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 December 8th. If you’re new to the countdown, an archive of all previous entries can be found under our Special Features menu. Today’s story is titled “The Great Fables Crossover.” In this story, a new danger threatens to undo existence. Unlike every other story, as the title implies, this story crosses over with Jack of Fables, and The Literals mini-series. I marked what information appeared in which issue. Also, since there is a lot of information here that doesn’t really pertain to the rest of the Fables stories, I’ve done the recap a bit differently. After writing out the first issue, I realized it would be easier to just give you the main points of the story in bulletin points. The story, complete with spoilers (of course), is after the break.
The Great Fables Crossover
Issues #83-85, Jack of Fables #33-35, The Literals #1-3
Art by Mark Buckingham, Russ Braun, Tony Akins
Fables #83
Stinky tells a prophesy of Boy Blue’s return, and how he’ll return to defeat the Dark One, then conquer the Homelands to become Emperor, making his friends (them) kings. Stinky tells everyone to where a blue neckerchief or scarf around their neck to signify their belief in the return of Blue. Bigby Wolf and Beast transform and begin to fight each other, until Snow White and Beauty get in between them to separate them. Both men later tell their wives that it felt like someone was pushing them on. Stinky, upset at having to take a call and deliver a message to the humans, first tells them that must be called by his actual name, Brock Blueheart, and that Jack was calling for Rose Red, but she wasn’t interested. Snow takes the call. Jack informs her of a man named Kevin Thorn, and he has the power to write all of them out of existence. The Fabletown leaders discuss this, and then decide to send Snow and Bigby to investigate, since Bigby needs to get farther away from the Dark One in Fabletown. In New York, Mr. Dark is turning the city into a more violent place as he continues to build his castle.
Jack of Fables #33
- Jack, who is half Fable and half Literal is waiting in a diner with his three half sisters who are called the Page sister, his side-kicked Gary, and the son of Kevin Thorn.
- Bigby and Snow show up. Snow learns about Thorn while Bigby gets into a fight with Jack.
- Jack Frost, the son of the Snow Queen, sets out on a journey to find his father.
- After seeing Jack get beat up by Bigby, Gary wants to become Bigby’s sidekick.
- Jack gets pissed off and says he’s leaving the book.
Literals #1
- Kevin Thorn is struggling with writer’s block, so he creates a setting for him to write in. He also brings in some companions, who are genres: Western, Blockbuster, Mystery, Horror, Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Literature, Comedy, and Noir.
- Bigby, Snow, Gary, and Thorn’s son travel to New York City to pick up Thorn’s trail.
- Thorn brings in two of his creations to help him: Old Sam and Hansel.
- Thorn’s old building blows up with Bigby and Snow’s group just outside.
- Thorn learns of this, and decides to get vengeance on Bigby finally by turning him into a chimp.
Fables #84
- Jack arrives at The Farm, claiming to be on a mission from Snow and Bigby.
- Jack goes up to Rose Red, who is still depressed and in bed, and has sex with her.
- The animals think Boy Blue is with her because she is screaming his name, and the headboard is knocking on the wall. When Jack comes down, Brock Blueheart thinks it’s Blue, and tells him about followers that will be loyal to this.
- Jack uses this to take control of The Farm.
- The Fabletown leaders meet with the witches, and decide to ignore Jack for now, and focus on what is going on in Fabletown.
- Jack Frost arrives at The Farm, and meets Jack.
Jack of Fables #34
- Chimp Bigby is nearly hit by a car falling out of the sky.
- Kevin Thorn is still struggling with why he can’t just wipe out Bigby and the world and start over. He goes to the genres, but they aren’t helpful.
- The Page sisters get tired of waiting at the diner and leave. They hijack a car at gunpoint, and drive to a weapons depot.
- Kevin Thorn is upset his dead twin brother, Writer’s Block, seems to be alive again.
- Kevin transforms Bigby into a donkey, elephant, pink elephant and then a little girl.
- Hansel tries to get Kevin Thorn to hurry up and write out existence, but Sam tells Thorn to take his time and not rush things.
The Literals #2
- The Genres set up an ambush to protect Thorn.
- Sam tells Thorn to be patient with Writer’s Block, but Hansel takes things into his own hands and beats Writer’s Block with a cane.
- The Page sisters car blows up in a trap set by the Genres. The Genres argue over how to handle things, each wanting to do what is typical in their specific genre. The Page sisters open fire on them.
- Sam struggles to stop Hansel. He then pushes Hansel’s wheelchair out the door, picks up some speed, and pushes him off a cliff.
- Bigby and Snow’s group arrive at the firefight.
- Sam returns to find that Thorn has beaten Writer’s Block to death.
Fables #85
- Jack tries to pass on some advice, and send Jack Frost on his way, but Jack Frost won’t leave.
- Jack Frost freezes Jack, and the Farm Fables all want to kill Jack Frost for attempting to kill their savior. King Cole has Clara thaw Jack out while Beauty talks to Brock Blueheart about who Jack and Rose Red really are.
- Sam continues to attempt to keep Thorn from starting his story.
- The Animal Fables want vengeance on Jack and Rose, but Beast and Beauty had them evacuated to Wolf Manor.
- Jack is teaching the cubs how to play poker when interrupted again by Jack Frost. Jack tells Frost that he needs to complete his heroic quest before he can seek out his father. Jack tells him his heroic quest is to take out Thorn.
Jack of Fables #35
- The firefight between the two groups is still going on.
- Sam tries to steal Thorn’s pen, but every story written rushes into his mind, making him brain dead.
- Bigby, having had enough, sneaks around behind the Genres, and tears them all apart.
- Jack Frost comes to the rest of the group.
The Literals #3
- The group discusses the history of power with the The Literals, and Revise (old guy) changing the nature of Thorn’s and Gary’s abilities.
- Thorn has written Sam into a ghost-like existence.
- Gary uses his power to distract Thorn, but not long enough for everyone to sneak attack him.
- Jack Frost is able to freeze Thorn to keep him from writing.
- When discussing what would be a permanent solution for Thorn, another Literal, Deus Ex Machina shows up. He has with him an egg that belonged to Snow. It contains a blank universe for Thorn to create. Gary sends all the Literal magic into this new universe. He and the Page sisters stay behind, losing their power.
- Gary rejoins Jack as he’s leaving The Farm, and Jack Frost leaves with the Page sisters.
- Kevin Thorn doesn’t know where to begin in creating the new universe.
Up next Boxing Days
Comicdom Wrecks! 