Fables #75

Review by Budd Black

Fables #75 is not a starting off point, but it is a must read to go forward. It is the culmination of the War and Pieces storyline that brings Fabletown head to head with Homelands. The artistic team deserves acclaim for bringing these epic battles to life. Willingham knocks the story out of the park as it changes everything. Sacrifices are made, fugitives are brought to justice, and lives are lost. The uncertainty and horrors of war are conveyed with words and images in this book. My only complaint is that it seemed almost rushed. Things are wrapped up with a little bow on top very quickly once the divisive blow is struck.

As this is in DC’s Vertigo line, this title is not for children despite it being about fairy tale/fable characters. This was my first time reading the Fables comic and although I was a little lost, I was able to pick up some key plot points rather easily and enjoy the book. This issue has definitely peaked my interest in the series and I will be looking for the collections down the road. This issue can also be found in Fables Vol. 11: War and Pieces.

World of Warcraft: Ashbringer #1

Review by Jilly Gee

The first of a four-part miniseries titled Ashbringer, this comic shows readers the life of Alexandros Mograine, starting from the time that he first picks up the object that would become part of the legendary Ashbringer sword.  Highlord Mograine worked with other humans and dwarves, trying to find a way to stop the Scourge and their plague from turning everyone into undead.  Not just a story about being all heroic and saving humankind, Highlord Mograine also has his faults, as a father who shows favortism, as a human who cannot separate the "not-as-bad" undead from the "really bad" undead and forces the same punishment on them all.

Always interested in learning more about the history of Azeroth, I enjoyed reading a narrative rather than just a description of events via wiki articles.  Seeing the heroes mention Prince Arthas killing innocents to stop the plague, seeing Mograine’s treatment of Renault, it all fed the egotistical, know-it-all part of me going, "Hah, I know what this is leading to!"  Despite massive time jumps, even those not already fans of the Warcraft series should get a clear picture of Highlord Mograine’s life, with his lengthy (for a comic) explanations of his family life and his beliefs to his companions.  Those who are not already fans of the kind of fantasy involving orcs and such in general, however, aren’t going to find anything special or different to change their minds in Ashbringer.