Fables Vol 22 Farewell by Bill Willingham
Art: Mark Buckingham, David Petersen, Russ Braun, Mark Schultz, Lee Garbett, Joelle Jones, Gene Ha, Peter Gross, Neal Adams, Andrew Pepoy, Steve Leialoha, Teddy Kristiansen, Michael Allred, Aaron Alexovich, David Hahn, Lan Medina, Niko Henrichon, Terry Dodson, Andrew Dalhouse, Megan Levens, and Bryan Talbot
There were a ton of complaints about this issue being anti-climactic. For one, I’m very happy that Rose Red and Snow White didn’t go into battle with one another. But don’t worry, there was a ton of other problematic happenings than a lack of sororicide.
First, there’s the battle to both their deaths of Cinderella and Frau Totenkinder. Which also managed to destroy the last of Fabletown’s magic wards against Mundy detection and half the castle. This seemed frivolous and too much of an unmoving cat fight. Especially with Cinderella stabbing Frau Totenkinder through the skull with her glass slipper.
I don’t believe that Cinderella could’ve taken on Frau Totenkinder successfully, to their deaths. Even using Frau Totenkinder’s magical trinkets against her. Not without Frau Totenkinder actually being depowered somewhat as rumored.
Additionally, neither character was one that Willingham spent anytime trying to endear to us. I liked Frau Totenkinder despite this. She would’ve been a way more interesting character to explore than some of Willingham’s choices throughout the years. And it was other writers who took Cinderella on to mixed results.
The part I found the most anticlimactic was no resolution between Snow and Bigby. Just Connor being scary and Bigby realizing his boy has grown up and all the better. WTF. Snow and Bigby don’t even have a talk, not even to list the others which Bigby killed in his feral state. If Willingham wants us to be invested in their relationship, they actually need to talk about what’s happening to them. Wow. Imagine that. Of course, they never did really talk about how they hooked up and ended up with seven cubs when memory problems happened.
Boy Blue “saving” Rose Red from fighting her sister and giving back the final shard of Bigby was a yawner. Because there’s no way she’d apply that logic on her own. That Snow had boys and had children when Rose was still alive.
I’m glad they killed Brandish. No one is sad about that. However, Grimble and Clara hooking up at the end, WTF.
The ending vignettes seemed to drag on and on. Many featured characters that were random side ones which no one cared about. Plus, who cares if Pinocchio and Geppetto continue to be terrible people only now in the magical Mundy world. I already read how many volumes of them and their terribleness.
Lumi and Winter hooking up seems to not understand how being queer works. Also too late, too little, Willingham.
Blossom seemed like a waste. I would’ve loved to see her still pudgy.
Ambrose is ever more a standin for Willingham. Only one who people actually like a lot with a big family and friends with Santa. Not to mention, Lake as his hot wife. Their fate gifts for their children seemed a bit callous.
And glad that we never got to really see Rose Red and Snow White make up. Good job!