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Comics & Graphic Novels |
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Jack of Fables, Vol. 3: The Bad Prince
written by Bill Willingham, Matt Sturges
Studio : Vertigo
by Vertigo
Release Date : 2008-07-08
Publisher : Vertigo
Released : 2008-07-08
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9781401218546
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 4 reviews)
List Price : $14.99
Our Price : $7.97
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Many laughs to be had |
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I am a huge fan of the Fables series, and this spin-off is just as satisfying. I enjoyed Jack of Fables 1 and 2, and number 3 was no different. I applaud the authors and artists for creating such a imaginative series. Bravo! |
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A brilliant continuation of the Fables' Universe |
Even though Jack is perhaps my least favorite Fable in the wonderful imaginative universe that Bill Willingham has created, I once again have been completely blown away by one of his collections. This addition to the sequence features some truly wonderful twists. There are also a number of additions to the overall Jack narrative that significantly increases the complexity of the tale.
The big surprise is that the revelation that Jack is the not the original of the Jack/John stories, but the copy. If you've read any studies dealing with European folktales, you have undoubtedly encountered the idea of Jack stories (very similar in Native American folklore concerning Coyote stories). There are a host of stories centered on this character, more of a type than a specific individual. Here the idea is introduced that through the Powers that Be, Jack was a copy of John, insted of the other way around. The stories were actually about John, whose memories Jack has been provided.
The real meat of the story, however, lies elsewhere, as we learn a great deal more about Mr. Revise and hints about the particular kind of being that he is, as well as the revelation that there are others like him. I am not buying the individual issues of this series as they come out so I have not checked to verify this, but I suspect that the next group of issues focus on this. Suffice it to say that this book is crucial in introducing essential plot twists to come.
The book also ties in rather nicely with Volume 10 of the FABLES story, in a couple of ways. First, this volume is entitled JACK OF THE FABLES 3: THE BAD PRINCE, while the other is FABLES 10: THE GOOD PRINCE. Second, in the Jack volume a sword is rammed through his chest by someone who appears to be Merlin. In the FABLES volume we learn that the sword may have resulted from more than just that.
All in all, another great addition to one of the best ongoing comics series around. If you love comics, you should definitely add this to your collection, but only after you've added the previous FABLES and JACK releases. |
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A Disappointment |
If you've read my other reviews of Mr. Willingham's work on 'Fables' and the 'Jack of Fables' you'll find I am a tremendous fan. One of the things I have marveled at is how Mr. Willingham keeps the series engaging and fresh. In this, the third of the Jack novels, he finally stumbles.
For those of you not familiar with the series, in Mr. Willingham's universe, the characters of folklore and mythology are real. A lot of them have been forced from their worlds to live in secret in our mundane world. One of these is Jack as in Jack Frost, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc.
In order to really understand the series, you should start at the beginning and stop reading this review.... :-)
For those of you familiar with this series, Jack, the Pathetic Fallacy and Wicked John have been captured by the evil librarians of the Golden Boroughs Retirement Home. The van crashes into the Grand Canyon where our favorite scoundrel get a sword through his body. The sword is Excalibur and only the one true king can remove the sword.
In this graphic novel, we learn more about the nature of the Pathetic Fallacy and Mr. Revise. We also learn the connection of Wicked John and Jack and why they hate each other. Despite these tidbits the story is uneven. The characters spend much of their time bickering. this simply appears to be a means for Mr. Willingham to fill in gaps in the story and the narrative.
While this is better than the average fantasy graphic novel, it still falls short of of the overall excellence of the 'Fables' series. |
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Jack's back in true form |
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Jack of Fables is back, and just as rougish as ever. This is vintage Willingham, though perhaps a quieter tale than previous Jack of Fables stories. Jack spends most of his time stuck in the Grand Canyon with his double, Pathetic Fallacy and a few other characters who want to revise him into a more mortal existence. This spinoff of the Fables series lacks the punch of the main line of stories since Jack is too self-indulgent to participate in the liberation struggles of the main Fables community. A well-written diversion form Fabletown with good characters, good art, but nothing more. |
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