Fables: The Deluxe Edition vol. 16
Or “Fables vol. 23: The Black Forest,” which is what I imagine this volume will be called, whenever it hits softcover. That’s just one more complication on what has already been a very rocky road for this revival. While this series was beloved during its original run at DC/Vertigo, people becoming more aware of creator Bill Willingham’s politics in subsequent years meant that the announcement of its return wasn’t greeted with unanimous fanfare. Then the serialization started and it eventually got bogged down in delays for reasons that we weren’t privy to. So we can only speculate that they were part of the reason that Willingham gave up his ownership of “Fables” to the creative community along with his stated frustration with the current management at DC.
So really, it’s kind of a miracle that all twelve issues of “The Black Forest” exist in a collected edition at all after that. How does it read? The best thing I can say about it is that if you can put all of the drama out of your mind, it reads very much like a vintage “Fables” story. More could’ve been done to address the fallout from the end of the series’ original run, but the characters, tone, writing, and art make it feel like Willingham and artist Mark Buckingham were able to pick up right where they left off.
Which, in the aftermath of the battle between Cinderella and Frau Totenkinder, was a world that was now far less mundane. The existence of Fables and, more importantly, magic was now known to the world at large and now everyone was going to have to deal with it. While there’s a lot in this volume that does, it’s not where “The Black Forest’s” focus truly is.
No, that would be on Bigby Wolf, Snow White, and their remaining children. With there no longer being a Fabletown to run and protect, its former mayor and sheriff have set out to find a more fitting home for themselves. They set up shop in the titular forest away from most civilized touches, but not all prying eyes. Talking forest critters. An imprisoned god and his son. An aspiring protector of the reams. A rather noteworthy Fable who wasn’t featured in the series’ original run – all will find their way into conflict here.
Before all that happens, we’re treated to a large dose of the whimsical and clever storytelling that the series trafficked in quite well over the course of the title’s first 22 volumes. It’s evident from the first resurrection and how the character involved matter-of-factly deals with the issues in having their charred corpse re-animated. Or when Ambrose Wolf has to deal with someone who thinks they’ve found a young and clueless wolf to manipulate. Or when the animals of the forest convene to decide what to do about the new inhabitants of their forest and promptly start reverting to type in the discussion.
It’s a good deal of fun, and that remains true even when the drama starts picking up as you’d expect. There’s nothing quite as memorably merciless as what we saw become of Dare Wolf in “Cubs in Toyland,” but that’s probably for the best. “The Black Forest” feels like a fun little reunion tour from a classic band supporting their really good new album that shows they’ve still got it. Even if it’s not quite as good as their best work.
So it’s easy to enjoy the struggles of the Wolf family as Willingham builds on where he left them last time. The business involving the mundies getting used to living in a magical world isn’t quite as well developed, though there are some clever bits that suggest some thought has gone into it. “The Black Forest” could’ve been entirely about that, and probably still been entertaining, but it’s clear the writer was more invested in writing about his characters than digging into all of the plot mechanics and worldbuilding necessary to properly address this issue. It’s properly tabled to be brought up again at the end of the volume; but as I said above, who knows if we’ll get any more “Fables” in this form in the future.
As for actual issues with this story, they all lie with its main antagonist. Originally supposed to be the Adversary instead of Gepetto, he’s revealed here to have been the power behind the villainous woodcarver. That’s not a bad angle for the character to have, and there’s no denying he comes off as more than a little suspect when you consider his trademark actions with modern sensibilities.
Where he lets the story down, however, is what looks to me like a failure to square his classical version with how he’s portrayed in “Fables.” Willingham writes him with appropriately villainous arrogance, but we’re not told about how he became so powerful beyond his partnership with a certain fairy. In fact, we learn nothing about his history here aside from his dealings with Gepetto, so while his actions feel consequential, they don’t have a lot of weight behind them. As if he’s getting by on his reputation rather than being properly developed as a character. Also, we see him as an adult, which flies in the face of his defining characteristic and what’s up with that?
He still fits in well enough with the main cast thanks to Buckingham’s classic work. Always a versatile stylist, his art makes the fantastical parts of the series feel effortless and natural while always delivering impressive designs. All of the adventures the Wolf kids go on feel distinct under his pencilwork while the violence in each conflict hits you effectively. It’s worth mentioning that Buckingham was drawing this series at the same time he was working on “The Silver Age” and while “Fables” doesn’t have that title’s overall level of detail, it still looks as good as the series did originally while delivering the same clarity of storytelling.
Honestly, it’s really a shame that Willingham and DC/Warner Bros. relationship got so bad that he gave up his ownership of the series. “The Black Forest” shows that he’s still great at writing “Fables” and that Buckingham is just as good at writing it. I suspect it may be possible for him to write more on his own terms, but I don’t know what (if any) publishing rights the company has that would likely force him to work with them in order to do so. Even if we don’t get any more stories after this one, what we have here is still a satisfying victory lap for a series that still stands as one of the crown jewels of Vertigo’s illustrious run.