Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book Eight (Fables, 8)

I wish they would have made more.

Ambrose! I'm crying for him, literally, about halfway through the volume now and I just felt like posting this. I've had some reservations about the nature and tone of the series at times. But I really do love this story enough that I set aside my reservations and just delve into the story of these characters. And I do love them, even the ones I dislike, but my favorites now are Ambrose, Boy Blue, maybe Bigby, Rose Red and...yeah, just a lot of great, excellent characters, it might turn into a laundry list a bit.The story of Fables is really ramping up here as they prepare to face the Adversary, although it's still staggeringly slow at times. There are lulls in the story where days, weeks, and months pass in narrative time. I never really noticed it until now, but the passage of time is conveyed here, perhaps fittingly as Ambrose and his new allies (won't spoil who they are, won't spoil who they are, gosh, they really are great, won't spoil who they are now) set off on their quest to set up a new kingdom to challenge the Adversary. But Ambrose, of course, does it his own way, as sweetly as he can and it's beautiful.The Deluxe Edition is great in quality, although not so much in portability. I started off reading Deluxe Editions, then switched to reading some of the paperback versions, and switched back to Deluxe Editions to purchase fewer volumes. However, the Deluxe Editions are heavier and I dislike the fact that they did move #64 to Deluxe Edition Volume 7-which was a change in focus from Fly, however, the information contained within issue #64 might have spoiled some things that happened in the Good Prince. I did not read issue #64, The Birthday Secret, in Deluxe Vol. 7 until after having read the first four chapters in Deluxe Vol. 8, issues #60-63 just to keep it in line. Just a heads up.

You won't, I think, be thinking of reading Fables Deluxe Book Eight without reading the previous volumes. Perhaps, unlike myself, you have read the entire story of Fables before the lovely deluxe editions. Either way this volume is quite significant and worth getting.This volumes collects completely the incredible story of how Flycatcher embraces his past and his future to alter the course of the conflict with the Empire. Oh and Lancelot turns up :) That would be enough but there are other goodies in the stories I won't give away here.As with the other deluxe volumes this one contains a moving introduction, beautiful color reproductions of the story pages, and sketches from the artists. Wonderful and I hope they continue and the remaining deluxe editions as they are a great way to encounter the story and keep it handy on the shelf.

I won't give away any spoilers here. The artwork is arguably hit or miss. This is always a matter of personal taste, and I cannot say in this volume there were any glaringly bad artists, I enjoyed all of it. In terms of story, I can't give Fables a high enough rating and I do believe there are many current Movies and TV shows that would 'like' to be up to Fable's incredibly high standards but fall very, very short of what you'll find here. I am speaking of the series as a whole, not just deluxe vol. eight. If you're a fan already, I do not think vol. 8 will disappoint and is a great addition. If you're a newcomer, start with Vol.1 and get hooked on the best series since Neil Gaiman's 'Sandman' which is still my all-time favorite series I've ever read. Fables is such a close second though...My only complaint would be that I think the volumes are a bit thin...if you aren't going to include more issues per deluxe edition, give me some bonus material please! More extra artwork, bonus stories, interviews, anything really. Still, 5 stars and no regrets, can't wait for more! I'm actually considering buying the less expensive paperback versions to read or let others read, and keep these hardcovers in pristine condition. It'd be worth it in the long run to preserve this incredible set of fantastic art and storytelling!

Wow, just wow. This continues the greatness of the Fables serious and just sucks you into such great story telling and art. A must read for comic fans looking for an amazing twist on old fables we've come to learn and know as children.

A great plot twist and somehow I felt the story picked up its pace. I cannot say a lot because it will spoil the greatness of this story. All you need to know is that its FABLES being FABLES.

I've said in other volumes of this that the binding is a bit weird, and cuts off images a bit near the spine but otherwise very good.

The entire "good prince" storyline is collected in one go without the focus shift of issue 64, this makes book 8 a much easier read. This storyline is one of my favorites in the series and really paves the way for what comes after.

It’s hard to review this book without spoiling anything, but I’ll do my best (which will mean keeping it short). This is, for me, the absolute best of the deluxe volumes so far. A single storyline is consistent throughout, and it captures from beginning to end. It is amazing, artwork, imagination, storytelling. They never fail to impress.Quite simply, if you are interested in Fables, I can only reassure you, book 8 is a masterpiece, this series does not disappoint.

Fables is a great series, and this volume is no exception, this volume tells of flycatcher and his coming to terms with his life and how he decides to deal with the things that have happened. However vertigo seem to be putting less content into these later volumes compared to the earlier ones. Also why do the volumes take so long to come out as this material is quite a few years old and should be coming out at least a volume every 2 months.

Great item.

Well, I am compelled to write this review. I just love Fables and have enjoyed all what I have read so far, all the stories, the way characters have been knitted in a single story/theme, everything. However, this special edition 8 stands out even more amongst all fable books.This book can be read on its own without reading volumes 1-7. However, reading in sequence will certainly help appreciate volume 8 more in terms of understanding the humble beginnings of the character/star of Volume 8 - Flycatcher!Thoroughly loved reading it, left me thinking for a while once the story finished. Thanks to all in Fables team for bringing such a marvelous story!

Je suis cette série avec quelque distance, puisqu'elle a pris fin l'an dernier avec le comic book mensuel #150, mais en bénéficiant de cette édition dite "Deluxe" qui regroupe le contenu de deux trade paperbacks sous une couverture dure elle-même recouverte d'une "dust cover". Nous ne sommes pas tout-à-fait à mi-chemin de la série, avec les #60-63 et 65-69 ici rassemblés, mais les 9 chapitres de cette histoire complète constituent probablement un tournant dans la saga des "Fables".Bref rappel. Les "Fables", ce sont les personnages des contes et mythes du monde entier (mais essentiellement européens), qui existent réellement mais dont une partie a dû fuir la tyrannie de l'Adversaire et de ses affidés pour vivre dans notre monde, plus exactement dans l'état de New York, à Manhattan pour les personnages qui ont une apparence humaine ou qui peuvent en adopter une, et à la campagne dans une vaste ferme pour les autres.Dans ce récit, le personnage de Fly, qui était l'homme de ménage de l'immeuble des Fables à Manhattan, se découvre être le prince Ambroise doué de pouvoirs magiques et, avec l'aide du fantôme de Lancelot du Lac ainsi que de l'épée Excalibur, il s'en va dans le monde désert des fantômes des Fables morts. En personnage christique comme le laisse imaginer la couverture de l'excellent illustrateur James Jean, Fly / Ambroise regroupe les fantômes autour de lui, leur donnant l'apparence de la vie et les emmène dans un long périple qui ramène tout le monde au pays des Fables, dans un endroit abandonné qu'ils vont rebâtir.Mais l'Empereur, une marionnette de l'Adversaire, est mis au courant et tous deux dépêchent sur place une énorme armée... Les Fables de Manhattan, qui s'attendaient à une nouvelle confrontation avec les armées de l'Adversaire, suivent à distance toute l'histoire - qui s'étend sur des mois et même des années -, via un miroir magique, comme s'il s'agissait d'une émission de télé-réalité. Blueboy fait également des allers-retours pour prendre des nouvelles et amener des vivres et matériels. L'inquiétante Mme Totenkinder fait une mystérieuse révélation au Shérif des Fables de New York.L'ensemble de l'arc est dessiné par Mark Buckingham, dans son style simple (parfois trop, à mon goût) mais efficace, inspiré de Kirby et de Mignola entre autres. Bill Willingham conduit comme à l'habitude très bien son récit et ses multiples personnages, plaçant ici une idée innovante, là une situation ou un dialogue plus convenu (ex. : la conversation entre l'Adversaire et l'Empereur sur la nécessité de faire régner la terreur). Très solide, le tout constitue une lecture attachante et distrayante. En complément nous sont livrées quelques esquisses et surtout des "splash pages" crayonnées de Buckingham.