Fables Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 by Bill Willingham

Series: Fables
# of Pages: 264
Publication: October 6th, 2009
Source: Library Copy
Genre: Comics
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When a savage creature known only as the Adversary conquered the fabled lands of legends and fairy tales, all of the infamous inhabitants of folklore were forced into exile. Disguised among the normal citizens of modern-day New York, these magical characters created their own secret society-within an exclusive luxury apartment building on Manhattan's Upper West Side-called Fabletown. But when Snow White's party-girl sister, Rose Red, is apparently murdered, it is up to Bigby, Fabletown's sheriff, and a reformed and pardoned Big Bad Wolf, to determine if the culprit is Bluebeard, Rose's ex-lover and notorious wife killer, or Jack, her current live-in boyfriend and former beanstalk-climber.

If you know anything about me then you should know that I love comics; however, if  you know me super well then you would know that one of my favorite comic books series of all time is Fables by Bill Willingham. It is truly amazing and I'm currently in the process of re-reading the series so I can finally finish with all of the spin-offs and volumes in the main story arc. 

Fables is a re-imagining of various fairy tale characters that have been banished to Upper West Side Manhattan to a town called Fabletown. Most of the first volume is focused on the introduction of various fable characters and Bigby (the big bad wolf) investigating the death of Snow White's sister Rose Red. What is most appealing about this book is that it creates a sense of nostalgia . Readers are re-introduced to their favorite fairy tale characters in a new and interesting way. They no longer are a part of their world, but they are a part of ours living as refugees barely escaping from an all evil power known as the Emperor. Readers are privy to all the information related to the characters and how they differ from our typical perception and ideas of who and what they were in stories. For example, in most fairy tales Prince Charming is regarded as kind and the man who frequently saves the day; however, in Fables he's arrogant and uses women for his advantage. By the time we read about him in the first deluxe volume we find that he has been engaged or involved with at least four of the "traditional princesses" including Rose Red, Snow White, Beauty, and Cinderella. 

The artwork in the book is beautiful and simplistic, while the plot is interesting to read and engross yourself in. When I originally read the first few volumes a few years ago I was instantly hooked and have not been able to put them down since. If you haven't had the opportunity to pick up one of these volumes please do as soon as possible. I think you'll enjoy it completely.