Article Photos

I'm feeling kind of constricted this month - inhibited and squeezed into a smaller space than I'm accustom to.

I've got two other stories I'm sharing my column with and, as such, not as much room to rant, ramble and altogether blather about the comics I read in October.

Ah well, it's a good thing. Maybe this is an authentic feeling. Boxed in. Working on deadline. Limited to a certain word count. I think this might be what it feels like to write for comic books. Someone get me Dan DiDio on the phone. I'm ready to author something for ya, DC!

Anyway, now that we're already three paragraphs in and I've got no embarassing story of my youth to share in this month's column, I'm just going to skip straight to the books.

FABLES

Vertigo issued "Fables: The Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1" on Sept. 30 - a hardcover collection of issues 1 through 10 of the ongoing series.

I'd almost picked up the first few trade paperbacks which were issued in 2003, but can honestly say I'm glad I waited the years for the (yes, more expensive) hardcover collection. I know, I know... It's always a gamble to plunk down your hard-earned cash on something. Even with favorite characters and reputable writers, after reading a collection, I inevitably find myself questioning whether I should have just bought the paperback or borrowed the book from a friend.

This "Fables: Deluxe" collects the first two storylines of the series and serves not only as the official introduction to the Fables world and characters, but as a solid, compelling and interesting read.

In Fables, many of the characters of our oldest stories have been forced out of their fictional world and now live either in New York City or a farm in upstate New York. The reimagining of old characters in current times is not a new concept by any means, but proves quite easily, interestingly and well done by writer Bill Willingham in Fables.

As a Sandman fanatic (as detailed ad nauseum in last month's column), I've got to make this installment's obligatory Gaiman reference. At one point in Fables, a character points out how she has been forgotten by people and how her sister is the foremost thought of fairytale character. It reminded me of Gaiman's dreaming world, wherein characters existed after having been thought into existence by people like us. However, whereas Gaiman's world meandered and included elements of numerous religions and fictions, Fables feels much more reined in. Willingham seems to have a much narrower vision for his work and in straightforward storytelling, Fables is more effective than Sandman.

Of course, I'm not all that far in to the series yet. And Sandman still holds a more special place in my heart, but I'm happy to have this hardcover deluxe edition sandwiched between my Sandman and Watchmen hardcovers. It's surely something I'll return to.

There's a reason why Fables has been running continuously since 2002, and I'm only just beginning to discover why. The series has its own spin off comic titles and, more recently, a full novel - and that's because, from what I read, Willingham continues to deliver interesting and compelling stories.

AIR

In readingVertigo's second volume of "Air," I had almost the opposite reacion as I did when reading "Fables: The Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1."

That's not to say "The Flying Machine," as the edition's called, is bad. Quite the opposite. It was just a little tough to understand some of what was happening as a result of not having read the first volume.

The story follows Blythe, an acrophobic flight attendant for the fictional Clearfleet Airlines. In her work, she encounters an anti-terrorist organization which tricks Blythe into transporting plans for a terrorist attack. Following a plane crash, a piece of land which had previously never been on maps becomes reality and there's a search for an Aztec artifact.

Then, in volume two, we learn Blythe is a "hyperpract" - someone with the ability to manipulate time, space, dimensions and all of reality. Blythe is recruited for her ability and shown how to pilot a craft which allows her to more effectively manipulate the universe. However, in her travels, she gets stuck in another character's history and lives through a good portion of his life.

Compared to Fables, it's a little heady. But the two shouldn't be compared. They're vastly different in not only the types of stories being told, but in the ways in which writers Willingham and G. Willow Wilson are working toward their ends. Air has an immediacy to it. I like that. It has a post-modern streak running through it. On top of that, terms and histories and explanations are thrown at the reader. It's a comic that, at times, requires some consideration and decoding.

Nerding Out With Nick Dean is a monthly column about comic books, movies and more. Comments, criticisms and/or items for submission can be sent via e-mail to ndean@post-journal.com or by calling the newsroom at 487-1111, ext. 251.