Written by Josh@TFAW
Welcome back to Graphic Content, Elisabeth and Josh’s weekly “book club” where we discuss a different trade paperback each Friday. We want to hear from you!
This week we’re tackling Fables TPB Vol. 4: March of the Wooden Soldiers, and it was quite the read. Beware: if you haven’t read the book yet, we discuss some major plot points in depth, so there are definitely SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
In March of the Wooden Soldiers, we finally get more details on the horrific invasion by the Adversary, which drove the Fables from their lands and into “Mundy”ville centuries ago. We also get a close-up on Little Boy Blue. The action starts with a flashback to the climactic battle that took place just before the last boat left for New York, carrying the final group of survivors.
Here, Little Red Riding Hood makes her first appearance, as an apparent escapee looking for sanctuary. She and Blue have a whirlwind wartime romance, but are then parted–she’s sent off to the ship, while Blue stays behind to fight. At the last minute, however, he’s ordered onto the ship–only to find that Red stayed behind. The memory of that battle, and his loss, obviously still haunts Blue to this day.
However! Shortly after this revelation, who should appear but Little Red Riding Hood? Who is an apparent escapee! Looking for sanctuary! Bigby smells a spy, King Cole eagerly anticipates some feel-good PR coming his way, and Blue sees an opportunity to recapture lost love. Only one of them is correct, and I bet you won’t be surprised to learn it’s Bigby. “Red” is actually the old witch Baba Yaga, and she came with reinforcements from the Adversary–wooden soldiers–to snatch Fabletown’s magicks from them.
Oh, didn’t I mention? There’s a huge battle between the wooden soldiers and Fabletown, and we see Snow in action as a tactical newbie. However, these soldiers aren’t just after objects–they want Pinocchio too. It seems they consider him their older brother. Which hints that they were created by Geppetto, who Pinocchio had feared dead. So much stuff to wonder about!
In other news, Prince Charming is running for Mayor, Snow’s pregnancy is progressing (as are her feelings for Bigby), and a lot of Fables die. It was actually pretty touching, and definitely action packed.
Did you dig March of the Wooden Soldiers?
JC: There’s a lot going on in this installment! The Battle for Fabletown, an impending election, a telling of the last boat out of the Fable lands . . . it just felt a bit off for me though. Looking back, it seemed like Willingham is just building up to some bigger event on the horizon.
EF: I liked it. I’m still shocked by the violence and willingness to kill characters off. I can’t quite reconcile these Fables with my childhood favorites, sometimes! I enjoyed getting some Fables history, and I was intrigued to learn more about Little Boy Blue.
After reading this book, what are your thoughts on Little Boy Blue?
JC: I was really impressed with the direction Willingham took Blue. He’s a stand-up character on the cusp of adulthood during Adversary invasion, thrown into war–and he measures up. He seems to have a well-developed sense of honor.
EF: Blue is definitely a case of more than meets the eye. He still looks like an innocent boy–so much so that the Harlem clubs won’t let him play the blues there, because they assume he hasn’t “lived” enough–but we see his strength and vulnerability in March of the Wooden Soldiers.
What did you think of The Last Castle?
JC: I just love it when they bring a different artistic style for flashbacks. This is especially true with Fables. It just felt like I was reading a nursery rhyme. I’m not sure where I sit in the whole Red Riding Hood spy thing. I want to believe that she wasn’t, but if she’s alive, wouldn’t that be the only explanation? I hope we’ll find out soon.
EF: I am resistant to change. I love Mark Buckingham’s art so much, I was disappointed that another artist handled that tale. It felt too stiff and rudimentary. I really liked getting a glimpse of some fallen characters, however, and it added some weight to the rest of the book.
Charming is really hitting the campaign trail hard. Do you think he’ll get enough signatures and beat out King Cole in an election?
JC: He’s a charmer, and like he said, “an election is just a romance writ large, with an entire community, rather than a single woman.” I’m pretty sure we’ll see him overtake Cole in the polls and get the seat.
EF: Like I said last week, Prince Charming is all about the chase, not about the work that comes after. He’s smart and savvy, and King Cole is complacent and out of touch. I’d bet Charming takes it, but God help Fabletown once the “romance” is over!
Enough of what we think–what do you think? Post a comment below and we’ll give you stuff, honest!
