In Fables 1 we learned that all the characters from fairy tales, or Fables as they call themselves, are hiding out in New York City since their lands were taken from them. This, of course, doesn't include the animal Fables like the three little pigs because how are three pigs supposed to hide out in New York City? All of the nonhuman Fables were sent to a farm in upstate New York where Snow White goes to check on them once a year. This year she finds that the town is in complete unrest and there is a threat for an uprising. Since Snow White is rather gullible she doesn't notice what is happening right under her nose, but her sister Rose Red as an inkling for what is happening.
Bill Willingham draws quite obviously from Animal Farm and The Lord of the Flies to create this comic book, which is something most book nerds will appreciate. It was bizarre experience to read it because I wasn't sure if I was supposed to side with Snow White or with the animal Fables. It seems like the animal Fables are evil, but then at the same time I can see their point. It would really suck to be locked into upstate New York and never be able to live simply because you look like an animal and not a human. And while they make some rookie mistakes, they actually seem to be pretty smart. They figure out how to make guns they can use and they trick Snow White pretty easily. Snow White seems to be pretty dumb during this whole thing, and I have a hard time rooting for a dumb person.
The artwork is really some of the most beautiful comic art I have ever seen. The colors in this are outstanding. The pages are particularly bright because of the animals, as you can see from the cover design. They really pull you into this world where strange and unlikely things happen. I was also pleased with how well animal emotions were portrayed in their faces, which I think would be much more difficult to achieve in animals than it is in humans.
Fables Vol. 2: Animal Farm
is overall a much tighter story than Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile
. It helps create the world but doesn't spoon feed us information, we find out things slowly with the characters. It is some great world building. My only complaint is that the last fourth of the book seemed extremely rushed. I don't want to give away why I think that is because it would ruin a pretty important part to the story, but I think it's worth mentioning. I was satisfied with the ending because I felt it promised I would find out more in the next volume, but if I don't find out more I'm going to be pretty disappointed.
I give Fables 2 a B.
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