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View Full Version : BB Review Group week 65 - Fables #46 (spoilers)


Thudpucker
02-08-2006, 09:47 AM
* fine print at the bottom of post


This week we will be reading: Fables #46 (Vertigo) by Bill Willingham, Jim Fern & Jimmy Palmiotti chosen by DrSettleton

Next week we will be reading: Daredevil #82 (Marvel) by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark, chosen by The Saint


Our reviewers this week are:

itsdlevy - 8
Kirbys corpse - 7.7
J. R. Scherer - 7
JoeyJoJoBobJr - 6.5
The Human Target - 8
joespam - 8.5
PeteL - 7
NewGuyJim - 8
JABSEN - 7
dEnny - 9
thudpucker - 5







Our Previous 16 weeks of reviews (scores lost during the Image Board crash)

Week 1 - 11/17/04 – Captain America #1
Week 2 - 11/24/04 – Flash #216
Week 3 - 12/01/04 – Darkness Vol. 2 #17 (av grade 3.7)
Week 4 - 12/08/04 – Demo #12
Week 5 - 12/15/04 - Plastic Man #13
Week 6 - 12/22/04 – Goon #10
Week 7 - 12/29/04 - Legion of Super Heroes #1
Week 8 - 01/05/05 – Flaming Carrot #1
Week 9 - 01/12/05 – Majestic #1
Week 10 - 01/19/05 – Human Target #18
Week 11 - 01/26/05 – Conan #12 (av grade 8.3)
Week 12 - 02/02/05 – Black Panther #1
Week 13 - 02/09/05 – Young Avengers #1
Week 14 - 02/16/05 – Ex Machina #8 (av grade 8.4)
Week 15 - 02/23/05 – X-Men #167
Week 16 - 03/02/05 – Ultimate Iron Man #1


Week 17 pick - Shining Knight #1 (Morrison & Bianchi) av grade - 7.8
Week 18 pick - Invincible #21 (Kirkman and Ottley) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=48) av grade - 6.3
Week 19 pick - Expatriate #1 (Moore and Latour) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=1314) av grade - 5.4
Week 20 pick - Temporary #2 (Hurd & Smith) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=2993) av grade - 7.4
Week 21 pick - GLA #1 (Slott and Pelletier) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=4718) av grade - 6.8
Week 22 pick - Nightwing #107 (Grayson and Hester) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=5972) av grade - 5.8
Week 23 pick - Iron Ghost #1 (Dixon and Cariello) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=7350) av grade - 4.9
Week 24 pick - City Of Tomorrow (Howard Chaykin) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=8609) av grade - 6.2
Week 25 pick - Villains United #1 (Simone and Eaglesham) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=9831) av grade - 5.7
Week 26 pick - Desolation Jones #1 (Ellis and Williams III) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=11130) av grade - 8.9
Week 27 pick - Guardian #2 (Morrison and Stewart) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=12280) av grade - 6.1
Week 28 pick - Adv. Of Superman #640 (Rucka and Kerschl) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=13393) av - 6.1
Week 29 pick - Son Of Vulcan #1 (Beatty and Grant) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=14435) av grade - 3.7
Week 30 pick - JLA #115 (Johns, Heinberg, Batista) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=15677) av grade - 6.9
Week 31 pick - Wildsiderz #0 (Campbell and Hartnell) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=16720) av grade - 2.9
Week 32 pick - Astro City: The Dark Age #1 (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=17822) av grade - 7.3
Week 33 pick - Albion #1 (Moore and Oakley) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=18956) av grade - 5.0
Week 34 pick - Gotham Central #33 (Rucka, Brubaker, Kano) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=20325) av - 8.5
Week 35 pick - Mutopia X (Hine and Medina) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=21593) av grade - 5.2
Week 36 pick - Athiest #2 (Hester and McCrea) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=22821) av grade - 6.9
Week 37 pick - JLA: Classified #10 (Ellis and Guise) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=24230) av grade - 6.9
Week 38 pick - Justice #1 (Ross, Krueger & Braithwaite) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=25471) av grade 7.9
Week 39 pick - The Winter Men #1 (Lewis and Leon) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=26722&page=1&pp=30) av grade 5.3
Week 40 pick - Batman: Journey into Knight #1 (Helfer & Huat) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?p=661904#post661904) av - 4.4
Week 41 pick - Jack Cross #1 (Ellis and Erskine) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=29289&highlight=thudpucker) av grade 6.1
Week 42 pick - Runaways #7 (Vaughan & Miyazawa) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=30415&page=1&pp=30&highlight=thudpucker) av grade 7.8
Week 43 pick - Ghost Rider #1 (Ennis and Crain) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=31761&page=1&pp=30&highlight=thudpucker) av grade 6.4
Week 44 pick - Thor: Blood Oath #1 (Oeming and Kolins) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=32837) av grade 7.1
Week 45 pick - Wolverine #32 (Millar and Andrews) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?p=800805#post800805) av grade 8.2
Week 46 pick - Losers #28 (Diggle and Wilson) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=34999) av grade 7.4
Week 47 pick - FF/I M : Big In Japan #1 (Wells & Fisher) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=36143&page=1&pp=30) av grade 5.6
Week 48 pick - F N Spider-Man #1 (David and Wieringo) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?p=885645#post885645) av grade 7.3
Week 49 pick - Fin Fang Four #1 (Langridge & Grey) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=38459) av grade 8.8
Week 50 pick - Book Of Lost Souls #1 (JMS & Doran) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=39517) av grade 5.6
Week 51 pick - Hero At Large #2 (Hogan and Treece) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=40640) av grade 6.3
Week 52 pick - DMZ #1 (Brain Wood) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=41546) av grade 7.7
Week 53 pick - The Thing #1 (Slott and DiVito) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?p=1018043#post1018043) av grade 7.5
Week 54 pick - Walking Dead #24 (Kirkman & Adlard) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?p=1043050#post1043050) av grade 8.4
Week 55 pick - Generation M #1 (Jenkins and Bachs) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=45181&page=1&pp=30) av grade 7.3
Week 56 pick - Marvel Team-Up #15 (Kirkman & Medina) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=46059&page=1&pp=30) av grade 6.0
Week 57 pick - Amazing Joy Buzzards 2 #3 (Smith and Hipp) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?p=1126452#post1126452) av grade 5.1
Week 58 pick - Testament #1 (Rushkoff and Sharp) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=48096) av grade 7.4
Week 59 pick - New Avengers #14 (Bendis and Cho) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?p=1173084#post1173084) av grade 7.6
Week 60 pick - Sable & Fortune #1 (Cahill and Burns) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=50156&page=2) av grade 4.4
Week 61 pick - Ares #1 (Oeming and Foreman) (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=51090&highlight=THUDPUCKER) av grade 8.2
Week 62 pick - SGT. ROCK: THE PROPHECY #1 (Joe Kubert) - 7.7
Week 63 pick - Nextwave #1 (Ellis and Immonen) av grade 9.1 Bendis deleted the thread :sad:
Week 64 pick - Betty and Veronica Digest #163 (http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=54050) av grade 4.2





Our higest average grade so far was for Nextwave #1 with 9.1
Our lowest average grade so for is Wildsiderz #0 with 2.9


Our Sponsors:

Isotope Comics (SF Bay area)

http://isotopecomics.com/index-1.jpg

(If any other retailers would like to sponsor our reviewers in your area, I'd be happy to promote your store in the thread too )



What we do: This is a fanbased review group, open to everybody.

There is no longer a set 'membership'. Absolutely everybody who has read the book we are reviewing is welcome to post a review, as big or small as you want, and give the book a number value (0-10).

As people post the reviews, I will add your name and score to a list and at the end of the week average the scores for an overall grade on the book.

THERE IS NO OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE EVERY WEEK. Please join in as little or as much as you like week to week. If you are uncomfortable giving a grade then just join in the discussions and ask questions.

If you would like to chose the book we review, please join the list here:

http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showthread.php?t=48095
The Human Target
02-08-2006, 10:42 AM
New Arc Baby! Woooot!
Ray G.
02-08-2006, 10:45 AM
I wait for the trade for this book(been doing that since the start), so I'm out this week. I'll be reading this thread carefully, though. :D
The Human Target
02-08-2006, 10:48 AM
I wait for the trade for this book(been doing that since the start), so I'm out this week. I'll be reading this thread carefully, though. :D

Wait for the trading bastard! :mad:

I'll toss up a review for this for sure later. I try not to head for the shop till 4 or 5, cause I know I'll get sucked into nerdery for a few hours.
Ray G.
02-08-2006, 10:51 AM
Wait for the trading bastard! :mad:

I'll toss up a review for this for sure later. I try not to head for the shop till 4 or 5, cause I know I'll get sucked into nerdery for a few hours.

This is one of only four books I wait for the trade for. This, Powers, Y, and Daredevil. I buy tons of singles, but when I get into a book late, like happened with these four, I just wait for the trade. At least these four are pretty reliable.
The Human Target
02-08-2006, 10:53 AM
This is one of only four books I wait for the trade for. This, Powers, Y, and Daredevil. I buy tons of singles, but when I get into a book late, like happened with these four, I just wait for the trade. At least these four are pretty reliable.

:-x

Don't try and stop my wrath!
Ray G.
02-08-2006, 10:55 AM
:-x

Don't try and stop my wrath!
:burned:
Thudpucker
02-08-2006, 11:13 AM
I wait for the trade for this book(been doing that since the start), so I'm out this week. I'll be reading this thread carefully, though. :D

This is one of those "inbetween arc" issues, a standalone 2 parter I think, so it shouldn't ruin anything if you wanted to pick it up.
ItsDLEVY
02-08-2006, 06:47 PM
Fables is one of my top five all time favorite series. I stumbled over the trades one day and bought the first one because I liked the cover and the premise, and then quickly bought up the rest that were available then, and have been reading the monthlies ever since.

These in-between arcs are hit and miss for me. I like the idea of seeing other artists' styles incorporated in the book, but I love Mark Buckingham's art so much that it barely feels like the same book without his pencils.

This particular issue takes some risks with the Fables formula. None of the characters in this issue have appeared before. There's very little dialogue, only "voice over" captions of a letter being written by the protagonist. The art is a little softer, more akin to a storybook than usual. And the story all takes place back in the homelands, with all of the characters on "the bad guys'" team.

I don't care for the art so much, but I understand it fits the tone of the story. The story itself is sweet, if mostly predictable, but we get some insight into the workings of the Adversary's army that may come back in future stories. Plus, the cliffhanger twist was, if not totally unexpected, at least surprising enough to make me really curious as to how this will get resolved.

This is far from the strongest issue of Fables, but it's still a damn fine comic book.

8/10
ERNIE_E
02-08-2006, 06:52 PM
http://www.buzzscope.com/features.php?id=927

Since you guys are reading Fables this week, I thought I'd share this little 4-page Interview with Bill. This is all pre-Robin and Pre-Day of Vengeance.

Just pure Fables and his earlier work, Proposition Player.

Some of you may have read this already, but for those who didn't or find they like Fables as a result of this thread, please check it out!
The Human Target
02-08-2006, 08:11 PM
So did people not get this or what?
Taxman
02-08-2006, 08:24 PM
Week 63 pick - Nextwave #1 (Ellis and Immonen) av grade 9.1 Bendis deleted the thread :sad: The highest rated book in the history of your little sewing circle, and it was deleted?

:rofl:
Thudpucker
02-09-2006, 06:03 AM
The highest rated book in the history of your little sewing circle, and it was deleted?

:rofl:

Yea, it was a great thread, my favorite so far. But Bendis saw it and he was not pleased. So he smote it. The Bendis works in mysterious ways, and explainations of why are for the weak!
PeteL
02-09-2006, 06:54 AM
I'm going to pick up Fables this weekend.

Bendis deleted the NEXTWAVE thread? :confused:
RebootedCorpse
02-09-2006, 07:01 AM
Very nice story about social taboos keeping the individual from reaching his potential. I miss the intricate artwork of by Mark Buckingham and Steve Leialoha with the cool borders on every page, but Jim Fern with inks by (?) Jimmy Palmiotti does a nice job filling in. Not one of the stand-out issues by any means, but a nice jumping-on point.
The part with the Gob describing sex to Rodney was pretty funny.
My Score: 7.7.
Thudpucker
02-09-2006, 04:14 PM
*da bump*
J. R. Scherer
02-10-2006, 03:58 PM
Fables #46

Man, I fucking KNEW that I should have waited until I'd read the last trade before reading this. It's pretty clear from this issue that Gepetto is the Adversary. I was hoping that since this was 2 parter that focused on the Arabian Fables I might be able to read it and still be spoiler free for the Homelands trade. Man, that really chaps my hide.

It's a great comic, though. I prefer the issues dealing with the main group of Fables characters, but this story was fun. This one I'm giving a 7 out of 10.
Andreas
02-10-2006, 04:19 PM
I didn't expect the extra copy for the store in high demand. Guess I was wrong. :( Had to reorder and will review it a week later.

Andreas
RebootedCorpse
02-10-2006, 05:23 PM
Friday night and there's only 3 reviews. Sheesh. Slackers.
The Robot Lord of Tokyo
02-10-2006, 09:02 PM
I thought that this was an ok filler story but if they're going to do a filler issue I'd rather they tell the back story of one of the other fables instead of a introducing new characters that might not have long term significance. Then again it's a multipart story and if they were to go and make this story have long-term impact and give importance to Rodney beyond this then maybe this will all come around in later issues. But otherwise it is an amusing story and a way to shift gears for the next storyline.

I give it a 6.5 out of 10
The Human Target
02-11-2006, 01:30 PM
I'm a really big fan of this comic.

This was an interesting issue, and I'm sure that its going to have a bigger place in the overall story so I on't consider it filler by any means. We already learned more about the forces of the Adversary, especially the wooden soldiers. And what an asset this new character would be to Fabletown should he defect?

The art is very nice and fits the story well. Its just a shame its not Willingham for the people who haven't seen his Fables work.

8/10
Criden
02-11-2006, 01:36 PM
I'm a really big fan of this comic.

This was an interesting issue, and I'm sure that its going to have a bigger place in the overall story so I on't consider it filler by any means. We already learned more about the forces of the Adversary, especially the wooden soldiers. And what an asset this new character would be to Fabletown should he defect?

The art is very nice and fits the story well. Its just a shame its not Willingham for the people who haven't seen his Fables work.

8/10

Ehsquize me, suh, but ah think you mixed up y'all 'hams. Ah belieeve you was referrin' to Buckin'ham.
The Human Target
02-12-2006, 12:17 AM
Ehsquize me, suh, but ah think you mixed up y'all 'hams. Ah belieeve you was referrin' to Buckin'ham.

Fucking all those hams confuse me.


<lashes self>
joespam
02-12-2006, 04:51 AM
I read this series in trade, so I'm glad that I'm caught up. I found this issue interesting and frustrating all at the same time. Frustrating because this issue does nothing obvious to advance anything with any of the characters whose stories we've been following since the book began. Interesting because it was a good story, from a corner and perspective of the Fables 'universe' we've not heard from.

My first impression was that the story was slow and overlong; it was pretty obvious where the letter that narrated the story was going. I don't think we needed 3/4 of the issue devoted to getting there. Although what we saw was interesting (as was already mentioned, the goblin/puppet exchange) was funny. I liked seeing the day-to-day aspect of the enemy; the perspective of the wooden soldiers trying to manage and live side-by-side with their army before, during, and after the battle made for interesting reading. And by the end, I did feel for the protagonist. And I didn't see it where things were going once the letter was completed, so I'm interested for the conclusion of the story.

The whole thing reminded me of reading Sandman monthly - while the story that you got often didn't focus on who or what you wanted, you couldn't argue that it wasn't a good one. You just wanted to because there wasn't enough Morpheus or the Dream Crew.

The art was fine. I don't really have much to say in that department. The wooden people managed to be emote while looking like giant marionettes. The storytelling was solid. The whole thing felt like a storybook, perfect for a book called 'Fables.'

I give it an 8.5.
PeteL
02-12-2006, 12:30 PM
I read an issue of Fables every now and again. So far I've only read the first trade in its entirety. I found myself slogging through this issue. It was interesting enough, but far from my favorite Fables issue I've read. I liked how the wooden soldiers felt about themselves, and in turn, how they felt about the meat. It's an intersting enough story considering its intention, but it just didn't grab me enough to even read it in one sitting. I kept getting bored-which is bad for a 32 page comic. I will read the second issue to see what happens. I'll give it a 7/10.
Thudpucker
02-13-2006, 01:21 PM
Wow, Fables is not nearly as popular as I thought it was :-?

I decided to pass this week because Fables is one of my trade only titles and I was worried about spoilers even though it is one of the self contained side stories. But I was thinking alot of other people still bought this one in singles, huh.
Jim T.
02-13-2006, 01:28 PM
I liked it - the art was nice and soft to reflect the more introspective feel of the story. It was a neat take on the enemy as being something more than just an unthinking evil juggernaut. The Gob discussion was classic. I was almost hoping that rather than marriage, they were going to ask Geppetto for wooden genitalia but maybe that was just me. Good use of an interlude between arcs - I'm interested to see what happens next.

8/10
Jim T.
02-13-2006, 01:32 PM
Fables #46

Man, I fucking KNEW that I should have waited until I'd read the last trade before reading this. It's pretty clear from this issue that Gepetto is the Adversary. I was hoping that since this was 2 parter that focused on the Arabian Fables I might be able to read it and still be spoiler free for the Homelands trade. Man, that really chaps my hide.

It's a great comic, though. I prefer the issues dealing with the main group of Fables characters, but this story was fun. This one I'm giving a 7 out of 10.

Herm...I though they did a good job not coming out and saying this. Geppetto is pretty consistently referred to as their creator and the Emperor was (I believe) referred to as his greatest creation. The toy soldiers don't know the Adversary's identity any more than the rest of the Fables do. They honor Geppetto not because he's the adversary, but because he's the guy that made them.
TIP
02-13-2006, 03:00 PM
Shit...I am behind. This issue is still in my TO READ pile.

T
JABSEN
02-13-2006, 08:31 PM
Solid issue with solid art. I guess I'm just not that innterested in the goings-on out side of FableTown

7/10
dEnny!
12-29-2006, 05:06 PM
Fables #46 by Willingham - I thought this was a well written and beautifully illustrated story that sheds light on the other side of the war as well as the Wooden Soldiers view of humanity. It's a beautiful love story (having read #47 it also is a tale of getting what you wish for and not realizing all what that means).

Fables is by far one of my favorite titles on the shelf.

9/10
Thudpucker
12-29-2006, 05:15 PM
I didn't care for this one much. the stand alones stories can be interesting and flesh in the overall picture but with this one I was pretty bored, I just didn't empathize with the characters at all and I was glad when it went back to the main story. I did like the art though.

I'd give it a 5, it was ok but nothing special for me.
dEnny!
12-29-2006, 05:34 PM
I didn't care for this one much. the stand alones stories can be interesting and flesh in the overall picture but with this one I was pretty bored, I just didn't empathize with the characters at all and I was glad when it went back to the main story. I did like the art though.

I'd give it a 5, it was ok but nothing special for me.

Well compared to the other issues these stories have a lot to live up to, but I thought Willingham did a good job introducing these characters and they come back later during Sons of the Empire. No story is a throw away with Willingham so I'm sure my score was inflated as the series on a whole is a 10.
Thudpucker
12-29-2006, 05:38 PM
Well compared to the other issues these stories have a lot to live up to, but I thought Willingham did a good job introducing these characters and they come back later during Sons of the Empire. No story is a throw away with Willingham so I'm sure my score was inflated as the series on a whole is a 10.

I do love that he works such a large cast into a cohesive and workable continuity. I'm a huge fan of the series, I just wish he would do fewer of the standalones as I always get impatient for the main story to start up again.
dEnny!
12-29-2006, 05:40 PM
I do love that he works such a large cast into a cohesive and workable continuity. I'm a huge fan of the series, I just wish he would do fewer of the standalones as I always get impatient for the main story to start up again.

You shouldn't ding your book for your impatience. ;)
Thudpucker
12-29-2006, 06:12 PM
You shouldn't ding your book for your impatience. ;)

No, I didn't. That particular one just wasn't that good for me. I liked the Jack goes to Hollywood one alot though, some are excellent.
dEnny!
12-29-2006, 06:27 PM
No, I didn't. That particular one just wasn't that good for me. I liked the Jack goes to Hollywood one alot though, some are excellent.

Which reminds me that I need to catch up on Jack of Fables.
The Human Target
12-29-2006, 06:31 PM
Jack of Fables first arc was brilliant. The last issue was just good though, especially since the art changed.