History ComicBook / Fables

* ''Everafter: From the Pages of Fables'' (2016-2017)

** Prince Charming is a promiscuous {{Jerkass}} who takes financial advantage of naive women, though he sometimes slips into JerkWithAHeartOfGold territory. Zig-zagged at the end of the Adversary arc, when [[spoiler: he (apparently) gives his life to trigger the final bomb to destroy the Adversary's last gate to the Mundy world]].

** [[spoiler: In the revival, Peter Pan reveals himself to have been the secret power behind Geppetto's empire.]]

* AnIcePerson: The Snow Queen. Snow constantly falls in an area around her and she'll only make it stop at her master[[spoiler: Geppetto]]'s request.
%%** Her [[spoiler: and Jack Horner's]] son Jack Frost briefly possessed this quality as well. As did his father.

** The speed at which the final arc of Rose vs. Snow got ended, with Rose [[spoiler: suddenly realizing the curse was broken and "we don't need to do this after all".]] Considering that the whole Empire vs Fabletown thing took up 11 full books[[note]]12 if you count ''1001 Nights of Snowfall''[[/note]], the whole ending story arc of Rose and Snow gearing up to fight is rushed and haphazard, taking less than 3 books to build and resolve, with practically none of the preparations or buildup being relevant to the finale.

* AnyoneCanDie: No character is safe from being killed off, including [[spoiler: Bigby and Snow's child Dare, Bigby himself, and Boy Blue.]] The second story arc alone has a number of beloved fairy tale characters executed for treason.

* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Bigby and Snow. In the early issues, she shoots him down whenever he tries to flirt with her, but eventually reveals that it was more her being put off by his half-assed attempts, and implies she wouldn't turn down a direct request for a date. When [[spoiler:she gets pregnant after their enchantment-caused liason]], she is initially angry at him (he knew about it from her scent as soon as he woke up from the enchantment, but didn't tell her) and is at first intensely worried about the damage to her image, then spends several weeks avoiding Bigby. But when [[spoiler:the Adversary's army of wooden soldiers]] attack Fabletown, [[BigDamnHeroes Bigby saves the day]]. Finally realizing the depth of his love for her, she dashes downstairs[[spoiler:(heavily pregnant, and in the pouring rain)]] and gives him a gigantic hug in front of pretty much everyone of importance.

** Defied in the cases of [[spoiler: Boy Blue, who tells Bigby in the afterlife that he wouldn't be coming back, and Darien, who states the same thing]].

%%** [[spoiler: Prince Charming, in Fairest #15]]. Subverted in that he never really died.

** Bufkin is the Business Office's bookkeeper and clean-up flunky, and yet he not only tricks a rogue genie back into its bottle, but also [[spoiler: totally destroys Baba Yaga, then goes on to save Oz from the Nome King.]]
-->'''Baba Yaga:''' I've never heard of such a creature. What are his powers?
-->'''Magic Mirror:''' He ''reads''. He '''reads everything'''.

* BadassInDistress: In ''Storybook Love'', Bigby attempts to ambush Goldilocks but instead, she fills him with bullets. While it doesn't kill him, it temporarily wounds and slows him down. If it hadn't been for [[spoiler: Snow White driving an axe through Goldilock's skull]] while the latter was too busy building a fire to permanently kill Bigby, he would almost certainly have died.

* BedTrick: [[spoiler: Dorothy disguises herself as Ivan Durak during Cinderella: Fables are Forever and has sex with Cinderella. She is quite delighted to have duped Cinderella who is so disgusted.]]

--> His wrath is slow to waken but terrible to behold.

** The fate of [[spoiler:Bigby]], who's turned into glass and shattered by Prince Brandish. When the Thirteenth Floor folks manage to put him together, a part has been stolen by [[spoiler: Leigh Douglass, the former Nurse Pratt]], who uses it to corrupt him into a monstrous killing machine.

** Frau Totenkinder's constant knitting [[spoiler:a multi-armed onesie]] for Beauty and Beast's coming child, who turns out to [[spoiler: take over Beast's curse and can turn into a monster at will.]]

* ChekhovsSkill: During the invasion of Fabletown, members of the Mouse Police disabled a number of the advancing wooden soldiers by climbing up their pants legs and removing the joints from their knees. Bigby would use this same exact tactic to great effect during the War against the Empire, against [[spoiler: the giant puppet Emperor]].

** Eight-year-old Therese is kidnapped to be the queen of Discardia, the land of [[spoiler: killer toys.]]. At one point, the toys reveal that Therese is not the first child monarch they've had, and that all the others died shortly after entering the land.

** Snow White and Prince Charming. When we first get their backstory, Snow blames their marriage falling apart on him cheating on her with Rose Red, and it's revealed he can never stay true to a woman. In ''1001 Nights of Snowfall'', however, Charming's a good man who rejects the advances of several woman while married to Snow, who admits the marriage started falling apart when Snow [[spoiler: killed the seven dwarves out of revenge,]] which nearly lead to a war between two kingdoms; she lied to Charming about her motives and involvement.

--->'''Bigby:''' That's it. Someone ''dies'' tonight.

* DarkActionGirl: Goldilocks not only plans and executes the rebellion of the Farm Fables, but manages to escape the Fables' formidable trackers. She even takes on [[spoiler: Bigby, and comes perilously close to killing him]]. Only a sneak attack by Snow White stops Goldie in her tracks.

---> '''Science Fiction:''' Our kid brother Superhero has died so many times that the readers barely even notice anymore. A few years later--BOOM, there he is again.

** Jack eventually escapes this. When Jack did die and the Devils came to collect his soul, all of them ended up arguing over who could claim Jack. They finally decided to just lock Jack up in the ends of time as punishment, but Jack still turned this to his advantage, [[spoiler: by using his and Gary's literary powers to create a new universe in Jack's own liking.]]

* EggMacGuffin: One set up from the first issue! [[spoiler: Turns out the unknown egg on Snow's desk is key in ending ''The Great Fables Crossover'' peaceably as it is an unhatched baby universe which is a perfect place to exile the Literals in.]]

---> '''Frau Totenkinder:''' Remember what you saw on that rooftop that you wish you hadn't.

---> "The ditzy bitch fulfilled my wish way too literally. I'm three hundred years old and still haven't hit puberty. I want my balls to drop and I want to get laid!"

--->'''Bigby:''' Don't tell me -- the dog's name was '''Prince'''?
--->'''Briar:''' Repeat any of this and I'll hate you ''forever.''

* FakeDefector: Rose Red joins with the rebellious Fables in "Animal Farm", sending her sister Snow White on the run for her life. When Snow survives and manages to end the rebellion, we find out later that [[spoiler: Rose did it in order to keep her sister and herself alive.]]

** Subverted by [[spoiler:Geppetto, aka The Adversary.]] When Fabletown alters their battle plans to grab him as part of [[spoiler: Pinocchio's]] bargain to reveal the last remaining Imperial gate to the Mundy world, they force [[spoiler: Geppetto]] to sign the Fabletown contract, which absolves him of all his prior crimes. However, he does not go quietly; despite now being part of Fabletown, he is constantly shown plotting against them and attempting to escape their control.

** Rose Red spends month hiding in bed, refusing all contact and her Farm duties [[spoiler: after Boy Blue dies.]] Only intervention by her long-dead mother's ghost finally snaps her out of it.
** Darien, when realizes he needs to [[spoiler: sacrifice himself]] in the "Cubs in Toyland" arc. His plaintive question "Will it hurt?" is just ''heartbreaking''.

** [[spoiler:Prince Charming]] at the end of "War and Pieces". Badly wounded, he tows the last remaining bomb to the final Imperial gate and detonates it, [[spoiler: apparently]] killing himself.

** Also, [[spoiler:the North Wind]], as of the end of the "Super Team" arc. Realizing that killing [[spoiler:Ghost, Bigby and Snow's rogue zephyr son]] would estrange him from Bigby, Snow, and his other grandchildren, yet unable to break the vow he made to destroy all such beings, [[spoiler: North]] attacks Mr. Dark, dragging him into his [[spoiler: Casket of the North Winds]], killing both of them, thereby saving Fabletown and avoiding killing any of his grandchildren.

** Bufkin, the Flying Monkey, who has read every single book stored in the Business Office and uses his knowledge to defeat an unbottled Genie, [[spoiler: Baba Yaga]], and the Nome King of Oz.

--->'''Boo Bear:''' No, it's because Papa's li'l Boo Bear is '''hung''' like a --
--->'''Goldie:''' (cutting him off) I '''do''' it because it's a vital and powerful ''political'' statement...

-->'''Bigby:''' Sure, you're a terror when gutting unarmed brides on their wedding night, or gunning down an unconscious man on a toilet. You're a coward, Bluebeard, hiding behind a lifetime of wealth and privilege. Now, unless you're prepared to throw down...
-->''(Bluebeard only stands there.)''
-->'''Bigby:''' When you get done pissing yourself with fear, tuck tail and do what I told you to do. '''OBEY ME.'''

* JerkassWithAHeartOfGold:

** Jack Horner himself falls under this category from time to time, though very rarely. Most of the time he is a selfish, narcissistic sociopath, and can be downright murderous at times. But he has shown some examples of his more human side, like admitting to liking and caring for his friend Gary, mourning his wife's death and [[spoiler: Gary when he kicked the bucket]], once risking his life to save one of the Page sisters when they fell over a cliff, and generally helping out Fabletown and the Literals when needed. As seen in ''Jack of Fables #9'', he's just not that good showing it to others that he does care about them.

** Snow White. Despite being the former Deputy Mayor of Fabletown, she helps a murderer avoid punishment because he's [[spoiler: her son]] and never suffers any consequences for that.

* KneelBeforeFrodo: When Snow and Bigby's eight-year-old child, [[spoiler: Winter]], is chosen as the North Wind's successor, her parents and siblings, Bellflower/Totenkinder, Dunster Happ, the former North Wind's servants, and the other Cardinal Winds proceed to kneel down to her.

** Bufkin of all people. Originally just the supporting comic-relief character and ChewToy for the Business Office staff, he proceeds to declare war on [[spoiler: Baba Yaga]] and a rogue d'jinn -- and when they laugh him off, he takes them out. Spectacularly so.

-->'''Mrs. Cornhusk:''' God will judge you! Mark my words!
-->'''[[spoiler:Geppetto]]:''' If he does, he'll think he's looking into a mirror.
* TheMole:

--> The first child will be a king,[[note]]Winter Wolf. She inherited the title of North Wind from her grandfather and is known as a king because there is no word for "queen" in the old language.[[/note]]\\

--> '''Bigsy''': this is it. In the mystery novels this is called the "parlor scene" where the clever detective reveals all. [[LampshadeHanging If this were a work of fiction, the author would pause the story here to ask the readers if they'd put all the clues together yet.]]
--> '''King Cole''': Oh do get on with it, young man.
--> '''Bigby''': Sorry sir, but in our secret hearts every real cop longs for a moment like this, and damn few get one. Indulge me, please.

--> '''Rose Red:''' It's the '''other''' thing! I can't '''stand''' the pig head!
--> '''Jack:''' You're not talking about the '''readers''' are you? I can't help their being here. They follow me '''everywhere'''. Shameless hero worship. Ignore them. They're '''scum'''.

* TimePassageBeard: Female version. After Snow White is [[spoiler: shot in the head by Goldilocks]] at the end of the Animal Farm storyline, she spends the next year recovering, which is shown by her [[spoiler: post-surgery]] clean-shaven head growing out to her usual past-the-shoulder-length locks in the end-of-book montage. This montage also shows the time that was spent in cleaning up the mess from the [[spoiler: failed revolution]], allowing a reset without trivializing the scenario

* WinterRoyalLady: Lumi, the Snow Queen. she's both the hans christen anderson creation and a rough equivalent to the greek Horai in that she represented the season of winter while her sisters covered spring, summer and fall.
* AWizardDidIt: The InUniverse explanation for why Red Riding Hood and her grandmother survived being eaten by Bigby is that "there was magic in them"

** The Liliputian settlement at the Farm is called Smalltown. They originally wanted to call it [[Franchise/{{Superman}} Smallville]] but the name was rejected because [[TakeThat everyone thought it was dumb]].

** ''The Wolf Among Us 2'' (TBA)

The series has encompassed mysteries, adventure, romance, conspiracies, magic, culture clashes, and fly eating, and has to date won 14 Eisner Awards. As of 2008, it's the most popular Creator/VertigoComics title. As of 2010 Fables was the second longest running Vertigo title after ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}''. The series initially came to an end with its 150th issue in 2015; however on June 10, 2021, it was announced to resume in 2022 under the Creator/DCBlackLabel imprint with its 151st issue.

* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: The fight between Baba Yaga and Frau Totenkinder at the end of "March of the Wooden Soldiers". We only see a brief, faint reflection in King Cole's glasses of two {{EldritchAbomination}}s fighting, before he runs away. The next thing we see is Beast dumping Baba Yaga's body down the Witching Well, followed by Totenkinder [[spoiler:interrogating a captured and helpless -- and very much alive -- Baba Yaga in the dungeon.]]

* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: Just about every PublicDomainCharacter from most Western fairy tales is in this series, with their tales intertwining with everyone else's, as well as quite a few Middle Eastern tales and a few sneaky {{LawyerFriendlyCameo}}s from tales that are still under copyright: Prince Charming, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, ''Literature/TheJungleBook'', the ''Literature/LandOfOz'', ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', ''Literature/TheThreeLittlePigs'', the Frog Prince, ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfPinocchio'' -- and that's just a '''short''' list.

** Bluebeard, the Fable who used to kill all of his wives, is a cowardly, conceited rich blowhard who continually plots behind peoples' backs, uses threats to intimidate his opponents back down, and has no qualms about killing helpless people, as long as they can't fight back. He makes no pretense of likability at all. After Snow White survives the Farm rebellion, Bluebeard drugs both Snow and Bigby into running away and sleeping together, then sends Goldilocks to assassinate them -- in [[DisproportionateRetribution retaliation for Bigby insulting him.]]

* CultureJustifiesAnything: When the Arabian Fables join Fabletown, they are told that slavery is illegal in Fabletown and that they will have to free their slaves. The Arabian Fables object, claiming that slave ownership is part of their culture. King Cole agrees that Fabletown will honor their custom of owning slaves, but only if they agree to honor Fabletown's custom of executing slaveholders wherever they find them. The Arabian Fables immediately agree to free their slaves.

** Frau Totenkinder ''started'' by [[WouldHurtAChild sacrificing her own baby to demons]] and wiping out the tribe she was born into, then continued to murder thousands of children in blood rituals to keep her power during the following centuries, which she used to inflict [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment inventively cruel]] and [[DisproportionateRetribution very disproportionate]] "punishments" on anybody she pleased, showing up as the unseen evil force in assorted stories. She's now a little old lady knitting in a rocking chair and helping Fabletown deal with that nasty EvilEmpire, oh my yes, and she invests her wealth in "perfectly legal ways" among the Mundies...by owning abortion clinics.

* SantaClaus: He's a Fable himself...and possibly one of the most powerful of all of them. [[spoiler:It's revealed later that he is an aspect and subject of the North Wind (Winter), and thus must obey her commands.]]

Tommy Sharp who suspects that the citizens of Fabletown are vampires. He decides to go ''right up to them'' and say that he thinks they are immortal vampires. It gets even better when we learn WHY he revealed his "knowledge" to them: He thought they deserved a chance to tell their side of the story before he published it.

* VillainForgotToLevelGrind: The Adversary was able to conquer hundreds of worlds via dividing and conquering, and then Zerg Rushing the others. However, these tactics only worked against scattered villages and individual forts. Owing to a staunch ScienceIsBad belief, they never updated their tactics or technology. Magic was still the preferred system; the only time they are ever shown using technology, it is strictly to accomplish a singular goal (giving the wooden soldiers guns in order to blend into the human world). Secondly, his army worked akin to a Roman Legion, where the officer had strict and total authority over his subordinates, enforced by total discipline. This left a glaring weakness, that if the officer was removed, the soldiers he commanded would be directionless. Finally, the Adversary was deeply drunk on his Empire's own superiority, and even though he knew of the flaws in the system, he did nothing to correct them. As a result, when the Fables forced his military leaders into comas, his army completely fell apart. In addition, the Fables were able to hold their own against the numerically superior Empire...by machine-gunning their troops en masse.

** [[spoiler:Geppetto]] may have killed millions in the expansion of his empire, but, [[MotiveRant as he stated]], that empire created security for the billions of those who abided his laws for hundreds of years [[spoiler: until the exiled Fables brought it down.]]

[[https://billwillingham.substack.com/p/willingham-sends-fables-into-the On the 15th of September, 2023]], Willingham released Fables into the public domain, both as part of his own philosophy on copyright terms and to get back at DC Comics for what he alleges are continuous attempts to screw him out of royalties, make creative decisions without his input, and even an attempt to wrest control of the IP from him entirely. That said, DC Comics has [[https://www.cbr.com/fables-dc-statement-not-public-domain/ denied this]].

[[https://billwillingham.substack.com/p/willingham-sends-fables-into-the On the 15th of September, 2023]], Willingham released Fables into the public domain, both as part of his own philosophy on copyright terms and to get back at DC Comics for what he alleges are continuous attempts to screw him out of royalties, make creative decisions without his input, and even an attempt to wrest control of the IP from him entirely.

The series has encompassed mysteries, adventure, romance, conspiracies, magic, culture clashes, and fly eating, and has to date won 14 Eisner Awards. As of 2008, it's the most popular Creator/VertigoComics title. As of 2010 Fables was the second longest running Vertigo title after ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}''. The series initially came to an end with its 150th issue in 2015; however on June 10, 2021, it was announced to resume in 2022 under the Creator/DCBlackLabel imprint with its 151st issue. In 2023, Bill Willingham [[https://billwillingham.substack.com/p/willingham-sends-fables-into-the released the series into the public domain]].

The series has encompassed mysteries, adventure, romance, conspiracies, magic, culture clashes, and fly eating, and has to date won 14 Eisner Awards. As of 2008, it's the most popular Creator/VertigoComics title. As of 2010 Fables was the second longest running Vertigo title after ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}''. The series initially came to an end with its 150th issue in 2015; however on June 10, 2021, it was announced to resume in 2022 under the Creator/DCBlackLabel imprint with its 151st issue.