Fables Vol. 16: Super Team (edition 2011)

Hmm, some good stuff here, as always, but some of the humour fell a bit flat for me, and I found the resolution of a major storyline more than a little bit rushed and unsatisfactory. We're also being presented with a lot of unconnected threads that are obviously setting up the next arc. It gives this volume a decidedly fragmented feel, although looking back later (once we've seen where this is all heading) it may feel better integrated. ( )

Summary: After Frau Totenkinder's dubious success (and eventual failure) in containing Mister Dark, Pinocchio has a plan to rid the Fables of their new enemy for good. Inspired by the comics he loves, he's assembling a team of Fables with super powers to do battle against their seemingly unstoppable foe. We also get a peek inside the (still-missing) business office, and a quick look at Sleeping Beauty's continuing adventures.

Review: This volume wasn't bad, and certainly had some nice moments (particularly with Bigby - and hooray, Ghost gets a mention!), but it also didn't make much of an impression with me. Part of that might be because Pinocchio's not my favorite character, and that was especially noticeable after a volume that focused so heavily on Frau Totenkinder, who I find much more interesting. Part of it might also be that I prefer fairy tales to super hero stories, and the blend of the two didn't sit entirely comfortably. It also might be that the story as a whole didn't quite have the narrative or emotional ooomph that I want (and expect) from Fables. But again, it wasn't bad, just not quite as thrilling or moving as most of what's come before. 3.5 out of 5 stars. ( )

We return to the realm of Fables in this 16th volume as our heroes continue their battle against Mr. Dark. In the last volume Frau Totenkinder's battle against Mr. Dark has failed and the fables have been forced to retreat to Haven and Flycatcher cannot hold the barrier against him much longer. But all is not lost. Pinocchio and Ozma have hit upon a plan to pull their most powerful heroes together to form a superteam to tackle and defeat Mr. Dark. They've picked superhero names, costumes, and everything and are almost ready for the battle. But before their battle can begin Bigby and his father, the North Wind, have to settle the issue of Ghost, Bigby's invisible zephyr cub. And then...everything takes an unexpected turn and some surprising events happen before Mr. Dark is defeated. In other stories we get to check in with Bufkin, our hero of the lost business office, who manages to find his way back to his homeworld of Oz in "The Ascent" and continues his quest to be the best hero he can be. And we also check in with our lost hero Sleeping Beauty in "Waking Beauty."

I can see why there are some mixed reviews about this collection as the battle against Mr. Dark feels very anticlimactic compared to the previous one with Frau Totenkinder. There isn't the big explosion or the epic last battle. It's just not what you really expect at all. And yet...I like how it all goes down. It fits well within the Fables world, much like how Geppetto was finally defeated and it's going to lead the gang down a very different path than what many people I think expected. The artwork is again absolutely fantastic and I'm always impressed with the effects that they manage to pull off, such as the final battle with Mr. Dark. It just has such great imagery and such great character design.

I do have a couple of niggling little doubts, not related to the battle but to a couple of events that happen within it. One involves one of the Fables picked to be on the superteam, and I'll avoid mentioning much since it would be a spoiler, but this Fable suddenly loses their "power" and not much is ever mentioned more of it. I'm sure it will crop up in later issues, but it just left me feeling like I missed pages that talked more about what happened. The second little issue I have is that we finally get a glimpse of the person who roused Rose Red from her bed in the previous collection. It's almost presented like we should know who she is, but we don't. Again I'm sure that Bill will reveal all in good time it just bugged me a bit that we didn't get more information about these two circumstances.

Even with the two niggling doubts Bill Willingham has created a fantastic universe and continues to surprise me with the direction he's able to take the series. I have no doubt that my questions will be answered in future volumes and I look forward to seeing where he goes with the story. ( )