Questions for Bill 2009

[Bill Willingham]

Since the last questions thread got so long, and since I got so far behind in answering said questions, I've locked that thread down in favor of this new one. I'll take your questions here and try to be more timely in getting to them. And yes, I realize that it isn't quite 2009 yet, but this nicely distinguishes this thread as the new and current one, doesn't it?

[Juan Ramón Vallarino J.]

1. Within the European Fables worlds, I'm surprised that pretty much nothing has come from the Iberian penninsula (other than a shot in the first few issues of what was probably Don Quixote and Sancho Panza).

Any chance we'll eventuall see some Basque, Portuguese, Catalan, Andalucian, Castillean Fables? (If nothing else, Irma de Bucky should be able to get you some material).

It's not a biggie, but it does bug me somewhat...

2. Any additional X-Mas issues in the future? Any further appearances by Santa again? (If nothing else, a conversation between him and Ambrose would be interesting).

3. Will we ever get a chance to see who Bigby's golden-eggs-into-cash guy is? (I remember you writing he's a Fable, and somehow I have the impression you may have said it was Shylock, but still....).

4. This might be part of the upcoming crossover, but isn't there some sort of way for the NY Fables to find out about the existence and whereabouts of some of the Fables trapped in Golden Boughs? (Alice would seem like a "European" Fable, if there was ever one).

What I'm saying is that the Tourists may (should?) have known of some Fables out there who weren't living in NYC, and if so, they may have wondered where they went..... (it's not like the NYC Fables don't go out in the rest of the world, as can be seen by Bigby and Mowgli traveling around somewhat in Wolves, and by Bigby going to the Northwest Canada gate - where the NYC Fables had a skeleton crew in MOTWS).

[Bill Willingham]

1. Any chance we'll eventuall see some Basque, Portuguese, Catalan, Andalucian, Castillean Fables? (If nothing else, Irma de Bucky should be able to get you some material).

2. Any additional X-Mas issues in the future? Any further appearances by Santa again? (If nothing else, a conversation between him and Ambrose would be interesting).

3. Will we ever get a chance to see who Bigby's golden-eggs-into-cash guy is? (I remember you writing he's a Fable, and somehow I have the impression you may have said it was Shylock, but still....).

4. This might be part of the upcoming crossover, but isn't there some sort of way for the NY Fables to find out about the existence and whereabouts of some of the Fables trapped in Golden Boughs? (Alice would seem like a "European" Fable, if there was ever one).

5. What I'm saying is that the Tourists may (should?) have known of some Fables out there who weren't living in NYC, and if so, they may have wondered where they went..... (it's not like the NYC Fables don't go out in the rest of the world, as can be seen by Bigby and Mowgli traveling around somewhat in Wolves, and by Bigby going to the Northwest Canada gate - where the NYC Fables had a skeleton crew in MOTWS).

1) Yes, there's a chance.

2) How about Santa in the very next Fables issue? That soon enough for you?

3) Maybe. And yes, it's Shylock from The Merchant of Venice.

4) Yes, there is some way for them to find out about the Golden Boughs Fables. Gee, that might make a good subject for a crossover between Fables and Jack of Fables.

5) There are lots of Fables living outside of Fabletown. The Tourists have lots of folks to keep track of.

[Ian Westhoff]

What were the othe two Touists, Feathertop and The Huntsman (he's the other, right?) doing during the war? Will we ever find out?

[Eddy Stone]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but do you have ideas of who exactly is in Fabletown? And if so, how much about them do you have worked out? Do you already have an idea of what Random Fable X will have in terms of personality traits, relationships, and plot ideas?

I think my question is inspired by characters like Rapunzel, who hadn't been part of the background cast until later on in the series. Or Peter and Max and (if I remember the hints correctly) Bo Peep. Or the residents of the 13th Floor. Have you had specific ideas about all these characters and others from the get go?


Also: YAY! Santa!! I LOVE holiday episodes of T.V. shows, so the Holiday issue of Fables was perfect for me!

Was Charlie Brown right: is his wife's name Mary Christmas?

[Michael Painter]

Um, I was wondering if the distinction between the Rabbit and the Hare in Fables and the ones in Jack of Fables would be made soon, and maybe in the crossover.
Was Kevin Thorn created with the intention that he would show up in the Jack book? Or were there plans with him and the Literals prior to their being talk of the spinoff book?
Will the Nome King show up again, and does he still have control of his lands?
Will we see Colonel Thunderfoot or Mersey Dotes in the near future?

[Eddy Stone]

I know Mr. Toad was a casualty of war, but is The Cow That Jumped Over the Moon also dead?

Her fate didn't look too promising last we saw her. In fact, a lot of the scenes we saw of the War did not look good for those recognizable Fables depicted. Mr. Toad and the cow had a few arrows in them, and there was a lion with a spear wound (King Noble?). We know for sure that Mr. Toad died of his wounds, but the others were left ambiguous. Obviously you knew PC was going to die, but did you put thought into the minor characters' deaths and injuries or was it up to Mr. Buckingham to decide what happened in those battle scenes?

[Bill Willingham]

What were the othe two Touists, Feathertop and The Huntsman (he's the other, right?) doing during the war? Will we ever find out?

Probably.

[Bill Willingham]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but do you have ideas of who exactly is in Fabletown? And if so, how much about them do you have worked out? Do you already have an idea of what Random Fable X will have in terms of personality traits, relationships, and plot ideas?

Mostly. In an issue or three, you might want to rephrase this question and ask it again in light of coming developments.

[Bill Willingham]

1) Um, I was wondering if the distinction between the Rabbit and the Hare in Fables and the ones in Jack of Fables would be made soon, and maybe in the crossover.

2) Was Kevin Thorn created with the intention that he would show up in the Jack book? Or were there plans with him and the Literals prior to their being talk of the spinoff book?

3) Will the Nome King show up again, and does he still have control of his lands?

4) Will we see Colonel Thunderfoot or Mersey Dotes in the near future?

1) Do you mean the two versions of the tortoise and the hare? Maybe.

2) Why is this important. I'm not fond of answering questions about the details of when such-and-such was created and when the ideas came to use so-and-so the way he is being used. It's sort of a no-win situation. Either I end up bragging about how far in advance this thing is structured, or I confess to making this up on the fly. Neither answer casts me in a good light, does it?

3) Yes and We'll see.

4) Probably.

[Bill Willingham]

I know Mr. Toad was a casualty of war, but is The Cow That Jumped Over the Moon also dead?

We'll see. A lot of you are suddenly asking questions that you know I can't or won't give a direct answer to. Haven't I trained you fine folks at all?

[Michael Painter]

sorry Bill if I bothered you with the question. I thank you for explaining why you won't answer it.

[Tino Saldivar]

Hey Bill here's a question What do the Fables plan on doing with all those guns they made for the war... Burn them sell them or what?

[Juan Ramón Vallarino J.]

In memory of E. Nelson Bridewell, what do you mean "you fine folks", kimo sabe?

[Bill Willingham]

sorry Bill if I bothered you with the question. I thank you for explaining why you won't answer it.

Nope, not really a bother. I know people are interested in this stuff, but in the long run, it isn't important. What actually gets done and said in the stories is all that matters.

[Bill Willingham]

Hey Bill here's a question What do the Fables plan on doing with all those guns they made for the war... Burn them sell them or what?

Funny you should ask. The current arc and the arc immediately following the Great Fables Crossover will answer your question in full.

[Bill Willingham]

In memory of E. Nelson Bridewell, what do you mean "you fine folks", kimo sabe?

In memory of Tonto, what do you mean "kimo sabe", you fine fellow? I have an amusing E Nelson Bridwell story I might tell someday. We'll see.

[Juan Ramón Vallarino J.]

In memory of E. Nelson Bridewell, what do you mean "you fine folks", kimo sabe?

In memory of Tonto, what do you mean "kimo sabe", you fine fellow? I have an amusing E Nelson Bridwell story I might tell someday. We'll see.

LOL. Will be waiting to hear you tell it (though in the spirit of Mark Evanier, that seems like the type of story you should post on your blog).

Before I get criticized for posting comments which are impossible to understand, E. Nelson Bridewell was a long time comics fan (if memory serves me right), who eventually ended up working in comics (mostly, but not only, at DC).

At some point he developed one of the great gags (I want to say for Mad Magazine, but I could be wrong).

The Lone Ranger and Tonto (his indian sidekick mentioned by Bill) are surrounded by indians.

The Lone Ranger tells Tonto something along the lines of "We're surrounded, Tonto, and it looks hopeless".

To which Tonto, shown in an illustration smirking with a bunch of indians behind him also smirking, replies: "What do you mean WE, kimo sabe?".

Bill, do you remember who drew that story? (I can sort of see it in my head, and I don't think it was Al Davis, Don Martin, Al Jaffee, Prohias, Sergio Aragones, Don Berg or any of the 70s/80s Mad regulars).

Anyway, thread hijack over, back to your regularly scheduled thread.

[Yannick Berens]

Thanks for answering my questions in the other thread Bill!
If you don't mind, I'd like to hear your toughts about this question;

Last friday, december 5, it was Sinterklaasavond, a holiday in the Netherlands, Belgium and parts of the Netherlands Antilles.
I was thinking that Sinterklaas and the surrounding characters could possibly be Fables, but in the story, every year he arrives in the Netherlands by Steamboat, a technology that surpasses the knowledge of the medieval Homelands.

My question is: Could a character like him exist in the Homelands while he posesses technology the Empire rooted out?

This is all hypothethically speaking, I know the chances are high that he'll never appear, but this is just something that has been gnawing in my mind since late october.

Spoiler! :

wooo

[Jason Kuroshima]

Bill my question is twofold. Given that Ambrose failed to ask the question the cubs wanted last year will one of the others try this year? And what was their reaction when they found out Ambrose asked a different question?