Authors

[Neil Surtees]

Hi,
I'm new in town an like the look of the place, I've been reading Fables since ish 1 and love it. I have a question though. sometimes writers take a break,and deservidly so in this case, who would you like to see putting pen to papper for a story. I'd like to see James Herbert, Gregory Maguier, Peter David and Neil Gaiman.
to me these authors would tell a great story and expand on the series in a thoughtfull way. They would do the research and come up with something amazing.
just my thoughts what do you guy's think?

[Charles Reed]

Hi,
I'm new in town an like the look of the place, I've been reading Fables since ish 1 and love it. I have a question though. sometimes writers take a break,and deservidly so in this case, who would you like to see putting pen to papper for a story. I'd like to see James Herbert, Gregory Maguier, Peter David and Neil Gaiman.
to me these authors would tell a great story and expand on the series in a thoughtfull way. They would do the research and come up with something amazing.
just my thoughts what do you guy's think?

I would say: Absolutely nobody. No guest writers. If Bill needs to take a break for a month or two, I'd rather just wait for him to get back than have somebody else write an issue of Fables. Just my two cents, of course.

Charles

[Court Gebeau]

I agree with Charles.

Would you have wanted a guest writer on Sandman?

Fables is Bill's baby. I'm not saying that there aren't other writers that could do a good job...I'd just prefer if Bill was the only writer for Fables, so it would maintain a singular vision.

[Jack Johnson]

I believe Mark Buckingham said on here he'd probably be given the reins if Bill wanted a break or decided to quit writing. Which isn't a bad choice at all.

[Bill Willingham]

Actually Bucky takes over when I die, not when I quit. I don't plan to quit, so he'll have to pry Fables from my cold dead fingers. Strangely enough, Bucky's had an evil gleam in his eye ever since I admitted that. Maybe it's good there's an ocean between us.

[Patrick R. Coughlin]

If ever there was ever a plausible reason for full scale rioting in the streets, it would be this proposed nightmare scenario. The whole notion of this thread, I mean. By which I do not mean to discourage new members from sharing their crazy thoughts, but really, now! I can't think of a worse possible thing to happen, outside of serious physical injury or some such thing, of course. Peace!

[Bill Kulesa]

And of course poor Emphier has been scared by the rabid proclamations made by regulars. We don't bite, I promise.

OK so I bite, I admit it, but only in bed.

[Kelsi Parker]

Yep. Once you get past the details that the regulars, myself included, tend to view as common knowledge (such as this) we're a good bunch.

And in a theoretical scenerio involving, perhaps, another spinoff like happened when Sandman finally came to an end, Neil Gaiman might have an interesting take on it. Maguire does his own retellings of fairy tales, in a distinctly different style from Fables; I'm not sure if he'd adjust very well to it.

[Noah R. Miller]

Actually Bucky takes over when I die, not when I quit. I don't plan to quit, so he'll have to pry Fables from my cold dead fingers. Strangely enough, Bucky's had an evil gleam in his eye ever since I admitted that. Maybe it's good there's an ocean between us.

Hmm... Well guns are hard to come by in england (i think).

At least it will have to be by a posion of some sort... just dont accept any food from the Buckster. And run if he's holding any long tube that a dart could fit in.

[Mark Buckingham]

Actually Bucky takes over when I die, not when I quit. I don't plan to quit, so he'll have to pry Fables from my cold dead fingers. Strangely enough, Bucky's had an evil gleam in his eye ever since I admitted that. Maybe it's good there's an ocean between us.

You can take the padded vest and helmet off now Bill......

The prospect of one day continuing Fables where Bill leaves off currently fills me with fear.... he would be a really tough act to follow... and the goodwill of the Fables community would only last so long.I would need to be good too. I have enough to contend with on the art side as it is.
In the more immediate future I want to start writing some strips of my own... with characters of my own.I've had a charmed career... working with all the best writers in the business... but more than an illustrator I've always considered myself a storyteller... and I have so many ideas I really want to get down on paper.That's something I intend to start developing over the next few years whilst I continue to develop my abilities as an artist on Fables. It takes a long time and plenty of experience to become a writer of Bill's quality.... and I wouldn't want to follow Bill if I didn't think I was capable. Having said that... I'm not letting anyone else have it!!
I can imagine Bill and I in a retirement home 40 years from now.... with me prodding him from time to time with a pencil saying "are you dead yet?"
Bill (waking up): " W..wha... what? Oh... yes... Bucky....I've just had a great idea for the next arc..."
Bucky: "damn .... (sigh) ......"
This is Bill's baby... and I wouldn't want it written by anyone else. I love Bill. In fact I love him so much I've just baked him some delicious cookies......

Bucky

[Matthew R Wallis]

Actually Bucky takes over when I die, not when I quit. I don't plan to quit, so he'll have to pry Fables from my cold dead fingers. Strangely enough, Bucky's had an evil gleam in his eye ever since I admitted that. Maybe it's good there's an ocean between us.

Wow, that's dedication for sure. But what I'm thinking is, you make a clone of yourself and don't tell Mark, so that by the time you're about to pass down the reins, BAM! "Sorry buddy, I'm like half your age now."

[Tania Pineda]

I wouldn't like fables to be handed from author to author. I think the reason fables works so well it's because it has many secrets only Bill (and maybe Matt, and Mark) know. If you change the autor the delicate equilibrium of that universe would break.
I wouldn't mind some short stories by differents authors only by the condition that they didn't mess with the continuity.
But the whole universe should be only made by Bill.

[Cindy McShane]

In the more immediate future I want to start writing some strips of my own... with characters of my own.I've had a charmed career... working with all the best writers in the business... but more than an illustrator I've always considered myself a storyteller... and I have so many ideas I really want to get down on paper.That's something I intend to start developing over the next few years whilst I continue to develop my abilities as an artist on Fables. It takes a long time and plenty of experience to become a writer of Bill's quality.... and I wouldn't want to follow Bill if I didn't think I was capable. Having said that... I'm not letting anyone else have it!!

Does this mean I can start hoping for a story written by Mark Buckingham and drawn by Bill Willingham? That would be a fun read.

[Bill Willingham]

Actually that sort of could be fun -- as long as it was a short one. That Willingham guy is notoriously slow on art.

[Cindy McShane]

Have I mentioned that I'm really enjoying the 3-page back up stories, and I would love to see more of them either in the regular issues or as extras in the trades? Doesn't even have to be Fables related.

[Bill Willingham]

What do you say, Mark? You write a three page Fables story (maybe about the mean little sunflower kid? Or anything else) and I'll draw it and when it's done (years from now? Maybe sooner) we'll find a spot to run it at the back of one of the issues.

The readers asked for it and you know how we always do what they ask.

[Cindy McShane]

Bill, you are wonderful. Well, so are the rest of the Fables team, but in case you haven't been told recently, no matter what happens (I'm well aware that life has a habit of looking at thoughts/plans and going "Heh, not this incarnation!"), you are totally awesome for the thought.

Mark, you will still be wonderful no matter what, so pay no attention to my puppy dog eyes.

[Chris Opperman]

Actually Bucky takes over when I die, not when I quit. I don't plan to quit, so he'll have to pry Fables from my cold dead fingers. Strangely enough, Bucky's had an evil gleam in his eye ever since I admitted that. Maybe it's good there's an ocean between us.

You know, one thing I love about Fables is this:

When you're reading The Sandman, towards the end of the story arc, you feel like Neil is very much ready for his story to end. You wish it could go on forever, but he's ready to move on to bigger and better things.

However, we're already past issue 50 of Fables, and I still feel like the series is still just getting started! :D

Please don't take this as a swipe against Neil because I love and adore his work. I just feel like Fables is going to be with us for a long, long time.

Chris

[Bill Kulesa]

What do you say, Mark? You write a three page Fables story (maybe about the mean little sunflower kid? Or anything else) and I'll draw it and when it's done (years from now? Maybe sooner) we'll find a spot to run it at the back of one of the issues.

The readers asked for it and you know how we always do what they ask.

Sunflower Kid! You suggested it and I now demand it be about Sunflower Kid! Or beg, whatever get's it done.

[Patrick R. Coughlin]

:!: