That I am a big Fables fan is no real secret. That I am a big Boy Blue fan isn't a secret either. What might not be known is just how much of a P. Craig Russell fan I am. I love the man's work, from his lines to his design sensibilies to his colours. I think he has a beautiful mix of storytelling and style that comes through in his work, be it Superhero related or more along the lines of The Sandman, Fables or Elric.
I am super happy to be able to add this piece to my collection for several reason. One, the obvious one, being that it's 100% Russell. Secondly, it's from a storyline I really really enjoyed, being a big Blue fan. It was great getting to see the younger more naive side of the character as well as the 'current' and more realistic one. And then, this page also happens to have one of my all time favorite panels of Blue (panel 2).
Having the dialog on the page is a real bonus but what makes this page so nice, even though it's not a money shot, is just really the storytelling. I particularly like panel 3 because by making Snow so small, P. Craig Russell really brings across the sense that she is an outsider; she wasn't there when the last castle fell which puts her in a awkward position at the beginning of the story. Even without the dialog you would still get that sense of isolation. It's those seemingly small design and art choices that will always make me more of a panel page person, than someone who goes after money shots.
Thanks again Sergi!
