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A review by rick_k
Peter & Max by Bill Willingham
4.0
My previous experience with Bill Willingham was limited to the first trade of Fables, which along with Gregory McGuire's Wicked (or perhaps Stephen Sondheim's musical Into the Woods) paved the way for the entire sub-genre of re-imagined fairytales in books, television and movies. I remember enjoying the those first comics, but did not continue with the series. I saw all the winks and nods towards the fairytale origins, but did not connect previously with the characters in a meaningful way. This novel (illustrated, but not a graphic novel) makes me want to revisit that series now over a decade since my last reading.
Peter and Max is a great fairytale. We start off in a rural village at the edge of The Dark Forest. Peter and Max Piper along with their parents are traveling minstrels visiting their long-time friends, the Peeps, when their reunion is interrupted by war in the kingdom. The resulting tale spans hundreds of years of betrayal, love, and revenge. To reveal any of the references and tie-ins would steal their charm. The darkness in this story is palpable and the threats are dire, but equal are cute, funny and loving moments which offset the tragedy. The prose is at times uneven and pacing stumbles slightly, but this is a fun read and recommended to fans of the genre.
Peter and Max is a great fairytale. We start off in a rural village at the edge of The Dark Forest. Peter and Max Piper along with their parents are traveling minstrels visiting their long-time friends, the Peeps, when their reunion is interrupted by war in the kingdom. The resulting tale spans hundreds of years of betrayal, love, and revenge. To reveal any of the references and tie-ins would steal their charm. The darkness in this story is palpable and the threats are dire, but equal are cute, funny and loving moments which offset the tragedy. The prose is at times uneven and pacing stumbles slightly, but this is a fun read and recommended to fans of the genre.