Andrew A. Smith
Scripps Howard News Service
Call it self-fulfilling prophecy, but I’ve read the first issues of two of DC’s four new Vertigo books, and I feel about them exactly as I expected to.
Fairest #1 ($2.99), which arrived March 7, was just as much fun as I’d hoped. For those who missed my previous column on this topic (and for shame!), Fairest is a spinoff from Vertigo’s popular and award-winning Fables series, which posits that all fairy tale characters exist, with each as proportionally powerful as the number of mortals who remember and/or believe in them. This new title focuses on the histories and solo adventures of the ladies in our fairy tales, from Cinderella (who has already had two solo miniseries) to Snow White.
It starts with a wraparound cover featuring 12 gals and one guy by the fantastic Adam Hughes; it’s not only gorgeous but a fun challenge to identify all the characters. I was only able to ID them all because I’ve read more than 100 issues of Fables, and it wasn’t easy – there sure are a lot of blondes! I’ll provide a hint in that those depicted are Ali Baba, Beauty (of “and the Beast”), Bo Peep, Briar Rose (“Sleeping Beauty), Cinderella, Ozma, Princess Alder, Rapunzel, Rose Red, Snow Queen, Snow White, Mrs. Jack Spratt and Thumbelina. Good luck!
The insides are by writer Bill Willingham, the creator and writer of “Fables,” and fan favorite artist Phil Jimenez (“Wonder Woman”), and are a delight. Jimenez pours a ton of detail on the page, mirroring the monthly effort of Mark Buckingham over in “Fables.” And Willingham’s efforts here are as entertaining as they are in “Fables;” with witty dialogue, specific characterization, pell-mell adventure and little details that tickle your childhood fairy-tale memories.
One oddity must be mentioned: In a book devoted to women, none show up until page 13 (actually two, Snow Queen and Briar Rose), and no Fairest has any dialogue until the last page. The focus of this first issue is on Ali “Prince of Thieves” Baba, a sarcastic effrit and an angry wooden soldier carved by Gepetto. They are all males, which indicates that the book won’t be entirely free of Y chromosomes – it’s just that men won’t be the focus. I’m sure Briar Rose (and possibly the Snow Queen) will have their fair share of adventure soon enough.
And I’ll be there to read it, because Fairest #1 was enormous fun. I wholeheartedly recommend it, and caution that remote viewing of the series through a magic mirror or crystal ball is considered piracy.
A little lower on my enthusiasm scale is Saucer Country #1 ($2.99), which arrived March 14. The series, unlike most comics, won’t shy away from actual politics. It stars a divorced, female, Hispanic governor of a southwestern state who is considering a run for the presidency on what is the (unnamed) Democratic ticket. Her opponents, whose affiliation is equally unnamed, are clearly Republicans.
This is the part that interests me, primarily for the novelty. I don’t want many or even most of my funnybooks to provide political commentary, as I prefer my fantasy to be an escape from all that. But once in a blue moon some real-world issues and controversies can add a little reaffirming verisimilitude – as long it doesn’t devolve into the writer standing on a soapbox. Screeds aren’t fun to read even when you agree with the politics, and are flat-out intolerable when you don’t.
The name of the book refers to what will surely become the main plot before long, in that our heroine comes to the realization on the last page that she had been abducted by aliens. This will certainly complicate her campaign, as if an alcoholic ex-husband and brutal politics aren’t problem enough. But the press material indicates she now believes we’re being invaded – and she needs to be president to stop it. It’s not clear in the first issue if it’s true or if there’s some other reason for the governor’s recovered memories, but it does add a whole new meaning to the term “illegal aliens.”
Saucer Country is by British writer Paul Cornell, known primarily for television drama like Doctor Who, and his current runs on DC’s Demon Knights and Stormwatch. The art is by Ryan Kelly, who put in years of solid work on Vertigo’s “Lucifer.” That’s a pretty good line-up, so I’m looking forward to a political potboiler with a side order of aliens – or maybe it’ll be the other way around.
Contact Andrew A. Smith of the Memphis Commercial Appeal at capncomics@aol.com.
1. The first issue of Fairest sports a wraparound cover depicting 13 characters expected to appear in the series. Courtesy DC Entertainment.
2. The second issue of Fairest, due in April, show Ali Baba and Briar Rose with an interfering effrit. Courtesy DC Entertainment.
3. The third issue of Fairest features Snow Queen on the cover. Courtesy DC Entertainment.
4. The cover of the first issue of Saucer Country shows the lead character haunted by gray aliens. Courtesy DC Entertainment.
5. The second issue of Saucer Country is due in April. Courtesy DC Entertainment.
6. The third issue of Saucer Country is due in May. Courtesy DC Entertainment.
Comments
...Oh , a thought re: Vertigo , CC...........I have often thought i the past that I wish Vertigo might have a subsidiary for titles that didn't have elements that made them - by comics shop standards - ( often ) X-rated , not sold to under-18s ( even in my former LCS in Bill O'/Newt's nightmareland San Francisco !!!!!!!!!!! ) ,whether those elements were needed/good for the story or ( As I have tended to think , at least for older Vertigo . ) kind of pro forma " Oh , arent we OUTRAGEOUS ? Don't tell your TV evangeilist/hippie teacher !!!!!!!!!!! " naughty...
This , um , " all ages " - in the sense of non X-rated - Vertigo subsidiary could borrow the name of 30s Warner Brothers' " B " studio , First National...........:-)
( It's not like I'm against the existence of " Adults Only/even " truly " X-rated comics or that I haven't bought some in my time:-)...)
Started posting my apparently unique views on Fables here.
I don't know what else to call myself, except "American." Yanqui? Norteamericano? UnitedStatesian?
Settle down, Beavis. When somebody comes up with something to call me besides "American," I'm ready to listen. In the meantime, that's what the word means. If Sudamericanos don't like it, they should have become the dominant power in the hemisphere two centuries ago. Since they didn't, that's what the word means now.
Tied into that, there's also the language thing, of course. 'America' in Spanish might actually mean a different geographical congolomeration than what the word is widely used for in English.
A bit like being Irish, then... It's not easy living in the shadow of a colonial superpower.
(What is it with superpowers and the 'appropriating' thing anyway?)
do any Canadians ever get annoyed to hear people talking about 'America' but meaning only the U.S.A?
Not even slightly. We don't see ourselves as "North Americans" at all. We do get annoyed when others see us as Americans when we clearly have our own identity, culture, customs, traditions, etc. For instance, absolutely no one in this country calls it "ice hockey", it's hockey to us.
I think the annoyance your students feel comes from their cultures using the term "America" first, and it was appropriated.
Thanks. I don't know anything about it, of course, but do any Canadians ever get annoyed to hear people talking about 'America' but meaning only the U.S.A?
I know I've taught Spanish and South American students who hated it when America and the USA were used identically.
No, the course just focused on the U.S. of A., not the Americas. "Canadian Political Science" was a different course.
Just wondering. Was Canadian politics included in that course? (I'm guessing Peruvian and Bolivian politics weren't.) It's a genuine question, as the term 'American' can be ambiguous outside Bill Willingham's head.
Then you are absolved of all further participation. Go in peace. :-)
Ha! Thanks for the chuckle. That made my day.
This Canadian took an American Political Science course many years ago in university but I'm afraid my knowledge of your political history is limited.
As far as war goes, in WWI when England declared war we were automatically in; by WWII, we had achieved a little more sovereignty (not independent) and we declared war on on Germany on our own, days after England did. I've always thought of Cap first as a Nazi Smasher (30s & 40s), then Commie Smasher (50s), then Establishment guy (60s), then a leftie (70s), back to Establishment guy (80s & 90s), and in this century he's a right winger.
-
1
-
2
-
3
of 3 Next