Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love
Encyclopedia
Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love was a comic book
limited series
published by Vertigo Comics in 2009 and 2010, and set in the world of Fables
. The story portrays Cinderella as a secret agent
, performing missions on behalf of Fabletown
. Its title is an allusion to the James Bond
novel From Russia, with Love.
The series was written by Chris Roberson
with art by Shawn McManus
cover art by Chrissie Zullo
; a compilation of the six issues was published in August 2010.
Newly announced at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, a sequel to Chris Roberson and Shawn McManus' earlier Cinderella series will be the mini-series Cinderella: Fables Are Forever, published by Vertigo Comics in 2011.
missions undertaken by Cinderella for Fabletown's government. Her latest assignment is to track and prevent the sale of magical items from the Fables' Homelands dimensions to "mundies," the non-magical people of Earth. Cindy's search takes her to Dubai
where she encounters Aladdin
, who is on a similar mission for the Arabian Fables. The two are initially at odds but soon become friends and eventually, lovers. The series also introduces several of Cinderella's agents, whom she can call upon with a magic bracelet. These include Puss in Boots
, Jenny Wren (the former love of the deceased Cock Robin
), and Dickory
(a mouse with power over time and clocks).
The source of the illegal sales proves to be a trio of liberated concubines from the Arabian Fable Homeland, hoping to profit from the capitalistic
mundy world. However, they are working for an unseen employer. Following a lead, Cinderella and her allies travel to Ultima Thule
, a frigid Fable world controlled by a totalitarian government that forces everyone to smile on threat of physical harm. The mastermind behind the scheme proves to be Cinderella's Fairy Godmother
, who is now ruling Ultima Thule and has become overzealous in her attempts to make the world pleasant. Cindy and her allies are able to stop her plans thanks to Dickory, who causes time in Ultima Thule to speed up to midnight, the hour when the Godmother's magic wears off.
The series features a sub-plot involving Crispin Cordwainer, Cinderella's assistant at the Fabletown shoe store she operates as a cover for her spy activities. Crispin proves to be the famous cobbler of The Elves and the Shoemaker
and still maintains a business relationship with the Elves
. The magical shoes he commissions them to make cause problems for the people of Fabletown, who are unable to stop dancing, jogging, or moving while wearing the shoes. This is cleared up when the shoes are transferred safely to injured Fables. Those who cannot walk would enjoy periods of magical movement.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by Vertigo Comics in 2009 and 2010, and set in the world of Fables
Fables (comics)
Fables is a comic book series created by writer Bill Willingham, published by DC Comics's Vertigo imprint beginning in 2002. The series deals with various characters from fairy tales and folklore – referring to themselves as "Fables" – who have been forced out of their Homelands by "The...
. The story portrays Cinderella as a secret agent
Secret Agent
Secret Agent is a British film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on two stories in Ashenden: Or the British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham. The film starred John Gielgud, Peter Lorre, Madeleine Carroll, and Robert Young...
, performing missions on behalf of Fabletown
Fabletown
Fabletown is the fictional, clandestine community of "Fables" resident in New York in the Fables comic book universe. It exists in two locations, one being Bullfinch Street in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and the other on a large farm in upstate New York, protected with magical spells that...
. Its title is an allusion to the James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
novel From Russia, with Love.
The series was written by Chris Roberson
Chris Roberson (author)
Chris Roberson is a science fiction author, tromboner, and publisher based in Austin, Texas, best known for alternate history novels and short stories.-Biography:Chris Roberson grew up near Dallas, Texas, and attended the University of Texas, Austin...
with art by Shawn McManus
Shawn McManus
Shawn McManus is an American artist who has worked extensively over three decades for DC Comics and other companies, notably for DC's Vertigo imprint, including the current Fables.-Swamp Thing:...
cover art by Chrissie Zullo
Chrissie Zullo
Chrissie Zullo is a comic book artist whose notable works include the covers for Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love. She works on pencils and traditional media and colors her work in Photoshop. She names James Jean as among her influences, and her work has also been compared to that of Tara...
; a compilation of the six issues was published in August 2010.
Newly announced at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, a sequel to Chris Roberson and Shawn McManus' earlier Cinderella series will be the mini-series Cinderella: Fables Are Forever, published by Vertigo Comics in 2011.
Plot
The story centers on one of the covert espionageEspionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
missions undertaken by Cinderella for Fabletown's government. Her latest assignment is to track and prevent the sale of magical items from the Fables' Homelands dimensions to "mundies," the non-magical people of Earth. Cindy's search takes her to Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
where she encounters Aladdin
Aladdin
Aladdin is a Middle Eastern folk tale. It is one of the tales in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , and one of the most famous, although it was actually added to the collection by Antoine Galland ....
, who is on a similar mission for the Arabian Fables. The two are initially at odds but soon become friends and eventually, lovers. The series also introduces several of Cinderella's agents, whom she can call upon with a magic bracelet. These include Puss in Boots
Puss in Boots
'Puss' is a character in the fairy tale "The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots" by Charles Perrault. The tale was published in 1697 in his Histoires ou Contes du temps passé...
, Jenny Wren (the former love of the deceased Cock Robin
Cock Robin
"Who Killed Cock Robin" is an English nursery rhyme, which has been much used as a murder archetype in world culture. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 494.-Lyrics:...
), and Dickory
Hickory Dickory Dock
"Hickory Dickory Dock" or "Hickety Dickety Dock" is a popular English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 6489.-Lyrics:The most common modern version is:Hickory, dickory, dock,The mouse ran up the clock....
(a mouse with power over time and clocks).
The source of the illegal sales proves to be a trio of liberated concubines from the Arabian Fable Homeland, hoping to profit from the capitalistic
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
mundy world. However, they are working for an unseen employer. Following a lead, Cinderella and her allies travel to Ultima Thule
Thule
Thule Greek: Θούλη, Thoulē), also spelled Thula, Thila, or Thyïlea, is, in classical European literature and maps, a region in the far north. Though often considered to be an island in antiquity, modern interpretations of what was meant by Thule often identify it as Norway. Other interpretations...
, a frigid Fable world controlled by a totalitarian government that forces everyone to smile on threat of physical harm. The mastermind behind the scheme proves to be Cinderella's Fairy Godmother
Fairy godmother
In fairy tales, a fairy godmother is a fairy with magical powers who acts as a mentor or parent to someone, in the role that an actual godparent was expected to play in many societies...
, who is now ruling Ultima Thule and has become overzealous in her attempts to make the world pleasant. Cindy and her allies are able to stop her plans thanks to Dickory, who causes time in Ultima Thule to speed up to midnight, the hour when the Godmother's magic wears off.
The series features a sub-plot involving Crispin Cordwainer, Cinderella's assistant at the Fabletown shoe store she operates as a cover for her spy activities. Crispin proves to be the famous cobbler of The Elves and the Shoemaker
The Elves and the Shoemaker
The Elves and the Cobbler or The Shoemaker and the Elves is an often copied and re-made story about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from elves....
and still maintains a business relationship with the Elves
Elf
An elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
. The magical shoes he commissions them to make cause problems for the people of Fabletown, who are unable to stop dancing, jogging, or moving while wearing the shoes. This is cleared up when the shoes are transferred safely to injured Fables. Those who cannot walk would enjoy periods of magical movement.