Review:
Everafter from the Pages of Fables # 1 “Chapter One of the Pandora Chronicle”
Submitted: Ken
Trickey, Comic News Writer
9 September 16
Writer: Dave
Justus and Matthew Sturges
Inker: Travis
Moore
The inaugural issue of Everafter fails to qualify as a full meal, but it is surely a tasty morsel that will leave readers wanting more. For every question answered concerning the fates of our fabled heroes, more arise. An unspecified amount of time has passed between the last issue of Fables and this first issue of Everafter, but it is immediately apparent that much has changed. No longer are the magical creatures of Grimm fairytale lore restricted to Fabletown, New York. A mixture of standard fare zombies crowding the streets of St. Louis, and more exotic beasts such as a manticore are boldly displayed across several splash pages. We find our heroes, most of whom are familiar to us, operating as agents for a mysterious secret organization known as the Shadow Players.
As the pages
turn, there is little that is revealed. This issue felt like any typical
first chapter. The intent is to grab the attention of the reader, and I believe
that job was done fairly well. It did feel somewhat short, and the story arc
was less of an arc than a line, but it was nonetheless entertaining. The
artwork was enjoyable, and I'm excited to see where this series takes us.
Can the Shadow
Players put the genie back in the bottle? They may be able to combat the
magical forces seemingly bursting from the streets, but it's unlikely that
things will ever return to normal. The mundane world has had some considerable
time to gaze upon their strange and mystical counterparts. How much of a role
will the mundys have in fighting with or against the Shadow Players? Surely the
US military isn't pleased with the fact that St. Louis has been overrun by
zombies. It's hard to imagine they would let that stand for long. There is also
a mention of more lore being created as each day passes, and I find that
interesting. Is there to be a showdown between recently created monsters and
the beings from Grimm fairy tales?
If I have one
pressing concern for the series it is this: is the market for revamped
fairytales large enough to sustain another entry? Between Disney’s new live
action renditions of their classic animated movies Alice in Wonderland, Snow
White and the Huntsman, to TV shows such as Grimm, Supernatural, and Once Upon
a Time, one has to wonder if this town is big enough for all interested
parties. If I were to take a guess I would say Everafter has a fighting chance
due to their well established preexisting audience.
The Verdict:
Whether you’ve been a fan of the Fables series and Telltale’s The Wolf Among
Us, or you’re brand new to this universe, I can confidently say this entry will
intrigue most comic readers. That being said, this issue is still only a small
taste. There’s no real need to rush out and buy it unless you need a fix to
hold you over until your other fairytale show starts its new season. Barring
that circumstance, perhaps it would be best to let this one play out for a few
more issues before investing in it.
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