I think the cloth from his chest represents the attempt to draw all of the poisons out.

Fables 81 came out today. This concludes a story I knew I'd be doing for some years, but kept to myself for most of that time, even keeping it from the editor and the artists until they absolutely had to know.

        What a joy to be able to make long range plans for a story, a series, and the characters within it. For all of the fun of working inside the DCU fictional universe, I don't control that one, and those that do make so many changes, so often, usually on the fly, that long range planning for DCU comics series is almost a wasted effort, and always one fraught with frustration.

        Maybe it's just the way I tick, but my stories need time to grow and ferment, for some really big payoffs later. This issue of Fables contained one of those payoffs, the first seeds of which were planted way back in The Last Castle story.

        On a not entirely unrelated note, take a look at this gorgeous final cover from Fables' long time cover artist James Jean. In addition to its central theme, you can see bits and pieces of his entire run on the covers scattered here and there around the composition. Quite an impressive goodbye. We'll miss you, James, but will continue to follow your amazing work, and the complex and involving stories you continue to tell with it.

Have you seen this man?

If so, stay away. He's poison. This is another character you're likely to meet, if you kindly accept our invitation to read the Great Fables Crossover, coming soon. Once again, Reliable Russ Braun provided the visual design for this fellow, whom I will not identify. But if you've been reading Jack of Fables lately, you might be able to venture an educated guess.

Not a single shot fired this time.

Matt Sturges came into town for a three day mini writing camp. In that time we wrote two issues of the Great Fables Crossover, tweaked a few finishing touches into our first JSA issue, broke down our second JSA issue, and actually had a few hours for sleep and the odd meal or two.

        Not bad, considering that the last time Matt came into Las Vegas for a similar concentrated work retreat, we did anything but work. We hung out at Sunset and Vines -- a wine bar and restaurant that I own a modest piece of -- swilling good wine and dining on good food. We fired tommy guns, modern machine guns, silenced pistols, sniper rifles and various other implements of death and destruction at a local gun range (and mostly shot at one of their "pick your favorite villain" targets, with the image of a fellow that looked disturbingly -- or delightfully -- like DC Comics' own Dan Didio). Oh how we filled Dan full of holes! We played poker. We saw the sights. And even drove to LA for a day of signings and musings at the LA book fair. What we didn't do then is get a single bit of work done -- the planned reason for the visit.

        This time we did a bit better. The fellow pictured above is one of the characters you'll run across during the upcoming Great Fables Crossover. He's a Literal, and Russ Braun provided the visual design for him. That's all I'll say for now.