Fables #34"Jack Be Nimble Part One of Two"
DC Comics/Vertigo
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by David Hahn
Review by Fletcher Adams
The Least You Need to Know Exiled from their homeland, the characters of literary fables have come to live in the mundane real world. They live, sequestered away from the Mundies in Fabletown or on the Animal Farm.
In the aftermath of an attack on Fabletown, Jack of Tales (as in Jack and the Beanstalk and Jack Be Nimble) sets out in the world of the Mundies, seeking a new direction in life. In this story, the first part of two, Jack heads for Hollywood in a trucked filled with loot pilfered from Fabletown. Willingham breaks up the story into smaller chapters, each one told from the point of view of a different character. Through these testimonials, Willingham details Jack of Tales arrival in Hollywood, transformation into the enigmatic Jack Trick and rise as the hottest producer in movies.
Typically, these fill-in issues havent impressed me as much as the ones devoted to the larger Fables saga. Ironically, the last fill-in that I enjoyed this much was in issue #11 the story of how Jack of Tales tricked death. It may be that I have a soft spot for likeable rogue characters, but Jack of Tales seems to be a character that Willingham works magic with every time he appears. Even when Jack, who is always really looking out for himself, acts coldly, readers cant help but like him. Willingham makes the character that much more interesting in that most of the chapters are related from the point of view of characters who are observing or interacting with Jack. While each of these supporting cast provide their own view and thoughts on Jack, the one chapter focused solidly on Jack refuses the reader any view of Jacks own thoughts. The entire issue leaves readers judging the protagonist just like the mundies solely by his actions and words.
I was pleasantly surprised by guest artist David Hahns work. While his panels are very basic and limited in terms of background detail, he provides a very clean style. This allows readers to focus on the enigmatic Jack, as well as the diverse supporting cast. Hahns minimalist style also allows him to make the characters expressions very open and easy to read. While Hahns style is simple, he has created several distinctive and interesting looks for the secondary players introduced in this issue.
The Bottom Line This issue is a great starting point for anyone new to the ongoing Fables saga. Willingham provides another solid tale, detailing the latest of Jack of Tales elaborate schemes.
