Fables (comics) - Story Arcs

Story Arcs

1001 Nights of Snowfall (graphic novel): Based on the One Thousand and One Nights, tells a story from a time early in Fabletown's history when Snow White was sent as an emissary to the Arabian Fables. The Sultan's Vizier secretly presents Snow to Sultan as his next wife in order to delay his daughter Scheherazade from suffering the same fate. Snow must amuse the Sultan with a new story every night to prevent him from executing her at dawn, as he has done with all his former wives.

A Wolf in the Fold (prose story from the Legends In Exile trade paperback): Explains the history of Bigby Wolf and Snow White, and how they came to the mundane world.

Legends in Exile (issues 1 to 5): The introduction to Fabletown. Sheriff Bigby Wolf investigates the apparent murder of Rose Red.

Animal Farm (issues 6 to 10): A revolt occurs on the Farm, a place for inhuman Fables.

Bag 'O Bones (issue 11): A tale set during the American Civil War in which Jack Horner finds a way to cheat Death.

A Two-Part Caper (issues 12 and 13): A mundane journalist finds out about the Fables and they have to decide how to react.

Storybook Love (issues 14 to 17): Bluebeard hatches a plot to rid himself of Bigby and Snow by enchanting them, and the homicidal Goldilocks attempts to kill the pair. Prince Charming decides to run for Fabletown Mayor.

Barleycorn Brides (issue 18): Bigby tells Flycatcher the story of a Smalltown tradition.

The Last Castle: (Prestige format one-shot): Boy Blue relates Snow the tale of the last stand against the Adversary's forces in the Homelands.

March of the Wooden Soldiers (issues 19 to 21 and 23 to 27): Prince Charming runs for Mayor of Fabletown while the community deals with the apparent escape from the Homelands of Red Riding Hood. The Adversary sends his first troops into Fabletown to begin an assault.

Cinderella Libertine (issue 22): Cinderella's apparently frivolous lifestyle is revealed to be a front.

War Stories (issues 28 and 29): Bigby's adventures during World War II.

The Mean Seasons (issues 30 to 33): Snow gives birth and realizes she must relocate to the Farm. Bigby isn't allowed there and instead exiles himself. Snow encounters Bigby's estranged father, the North Wind. One of her children is revealed to be quite different than the others, so she sends him to find his father.

Jack Be Nimble (issues 34 and 35): Jack goes to Hollywood and sets up a film studio. Spins off into Jack of Fables.

Homelands (issues 36 to 38 and 40 and 41): Boy Blue goes on a mission to the Homelands with the aim of assassinating the Adversary and learns the Adversary's identity.

Meanwhile (issue 39): What has been going on in Fabletown during Blue's adventures.

Arabian Nights (and Days) (issues 42 to 45): A delegation of Arabian Fables led by Sinbad visits Fabletown to discuss an alliance against the Adversary.

The Ballad of Rodney and June (issues 46 and 47): A side story of the seemingly ill-fated love of Rodney and June, two members of the Adversary's forces.

Wolves (issues 48 and 49): Mowgli searches for the missing Bigby and brings him a message from Fabletown.

Happily Ever After (issue 50): Bigby returns, delivers a warning to the Adversary and marries Snow.

Big and Small (issue 51): Cinderella continues her mission in the Cloud Kingdom, but must be turned into a mouse and enlist the aid of Smalltown's resident medic in order to treat a sick giant king.

Sons of Empire (issues 52 to 55): The Adversary calls a conference of the Imperial elite to decide what to do about Fabletown. Pinocchio has to face up to his divided loyalties.

Jiminy Christmas (issue 56): Santa Claus' existence as a Fable is addressed.

Father and Son (issues 57 and 58): Bigby decides that the time has come to square things with his father, the North Wind. On a hunt, his children encounter Bigby's siblings, who have become more beasts than men.

Burning Questions (issue 59): Readers were invited to participate in a contest by asking Willingham questions of unresolved events in the series. Here, they are answered.

The Good Prince (issues 60 to 63 and 65 to 69): Flycatcher, who has never fully accepted the death of his wife, must face up to his past.

The Birthday Secret (issue 64): Preparation for war begins at the Farm and the birthday of Bigby's children.

Kingdom Come (issue 70): Boy Blue and Rose Red discuss their relationship. Flycatcher's offer is brought to the Farm. Plans are made to begin the war.

Skullduggery (issues 71 and 72): Cinderella repays her debt to Frau Totenkinder by going on a mission down South.

War and Pieces (issues 73 to 75): Fabletown and the Empire go to war.

Around the Town (issue 76): Fabletown's newest member is given a tour, much to the displeasure of some of the other residents.

The Dark Ages (issues 77 to 81): A new era begins as the residents of Fabletown face the aftermath of the war. New challenges arise at home and in a distant land a dark power is awakened.

Waiting for the Blues (issue 82): An epilogue to "The Dark Ages".

The Great Fables Crossover (issues 83 to 85): Bigby and Beast get into a violent fight that demonstrates the influence of the dark powers present. Rose Red sinks deeper and deeper into depression. Stinky starts a religion foretelling Boy Blue's heroic return, which a returning Jack Horner takes advantage of before encountering his son, the new Jack Frost. In an interesting twist, the issues are more focused on Jack than on the other Fables. (Note: Includes Jack of Fables issues 33 to 35 and The Literals issues 1 to 3.)

Boxing Days (issue 86): Mister Dark relates how he came to be trapped in a magical box by a group of imperial warlocks, and the rise of their leader Dunster Happ.

Witches (issues 87 to 91): The leaders and witches of Fabletown discuss how to defeat Mister Dark. Meanwhile Bufkin finds himself trapped in the lost business office with Baba Yaga and many other monsters.

Out to the Ball Game (issues 92 and 93): A story set in Haven, where the local baseball game leads to a murder.

Rose Red (issues 94 to 98): The Farm is in chaos, as various factions vie for control. To restore order, Rose Red must face her greatest foe - herself.

Pinocchio's Army (prose story from the Rose Red trade paperback): A story set during the Rose Red story arc, focusing on Pinocchio and Geppetto.

Dark City (issue 99): Mr. Dark uses his power to construct a new citadel in New York City.

Single Combat (issue 100): The final confrontation between Frau Totenkinder and Mister Dark.

The Ascent (issue 101): Bufkin climbs the Business Office's tree and finds himself in Ev (a neighbor to the Land of Oz).

Super Team (issues 102 to 106): Ozma puts together a team of Fables to mimic the superheroics of comic books.

Waking Beauty (issue 107): The fate of the defeated Empire's thorn-covered capital.

Inherit the Wind (issues 108 to 111): The North Wind's successor is chosen among Snow and Bigby's Cubs. In Ev, Bufkin forms a resistance movement in order to overthrow the evil Nome King.

"All in a Single Night" (issue 112 ): A Fables takes on A Christmas Carol, focusing on Rose Red.

In Those Days (issue 113 ): A collection of short, short Fables stories.

Cubs in Toyland (issues 114 to 121 ): Snow and Bigby's cub Therese is taken to a bleak, mysterious land inhabited by discarded toys, inciting a series of soul-crushing events. This storyline has a backup feature that follows Bufkin's (mis)adventures in Oz.

The Destiny Game (issues 122 - 123 ): A look at how fate works in the Fable universe. Bufkin and Lily's adventures continue in the story's backup feature.

(issue 124): Bufkin and Lily’s heroic adventures comes to its grand finale.

Snow White (issues 125 to 129 ):