is pre-recruitment into the intelligence community so... interesting!)

Here's one of the coolest things about the news. The title of the series is: Of Men and Mice (if you don't understand my happy face at this, read on...)

Here's the scoop from NY ComicCon, along with excerpts from an interview from newsarama:

During the Vertigo panel at this past weekend’s New York Comic Con, DC shared new art from the storyline, which kicks off in December with an assassination attempt on Snow White that ties into Cind's origin story at the midnight ball. She investigates in a world-spanning story that takes her from the world of the mundane to the Homelands. 

Nrama: Why do you think Cinderella has become such a fan-favorite character?
Andreyko: She's James Bond as a woman! Her tough-as-nails attitude and ability to do anything that must be done to succeed in her mission is something we rarely see in female characters.
Nrama: It looks like Cindi is returning to the scene of the fairytale ball, where she first met Prince Charming. How did the idea to return to that part of the character's history come about?
Andreyko: Well, the storyline has ties to that fateful night, so a look back, especially at things we haven't seen, is required, and fun.
Nrama: How does the story kick off? This assassination attempt — is it chronicled inFairest? Or is it something that happens in Fables? Anything you can tease about the set-up for the story?
Andreyko: This storyline dovetails into the next big Fables arc and has ramifications for all of Fabletown… beginning with the assassination attempt on one Snow White.
Nrama: Can you reveal anything about the meaning behind the title of this Fairest storyline, "Of Men and Mice?"
Andreyko: Mice play an important role in Cind's past, but what happened after the clock struck midnight?

(You can read the rest of the interview HERE.)

Plus we're going to see a new Fable, from Asia and he/she is blue...

All I can think of are genies right this second but I know they've been covered quite a bit in the Fables series already... AND the first Fairest issues featured a blue imp-like genie too.. hmm. Must brush up on the Asian folklore!

This Issue #22 of Fairest hits stores early in December.

Also recently announced was this special stand alone graphic novel (presented like 1001 Nights of Snowfall) and it, too, stars Cinderella, and is due to be available in late November in hardcover (a limited release to be certain, just like 1001 Nights Of Snowfall was.)

Apparently Fairest Issue #21 is a prequel to the hardcover, Fairest In All The Land (and likely Of Men and Mice as well) and is a self contained story (meaning it can be read out of sequence/by itself) starring Goldilocks. Curiouser and curiouser.. or is that just right? ;)

FAIREST: IN ALL THE LAND is a murder mystery as told by the Magic Mirror—starring Cinderella and featuring many fan favorite characters such as Snow White, Rose Red, Bigby Wolf, Briar Rose, Frau Totenkinder, Goldilocks and many more.

"The Wolf Among Us" Game Walkthrough

Bigby Goes To Work in "The Wolf Among Us"

For those curious about the Fables game prequel just released (actually, it's Episode One: Faith of at least five installments set to be released at regular intervals), here's a great way to find out more before investing.

Although the choices you make (both in dialogue and action) would change everything (because, apparently, even the seemingly smallest decisions count in this game), you get a good idea of the structure from these walkthroughs. As a bonus, this walkthrough has no commentary getting in the way of the story exploration.

I'm just embedding Part 1 (there are 8). You should be able to easily find the following ones either at the end or on the YouTube page, which is linked to in the bottom of the video window (ie "view on YouTube").

Please note: this game is for mature players only. There is both violence and language and it is not suitable for children to see (or overhear).

Enjoy!

Note: The video can be viewed in "chapters" like the one above or there's one complete, almost two-hour walkthrough uploaded you can watch as well.

I've included the cast sheet below, in case you'd like an overview of the main players.

Note: Contrary to how it might appear, I'm not much of a gamer, so although I'm interested in the concepts I'm rarely drawn in to play. The strong narrative of this one, along with the fairy tale tie in and references, is very appealing though. After seeing just a few of the walkthrough videos I'll admit my interest is more piqued than for any other game I've ever seen. I might actually give this one a go...

UPDATE: ADDED 6pm OCTOBER 15

Fables prequel game "The Wolf Among Us" is getting VERY good reviews all round. Here's one that both reviews (scoring it 8.6/10) and gives you a good idea of what to expect:

(Excerpt):"The Wolf Among Us is a gripping accompaniment to Willingham’s artistic narratives. Having suffered the halfhearted groping of Hollywood executives intent on transporting his books to the big screen, the author clearly regards Telltale as his kinsfolk, remarking of the game: “It’s brilliant to the point of there being far too many moments of ‘I wish I’d thought of that’.”

The inaugural episode, Faith, revolves around the morally imbalanced protagonist of Sheriff Bigby Wolf - aka the Big Bad Wolf - a Fable with a chequered past charged with maintaining peace among his fantastical peers as they eke out a living alongside ordinary citizens, known as Mundies. The instalment revolves around a series of murders, with the player asked to take the reins of Bigby’s passive-aggressive personality in order to solve the mystery.

The dialogue - always a highlight of the publisher’s games - is consistently excellent. The choices are varied and depending on any number of ripostes or discreet silences, the fate of Bigby and his fellow Fables feels as if it is in your hands. Only future episodes, of course, will reveal the wisdom of the choices made - the majority of your time in Faith is an exercise in exposition, spent prowling rooms and locales for clues." 

Snow White, Bigby & Ichabod Crane

The inaugural episode, Faith, revolves around the morally imbalanced protagonist of Sheriff Bigby Wolf - aka the Big Bad Wolf - a Fable with a chequered past charged with maintaining peace among his fantastical peers as they eke out a living alongside ordinary citizens, known as Mundies. The instalment revolves around a series of murders, with the player asked to take the reins of Bigby’s passive-aggressive personality in order to solve the mystery. 

The dialogue - always a highlight of the publisher’s games - is consistently excellent. The choices are varied and depending on any number of ripostes or discreet silences, the fate of Bigby and his fellow Fables feels as if it is in your hands. Only future episodes, of course, will reveal the wisdom of the choices made - the majority of your time in Faith is an exercise in exposition, spent prowling rooms and locales for clues." (Source)

New Permanent Page: FABLES 411

With all the Fables news continuing and interest growing in the series I thought it was about time I put together a page to help guide newbies through Bill Willingham's daunting universe.

The link will remain in the tabs at the top of the page so you can quickly find it at any time.

Here's a quick summary of what you'll find:

• Fables Explained (aka "what the hell is Fables??" And why should I care? Really?)
• How To Read (aka navigate) Fables, A Handy What-Next?! Guide
• Bill Willingham on Fables vs Once Upon A Time (why they're not "at war", so fans shouldn't be either)
• Awesome Art Sampling from Fables & Fairest

Hope it's helpful.

"The Wolf Among Us" (Fables Game) Online Release Day

Note: This post was scheduled for Halloween Day when the release was going to be October 31st but I'm rescheduling it for the NEW release day - today - October 11th. :)

Scheduled for 12:00am today, Halloween Day (October 31st) Friday, October 11th, you should be able to download the new Fables game (and Willingham approved prequel to the series), The Wolf Among Us for both PC and Mac.

For the gamers among us, here's some playing-specific details you may be interested in. From an interview with the creators by gameranx:

Bigby showing some of his Big Bad side
from the original graphic novel
featuring more of Bigby's story
Fables: Werewolves of the Heartland

Herman: Well you play as Bigby Wolf who is the Big Bad Wolf. He is just a different character, a different guy, and he comes from being the bad guy and now he is sort of in charge of keeping the town safe and protecting the fables. He brings his own personality to the story. 

Lenart: Like you were saying, the comedy element is another element that excited us about it [Fables]. With The Walking Dead, working on that for so long, it's such a grave world and every situation is so terrible. With the Wolf Among Us it's nice because you're playing in this world and it's fantastical with bright moments and colors. It works with the narrative. 

Goodman: Exactly. It didn't feel out of place at all. 

Dingman: And you guys have one writer working on this? That's different from The Walking Dead, which had one person writing each episode, right? 

Lenart: We're going to be doing a five episode season, so there will be different writers on different episodes. 

Dingman: And will the episodes be released monthly? 

Lenart: Nothing is confirmed yet, but it's going to be similar to what we did with The Walking Dead. Each one has a similar kind of feel, when it gets published it can be played in a night. It'll be coming out for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. We will have season passes for it. 

Goodman: Once the season is complete will there be a hard disc release as well? 

Herman: We have nothing hard right now, but I'm sure there will be. 

Lenart: We always try to do that. We always want to get out on as many platforms as possible.

PS Happy (Early) Halloween!! 

Update: Fables Game Ep 1 To Drop THIS Friday (ie Tomorrow!)

Bigby & Bufkin checking on Cinderella's credentials in Episode 1 of The Wolf Among Us

Good news for all you Fable fans waiting for the prequel game, The Wolf Among Us: the first episode release has been moved up - way up - to October 11, THIS FRIDAY! (For XBox and PC/Mac. PS3 should follow soon.)

As you're likely aware by now, in this game, you wear Fabletown Sheriff's boots, namely Bigby aka The Big Bad Wolf and all your decisions will matter...

From the official page:

• Your choices matter – it’s not only WHAT you choose to do that will affect how your story plays out, but WHEN you choose to do it

• A mature and gritty take on characters from fairytales, legends and folklore who have escaped into our world. These are not the characters you’d see on a little child’s lunchbox.

• Play as Bigby Wolf – formerly the most feared monster among the Fables, now Sheriff of Fabletown and protector of those he used to hunt. He must restrain the beast within if he is to earn the trust of those around him.

• Choose Bigby’s actions carefully. Will you approach a situation calmly or unleash your inner rage? The way you act will determine how others respond to you.

• Set before the events seen in the first issue of the comics – you don’t have to know the characters or the world to play!

If Telltale Games’ Walking Dead series is anything to go by, we can expect The Wolf Among Us to deliver a solid narrative that sits in well as a prequel to the graphic novels, and one where choice and consequence are meaningful. (Additional source)

Happy (early) Friday gamers!

Fables Movie Update (There's *Almost* a Script Already!)

Bigby Wolf by Jeremy Bear

Gotta love getting bonus news on the end of a completely different interview which posted yesterday (Friday) afternoon...

I Am Rogue had an exclusive interview with Producer David Heyman, who had a huge hand in bringing the Harry Potter books to the big screen and whose currently-screening project is a little film called Gravity (you may have heard of it? Sandra Bullock, George Clooney... yeah - that Gravity). His current project-in-the-works is, you guessed it, bringing Fables to the big screen*.

Here's the Fables-relevant portion of the interview:

Producer David Heyman

Finally, are you still working on the feature film adaption of author Bill Willingham’s fan-favorite comic book seriesFables? 

Heyman: I am and I’m really excited.  

It has had over 133 issues and is still going, so there is a lot of story to narrow down into one movie. How do you decide what to focus on? Are you going to just concentrate on the Big Bad Wolf’s storyline, or will it feature other popular characters like Jack Horner? 

Heyman: I think we want to bring in most certainly elements of many different characters that make up this world because it really is about a community of sorts. I’m sure Bigby will feature. We’re working with a really brilliant director in Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair). 

Are you still in the script stage? 

Heyman: Yes, we’re in the script stage. We’re waiting for a first draft now.      

So what we now know/is confirmed, is:

1) Fables is well and truly happening - for REALS Y'ALL! (OK, yes. I'm still super excited about this. Why? It's exciting stuff. Period.)
2) They have signed a director: Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair)
3) They have a writer/s, and have gone from treatment/pitch to "script stage" where a first draft is currently being written (that's a big deal - a lot of films get stuck in development and writers don't even get employed to do a first draft)
4) They have chosen their core players (at least) from the gigantic cast of Fables are it looks like Bigby (aka the Big Bad Wolf, aka Fabletown's Sheriff, aka Snow White's love interest)
5) They're going to have a decently sized cast in which characters will play their storybook roles as part of a community (as opposed to faceless/featureless background/filler casting)
6) They're leaving a lot of room open to develop a franchise with a community set-up (ie. sequels, feature stories etc) should the movie go over well
7) This movie is moving along at a good pace and if they keep on this track we could actually see a movie by sometime in 2015... (based on average successful, highly anticipated and well funded movie development)

We have yet to hear word of the next biggest priorities: art direction and casting (but you can bet your Fables collection they're being talked about in every Fables movie meeting right now.)

All sounds great to me. I may have to ramp up my Fables catch-up reading faster than I thought. (This is NOT a complaint.)

* BTW - in case you've forgotten this is being helmed by Warner Bros in conjunction with DC Entertainment. 

How to Read Fables, A Handy What-Next?! Guide (& A 99c Sale To Help Catch You Up)

If you're curious to catch up on Fables, you've picked a good time. Right now there's a sale until the end of September on most of the Fables comics (click on the image below the How to Read Fables Guide to be take to the sale site) and as a unrelated-yet-completely-relevant bonus, I've received permission to share a post with you on how to navigate this can-be-overwhelming-and-ever-expanding universe of Bill Willingham's.

But first, for those who need (another) reason to read Fables, consider this little nugget of information I pulled out of the first Fables (prose) novel, Peter & Max. Turns out Willingham not only went to Hamelin to research but ended up writing much of the novel IN RUDYARD KIPLING'S HOUSE, USING KIPLING"S LIBRARY! This insight into Willingham's approach actually explains a lot of why this series works as well as it does. Transcribed from the author's note at the end of Peter & Max - A Fables Novel by Bill Willingham. here's an excerpt from his thank you's:

"The first half of this book was written in Vermont, in the house once owned by Rudyard Kipling, painstakingly restored by the Heritage Foundation, using Kipling's original books, furniture and fixtures, which they were happily surprised to discover stored in an old barn on the property. Peter and Max were created in the same room, on the same desk in fact, that Kipling created Mowgli, the rest of the Jungle Book characters, Kim, the Captains Courageous, and many others. To say that it was an inspirational setting in which to begin a fantasy adventure story is to be guilty of criminal understatement. Thank you to the kind men and women of the Heritage Foundation, for opening the property to me and for your hard work in making my stay so comfortable, restful, and productive. Thank you, too, to the good ghost in that home for the use of your writing room and library, which always seemed to have just the right text on some obscure subject of medieval history, technology or nature, within arm's reach, whenever I needed it."

This is something I'm attempting to catch up on properly myself right now, having never read all of them in the correct order. With eleven years (and counting) of monthly comics to wade through, along with special issues, cross-overs and more, I must admit, without a guide I would feel quite lost. Although the Wikipedia page has a lot of great summary information it's still very daunting to wrap your brain around.

Thankfully, blogger/reader - and Fables enthusiast - Kailana (aka Kelly Rogers) put together a super-simple, easy to follow step-by-step guide to reading (and purchasing) the Fables issues in an order that not only makes chronological sense but makes for a fuller experience. And now I'm able to share it with you!

Without further ado (and with enormous thanks to Kailana for giving me permission to repost this) here is your handy "How-to-read Fables Guide":

So You Want to Read Fables...?

by Kailana of The Written World

Originally posted June 29, 2012

(with one update and additional notes & cover images inserted by FTNH)

✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ (click the "Read more" link below this line) ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ 

"Wolf Among Us" Fables Prequel Game Trailer Released

So, it didn't happen as soon as everyone was hoping but a trailer (released Tuesday) tends to mean sooner rather than later. And (apart from the not-for-kids violence) it's looking pretty good!

Note: While Fables has always been unabashedly adult in content, you should be aware that this unrated trailer contains some violence and blood. I suggest you not have kids in the room watching with you.

The Wolf, mentioned is Bigby (ie "Big B" an abbreviation/endearment of Big Bad Wolf) - and this story, is his:

You may remember a post from early July discussing the Fables movie, in which I added news of the soon-to-be-released game as a sort of addendum. Since then, momentum and buzz have increased a lot (read, the anticipation re this game is pretty high!). It's become a pretty big deal, with game creators, TellTale Games, nabbing the Game of the Year award for 2012 for The Walking Dead.

The Wolf Among Us stars fairy tale characters like the Big Bad Wolf, Snow White and Mr. Toad. These characters were driven to the real world after their fantasy realm was conquered by an evil force. Most of these magical beings have resettled in New York City. They call their NYC community "Fabletown."  

The Fables try to keep their magical nature hidden from the rest of the world. That's easier said than done, though. They're not as cuddly as fairy tales would have you believe; they fight, drink and steal. Bigby Wolf, formerly known as the Big Bad Wolf, acts as the Sheriff of Fabletown and does what he can to keep order. (CinemaBlend)

Centering on the character of Bigby Wolf – the ‘Big Bad Wolf’ from the classic fable of ‘Red Riding Hood’(Edit FTNH: And other "wolf stories' such as 3 Little Pigs) – The Wolf Among Us will follow the now-reformed Sheriff of Fabletown in his efforts to keep non-magical beings from uncovering the true nature of the town’s residents. Joining him is his perennial accomplice from the comics, Snow White (seen in the trailer), but previous screenshots and artwork have shown plenty of other characters will be cropping up throughout. (Gamerant) 

Snow White

"[You're] bending the rules and interpreting the rules as the sheriff," Telltale CTO and president Kevin Bruner stated in May. "[It’s] a really interesting thing to do because everyone in Fabletown has an agenda… you get to interpret other Fables' motivations and how far you let them push the rules."  (ComicBookResources)

Pig: "You owe me, remember?"

The Fables game, however, isn't the comic series adapted for a video game. It's a Bill Willingham approved PREQUEL so Fables are about to get a whole other dimension of story added to the impressively large, and complicated, fairy tale universe.

Part of the reason for the anticipation is this will be the first time we see the characters actually move. It's not a movie but it's the closest thing we've seen so far since Fables hit the comic book market 11-ish years ago (2002). Fans have been itching for a TV series or movie for years now (with many silently - or not-so-silently - nursing grudges against the OUAT folks for getting a similar premise on Network TV,  despite the result proving to be a very distant cousin in the end) so there's been a lot of pressure to get this "right". (And it's a pretty good testing ground for movie possibilities and tie-ins too, so no doubt WB are watching closely.) With the announcement of a big blockbuster-type movie in development, interest has ratcheted up to "11" for the game. Although it's taking a while to put together and release, every indication says it won't disappoint. Both Fables fans and gamers should be very happy in the near future.

Sources: Here, Here, Here

Fables TV Ad for BBC America (An Old Post You Never Saw, Updated So It Makes Sense Now)

-- Look! It's an old draft that never got posted and is somehow relevant again! I've kept some of the old post, added updates and smeared the words around a bit to hopefully make a little more sense in regards to where we are with Fables today.--

People who don't read comic books wonder what the big deal is about Fables.

Fairy tale folk who don't read comic book are among them but there's good reason we should be keeping an eye on this graphic novel series by Bill Willingham: what if the fairy tale characters we know and love got chased out of their own land and ended up stranded in our modern day world, where nobody was allowed to discover their storybook backgrounds?

Update:
We now know that:
1) Fables is a HUGE hit. Continually critically acclaimed, winner of multiple awards and written and illustrated by heavy hitters in the writing and comic art world, they're currently into issue #131 (not including spin-off issues or specials so add maybe close to 100 issues on top of that) and have self-contained stories and spin-offs for different characters such as Jack and Cinderella and now there's a whole new series spin-off, Fairest, for the ladies of Fable town, which is proving just as popular.

2) Outside the comic geek community the idea of fairy tale characters stranded in our world has proved popular with ABCs TV series Once Upon A Time. The series has been accused called "Fables-light" for the similar premise, of which the public are eating up.

So why hasn't Fables (which is clearly excellent in its own field, as well as the premise and content proving popular in public viewing) made the move to TV or the movies yet? (Even though there have been numerous attempts to do so, none have resulted in anything except disappointment so far.)

One popular theory is that it's REALLY HARD to market comic books to non-comic book people. But I have to wonder: IS it really hard, or have people just not thought about the comic book property in the same way they do a show, book or movie, with regard to the marketing? With the rise in popularity (Update: and - FINALLY - in quality) of book trailers out there (Update: these have become almost standard now and people/companies are getting creative with production and presentation) it's about time someone thought to do something similar for Fables. (Update: this trailer is from October 2009.)

Take a look:

While I'm really glad this has helped garner interest in the general public, I do have to say I'm disappointed. (Really disappointed!) Apart from the stunning art stills, which are mostly from the covers, the quality is definitely on the low side. But why? I know people are probably still getting their feet wet with "how do you advertise a comic book (ie. a static art form /narrative combo) on a moving medium like TV?" issues but this could have been mind blowing (seriously mind-blowing!) if they'd presented it better.

Update: And I also have to wonder, if they'd gotten this ad "right" back in 2009 if Fables would have beaten Once Upon A Time to TV after all... Of course, we'll never know now but I do hope they figure out another marketing strategy to use in the lead up to the movie buzz, rather than just rely on what the production company produce and piggy-back off that. While I'm incredibly overjoyed to know that "thars-a-Fables-movie-a-comin'!" the Fables serial comics, graphic novels and spin-offs have their own well deserved merit and should be able to stand on their own two feet, er, spines. I worry that if they (DC & Willingham) can't figure out how to encourage people to enjoy the graphic novels in their original medium that a whole generation will "just-go-see-the-movie" and miss out on the richness of storytelling and fairy tale evolution happening on the Fables pages. Let's hope they figure out how to make the Fables movie an encouragement to go pick up the series instead.

Note: There are some more trailers on YouTube for the Fables series, and some tributes though none of them are official. This one HERE tries to transition people from Disney to Fables and show the difference. It's somewhat successful in concept but is lengthy and the text is difficult to read over the images (and using any sort of Disney property doesn't sit well with me here). You DO get to see some beautiful artwork from Fables though and get an idea of the twists the stories take, so if you're finally feeling interested in Fables and want more of an overview before buying, this should give you some idea of how the series develops and how the fairy tale characters play out their stories.

In the meantime, while we wait to see what happens with the movie and the marketing surrounding it, I'll keep up the Fables-watch and report anything I see happening.

Grownup & Gritty Rapunzel Heads To Japan in "Fairest: The Hidden Kingdom" (Fables Spin-Off)

The Hidden Kingdom - collection of Rapunzel issues #8-13 in one volume (Vol 2)

Note: This is a lengthy post - partly because I've included as-large-as-possibly-can-fit preview pages, so there is much more after the jump. While this series will not be everyone's taste it should be of great interest to anyone who loves Japanese fairy and folktales, as well as exploring the darker side of Rapunzel tales. I have linked to many more previews so you can have a good idea of what to expect, should you be concerned about the "darkness" of this series before reading. While there truly is a lot to be excited about in this series for fairy tale folk, it remains very adult so please use your discretion.

In a 6-part epic, Rapunzel lives one of the most regimented lives in Fabletown, forced to maintain her rapidly growing hair lest her storybook origins be revealed. But when word of her long-lost children surface, she races across the sea to find them--and a former lover. Rapunzel struggles through maternal heartache in modern Tokyo, along with heavy doses of Japanese folklore and some truly horrifying hair days in “Fairest: The Hidden Kingdom.”

I have to say, I am very intrigued by this preview and what Lauren Beukes revealed about writing this self-contained story under Bill Willingham's encouragement. The 6-part story runs through Fairest #8-13 and has just been released on Tuesday (July 30, 2013) as Volume 2: The Hidden Kingdom (see head of post for this cover).

Ms. Beukes is one an Arthur C. Clarke award winning writer who's style is initially hard to describe (edgy, modern, gritty, imaginative, witty, playful and sharp). I adored Zoo City, which could be loosely described as a gritty urban fantasy unlike anything I've ever read (and, being quite harsh in the light of the setting and subject matter, certainly won't be for everyone).

While Ms. Beukes clearly knows her magic and folklore, it feels incredibly real when she writes about it. It doesn't feel like fantasy and I wouldn't be at all surprised to walk into one of 'her" towns and see it exactly as she wrote. Nothing happens as you expect yet it still feels very reality based (which in turn makes you look at the real world with different eyes). This is probably why she's such a good fit for this Fables spin-off. Although the Fairest series is said to have a more of a fantastic "bent" than the original Fables, there is nothing sweetly "fairytale" (note the merged word, denoting pop-expectations) about these stories either, particularly this Rapunzel tale.
✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ (click the "Read more" link below this line) ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ ✒ 

"Fables" Movie Must-Haves (According to Mark Buckingham)

Fables Cover with Snow White and Bigby Wolf

While there hasn't been any new news from the Fables movie front (yet)  - apart from at Comic-Con last week DC's Diane Nelson said "Fables is a top priority" (!) - it doesn't mean it isn't being talked about, nor that some fairly qualified people aren't weighing in with their (worth more than just) two cents.

Fables artist Mark Buckingham, while acknowledging that the Fables world is very complex and has a huge variety of options in story lines and characters to concentrate on, regarding a "first" movie, he believes there are at least two "must have" characters, if the world (and franchise) is to get off on the right foot.

In talking to iO9 he said:

I think if it doesn't have Snow White and Bigby [Wolf] in it, then... [that's a problem]. They were such a core element of the first 50 issues of the story. So I think their romance, their relationship, is a really core aspect of the series. Beyond that, the beauty of Fables is it has such a rich cast, and you can really cherry-pick a lot of different aspects from it, and create a really good story, even if you don't necessarily follow the entire narrative.

He adds that he hopes director Nikolaj Arcel and whoever winds up being the cinematographer don't try to copy his art style:

I always treat these things as very different beasts. When they take a comic and decide to make a TV series or an animation or a movie, I think it's up to them to find their own voice and their own vision for how to make that translation into another medium. So for me, the excitement's going to be seeing how they interpret what we do and take it into a new and exciting direction. I'm not looking for anyone to be wedded to the comic, I think all of these things are springboards into new areas. (Edit FTNH: video of Mark saying all this at the link - though it's a little difficult to hear properly with the background chatter)

Splashpage has some important reminders to add to the mix as well:

The "Fables" universe has grown to rival that of the entire DC superhero universe, which makes sense considering that the title counts pretty much every fairy tale character created across the world in its cast—and plenty of original characters too. 

"Fables" has been running since 2002 and produced over 130 issues, not including any of its spinoff series like "Jack of Fables" and "Fairest." Pinpointing one story to tell in one film seems like a rather daunting task, especially considering that the comic's first main storyline—involving the return of the mysterious and dangerous Adversary—took about 75 issues to tell. That's a lot of story for a movie. 

No actors have been cast yet and the project is still very much in the development phase over at Warner Bros. Nikolaj Arcel ("A Royal Affair") will direct, with Jeremy Slater handling the screenplay. 

Given that there really is just so much to choose from, what would be your choice? Do you think Warner Bros will follow a growing trend of telling more male oriented fairy tales* such as those Jack or Peter & Max (though that wouldn't open the way for a franchise in quite the same way), or will they follow Issue 1 to set up the world and "cherry pick" from there?

(Gosh, you can see an almost endless possibilities of very engaging movies from this vantage!)

Personally, given that the Fables game (scroll down link to see game info) tells the prequel of Bigby Wolf, I'd be surprised if he wasn't a key player in the movie. That combined with the "first 50 issues" argument makes for a strong case for Snow & her Wolf to be the stars of a first Fables movie.

(I think we just got even more pumped for this!)


*Have you noticed Peter Pan and Neverland are popping up all over the place recently? Just an observation...

Fairy Tale RoundUp For SDCC (San Diego Comic-Con) 2013!

My favorite of J. Scott Campbell's new Fairytale Fantasies illustrations - being released at San Diego ComicCon 2013

I haven't had much time this week to stay up to date on all the San Diego ComicCon fairy tale related goodness but I wanted to at least list it for you so that you can investigate more for yourself if you're interested (or already going) and to make it clear that fairy tales are big business right now - whether main stream, indie or in the Geek universe.

Here's a run down, in no particular order. All the links take you to pages with more information about when during SDCC they will be appearing, the times, booths & rooms and any extra preview info (note: if you can't see the show you clicked on at the top of the page they will be further down in the line-up list):

• Once Upon A Time, ABC series (going into season 3)
• Once Upon A Time In Wonderland, ABC limited spin-off series (premiere)
• Grimm, NBC series (going into season 3, including sneak peek of Dracula - new series)
• Beauty & the Beast, CW series (going into season 2)
• J. Scott Campbell Fairytale Fantasies 2014 (comics, calendars and illustration)
• *Grimm Fairy Tales Comics and Animated Pilot Premiere, Zenescope (comics and new animated pilot/possible series)
• Ever After High - Mattel (new toy line with animated webisodes, debut appearance)
• Spotlight on Ruth Sanderson, fairy tale illustrator and storyteller (presentation/interview & panel)
• Lost Girl , Syfy (going into season 4) (Why have I put this on the fairy tale list? Because it makes excellent use of folklore and fairy tale creatures in a witty and gritty "Olde Worlde meets Nu". Not for kids though.)
• Fine art poster company, Mondo, will be having a limited release of new designs for Miyazaki films Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke among others.
• There will be a limited release of Guillermo del Toro's character El Fauno from Pan's Labyrinth this year as well (last year, 2012, it was The Pale Man. 2013 is for the Faun). You can pre-order at the link and they will ship after SDCC.

*The animated pilot is getting a lot of buzz and interest. Zenescope's Grimm Fairy Tales use fairly tales and set them in a largely horror genre. They've had many, many issues and been popular for many years but the animated series is a first. More on that in a bit.

Other Fairy Tale Friends at SDCC 2013:

The Faun: Limited release at SDCC 2013

• Acclaimed indie filmmaker, Lisa Stock of InByTheEye will also be there from July 17 to 19th, promoting her new film Hell and other projects. A true mythmaker, Lisa creates myth and fairy tale films and other works (including a stage adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Snow, Glass Apples) and has much more fairy tale related goodness underway that I hope to be sharing very soon.
• Speaking of Neil Gaiman, he will also there on the 19th and, as usual, in great demand over everything from his comics to his books. He will be speaking on panels and presentations, including talking about his new "fairy tale for adults" book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane.
• Joss Whedon will be there for Dark Horse comics talking about what's next for him (including the Buffy movie rumors).
• Other topics and shows that may be of interest to fairy tale people: Game of Thrones, The Hobbit II, Seventh Son, Sherlock (apparently this is a very popular among fairy tale fans!), Doctor Who (don't you think the Doctor makes for a very different sort of Beast? ;) and The Walking Dead (yes - this is also popular among fairy tale people. I may have to post on why one of these days...), Hannibal, True Blood, Supernatural, Arrow, the pilot of Sleepy Hollow (Ichabod Crane gets thrown into the future) and Dexter.

In case you are wondering Bill Willingham (Fables) will NOT be attending SDCC this year so we're unlikely to get any further scoops on the Fables film in development at this time.

Hollywood giant, Disney, is also (largely) MIA at the San Diego ComicCon this year with only having a presence via their newly acquired Marvel properties and the ABC series OUAT & OUATinWonderland. Frozen and Saving Mr. Banks will be spotlit at Disney's own expo D23 in the following week or so.

If you have any other tip off for fairy tale folks attending, please put them in the comments and I'll send out a FB and Tweet to let people know as well.