Welcome to today’s entry to the Countdown to Fables #100, where on Tuesday and Friday I recap a story told within the pages of Fables. This will happen up until issue #100 is released on November 24th. Today’s story is titled “Jiminy Christmas.” In this story, we see what gifts Santa has for some of the Fables. The identity of the Adversary/Emperor does not appear in the recap, which is after the break.
Jiminy Christmas
Issue #56
Art by Mark Buckingham
At the North Pole, a hooded figure breaks into one of the buildings. The hooded man spots Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus through a window, and enters a backdoor to the cellar of that building. As the hooded man begins to pick the lock on a safe, Santa discovers him, and we find that the hooded man was Jack. He was after the naughty and nice lists. Back in Fabletown, Bigby asks Jack why he wanted them, and Jack replies to sell them, because naughty kids grow up to become naughty adults.
Snow White, Bigby Wolf, and the cubs are decorating their Christmas tree. The cubs are getting a being allowed to fly just for this special occasion. After the tree is finished, Snow sends the cubs off to get ready dinner. Bigby and Snow hang back, and he asks her what she wants for Christmas. Snow tells him that she wants all of them to visit Mr. North in the Homelands. Bigby says he’ll think about it.
Boy Blue spots Rose Red coming out of her office. He offers her some help with the gifts and other package she has, which she reveals is a magic carpet. Together, they experiment with how to fly the thing, until eventually learning how. Much later that day, they arrive at the Wolf Manner, singing Christmas carols. Rose Red and Boy Blue stay for dinner. After dinner, Blue talks with Bigby and Snow while Rose Red talks to the cubs about Santa Claus, that he’s a Fable, and that he lives at the North Pole to help protect them from the Adversary. She also tells them that if someone is able to catch them, they can ask him one question, but that is their gift for the year.
The cubs decide that one of them will stay up to ask Santa a question, and the rest of them will share their gifts with the one that doesn’t get any. Ambrose draws the short straw, so he’s chosen. He’s supposed to ask Santa what they’re supposed to do to get the very best presents next year. However, when Ambrose spots Santa, the question is how he does it. How does he go to every house. Santa tells him that he makes one trip. He is able to visit every place at once.
In Fabletown, Santa visits Flycatcher. Santa gets him to talk, and Fly says that he remembers. Santa figured he would when he turned back into a frog, and that there was nothing he could do for him. Santa brings back the spirit of Fly’s dead wife. The spirit kisses him, and transformed him back to human form. The spirit disappears and Fly is upset with Santa. Santa tells him that he had to do it, because a great war is playing, and Fly has a very important part to play out. Back in Wolf Manner, Santa sends young Ambrose to bed, and tells Bigby he can come out of the shadow. Santa hands Bigby the naughty and nice lists for him to store away for safe keeping. Santa then leaves.
This might have seemed like a fill-in holiday issue where we learn about Santa Claus, but there are three things in this issue that you need to take note of. There was the continuing building of the friendship between Boy Blue and Rose Red. There is the desire of Snow White wanting all of them to visit Mr. North, and Bigby’s reluctance to do so. This thread will actually play out in the next story in the countdown on Tuesday. That last bit you need to remember is what Santa told Flycatcher. Flycatcher has an important role to play, if he can get over his past.
Up next, Father and Son
Comicdom Wrecks! 