A Retelling of a Retelling: Fables 1001 Nights of Snowfall

I kept putting off reading this because I wasn’t sure if it was worth the money. I mean, after all, it is about 1/3 of the size of a normal Fables novel and the same-ish price. After reading this, I see how wrong I was–it was well worth paying full price (with a membership discount) at my local chain bookstore. And it looks great on the shelf (I have to put it BEFORE all the other Fables books I own, after all).

Snow White sails across the world, to the Arab nations to speak with the Sultan about their common enemy, the Adversary, and to ask for his support on the battlefield. After being jerked around (and doing some jerking of her own), she finally gets an audience with the Sultan, where she entices him with a story. At the end of the night, he asks her to come back, and also confesses that he takes a bride each night and then kills her by morning. Snow comes back night after night (1001 in all) and tells him story after story of herself and her exiled Fables. What she doesn’t realize at the end, is that while he gifts her and sends her on her way, he will not be in battle alongside her. Just before leaving, she meets his next bride to be (the one she bumped in line for her first meeting with the sultan), and gives Sheherazade information about how to appease the Sultan (and keep her life).

Written by Bill Willingham, 1001 Nights of Snowfall relies on the graphic talents of some of the series recignizable artists, as well as some newbies (Mark Buckingham and James Jean as the former, and Jill Thompson and Esao Andrews as the latter) and many more–I love that there are so many art styles–and that I loved them ALL (which is really rare for me) in this volume.

I also had a hard time figuring out which was my favorite story, as all are great. From the setup to the ending, I loved getting the bits and pieces we may not see when reading the series, but are nonetheless important when shaping the characters. The frog’s tale sticks out in my head because it really shows why he is the way he is in Fabletown in the series. The Witch’s tale is also wonderfully thought out and planned.

I also want to say that I love Snow in the series–and I’m not normally a snow fan in real life. She’s just so real and human, in part because of Willingham’s masterful writing, but in part because of the art as well. It was hard not to think about Bigby when reading his tale and being a little sad.

Overall, this is a great way to start into the Fables series, or as an addon to the series that you already have. Vertigo has done such an amazing job with this collection, it is clearly becoming one of my favorites.

Be sure to check it out in trade paperback or electronic copy from your favorite retailer today.

What is your favorite fairy tale? Share in the comments below!