A Tour of Fabletown: Patterns and Plots in Bill Willingham’s Fables

In 2002, Vertigo/DC Comics published the first issue of Bill Willingham’s Fables. The series imagined the lives of fairy tale figures–Snow White, the Big Bad Wolf, Cinderella and the ubiquitous Prince Charming, among many others–as they made new lives for themselves in modern-day New York City, having fled their storied homeworlds following an invasion. After 150 issues and many awards, Fables concluded its run in July 2015.

This study, the first about the sprawling, complex series, discusses such topics as Fables‘ status as a contemporary adaptation of folk and fairy tales; its use of conventional genres like sword-and-sorcery, crime and romance; its portrayal of social and political relationships; and its self-referential moments. Providing a detailed introduction to the themes and ideas in the series, the author explores how Fables portrays redemption, the function of community, and how our hopes and fears influence our ideal of “happily ever after.”