Hardcover, 128 pages
Published September 22nd 2015 by First Second
Source: Publisher
From classics like “The Tortoise and the Hare” and “The Grasshopper and the Ants” to obscure gems like “The Frogs Who Desired a King,” Fable Comics has something to offer every reader. Twenty-eight fables from different cultures and traditions are wonderfully adapted and illustrated in comics format by twenty-six different cartoonists. Edited by New York Times bestselling Fairy Tale Comics’ Chris Duffy, this jacketed hardcover is a beautiful gift and an instant classic.
“The Hare and the Tortoise” as retold by Graham Annable
“The Hare and the Tortoise” is one of Aesop’s Fables (Wiki says the 226th one) and is one that is known pretty much universally. The hare is overconfident and falls asleep just before the finish line figuring he’ll cross it when the tortoise is nearer. Unfortunately, he sleeps through the tortoise arriving and ends up losing the race. The old adage “slow and steady wins the race” found its origin through this tale (I think).
Annable takes this tale and twists it to make the tortoise’s less the tortoise’s hard work and more the result of the circumstances. The tortoise, as he is plodding away, is attacked by an eagle who thinks he looks delicious. The eagle doesn’t count on the tortoise being too heavy to carry away and ends up dropping him just before the finish line which the tortoise then crosses. The hare, as expected, is fast asleep and only the cheering of the audience wakens him. The art in the piece is cartoonish and will appeal a lot to children. It fits the mischievous tone of the story quite well. (My favourite art in the collection comes from Jennifer L. Meyer.)
The retelling is completely modern as is the tortoise’s reaction to the win. And this is but one example of the kinds of fables that are retold in this volume. To read more about the different fables, check out the rest of the blogs on the tour:
SLJ Good Comics for Kids features Fable Comics editor Chris Duffy, 9/21http://blogs.slj.com/goodcomicsforkids/
Charlotte’s Library features James Kochalka and ‘The Fox and the Grapes,’ 9/22http://charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com/
Musings of a Librarian features Tom Gauld and ‘The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse,’ 9/23 http://musingsoflibrarian.blogspot.com/
Sharp Reads features George O’Connor and the ‘Hermes’ fables, 9/24https://sharpread.wordpress.com/
Fly to Fiction features Sophie Goldstein an ‘Leopard Drums Up Dinner,’ 9/25http://flytofiction.blogspot.com/
Supernatural Snark features Charise Harper and ‘The Belly and the Body Members,’ 9/26 http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com/
It’s All Comic to Me features R. Sikoryak and ‘Lion + Mouse,’ 9/27 http://itsallcomictome.blogspot.com/
Ex Libris Kate features Jennifer L. Meyer and ‘Fox and Crow,’ 9/28http://exlibriskate.com/
The Roarbots features Eleanor Davis and ‘The Old Man and Death,’ 9/29http://theroarbots.com/
Fleen features Jaime Hernandez and ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf,’ 9/30 http://fleen.com/
The Book Monsters features Simone Lia and ‘The Crow and the Pitcher,’ 10/1http://thebookmonsters.com/
The Brain Lair features Graham Chaffee and ‘The Dog and His Reflection,’ 10/2http://www.thebrainlair.com/
Librarian in Cute Shoes features Maris Wicks and ‘The Dolphins, The Whales, and The Sprat,’ 10/3 http://librarianincuteshoes.blogspot.com/
Women Write About Comics features Vera Brosgol and ‘The Hare and the Pig,’ 10/4http://womenwriteaboutcomics.com/
The Busy Librarian features Kenny Widjaja and ‘The Demon, The Thief, and the Hermit,’ 10/5 http://www.busylibrarian.com/
The Book Rat features Corinne Mucha and ‘The Elephant in Favor,’ 10/6http://www.thebookrat.com/
Read. Watch. Connect features Liniers and ‘The Mouse Council,’ 10/7http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/
Cherry Blossoms and Maple Syrup features Mark Newgarten and ‘Man and Wart,’ 10/8https://innocencewalker.wordpress.com/
Jenuine Cupcakes features Israel Sanchez and ‘The Milkmaid and Her Pail,’ 10/9http://jenuinecupcakes.blogspot.com/
Bumbles & Fairy Tales features Ulises Farinas and ‘The Great Weasel War,’ 10/10http://bumblesandfairytales.blogspot.com/
Graphic Policy features R.O. Blechman and ‘The Sun and the Wind,’ 10/11http://graphicpolicy.com/
The Book Wars features Graham Annable and ‘The Hare and the Tortoise,’ 10/12https://thebookwars.wordpress.com/
Sturdy for Common Things features John Kerschbaum and ‘The Grasshopper and the Ants,’ 10/13 http://www.sturdyforcommonthings.com/
Kid Lit Frenzy features Braden Lamb and Shelli Paroline and ‘The Thief and the Watchdog,’ 10/14 http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/
Maria’s Melange features Gregory Benton and ‘The Hen and the Mountain Turtle,’ 10/15http://www.mariaselke.com/
Read Write Reflect features Roger Langridge and ‘Demades and His Fable,’ 10/16http://readwriteandreflect.blogspot.com/
The Book Wars 