the first entry into vertigo's Fables is an imaginative story that pulls from the long continuity of Fairy Tales and Folk Lore. We are introduced to a cast of characters who all reflect their folk tale counterpart, the central of which is one B. Wolf. In the tradition of noir detective, the Big Bad Wolf is given the role of classic Pulp Noir. At its heart this story is about the big bad wolf, and his work at solving a murder. Throughout the investigation we are introduced to Snow White, Bluebeard, Jack of the beanstalk fame, and even a flying monkey from Oz. These entities from the world of myth and fairytale inhabit a section of the real world. This story is a combination of Magic Realism, Detective Noir, and Low-Fantasy. The blending is never too forced, and it feels natural. even when we see the magical creatures that are abound we never lose a sense of finality. Early on, we get a sense of life-or-death stakes with the apparent murder of Snow Whites' sister Rose Red. Her murder scene is gruesome, bloody, and when B wolf arrives at the scene of the crime he inspects the scene in silence. On the wall written in blood "No more Happily Ever Afters". Scrawled on the wall of the murder scene is a direct message to us, the readers. It tells us that unlike the fairytales we are used to, in this story people die. That level of realism makes this more than a mere revisiting of the fables of old, this is an examination and deconstruction of long held archetypes found in folktales. The Big Bad Wolf is our protagonist, and immediately we are thrown into a familiar yet subverted world of icons. no longer a man-eater in a grandmothers dress, we follow the detective through the dark corners of Fable town. It is that aspect that immediately drew me in, If the big bad wolf can be a good man in this world, there is no telling what other surprises await. Bill Willingham has crafted a complex world of iconoclasm and with the vibrant and lively art, Lan Medina has brought this Modern Fairy Tale to life. more