An anthology of stories set in Willingham’s world of Fables, interpreting traditional tales and nursery rhymes in his contemporary idiom. The story of Snow White’s revenge is typically inventive; likewise Old King Cole and the three blind mice; and also the tragic after-story of the Frog Prince. Lots of different artists illustrate the stories, all good – the one that really took my breath away was Brian Bolland, unfortunately illuminating the shortest and slightest of the component stories. Another unfortunate point is the dubious orientalism of the framing narrative (though it too is gorgeous illustrated by Charles Vess). A good starting point to try out Willingham’s style, both for good and ill.
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I was both amazed and horrified by that, actually. It’s as if the thought of Everest induces some kind of blindness to common sense that prevents people from realising what a massive and dangerous undertaking it is. The mountain is like a great beast that draws its prey in by hypnotism.