(Titan)

THE surviving denizens of Fabletown, once a home away from home for the exiled protagonists of myth and fairy tale, now a pile of rubble in the middle of Manhattan, are slowly getting used to their new life on the rural Farm, but forces are conspiring to shatter their world once again…

The sinister Mister Dark, embodiment of dark magicks, has taken control over Fabletown’s ruins and is plotting his own schemes of revenge; the former Adversary, woodcutter Gepetto, is scheming to regain his power; and the witches and warlocks who once occupied the 13th floor of Fabletown’s Woodland building are fighting amongst themselves for ultimate control of their sorcerous community.

The fall-out from the conclusion of the Fables’ battle against the Adversary is still being felt throughout this latest volume in the award-winning series, and with Mister Dark’s masterplan still unknown this current collection is more about setting up future plots than resolving any old ones.

Ending on a cliffhanger, it’s a definite prelude to the big events of the comic run’s 100th issue, which is just around the corner, but still manages to capture the drama, humour and intrigue which has characterised the series since its conception.