An audience member shows off the coveted "Boy Blue" scarf at Saturday's panelCreator Bill Willingham hinted at possible storylines on the horizon when he handed out blue scarves to fans at Saturday's "Fables" panel. They were emblazoned with the mysterious phrase: "Blue is coming back."
Willingham was quick to say, "This is not a promise of something that's going to happen in the story. This is a statement on your part of hope and belief."
He asked fans of the popular Vertigo series returning to the convention on Sunday to wear the scarves and even demonstrated several humorous ways to do so on a volunteer from the audience.
The other panelists included series editor Shelly Bond, artist Steve Leialoha, letterer Todd Klein, inker Andrew Pepoy, cover artist Chrissie Zullo, and writers Chris Roberson and Matt Sturges.
Mark Buckingham did not attend Comic-Con International in San Diego this year, but he had a very good excuse. In a video message to fans, Buckingham explained that he had stayed home this year to work on the upcoming one-hundredth issue of "Fables."
Set for release at the end of the year, this special issue will be a one-hundred page spectacular that will include loads of extra goodies for fans such as a "Fables" puppet theater with set pieces and a board game.
Willingham spoke about "Fables" #97, which featured Rose Red on the cover holding a gun. "We're continuing our exploration of Rose Red's past and how she got into the sorry state she's in."
"Fables" #98 will be the last of the "Rose Red" arc before #99 switches gears to "Mr. Dark" and sets up all of the action for the mammoth #100.
Willingham also teased that issue one hundred would allow him and Mark Buckingham to switch roles. Buckingham will be writing a story for Willingham to draw. "It's going to be a prose story, so it's going to be prose and illustrations."
Fans of the hardcover "Peter and Max" novel can look forward to a soft-cover version in stores January 2011 with a gorgeous cover by Daniel Dos Santos.
Steve Leialoha, Shelly Bond and Bill Willingham from left to right
Chris Roberson announced that he is writing another "Cinderella" mini-series entitled "Fables are Forever." Chrissie Zullo will provide the cover art, and the book will focus on Cindy's life as a spy and introduce the reader to her greatest nemesis. "We learn the history of their long antagonism over the years," said Roberson.
"The Page sisters are back, and it looks like Robin has a baby," said Matt Sturges, discussing the run up to "Jack of Fables" #50.
"This is all I will say about issue fifty coming up, is that Bill and I promise - this is our guarantee to you- that we will not kill every single character in 'Jack of Fables.'"
The Sturges written "House of Mystery" will get a second Halloween story this year. Readers can look forward to a "Lucifer" story by Mike Carey and Peter Gross, an "I, Zombie" tale by Chris Roberson and Mike Allred, a "Hellblazer" story by Peter Milligan, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Landini and lastly a "Madame Xanadu" story by Matt Wagner and Jill Thompson.
One fan asked if "Peter Pan" would be making an appearance in "Fables," but due to the situation with the rights of the property in England, Willingham currently has no plans to use him.
Another fan asked if there would be a future story for "Bo-Peep" and "Peter," to which Willingham simply responded for the fan to "stay tuned."
One of the last questions from an audience member dealt with the lack of stories centered on minority characters in "Fables." Chris Roberson did not give out any details, but he did say to check out the new "Cinderella" mini-series when it becomes available.