Kate: ::singing:: “Some day my prince will come. Some day we’ll meet again. And away to his castle we’ll go. To be happy forever I know.”
Dan: ::peeks in from kitchen, pained expression on face:: Jesus, is someone strangling a cat? No? You’re… singing? Oh. Ok. And what’s on your head? Where’s your Red Sox cap?
K: Ha ha, funny man. The neighbor’s cat is fine. And it’s a tiara. It’s what a princess wears. And no worries, I put it right on top of my Sox cap. Since the Fairy Tale thing is all the rage, I thought I’d break out the jewels and see what it’s all about.
D: But you hate that stuff: pink, frilly, girly stuff. And you’re not 6. You’re 36! ::dodges thrown flower pot::
K: Yeah, so what?!? YA’ WANNA MAKE SOMETHING OF IT?!?
D: Calm down, Ms. Princess. How about we read the latest Bill Willingham book, Fairest. It’s about princesses, but less pink and no singing.
K: Fine. But I’m still wearing the tiara.
D: You may be seeing fairy tale themed stuff all over media now with the likes of Grimm and Once Upon a Time on competing channels, but the modern update to the classic fairy tales have been produced by DC comics since 2002. Bill Willingham is the creative engine behind the 100-plus issues of Fables. Along with Fables, and its various spin-offs and mini-series, Willingham has told a staggering number of stories starring characters you instantly know, in situations you’d never think of.
K: Right. Fine. Stop talking. Give me the comic already.
D: Oh. Um. Sorry. Sometimes I forget I don’t have an internal monologue.

D: So Fairest seems to focus on the ladies of Fables.
K: It appears that way, but the fairer sex doesn’t make an appearance until the second half of the book. And she doesn’t say anything until the very last page.
D: I can only imagine how peaceful that would be… ::dodges thrown flower pot:: Where are you getting all of these flowerpots?
K: Zip it, Prince Uncharming.
D: I’ll do what you tell me because I want to, and not because I’m tired of dodging flowerpots. We meet up with Ali Baba, The Price Of Thieves, as he scouts through the remains of a ruined city. As he reaches for an ornate bottle, dreams of genie wishes dance through his greedy mind. But instead of an all-powerful genie, he gets… Jonah Panghammer. The non-mighty bottle imp is our smart mouthed guide through the story. His character provides an excellent tool for moving the story forward. Panghammer and Ali Baba have some wonderful word play as we eventually get to the issue’s payoff.
K: Willingham has laid out a good start to the series. I can only dream Phil Jimenez stays on art duties, but word is the art team will change with each story arc. As usual, Jimenez’s illustrations are beautiful and very detailed; perfect art for fairy tales.
D: Or super-hero stories. Or westerns. Or space operas. Jimenez can draw anything, and have it be the best “anything” you’ve ever seen.
K: And speaking of the beautiful art, WHAT ABOUT THAT COVER?!
D: No doubt! We’ve talked about Adam Hughes’ cover work here before, remember the cover to Batgirl #1? But this is just an amazing wraparound cover, featuring all the lovely ladies of Fables.
K: There always seems to be a bit too much testosterone on the shelves at the comic shop. I’m always for more Girl Power in my comics. ::flexes in the mirror, snarls::
D: I hear you. I’m thinking there’s a big payoff coming after this issues setup. Now stop making faces in the mirror, already. Your face will stick that way, and you’ll end up looking like an evil stepsister.
Dan and Kate Malmon are a happily married couple (except when Dan eats all of MS cookies) in Roseville, MN. When not working, reading comics and mysteries or watching sports, they hang out with Franklin the dog. You can find both Kate and Dan on Twitter.