Fables Vol. 9: Sons of Empire - Dark Publications

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
The infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile when a savage creature known as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales. These magical characters now disguise themselves as normal citizens in modern-day New York and around the world.

In this volume, Pinocchio suffers seriously divided loyalties between his father, the evil Adversary, and his fellow Fable refugees in New York. Discover what he does while his father hosts a secret conference of the imperial elite to decide the ultimate fate of Fabletown. Plus, Bigby Wolf reluctantly decides it's finally time to square accounts with his long-estranged father, the North Wind and makes a journey with Snow White and their kids to find him.

Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

I Couldn't Wait to Read It! June 27, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

"Sons of Empire" is the latest in Bill Willingham's Eisner Award-winning series "Fables" graphics novels. In the previous edition, "Wolves", Bigby Wolf successfully executed a brilliant plan conceived under the leadership of Prince Charming as retribution for the Empire's attack on Fabletown. As payment for this, his years of service as well as Snow White's dedication, they are given a house as well as the valley formerly occupied by the sleeping giants.

Back in the Empire, the ruling inner circle debates as to what to do in response to the Fabletown attack. "Debate" isn't the proper word. What the Adversary and company want is nothing short of the destruction of Fabletown and our mundane world. The main issue is not `should they' but `how should they'.

Anyway Lord Hansel is dispatched to Fabletown as the new ambassador for the Empire. That's `Hansel' as in "Hansel and Gretel" as in the two kids who pushed Frau Totenkinder into her oven. Overnight, Prince Charming and company realize their world will never be the same again. They either step up their game or die.

Meanwhile, Bigby Wolf and family have settled down to domestic bliss in their first Christmas together. However as her Christmas present, Snow White asks that Bigby visit his father with his family. Of course the problem is Bigby blames his father for his mother's death......

At the same time, Pinnochio finds out on a personal level what a monster his `kindly' Geppetto is.

It is interesting in how Mr. Willingham's characters evolve. Prince Charming is proving to be an excellent wartime Mayor of Fabletown. Even when he is angry he is still able to think clearly and act decisively. In this way he is a lot like his wife Snow White. Boy Blue may have the love of his life underneath his nose.... Bigby Wolf is a sensitive, caring father.

But don't forget he's still "the biggest, baddest wolf of all!"

This graphic novel is not at the same level as "The March of the Wooden Soldiers" or "Wolves". What Mr. Willingham is doing is redirecting the series and refreshing it with new plotlines and new characters as well as tying up a few loose ends while building up to a climax. Even so, this is a worthy addition to the series.

5 out of 5 stars

Empire Plans, Bigby Relents July 6, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

We have seen Fabletown respond to the Empire in a devastating way. We cannot expect the Empire to roll over after just one hit. The first story arc shows us how the empire plans to respond and their council of war. Plus we meet, and discover the history of, Hansel who has been made Ambassador to Fabletown. A strong story that sets the stage for much to come.

In the second main story arc we see Bigby and his pack travel to the lands of his father for a family visit. This is the first chance we have of seeing Bigby with Mr. North. An excellent story that includes a Christmas special as only Fables can pull off and one of the best side jokes I have seen in a while. Unfortunately the art on this one is far from the best.

Also included in this collection are a series of short stories that fill in all sorts of little details about the Fables we know and know of. One series of short stories is concerned with answering readers questions.

Two good stories for the price of one plus all the other stuff equals a real bargain in the graphic novel world. An absolute must-have for Fables fans.

5 out of 5 stars

Doesn't let up! July 11, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

At the heart of this collection: evil machinations, plans and schemes in the Adversary's Empire; a long-lasting conflict between a father and a son coming to a resolution of sorts. Add to this a very grim twist on the aftermath of the Hansel and Gretel story that makes Frau Totenkinder look almost benign; a hint that the humblest and maybe most tragic of all the residents of Fabletown may turn out to be their savior; little snippets of background material and vignettes on Fables plus one potentially significant non-Fable.

One of the things I like most about the characters is that even the most evil ones do have a story behind the, which reveals the choices and paths that made them become whom we meet here. And the good ones are never quite as clean as we might like to think of them either. Everything has more than one side and Fables makes a point of virtually never letting us forget that.

As always, or maybe even more so, simply brilliant.

5 out of 5 stars

It Just Keeps Getting Better! July 2, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

What can I say? Fables continues to be the best comic book series out there--period. Sons of Empire maintains the excellent status quo by setting up a major storyline to come, giving us an interesting Christmas tale, and further exploring the relationship between fathers and sons. Most entertaining, though, is a series of "short stories" throughout the volume that fill in some gaps on lesser characters and events.

Really, if you're not reading Fables, you're missing out on the best series going.

~Scott William Foley, author of Souls Triumphant

5 out of 5 stars

A series that is stunning in its consistent brilliance March 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I discovered FABLES perhaps a bit later than many others, but I'm making up for it with my enthusiasm for it. I've now read all of the nine main books, the 1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL spin off, and the two Jack of the Fables books (even though Jack is possibly my least favorite character in the books). I look forward to getting the tenth book this June. My point is: this is an addictive series.

The issues that make up this volume pretty obviously are setting up big events in the future. We see a war council held by Gepetto and his minions. We see Snow White and Bigby and their brood visit his father the North Wind. We are introduced to several new characters. We get new wrinkles, such as Rodney Greenwood, who seems to almost like the residents of Fabletown.

But while FABLES has great stories, what I most enjoy is the way Willingham explores all the various facets of their fictional world. From the very beginning the series has never done just one thing. There is an astonishing variety, just as the cast of characters really could be characterized as an ensemble cast. If you were forced to identify the "lead" characters, it might be Snow White and Bigby Wolf, but there have been several issues in which they've not appeared at all, sometimes several issues in a row.

I can't wait to see what happens next.

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