Part of an ongoing series revisiting graphic novels and collected editions from days gone by....

The fallout of Bigby (Big Bad) Wolf's incursion into the Homelands -- and into the Adversary's very home, no less -- in Wolves begins to strike home in Fabletown in Sons of the Empire.

While Geppetto, the Snow Queen, the Nome King and other leaders of the evil Empire make their evil plans for their conquest of the mundane world where the Fables have taken sanctuary, they send Hansel (of "& Gretel" fame), who grew up to be a mass-murdering witchfinder, to Fabletown as an envoy. Meanwhile, Pinocchio -- who has been ensorcelled into complete loyalty to his carver/father/despot -- spills the beans about Fabletown's likely response to an all-out invasion of magical plagues.

The story then pauses for a holiday special -- a Christmas story because, after all, Santa Claus is himself a very powerful Fable. He catches Jack Horner in the act of mischief, explains a bit of his magic to a curious cub, and has a friendly chat with Bigby about secrets and such. He also frees Ambrose, the Frog Prince, from his latest enchantment and predicts a dire future that will need his intercession.

Ambrose, who lives a fairly simple life and tries not to think about what he has lost, doesn't seem happy about the revelation.

Back to the main storyline, Bigby and his wife, Snow White, take their cubs to visit their grandfather, the North Wind, in a remote corner of the Homelands, where father and son work on their frosty relationship -- which doesn't improve, mind you, when Bigby has to rescue his cubs from a half-dozen hungry monsters that live in the valley below the North Wind's castle. The cubs, meanwhile, kill a wild pig and acquire a bowl of pet goldfish. Rose Red and Boy Blue master the art of piloting a genuine Arabian flying carpet. Rapunzel gets a lot of haircuts. A mundane former journalist keeps a careful eye on the odd residents of Bullfinch Street while tending to the house newly leased to Hansel's diplomatic party. Three blind mice seek a hero's reward. And Red Riding Hood gets a new hairdo.

The big ends with a series of questions posed by readers, with answers provided by series writer Bill Willingham and illustrated by ... well, a bunch of people. If you've been wondering how the Mouse Police train for duty, how three mountain-sized giants are coping with their new lives as three little pigs, or how the residents of Fabletown have been making use of the Magic Mirror, you'll find your answers here.

Fables continues to hold my interest, and Willingham diverts away from the main, more serious storyline enough to keep the overall tone fairly light. Personally, I can't believe it's been so long since I last reread these books!