With Frau Totenkinder gone, who’s in charge? FABLES #90 continues with THE WITCHES part 4!

WIRED and CBR feature interviews with G. Willow Wilson about Vol. 2 of AIR featuring Amelia Earhart and LARGE HEARTED BOY posts her air themed music playlist.

BOING BOING calls JACK OF FABLES Vol. 6 “gripping and thought-provoking; philosophically substantial and sparklingly funny.” Check out the full review.

NEWSARAMA features an interview with Chris Roberson about CINDERELLA: From Fabletown with Love.

And Jason Aaron talks SCALPED at CBR and IGN reviews issue #32.

In the idyllic kingdom of Haven, the Frog Bombers are playing the Gobtown Crushers for the pennant. The problem? The star player of the winning team has been accused of committing murder during the victory celebrations. Now, Flycatcher (a.k.a. King Ambrose) has to judge the trial for which the penalty for the guilty is death. FABLES #92 and #93 will feature art by David Lapham (Young Liars, Silverfish)!

Check out the cover of issue #92:

Bill Willingham will discuss PETER & MAX: A Fables Novel on Book Radio’s Cover to Cover Live today at 3:00pm EST with an encore presentation Sunday. 10/25 at 2:30pm EST. You can listen on channels XM 163 and Sirius 117.

And here are links a few FABLES related pieces you may have missed:
LARGE HEARTED BOY posted Bill Willingham’s music playlist to PETER & MAX, UNDER THE RADAR , the NEWS AND SENTINEL, and the PORTLAND MERCURY ran reviews, while COMICS ALLIANCE posted a great piece on a few FABLES characters, and comedian Eugene Milman blogs about FABLES at music magazine MAGNET

Thanks to all who entered the PETER & MAX Sweepstakes!

Now, for the winners and their favorite characters:

Storytimecrime–Bigby
cjscampbell–Boy Blue
daschupa–Ghost
zorak–Beast
marksullivan5–Cinderella
r28chris86–”wolfets” aka: all of Bigby and Snow’s children
norrin2–Jack of Fables
animanifesto–Bigby
randyhate–Flycatcher
deb8er–Prince Charming

Per, Official Rules #3 please email me at: pamela.mullin@dccomics.com

For all of you who are curious, here are your top 5 favorite characters:

#1 Bigby Wolf
#2 Boy Blue
#3 Flycatcher
#4 Cinderella
#5 Rose Red

I myself have a soft spot for Bufkin, and though he didn’t make it to the top 5 he did get a few call outs.

And here’s a list of some coverage the book has garnered over the past week:
reviews in the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, IGN, IFANBOY, CRAVE, iO9
and features in NEWSARAMA, and IGN

The HARVEY AWARDS were presented yesterday at the Baltimore Comicon. Vertigo winners include Best Single Issue or Story, Y: The Last Man #60 by Brian K. Vaughan and Best Cover Artist, the one and only, James Jean for FABLES. Speaking of FABLES, check back here later today for the PETER & MAX Sweepstakes winners!

The full list of Harvey winners are below in BOLD.

BEST WRITER

Kyle Baker, NAT TURNER, Abrams books
Ed Brubaker, CAPTAIN AMERICA, Marvel Comics
John Gallagher, BUZZBOY, Sky Dog Comics
Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Amulet Books
Grant Morrison, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, DC Comics

BEST ARTIST

Gabriel Bà, UMBRELLA ACADEMY, Dark Horse Comics
Kyle Baker, NAT TURNER, Abrams Books
Jimmy Gownley, AMELIA RULES, Renaissance Press
Jason Kruse, WORLD OF QUEST, Yen Press
Frank Quitely, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, DC Comics

BEST CARTOONIST

Lar deSouza, LEAST I COULD DO, www.leasticoulddo.com
John Gallagher, BUZZBOY, Sky Dog Comics
Al Jaffee, TALL TALES, Abrams Books
Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Amulet Books
Thom Zahler, LOVE & CAPES, Maerkle Press

BEST LETTERER

Jimmy Gownley, AMELIA RULES, Renaissance Press
Rob Leigh, THE SPIRIT, DC Comics
Doug Sherwood, LOCAL, Oni Press
John Workman, MARVEL 1985, Marvel Comics
Thom Zahler, BUZZBOY, Sky Dog Comics

BEST INKER

Rich Faber, BUZZBOY, Sky Dog Comics
Jamie Grant, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, DC Comics
Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Amulet Books
Mark Morales, THOR, Marvel Comics
Ryan Winn, THE DARKNESS, Image Comics

BEST COLORIST

Frank Cammuso, OTTO’S ORANGE DAY, Raw Junior, LLC
Jamie Grant, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, DC Comics
Laura Martin, THOR, Marvel Comics
Wil Quintana, THE MICE TEMPLAR, Image Comics
Dave Stewart, UMBRELLA ACADEMY, Dark Horse Comics

BEST COVER ARTIST

Frank Cho, BUZZBOY: SIDEKICKS RULE!#3, Sky Dog Press
James Jean, FABLES, Vertigo Comics
Jay Lynch, MINDSHAFT #23, Mindshaft Publishing
Ken Rocafort, PILOT SEASON: CORE #1, Top Cow
Alex Ross, JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA, DC Comics

BEST NEW SERIES

THE DREAMER, IDW
ECHO, Abstract Studios
HIGH MOON, www.zudacomics.com
NIGHT OWLS, www.zudacomics.com
SUPERTRON, www.zudacomics.com

BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES

ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, DC Comics
CAPTAIN AMERICA, Marvel Comics
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Amulet Books
MICE TEMPLAR, Image Comics
UMBRELLA ACADEMY, Dark Horse Comics

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL OR JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION

DRAW!, edited by Mike Manley, Twomorrows Publishing
HOW TO MAKE WEBCOMICS, Brad Guigar, Dave Kellett,
Scott Kurtz, and Kris Straub, Image Comics
KIRBY: KING OF COMICS, Mark Evanier, Abrams Books
SCORCHY SMITH AND THE ART OF NOEL SICKLES,
edited by Dean Mullaney, IDW
WORDLESS BOOKS: THE ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVELS,
edited by David A. Berona, Abrams Books

BEST SYNDICATED STRIP OR PANEL

BREWSTER ROCKIT: SPACE GUY!, Tim Rickard, Tribune Media Services
GET FUZZY, Darby Conley, United Features Syndicate
MUTTS, Patrick McDonnell, King Features Syndicate
THE NORM, Michael Jantze, Uclick Gocomics
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, Stephan Pastis, United Features Syndicate

BEST ANTHOLOGY

COMIC BOOK TATTOO, edited by Rantz Hoseley, Image Comics
FLIGHT VOLUME 5, edited by Kazu Kibuishi, Villard
MOME VOLUME 10, edited by Eric Reynolds, Fantagraphics Books
PIXU #1, edited by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon, Self-Published
POPGUN VOLUME 2, edited by Joe Keatinge and Mark Andrew Smith,
Image Comics

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM - ORIGINAL

BOTTOMLESS BELLY BUTTON, Fantagraphics Books
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES, Amulet Books
ESSEX COUNTY: THE COUNTRY NURSE, Top Shelf
SKIM, Groundwood Books
TOO COOL TO BE FORGOTTEN, Top Shelf
WORLD OF QUEST: VOL. 2, Yen Press

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM - PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED

AMELIA RULES!: FUNNY STORIES, Renaissance Press
M, Abrams Books
NAT TURNER, Kyle Baker, Abrams Books
THE MICE TEMPLAR: VOL. 1, Image Comics
QUEEN AND COUNTRY: VOLUME 3, Oni Press
SKYSCRAPERS OF THE MIDWEST (HARDCOVER), Adhouse Books

BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY

ACME NOVELTY LIBRARY #19, Self-Published
FIRST BORN: AFTERMATH #1, Top Cow
LOVE AND ROCKETS, VOL. 3 #1, Fantagraphics Books
M, Abrams Books
NASCAR HEROES #5, NASCAR Comics
NAT TURNER, Abrams Books
THE AMAZING REMARKABLE MONSIEUR LEOTARD, First Second
Y: THE LAST MAN #60, Vertigo Comics

BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT

ASTOUNDING SPACE THRILLS, IDW
COMPLETE PEANUTS, Fantagraphics Books
COMPLETE TERRY AND THE PIRATES, IDW
SCORCHY SMITH AND THE ART OF NOEL SICKLES, IDW
WACKY PACKAGES, Abrams Books

BEST AMERICAN EDITION OF FOREIGN MATERIAL

GUS AND HIS GANG, First Second
POCKET FULL OF RAIN, Fantagraphics Books
RED COLORED ELEGY, Drawn and Quarterly
SOLANIN, Viz
WITCHBLADE TAKERU MANGA #’s 11 & 12, Top Cow

BEST ON-LINE COMICS WORK

BLACK CHERRY BOMBSHELLS, Tony Trovarello and
John Zito, www.zudacomics.com
HIGH MOON, Scott O. Brown, David Gallaher and Steve Ellis www.zudacomics.com
LEAST I COULD DO, Lar deSouza and Ryan Sohmer, www.leasticoulddo.com
NIGHT OWLS, Bobby & Peter Timony, www.zudacomics.com
PVP, Scott Kurtz, www.pvponline.com

SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS

Lar deSouza, LEAST I COULD DO, www.leasticoulddo.com
John Gallagher, BUZZBOY, Sky Dog Comics
Al Jaffee, TALL TALES, Abrams Books
Jeff Kinney, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, Amulet Books
David Malki, WONDERMARK, www.wondermark.com

SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION

COMPLETE LOCAL: HARDCOVER EDITION, Ryan Kelly and
Brian Wood, Oni Press
KIRBY: KING OF COMICS, Mark Evanier, Abrams Books
QUEEN AND COUNTRY: VOLUME 3, Greg Rucka, Mike Norton,
Steve Rolston, and Chris Samnee, Oni Press
TALL TALES, Al Jaffee, Abrams Books
WONDERMARK, VOL. 1: BEARDS OF OUR FOREFATHERS,
David Malki, Dark Horse Comics

BEST NEW TALENT

Matt Cassan, NASCAR: HEROES, Nascar Comics
Bryan J.L. Glass, THE MICE TEMPLAR, Image Books
Laura Innes, THE DREAMER, IDW
Tim Sievert, THAT SALTY AIR, Top Shelf
Bobby Timony, NIGHT OWLS, www.zudacomics.com

For those of you who can’t wait another moment, I’m excited to reveal Chapter 2 of the highly anticipated first FABLES prose novel, PETER & MAX. Read it here. And if you haven’t read Chapter 1 that’s available too.

Now don’t forget to go to your local comic shop today or local bookstore next Tuesday and purchase a copy—it includes a special 8 page comic featuring Peter and Bo!

FAME!

While it may seem daunting to anyone who has ever attended the San Diego Comicon, you can get discovered and procure actual work from a major publisher in the same century. Or in this case, the same summer.

I met the extremely talented painter Chrissie Zullo at the San Diego Comicon of 2008 through the DC Portfolio Review. I repeat: I met extremely talented painter Chrissie Zullo at the San Diego Comicon of 2008 through the DC Portfolio Review.

Upon following the rules that she observed at the Annual Portfolio Review Orientation, Chrissie submitted her portfolio. And then, along with a handful of my colleagues, I reviewed the hundreds/thousands of submissions and found somewhere between 8-12 people whom I wanted to meet over the course of the weekend. Chrissie was definitely at the top of my list and when we met face-to-face for a 15 minute chat, she revealed her passion for FABLES.

I remember commenting on how much I liked her painting style — specifically the balance of the pretty and the “don’t think you’re going to take me home just yet” power. Chrissie has a mercurial charm, evident not only in the alluring execution of her figure work but also in her choice of rich, traditional color palettes. She finds inspiration from classical painters such as Jean Honore Fragonard and Francois Boucher, and modernists alike, including comic book artists Winsor McCay, James Jean and Adam Hughes.

I challenged Chrissie to send me a few “mock” FABLES covers on spec in the months to come to see how her sense of composition could vary as well as to see what she could do when presented with the design challenges of working the necessary text elements into her cover art.

When her camera-ready samples came in a few weeks later, I couldn’t believe my eyes. And strangely enough, at that very millisecond, I was looking for a cover artist for the new CINDERELLA: FROM FABLETOWN WITH LOVE miniseries. One of Chrissie’s images in particular happened to look like Cinderella so it seemed like there was more than a good chance that she could handle this fantastic first assignment. Upon showing Chrissie’s samples to Bill Willingham, he replied “Hire that woman!” on the spot. And let me tell you: I can count the number of times Bill has uttered those three words on one pinky. When my boss Karen Berger concurred, the rest became, shall we say, art history. CINDERELLA: FROM FABLETOWN WITH LOVE with covers by Chrissie Zullo will be in stores beginning November 4th.

So, to those of you aspiring talents who think it’s impossible to win the lottery, reread the above. And if you still find it too hard to believe straight up, chew on this: Not only is Chrissie one of the most talented new cover painters of her generation, one of us is only 22.

Shelly

Don’t forget to enter for the chance to win a free copy of the brand new hardcover 1st edition of PETER & MAX: A Fables Novel written by Bill Willingham with spot illustrations by Steve Leialoha.

In order to win, please post YOUR FAVORITE FABLES CHARACTER and WHY IT’S YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER in the comment section of the Monday, September 28th post.

You have 2 weeks to post, you may only post once, 10 winners will be chosen at random. See Official Rules for more info in the 9/28 post.

Don’t forget to enter for the chance to win a free copy of the brand new hardcover 1st edition of PETER & MAX: A Fables Novel written by Bill Willingham with spot illustrations by Steve Leialoha.

In order to win, please post YOUR FAVORITE FABLES CHARACTER and WHY IT’S YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER in the comment section of the Monday, September 28th post.

You have 2 weeks to post, you may only post once, 10 winners will be chosen at random. See Official Rules for more info in the 9/28 post.

Don’t forget to enter for the chance to win a free copy of the brand new hardcover 1st edition of PETER & MAX: A Fables Novel written by Bill Willingham with spot illustrations by Steve Leialoha.

In order to win, please post YOUR FAVORITE FABLES CHARACTER and WHY IT’S YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER in the comment section of the Monday, September 28th post.

You have 2 weeks to post, you may only post once, 10 winners will be chosen at random. See Official Rules for more info in the 9/28 post.

And thanks to all who have already entered!