Fairest #1 Review

I'm not sure what I expected for Bill Willingham's latest "Fables" spin-off, but I found myself both a little disappointed and wonderfully surprised. 


MILD SPOILERS AHEAD!



I'll start with the not-so-good: 


Maybe it's because I love Willingham's work so much, and I know what kind of stories he's capable of producing, but I felt like this was not his best work. It's okay. The cover leads one to believe the stories is going to feature the ladies of the Fables-verse, but the story opens with Ali Baba. And an imp. A "poor wage-slave two months behind on the car payment" imp named Jonah Panghammer. Ordinarily, I'd say this sounds like the beginning of a great buddy movie I'd want to see, but something about the dialogue between the two failed to fully engage me. On dialogue alone, I wasn't feeling this.


Now, let's talk about the good: 


While the dialogue didn't necessarily grab me, Jonah Panghammer is a character I want to know more about. He is quirky and makes interesting comments. I want to see "Inappropriately Touched By An Angel" and the other dvds in his collection, especially the one that would make Whedon fans very happy. He's a character with a sense of humor and an agenda, and that's piqued my interest.


Finally, the great: 


The art is fantastic. The detail of Phil Jimenez's pencils, Andy Lanning's inks, and Andrew Dalhouse's colors are beautiful. Jimenez's art is different than what the fans are used to in the 'verse; it's much more detailed and intricate. Lanning's inks can be a little thick at times, but Dalhouse's colors help create a balance, as well as a gorgeous atmosphere. If the beast didn't look so hideous (in a good way), I'd want a print because its colors are just stunning. 

But if I were to be honest, I'd have to say Jonah Panghammer is my favorite drawn character. I know, I know, I can't seem to say anything bad about him. What can I say, I like the little dude, and the fact that he's a small, naked, blue imp with a funny little tail and even funnier little genitalia makes me like him even more. 


While I wasn't 100% into this, I'd still recommend picking up this book. Bill Willingham is a great writer, and while I found this to not up to his usual high standard, I know it will only get better. If you like Fables or want to check out the 'verse without having to go back to the very beginning, then this is a good place to start. Go forth and get this book. Then come back and tell us what you think.


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