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Fables
Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall
Don't miss a new softcover edition of the acclaimed hardcover graphic novel from FABLES creator Bill Willingham and a star-studded array of artists! This volume, set in the early days of Fabletown, long before the FABLES series began, featuring sequences illustrated by Charles Vess, Brian Bolland, John Bolton, Michael Wm. Kaluta, James Jean, Mark Buckingham, Jill Thompson and more, 1,001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL is both an entry point to the critically acclaimed series and an essential part of Willingham's enchanting and imaginative FABLES mythos.
Traveling in Arabia as an Ambassador from the exiled FABLES community, Snow White is captured by the local sultan who wants to marry her (and then kill her). But the clever Snow attempts to charm the sultan instead by playing Scheherazade, telling him fantastic stories for a total of 1,001 nights. Running the gamut from horror to dark intrigue to mercurial coming-of-age, FABLES:1,001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL reveals the secret histories of familiar FABLES characters through a series of compelling and visually illustrative tales.
Traveling in Arabia as an Ambassador from the exiled FABLES community, Snow White is captured by the local sultan who wants to marry her (and then kill her). But the clever Snow attempts to charm the sultan instead by playing Scheherazade, telling him fantastic stories for a total of 1,001 nights. Running the gamut from horror to dark intrigue to mercurial coming-of-age, FABLES:1,001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL reveals the secret histories of familiar FABLES characters through a series of compelling and visually illustrative tales.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published October 18, 2006
67 people are currently reading
4863 people want to read
About the author
Bill Willingham
959 books2,818 followersIn the late 1970s to early 1980s he drew fantasy ink pictures for the Dungeons & Dragons Basic and Expert game rulebooks. He first gained attention for his 1980s comic book series Elementals published by Comico, which he both wrote and drew. However, for reasons unknown, the series had trouble maintaining an original schedule, and Willingham's position in the industry remained spotty for many years. He contributed stories to Green Lantern and started his own independent, black-and-white comics series Coventry which lasted only 3 issues. He also produced the pornographic series Ironwood for Eros Comix.
In the late 1990s Willingham reestablished himself as a prolific writer. He produced the 13-issue Pantheon for Lone Star Press and wrote a pair of short novels about the modern adventures of the hero Beowulf, published by the writer's collective, Clockwork Storybook, of which Willingham was a founding member. In the early 2000s he began writing extensively for DC Comics, including the limited series Proposition Player, a pair of limited series about the Greek witch Thessaly from The Sandman, and most notably the popular series Fables
In the late 1990s Willingham reestablished himself as a prolific writer. He produced the 13-issue Pantheon for Lone Star Press and wrote a pair of short novels about the modern adventures of the hero Beowulf, published by the writer's collective, Clockwork Storybook, of which Willingham was a founding member. In the early 2000s he began writing extensively for DC Comics, including the limited series Proposition Player, a pair of limited series about the Greek witch Thessaly from The Sandman, and most notably the popular series Fables
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 669 reviews
December 6, 2021
This was one of my favorites!
I almost skipped this one because it isn't one of the numbered Fables volumes, but I'm so glad I didn't. This has so many really important backstories that add so much to the Fables story that is already in play.
There are several minor but interesting stories about characters that you aren't very well acquainted with and then several that you are acquainted with.
Bigby Wolf, Ambrose (the Frog Prince), Frau Totenkinder (the Black Forest Witch of Hansel & Gretel fame), and a lost episode of Snow and Prince Charming's story that makes you wonder if all of your assumptions about him were right.
Snow ends up telling stories to the same head-lopping king of Scheherazade fame. The hows and whys of her reason for being there and the king's reason for the head-lopping are told in text format. Which would be annoying if there wasn't such a great story to go along with it.
If you're reading Fables don't skip this one.
Highly Recommended.
I almost skipped this one because it isn't one of the numbered Fables volumes, but I'm so glad I didn't. This has so many really important backstories that add so much to the Fables story that is already in play.
There are several minor but interesting stories about characters that you aren't very well acquainted with and then several that you are acquainted with.
Bigby Wolf, Ambrose (the Frog Prince), Frau Totenkinder (the Black Forest Witch of Hansel & Gretel fame), and a lost episode of Snow and Prince Charming's story that makes you wonder if all of your assumptions about him were right.
Snow ends up telling stories to the same head-lopping king of Scheherazade fame. The hows and whys of her reason for being there and the king's reason for the head-lopping are told in text format. Which would be annoying if there wasn't such a great story to go along with it.
If you're reading Fables don't skip this one.
Highly Recommended.
February 23, 2021
In which Snow White has to entertain a Sultan whilst on a diplomatic mission to the Arabian Fables, and does so by recounting ten Homeland tales. Bill Willingham's well written The Arabian Nights homage - is a beautifully painted prequel to his Fables series. Typically crossed with real darkness, but often tinged with black humour. I got to engage with the Fables worlds pre, and during the Adversary's invasion as they are explored by Willingham in the company of numerous great artists. Not necessarily a must-read for the series, but does contain some interesting background stories. 8 out of 12.
February 2, 2024
after reading this i think it would have been better to read it when i was reading the actual series only because the stories are very important to the main continuity of fables in general.
we learn stories here for the first time ever about many heroes from fables.
i love the 1001 arabian nights style of story telling and yeah this can't hold a candle to the original work so read it and do yourself a favor.
i liked the first story where snowhite killed the seven dwarves and how it might be the reason for her husband eventually betraying her since he never trusted her again.
i also loved the asian beauty that was snow white in that story.
in the second story we see the deception of Reynard at work and how he saved his fellow fables.
third story is the frog king story which is simply heartbreaking to have seen his family killed and raped in front of his eyes that the memory been forcefully regressed.
4th story the runt about bigby and how he grow to be the immense legend that he is.
5th story about frautotenkinder if i remember her name right and its a great story, its the origin of frautotenkinder and sadly i finally learn about it now.
6th story about king cole and how he came to be the first mayor of fabletown and how he came to be hated when he had to make the law banishing the animal fables to the farm.
its just an amazing collection i loved it so much and i regret not reading it when i was reading fables but better late than never and thank god i still remember these characters.
we learn stories here for the first time ever about many heroes from fables.
i love the 1001 arabian nights style of story telling and yeah this can't hold a candle to the original work so read it and do yourself a favor.
i liked the first story where snowhite killed the seven dwarves and how it might be the reason for her husband eventually betraying her since he never trusted her again.
i also loved the asian beauty that was snow white in that story.
in the second story we see the deception of Reynard at work and how he saved his fellow fables.
third story is the frog king story which is simply heartbreaking to have seen his family killed and raped in front of his eyes that the memory been forcefully regressed.
4th story the runt about bigby and how he grow to be the immense legend that he is.
5th story about frautotenkinder if i remember her name right and its a great story, its the origin of frautotenkinder and sadly i finally learn about it now.
6th story about king cole and how he came to be the first mayor of fabletown and how he came to be hated when he had to make the law banishing the animal fables to the farm.
its just an amazing collection i loved it so much and i regret not reading it when i was reading fables but better late than never and thank god i still remember these characters.
July 31, 2022
Un volume davvero carino, al di fuori della serie regolare.
Gli eventi si svolgono agli albori di Favolandia, quando Bianca venne inviata dalle favole arabe per cercare alleanze.
Solo che si ritrova intrappolata nel regno di Sherazade, finendo col prendere il posto proprio della ragazza nella notte in cui doveva sposare il sultano.
Sarà quindi Bianca, ambasciatrice ignorata e non considerata (a causa del suo essere donna, che creava problemi acuiti dal sovrano e dalla sua filosofia) a narrare una storia a notte, per allontanare la lama del boia e incantare il sultano.
Storie tratte dai mondi delle fiabe di Favolandia, ma anche storie della lotta contro l'Avversario e della fuga nel mondo esterno.
Scopriamo così la storia di Bianca prima di incontrare Luca nel bosco e la storia della strega, la storia di re Cole e di tanti animali della Fattoria, la storia dell'Acchiappamosche e la storia dell'infanzia di Luca.
Non tutti i disegni erano convincenti, ma le storie erano molto, molto buone.
Gli eventi si svolgono agli albori di Favolandia, quando Bianca venne inviata dalle favole arabe per cercare alleanze.
Solo che si ritrova intrappolata nel regno di Sherazade, finendo col prendere il posto proprio della ragazza nella notte in cui doveva sposare il sultano.
Sarà quindi Bianca, ambasciatrice ignorata e non considerata (a causa del suo essere donna, che creava problemi acuiti dal sovrano e dalla sua filosofia) a narrare una storia a notte, per allontanare la lama del boia e incantare il sultano.
Storie tratte dai mondi delle fiabe di Favolandia, ma anche storie della lotta contro l'Avversario e della fuga nel mondo esterno.
Scopriamo così la storia di Bianca prima di incontrare Luca nel bosco e la storia della strega, la storia di re Cole e di tanti animali della Fattoria, la storia dell'Acchiappamosche e la storia dell'infanzia di Luca.
Non tutti i disegni erano convincenti, ma le storie erano molto, molto buone.
September 1, 2021
I enjoyed these stories, but I feel like the author and artists didn’t dedicate as much effort into crafting 1001 Nights of Snowfall as they would the regular instalments.
A Most Troublesome Woman
2.5 stars
I would have preferred that Scheherazade had been the one to tell the Sultan the stories, like in the original 1001 Nights.
Fencing Lessons
2.5 stars
I think this story could have been my favourite in this collection if the killer’s motives and their vengeance had been explored more. As the reader I felt like I was left guessing why the murderer did what they did. I did like the more traditional fairytale art style, but the fact that the art style included 2000’s fashion (which in 2021 looks dated and cringe) in a story that takes place in a medieval setting, is a knock against the artist.
The Christmas Pies
1.5 stars
Why a Christian holiday was included in a story about fantastical beings in a made up fantasy world where there is no church, will always be a mystery to me.
A Frog’s Eye View
4 stars
This story added a lot of nuance to Flycatchers character in a very heartbreaking way. However, I don’t see why there was a need to draw a panel of a rape scene.
The Runt
3 stars
A story that adds some context as to why Bigby dislikes his father so much, but also makes the decision to have him leave the mother of his children and his kids themselves seem that much more out of character.
A Mother’s Love
2 stars
I have no idea what this added to the lore or canon of Fables, but maybe I could have appreciated it more if I was familiar with the tale it was based on (if it’s based on any fairytale at all).
Diaspora
4 stars
This story delves into the origin story of the witch in the woods. The witch in question being the same unnamed witch that appears in so many fairytales. She cursed the prince to turn into a beast until he found true love, she told the villages how to deal with the trolls under the bridge, and she built a house of gingerbread to lure children into being sacrificed so she could gain power. And she has no regrets. I really enjoyed this one, but I wasn’t a big fan of the art style.
What You Wish For
3 stars
A basic story with a standard fairytale structure that I appreciated. A young naive person makes a hasty decisions for short term gain, only to suffer in the long term. And there is a lesson about wisdom and thinking your choices through in there somewhere.
Fair Diversion
3.5 stars
This one added some complexities to King Cole’s character that I was surprised to find actually added to the overarching story of Fables. This one wasn’t quite as well done as A Frog’s Eye View, but it got close enough.
All in all, 1001 Nights of Snowfall was a nice entry, but I feel it still could have been better than it was.
A Most Troublesome Woman
2.5 stars
I would have preferred that Scheherazade had been the one to tell the Sultan the stories, like in the original 1001 Nights.
Fencing Lessons
2.5 stars
I think this story could have been my favourite in this collection if the killer’s motives and their vengeance had been explored more. As the reader I felt like I was left guessing why the murderer did what they did. I did like the more traditional fairytale art style, but the fact that the art style included 2000’s fashion (which in 2021 looks dated and cringe) in a story that takes place in a medieval setting, is a knock against the artist.
The Christmas Pies
1.5 stars
Why a Christian holiday was included in a story about fantastical beings in a made up fantasy world where there is no church, will always be a mystery to me.
A Frog’s Eye View
4 stars
This story added a lot of nuance to Flycatchers character in a very heartbreaking way. However, I don’t see why there was a need to draw a panel of a rape scene.
The Runt
3 stars
A story that adds some context as to why Bigby dislikes his father so much, but also makes the decision to have him leave the mother of his children and his kids themselves seem that much more out of character.
A Mother’s Love
2 stars
I have no idea what this added to the lore or canon of Fables, but maybe I could have appreciated it more if I was familiar with the tale it was based on (if it’s based on any fairytale at all).
Diaspora
4 stars
This story delves into the origin story of the witch in the woods. The witch in question being the same unnamed witch that appears in so many fairytales. She cursed the prince to turn into a beast until he found true love, she told the villages how to deal with the trolls under the bridge, and she built a house of gingerbread to lure children into being sacrificed so she could gain power. And she has no regrets. I really enjoyed this one, but I wasn’t a big fan of the art style.
What You Wish For
3 stars
A basic story with a standard fairytale structure that I appreciated. A young naive person makes a hasty decisions for short term gain, only to suffer in the long term. And there is a lesson about wisdom and thinking your choices through in there somewhere.
Fair Diversion
3.5 stars
This one added some complexities to King Cole’s character that I was surprised to find actually added to the overarching story of Fables. This one wasn’t quite as well done as A Frog’s Eye View, but it got close enough.
All in all, 1001 Nights of Snowfall was a nice entry, but I feel it still could have been better than it was.
October 8, 2017
I love how the fairy tales get woven together and characters intertwine throughout stories. We get the back story of the witch from Hansel and Gretel. Briar Rose and Snow White are sisters who get on each others nerves. The art is colorful and well done.
The story is set up like Scheherazade and the 1001 Nights accept Snow White is put in the place of Scheherazade. It becomes about politics. Snow is basically telling the king all the fairy tales.
I enjoyed this book. I love fairy tales and mythology so this is some good stuff. I think if you like the same you will find this a great read.
The story is set up like Scheherazade and the 1001 Nights accept Snow White is put in the place of Scheherazade. It becomes about politics. Snow is basically telling the king all the fairy tales.
I enjoyed this book. I love fairy tales and mythology so this is some good stuff. I think if you like the same you will find this a great read.
September 17, 2010
FABLES: 1001 NIGHTS OF SNOWFALL BY BILL WILLINGHAM, et. al.: Whether this is the first time you’ve looked upon the world of the Fables comic book series, or you’re an issue to issue addict (like me); 1001 Nights of Snowfall is a graphic novel that anyone can read and enjoy; Bill Willingham says exactly this in his introduction. Working with a host of different artists, including Mark Buckingham (who illustrates the series), John Bolton (Harlequin Valentine), Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother) and Charles Vess (Stardust, Ladies of Grace Adieu); 1001 Nights of Snowfall is the graphic novel you will want to own and show off to friends.
Featuring a collection of stories, the book is framed with Snow White’s meeting with a misogynistic Sultan who intends to kill her when he is through with her. To prevent this, Snow White must tell a new story to him each night to stay his lethal hand. From her stories we find out about Bigby’s (the big bad wolf from “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Three Little Pigs” fame) birth, his youth, and how he felt being the outcast of the family. We learn of an unusual story of a woman’s learning to defend herself with a sword coupled with the mysterious deaths of seven dwarfs. We learn about the life of a frog who was magically transformed into a prince, but then turned himself back into a frog to save himself as his wife and family were slaughtered. Then there is the story of the real Hansel and Gretel, showing in detail what really happened when the witch tried to cook them. The final story is about the animals of Fable banding together with Old King Cole to protect their realm.
With lots more stories to tell, 1001 Nights of Snowfall is the book you want for cold winter nights by the fire, when you can lose yourself in a world where the many characters you grew up reading about come to life and live everyday lives. And if, after this, you are looking for more, you might just want to start the Fables series from the beginning with Fables: Legends in Exile, available wherever graphic novels are sold.
For more book reviews, and author interviews, go to BookBanter.
Featuring a collection of stories, the book is framed with Snow White’s meeting with a misogynistic Sultan who intends to kill her when he is through with her. To prevent this, Snow White must tell a new story to him each night to stay his lethal hand. From her stories we find out about Bigby’s (the big bad wolf from “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Three Little Pigs” fame) birth, his youth, and how he felt being the outcast of the family. We learn of an unusual story of a woman’s learning to defend herself with a sword coupled with the mysterious deaths of seven dwarfs. We learn about the life of a frog who was magically transformed into a prince, but then turned himself back into a frog to save himself as his wife and family were slaughtered. Then there is the story of the real Hansel and Gretel, showing in detail what really happened when the witch tried to cook them. The final story is about the animals of Fable banding together with Old King Cole to protect their realm.
With lots more stories to tell, 1001 Nights of Snowfall is the book you want for cold winter nights by the fire, when you can lose yourself in a world where the many characters you grew up reading about come to life and live everyday lives. And if, after this, you are looking for more, you might just want to start the Fables series from the beginning with Fables: Legends in Exile, available wherever graphic novels are sold.
For more book reviews, and author interviews, go to BookBanter.
March 8, 2015
I love -- love -- love illustrated books! (but am not a fan of graphic novels, really)
Snow White is sent as an emissary from Fabletown and ends up in a Scheherazade-like role to the Sultan telling him a story night after night.
Snow White is sent as an emissary from Fabletown and ends up in a Scheherazade-like role to the Sultan telling him a story night after night.
May 9, 2014
i loved the artwork and the story's.
but warning: these are the the tales of your childhood.
but warning: these are the the tales of your childhood.
August 6, 2009
What I liked about this:
The artwork was beautiful. The stories were imaginative. It had some themes that were thought-provoking, such as how one ends up going down a dark path and evolves into the person one is. The nature of repentance, and the fact that anyone can be forgiven. The waste of war. The foolishness of prejudice. How zeal can spur some to horrific acts that make them just as wicked as their enemies. I liked the concept of Snow White taking the place of Scherezade. I love the Arabian Nights stories, so that made this a must buy. I admired Snow White for being able to get herself out of a tough situation, and to tell stories that made the flawed king Shahryar rethink his barbaric actions against women.
What I didn't like:
A fair number of the stories were very depressing. I know that a lot of the fairy tales had their grim moments, but most have happy endings along with a good moral lesson. Most of these ended abruptly or had really downbeat endings. Some of the stories were downright disturbing. There were a couple that ended so fast, I was left to wonder, what happened.
This is a keeper because of the quality of the artwork and the fact that I liked the Arabian Nights theme. I'm not sure how often I will reread it, though. It put me in a downer mood. I am still curious to read the other Fables volumes, but it's not a priority right now.
The artwork was beautiful. The stories were imaginative. It had some themes that were thought-provoking, such as how one ends up going down a dark path and evolves into the person one is. The nature of repentance, and the fact that anyone can be forgiven. The waste of war. The foolishness of prejudice. How zeal can spur some to horrific acts that make them just as wicked as their enemies. I liked the concept of Snow White taking the place of Scherezade. I love the Arabian Nights stories, so that made this a must buy. I admired Snow White for being able to get herself out of a tough situation, and to tell stories that made the flawed king Shahryar rethink his barbaric actions against women.
What I didn't like:
A fair number of the stories were very depressing. I know that a lot of the fairy tales had their grim moments, but most have happy endings along with a good moral lesson. Most of these ended abruptly or had really downbeat endings. Some of the stories were downright disturbing. There were a couple that ended so fast, I was left to wonder, what happened.
This is a keeper because of the quality of the artwork and the fact that I liked the Arabian Nights theme. I'm not sure how often I will reread it, though. It put me in a downer mood. I am still curious to read the other Fables volumes, but it's not a priority right now.
December 30, 2019
1001 Nights tells the story of Snow White, roughly 100 years before the events of the Fables timeline. She has gone to the Arabian Fables to warn them of the Adversary's coming. But ends up falling afoul of the Emir and has to tell him stories to keep herself alive.
The stories themselves are mostly background, origin stories if you prefer, on the various Fables characters. The first several stories really stand out due to the excellent art and overall quality of the stories. Had they kept that level of quality going this would have been a 5 star book. Sadly the stories and the art decline near the end. The King Cole story was downright boring.
While not bad, by any means, this spin-off of the Fables comics isn't as good as the normal Fables series. A Fables fan will appreciate the lore and history, others unfamiliar with Fables will likely not be as impressed. A good addition to a Fables' fan library, but not really recommended for someone without a background in the main series.
The stories themselves are mostly background, origin stories if you prefer, on the various Fables characters. The first several stories really stand out due to the excellent art and overall quality of the stories. Had they kept that level of quality going this would have been a 5 star book. Sadly the stories and the art decline near the end. The King Cole story was downright boring.
While not bad, by any means, this spin-off of the Fables comics isn't as good as the normal Fables series. A Fables fan will appreciate the lore and history, others unfamiliar with Fables will likely not be as impressed. A good addition to a Fables' fan library, but not really recommended for someone without a background in the main series.
October 25, 2013
I liked another review of this book which pointed out that Willingham has taken a key role away from one of the Arabian Fables. It's cultural appropriation in bright colours, an amusing twist on the stories we already know... until you think about the cultural imperialism inherent in all of this. Blech. All the good ideas are Western? Pah.
Still, it's an enjoyable story and a beautifully illustrated volume, with a varied roster of artists. It was good to get to know the histories of some characters, too -- it was already more or less there, but it's good to know for sure that you're right...
Still, it's an enjoyable story and a beautifully illustrated volume, with a varied roster of artists. It was good to get to know the histories of some characters, too -- it was already more or less there, but it's good to know for sure that you're right...
November 3, 2016
Interesting detour into some of the past storylines set during or before the invasion. The Hansel and Gretal storyline was of particular interest as the witch features heavily in the current storylines. The art was a little hit and miss but this was a strong book that invested some time in explaining the mythology. It's an interesting read and a must for fans of the series, I just hope this momentum can remain through all the spinoffs
December 9, 2018
It's one thing to read a beautiful story, it's another to enjoy it knowing how the protagonists you love to admire or hate, came to be. "1001 Nights of Snowfall" tells the origins of some of the most important players (Snow, Rose Red, King Cole, Flycatcher, Frau Totenkinder etc), using a different illustrator for each one.
A big plus on how the peripheral tales are implemented on the "snow-white and the sultan" plot, puting the reader in the place of the sultan who also enjoys hearing tales of courage, sacrifice, witches and dragons. Between the tales we read small scripts of her ventures at the arabian fairytale world, why she went there to gain some allies for the newly founded fabletown and how she uses the tales of her fellow fables to be spared from the gallows. For 1001 nights.
It's a nice addition to the fable universe. Buy this volume or the 4th of the deluxe edition which has this one plus some issues of the main series, you'll certainly enjoy it.
A big plus on how the peripheral tales are implemented on the "snow-white and the sultan" plot, puting the reader in the place of the sultan who also enjoys hearing tales of courage, sacrifice, witches and dragons. Between the tales we read small scripts of her ventures at the arabian fairytale world, why she went there to gain some allies for the newly founded fabletown and how she uses the tales of her fellow fables to be spared from the gallows. For 1001 nights.
It's a nice addition to the fable universe. Buy this volume or the 4th of the deluxe edition which has this one plus some issues of the main series, you'll certainly enjoy it.
August 18, 2024
(NOTE: This book is part of a series, and I read the first book shortly after this one-- so I have further context! and all of my points still stand.)
Full disclosure: I was assigned this book in class, and I wouldn't have reached for it otherwise. I do, however, have a vested interest in this kind of thing. I love fairytale retellings! I love comics! I just wouldn't have trusted this one due to its advertisement and the... fine, alright, CisHet White Guy energies surrounding it. And I was right.
Is there a female character in this story who escapes misogynistic abuse? Seriously, ask yourself this. I mean, I GUESS you could say that the women the Big Bad Wolf eats are just eaten in a non-gender-specific way, but when your argument is "The women the Big Bad Wolf eats are eaten in a non-gender-specific way!" you know you've got a weak point.
Even when we're not going full misogynistic torture, the writing of women is still weak and, frankly, boring. Rose Red The Little Mermaid is reversed into a tale where a girl wants to become a mermaid, but, oops, The Adversary takes over the undersea kingdom and now she has to live on a lake at The Farm, where all the obviously magical persons are siloed. Careful what you wish for!!!! It's not just that women aren't allowed to be happy; ultimately nobody is allowed to be happy. Willingham is so obsessed with ruining your childhood and seeming So Goddamn Clever that he doesn't stop to question whether he's written a good story.
And, as always, that's what the conversation on bigotry is really about-- are you a better writer than the laziest tropes on Earth? Willingham, apparently, is not. Even in the frame tale itself (and here I steal from my professor's fantastic lecture)-- the European fables have fallen to The Adversary, so Snow White goes to warn the Sultan of the Arabian fables that they're next. Of course, she becomes the protagonist of the 1001 Nights.
You know. A white woman. Taking the place of a Middle Eastern woman... to educate and desexistify the most Orientalized depiction of a Middle Eastern man you've ever seen. "I found thee chaste, pure, ingenious and pious," he says, as though none of the Middle Eastern women he's killed were worthy of any of those labels. No, only Snow White can personally colonize the Sultan. I mean, her name is literally SNOW FUCKING WHITE! How was this published?
And then in Snow White's backstory she's very obviously purposefully drawn as some kind of ambiguous East Asian. It's at first vital to Willingham that she be white, European, etc. etc. (and there can be no mistake made of this in the initial art), but seconds later she is East Asian for Sexy Reasons. WHY.
The only time Willingham's writing isn't openly racist or sexist is when he is literally writing about animals. I actually looked back at the bits drawn by Derek Kirk Kim because I like that guy and didn't want to have to stop liking him, and his (wonderful!) part of the book is about a rabbit who gets transformed into a man, and that's it. Tara McPherson and Jill Thompson, the two female credited artists, both coincidentally wind up drawing the frame tale of Rose Red and Snow White helping the witch (not her misogyny-laden backstory--good God, I just remembered how Willingham has her describe her first period as both traumatic and how she "became a woman"), and a story about animals finding food for a king. Is it just a coincidence that the women involved in this book had no hand in the misogyny party?
I have to return to the way this is boring-- it is soulless, and does not elicit any real emotional reaction from the reader. Willingham anticipates an audience of readers just like him (cishet white guys) who will see rape and go Oh Man That's That Bad Thing!. Sexual trauma almost worked as an emotional note in the frog princess story, but disappears in light of just how much rape is present in this book and the fact that it's used to prop up a man's storyline such that the woman who actually experiences it is an afterthought. It doesn't mean anything if you bludgeon the reader with sexual trauma every time you need a Sad Thing. There's no nuance, no focus, no emotion, no depth to any of it. Clearly Willingham couldn't imagine that a woman, much less a rape survivor, would ever read his work; worse, he doesn't seem to care. To Willingham, rape is 'dark story material' and that's it.
When I described all this to a friend, they looked at me for a moment, and then said "Why?" and that's how I feel. Why? Why was this book ever written? Why did I force myself to finish it? Why is it 5 stars on this website? Why why why?
And if you're asking me why, as someone who is always so intent on finding positives and delivering constructive criticism and thinking the best of authors, I am so intensely tearing in on this book, I can answer that pretty simply.
Willingham did not give a fuck about fairy tales. He did not give a fuck about creativity. He did not give a fuck about writing a story with purpose, or emotion, or resolution, or anything other than Wow Isn't This Clever Of Me and Wouldn't It Be Fucked Up If. Most of all, though, the author's short-sighted, callous writing makes it clear that he doesn't care about me-- so I don't care about him.
Full disclosure: I was assigned this book in class, and I wouldn't have reached for it otherwise. I do, however, have a vested interest in this kind of thing. I love fairytale retellings! I love comics! I just wouldn't have trusted this one due to its advertisement and the... fine, alright, CisHet White Guy energies surrounding it. And I was right.
Is there a female character in this story who escapes misogynistic abuse? Seriously, ask yourself this. I mean, I GUESS you could say that the women the Big Bad Wolf eats are just eaten in a non-gender-specific way, but when your argument is "The women the Big Bad Wolf eats are eaten in a non-gender-specific way!" you know you've got a weak point.
Even when we're not going full misogynistic torture, the writing of women is still weak and, frankly, boring. Rose Red The Little Mermaid is reversed into a tale where a girl wants to become a mermaid, but, oops, The Adversary takes over the undersea kingdom and now she has to live on a lake at The Farm, where all the obviously magical persons are siloed. Careful what you wish for!!!! It's not just that women aren't allowed to be happy; ultimately nobody is allowed to be happy. Willingham is so obsessed with ruining your childhood and seeming So Goddamn Clever that he doesn't stop to question whether he's written a good story.
And, as always, that's what the conversation on bigotry is really about-- are you a better writer than the laziest tropes on Earth? Willingham, apparently, is not. Even in the frame tale itself (and here I steal from my professor's fantastic lecture)-- the European fables have fallen to The Adversary, so Snow White goes to warn the Sultan of the Arabian fables that they're next. Of course, she becomes the protagonist of the 1001 Nights.
You know. A white woman. Taking the place of a Middle Eastern woman... to educate and desexistify the most Orientalized depiction of a Middle Eastern man you've ever seen. "I found thee chaste, pure, ingenious and pious," he says, as though none of the Middle Eastern women he's killed were worthy of any of those labels. No, only Snow White can personally colonize the Sultan. I mean, her name is literally SNOW FUCKING WHITE! How was this published?
And then in Snow White's backstory she's very obviously purposefully drawn as some kind of ambiguous East Asian. It's at first vital to Willingham that she be white, European, etc. etc. (and there can be no mistake made of this in the initial art), but seconds later she is East Asian for Sexy Reasons. WHY.
The only time Willingham's writing isn't openly racist or sexist is when he is literally writing about animals. I actually looked back at the bits drawn by Derek Kirk Kim because I like that guy and didn't want to have to stop liking him, and his (wonderful!) part of the book is about a rabbit who gets transformed into a man, and that's it. Tara McPherson and Jill Thompson, the two female credited artists, both coincidentally wind up drawing the frame tale of Rose Red and Snow White helping the witch (not her misogyny-laden backstory--good God, I just remembered how Willingham has her describe her first period as both traumatic and how she "became a woman"), and a story about animals finding food for a king. Is it just a coincidence that the women involved in this book had no hand in the misogyny party?
I have to return to the way this is boring-- it is soulless, and does not elicit any real emotional reaction from the reader. Willingham anticipates an audience of readers just like him (cishet white guys) who will see rape and go Oh Man That's That Bad Thing!. Sexual trauma almost worked as an emotional note in the frog princess story, but disappears in light of just how much rape is present in this book and the fact that it's used to prop up a man's storyline such that the woman who actually experiences it is an afterthought. It doesn't mean anything if you bludgeon the reader with sexual trauma every time you need a Sad Thing. There's no nuance, no focus, no emotion, no depth to any of it. Clearly Willingham couldn't imagine that a woman, much less a rape survivor, would ever read his work; worse, he doesn't seem to care. To Willingham, rape is 'dark story material' and that's it.
When I described all this to a friend, they looked at me for a moment, and then said "Why?" and that's how I feel. Why? Why was this book ever written? Why did I force myself to finish it? Why is it 5 stars on this website? Why why why?
And if you're asking me why, as someone who is always so intent on finding positives and delivering constructive criticism and thinking the best of authors, I am so intensely tearing in on this book, I can answer that pretty simply.
Willingham did not give a fuck about fairy tales. He did not give a fuck about creativity. He did not give a fuck about writing a story with purpose, or emotion, or resolution, or anything other than Wow Isn't This Clever Of Me and Wouldn't It Be Fucked Up If. Most of all, though, the author's short-sighted, callous writing makes it clear that he doesn't care about me-- so I don't care about him.
March 8, 2013
This is a prequel to the Fables series and it was very well done. I enjoyed learning the back stories on some of our favorite characters. I also enjoyed the variety of different types of illustration, all of which were unique and beautiful.
This is a wonderful installment where Snow White is held hostage by the Sultan and, in exchange for delaying her execution, she tells the Sultan a new story every night. All of the stories tell of the pasts of Fables characters we have come to know and love. The illustrations vary a lot in style but are absolutely fantastic.
We hear about the Frog Prince and his past, about Snow White and how her and Rose Red came to be at odds. Another excellent story was the one about how Bigby was born and came to be the Big Bad Wolf he is in current stories. The stories are very well done and just wonderful.
We also learn about about the exile of the Fables to our world. Some of this back story we already know, but this installment provides some extra background.
I really really enjoyed learning the back stories for all of these wonderful Fables characters. It adds a lot of depth to these characters we know and love.
The variety of illustration was fantastic. All of these illustrations are very well done but very different from story to story.
Overall a very enjoyable addition to the Fables universe. If you are a fan of this series definitely pick this up. I would actually recommend this as an excellent introduction to the Fables world and great stand alone read as well. Fans of fantasy graphic novels should definitely check this out.
This is a wonderful installment where Snow White is held hostage by the Sultan and, in exchange for delaying her execution, she tells the Sultan a new story every night. All of the stories tell of the pasts of Fables characters we have come to know and love. The illustrations vary a lot in style but are absolutely fantastic.
We hear about the Frog Prince and his past, about Snow White and how her and Rose Red came to be at odds. Another excellent story was the one about how Bigby was born and came to be the Big Bad Wolf he is in current stories. The stories are very well done and just wonderful.
We also learn about about the exile of the Fables to our world. Some of this back story we already know, but this installment provides some extra background.
I really really enjoyed learning the back stories for all of these wonderful Fables characters. It adds a lot of depth to these characters we know and love.
The variety of illustration was fantastic. All of these illustrations are very well done but very different from story to story.
Overall a very enjoyable addition to the Fables universe. If you are a fan of this series definitely pick this up. I would actually recommend this as an excellent introduction to the Fables world and great stand alone read as well. Fans of fantasy graphic novels should definitely check this out.
July 31, 2016
I LOVED Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall. This is essentially a prequel or a spin off of the acclaimed Fables series. I loved the fact that different stories are illustrated by different artists which lends a lot of variety in the art of the book in general.
Snow White, who runs Fable town, needs help of the Eastern lands to wage a war against the Adversay which is why she comes to meet the Sultan. Snow finds herself at the mercy of a sultan who has the virgin he beds each night executed the following morning. To escape this fate of losing her head, Snow White offers to tell him stories. And thus we discover how a cub born to The North Wind and a wolf becomes The Big bad Wolf, how a tribal woman climbs up the ladder of fame and witchcraft, the history of the seven dwarves and their heinous activities and many more.
Highly recommended to all who love fairy tale reads
For full review, visit http://www.thebooksatchel.com/fables-...
Snow White, who runs Fable town, needs help of the Eastern lands to wage a war against the Adversay which is why she comes to meet the Sultan. Snow finds herself at the mercy of a sultan who has the virgin he beds each night executed the following morning. To escape this fate of losing her head, Snow White offers to tell him stories. And thus we discover how a cub born to The North Wind and a wolf becomes The Big bad Wolf, how a tribal woman climbs up the ladder of fame and witchcraft, the history of the seven dwarves and their heinous activities and many more.
Highly recommended to all who love fairy tale reads
For full review, visit http://www.thebooksatchel.com/fables-...
January 16, 2024
What a fantastic addition to the Fables series.
1001 Nights of Snowfall would work as an introduction to the series, or as an addition in the midst of the action to bring greater depth to he already rich characters that make up the Fables tapestry. Structured akin to the 1001 Arabian Nights myth that gave it its name, this is a collection of stories about the Fables before the Adversary took over... and what came after, how their lives have been.
1001 Nights of Snowfall is brilliant, subtle, and as comforting a collection of bedtime stories as anything from Brother's Grimm.
Plus there's a Reynard the Fox story in there and a Porcupine story. What more could you ask for?
1001 Nights of Snowfall would work as an introduction to the series, or as an addition in the midst of the action to bring greater depth to he already rich characters that make up the Fables tapestry. Structured akin to the 1001 Arabian Nights myth that gave it its name, this is a collection of stories about the Fables before the Adversary took over... and what came after, how their lives have been.
1001 Nights of Snowfall is brilliant, subtle, and as comforting a collection of bedtime stories as anything from Brother's Grimm.
Plus there's a Reynard the Fox story in there and a Porcupine story. What more could you ask for?
February 1, 2024
Now that Fables is in the 'Public Domain', I thought it was time I read the entire series (including all spinoffs and specials) from start to finish in sequential tpb reading order. Here we go!
Fables First-to-Finale reading #11
Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall
Dwarves, frogs, burning witches, and Christmas pie! This one satisfied on a few different levels. Works good as a stand-alone collection, but really fits right into the main book. Not as big on revelations, but compelling backstories of some of our main characters. With a list of All-star artists, Willingham delivers a range of great to exceptional bedtime stories.
Fables First-to-Finale reading #11
Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall
Dwarves, frogs, burning witches, and Christmas pie! This one satisfied on a few different levels. Works good as a stand-alone collection, but really fits right into the main book. Not as big on revelations, but compelling backstories of some of our main characters. With a list of All-star artists, Willingham delivers a range of great to exceptional bedtime stories.
February 25, 2015
I am a big fan of Bill Willingham’s fantasy graphic novels based loosely on permutations of traditional fairy tale plots and characters. He must have had fun putting together this book of short stories, illustrated by dozens of artists. But I was disappointed by the end result. If I may say so, this is a dog’s breakfast of mostly unrelated vignettes and stories which in my opinion will satisfy few FABLES readers and will fail to attract new readers to Willingham’s other (mostly excellent) graphic novels. The characters that appear in this collection who have the same names as those featured in the FABLES books bear little resemblance to the originals. There are strong elements of the gruesome and the grotesque in some of these stories. This is definitely not a book for children or young people. Most of the art is passably satisfactory; some of it is excellent; a few pages are horrid. Willingham usually includes humour, absurdity, irony, pathos and frivolity in his books. Not much of any of those qualities are on offer here. Very much a mixed bag of bits and pieces thrown together.
June 13, 2008
This graphic novel stands apart from the Fables numbered comic series - it's a beautifully illustrated tale of what happens when Snow White travels as an envoy of Fabletown to warn a sultan in an Arabian land of the Adversary, an enemy who is out to destroy or enslave all Fables. Snow White is tricked into replacing the bride who was to attend the Sultan one certain evening, and the honeymoon prize for all brides of the Sultan is death. To keep her head, Snow White spins many tales for the Sultan. These are beautifully done - I loved "Diasphora" by Tara McPherson, and the art by John Bolton was very striking. Charles Vess's work is always great to see. A gem of a book, both for its illustrations and its stories.
October 26, 2015
This was my first experience with Fables, and what a trip it was. I really liked almost all short stories, though in couple the ending was cut in strange places for my taste, but overall all of them were really good and I tie-ins with all the mythos (beauty and the beast, frog, Hansel and Gretel etc) were done perfectly.
The artwork was done by various artist, all with unique approach and feeling, but I loved every single one of them. This one and Sandman nailed art direction for me and I will get back to it from time to time only to breeze through it.
VEry good read for everyone as you don't need any previous experience with Fables series to enjoy it.
The artwork was done by various artist, all with unique approach and feeling, but I loved every single one of them. This one and Sandman nailed art direction for me and I will get back to it from time to time only to breeze through it.
VEry good read for everyone as you don't need any previous experience with Fables series to enjoy it.
January 22, 2016
Okay Prequel Graphic Novel
While not as good as the original fables this was an decent prequel to the original storyline as you were given the opportunity to see where everyone came from. Some stories were better than others while some artwork was better than others. I think it bothered me more that the artwork wasn't consistent. I did like that 1001 Nights was the over arching theme for this story. It made everything that much more interesting.
While not as good as the original fables this was an decent prequel to the original storyline as you were given the opportunity to see where everyone came from. Some stories were better than others while some artwork was better than others. I think it bothered me more that the artwork wasn't consistent. I did like that 1001 Nights was the over arching theme for this story. It made everything that much more interesting.
March 18, 2016
4 stars!
As with most anthologies, this is a mixed bag with some stories being better than others. But the good ones are really good and provided insight into the backgrounds of well-loved characters. The stories that stood out for me are the ones featuring Snow White, Flycatcher, Bigby and Frau Totenkinder. Flycatcher's story is really sad tho. *sobs inconsolably* Overall, I will say that this is a must-read for Fables fans.
As with most anthologies, this is a mixed bag with some stories being better than others. But the good ones are really good and provided insight into the backgrounds of well-loved characters. The stories that stood out for me are the ones featuring Snow White, Flycatcher, Bigby and Frau Totenkinder. Flycatcher's story is really sad tho. *sobs inconsolably* Overall, I will say that this is a must-read for Fables fans.
March 7, 2014
I love this short story collection, it's fun and dives deeper in one of the most popular characters in the fables universe. It's smart and also gives us a glimpse on the driving emotions and motivations that make up Snow. Great read
June 16, 2010
Willingham's take on Scheherazade fills in some of the backstory for several of the Fables he has created.
July 28, 2017
Sweet art and stories, including as a framing device, illustrations by Mike Kaluta & Charles Vess together. Lots of other comic art talent on display. big fun.
March 23, 2025
Oh joy. Back when the Fables series was very good.
July 26, 2016
Fables is a series I enjoyed a great deal back in my university days, though it's also one of those books I'm not sure I'd want to go back to and read from the start--I have a feeling it maybe hasn't aged very well, or that I'm just not in the same place to enjoy it that I was a decade or so ago. This book, though, was a nice trip down memory lane. The connecting thread is that Snow White, at some indeterminate point in the past, has been captured by the sultan of the Arabian Fables in Exiles, and she stays alive by intriguing him with stories. While there's some attempt at discussion of the stories after, it's reasonably clear that there's usually no direct thematic connection between her stories and her situations; although to be fair, that was true for the original 1001 Arabian Nights too. (Although for the later, that's more because they were a lot of stories by different authors put together.) So what we get are a few stories that fill in the gaps between characters, and introduce a few more through vignettes.
Mostly, we get a lot of stories set just before the Advesary invades, or during the invasion. We get the early days of Snow White's marriage and a rather dark version of her life with the dwarves, Reynard tricking a set of goblins, origin stories for the Frog Prince, Bigby, and the town's witch character, and a nice story about Mayor Cole pre-Fabletown that explains a bit more how he came to be in his position, as well as a few two page intros to various characters. There's some very unpleasant gender dynamics at work in many of the stories--Snow's initial imprisonment, mentions of rape, the witch's story and spurning. It's not gratuitous, and it's clearly a consequence of the war time and savage nature of the fairy tale world, but at the same time, it comes up often enough that it feels fatiguing to me rather than effective. (YMMV.) Early Fables leaned a little too heavy on making the Fables "modern" and different from their traditional depictions by virtue of having them act really mean and vicious and dwelling on the violence a lot more than the original (which had their fair share of violence too), and I feel like the book dips into that well too. It's also, despite the intro, probably a book more for the fans, as the meat of it is filling in the past of characters we already appreciate.
The art is amazing. It's a smorgasbord of different artists, generally one or two for each story. The relative brevity of the story, and the book's nature as a one shot, means it's free to go to artists who focus on work that's a little slower paced than a monthly 22 page comic, and so we get a lot of artists known for album and comic covers. Their backgrounds give the stories a bit of a static feeling at times, but that fits very well with Willingham's technique here, that these are stories being told to a third party. None of the stories felt entirely essential, that I was seeing a radically new or significant part of Fable lore. But it was a component book, and I wasn't disappointed going back to it.
Mostly, we get a lot of stories set just before the Advesary invades, or during the invasion. We get the early days of Snow White's marriage and a rather dark version of her life with the dwarves, Reynard tricking a set of goblins, origin stories for the Frog Prince, Bigby, and the town's witch character, and a nice story about Mayor Cole pre-Fabletown that explains a bit more how he came to be in his position, as well as a few two page intros to various characters. There's some very unpleasant gender dynamics at work in many of the stories--Snow's initial imprisonment, mentions of rape, the witch's story and spurning. It's not gratuitous, and it's clearly a consequence of the war time and savage nature of the fairy tale world, but at the same time, it comes up often enough that it feels fatiguing to me rather than effective. (YMMV.) Early Fables leaned a little too heavy on making the Fables "modern" and different from their traditional depictions by virtue of having them act really mean and vicious and dwelling on the violence a lot more than the original (which had their fair share of violence too), and I feel like the book dips into that well too. It's also, despite the intro, probably a book more for the fans, as the meat of it is filling in the past of characters we already appreciate.
The art is amazing. It's a smorgasbord of different artists, generally one or two for each story. The relative brevity of the story, and the book's nature as a one shot, means it's free to go to artists who focus on work that's a little slower paced than a monthly 22 page comic, and so we get a lot of artists known for album and comic covers. Their backgrounds give the stories a bit of a static feeling at times, but that fits very well with Willingham's technique here, that these are stories being told to a third party. None of the stories felt entirely essential, that I was seeing a radically new or significant part of Fable lore. But it was a component book, and I wasn't disappointed going back to it.
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