Well, it looks like Willingham and Sturges are set to have another hit on their hands. Much like their other series, I would imagine that this issue is merely setting up greater things to come but it is a very good first issue.

The opening scene alone is almost enough to win me over because it was just a gas to see Cain and Able and their very twisted relationship again who I really enjoyed in the Sandman series.  We then follow two separate story threads that come together at the end, one dealing with a girl being pursued by two decidedly creepy individuals and the other with the goings on in the House itself, which bares a distinct resemblance to the World’s End storyline in Sandman, with the story-within-a-story format and everything. While I really liked the story in and of itself, I am especially impressed by the potential that the rest of the series has over all. I really loved the concept behind World’s End and it looks like this series will be, with a bit more mystery thrown in for good measure, an ongoing version of that. It also looks set to be creepy as hell too, with just the right amount of dark humour and quirky characters that these writers bring to the two Fables titles.

The art is a perfect fit for this blend of horror, mystery and humour. I’ve never come across Luca Rossi’s work before as far as I know but her clean, moody and expressive art impresses immediately. Hopefully they will continue to find the right kind of artists for the house’s guests’ stories, which are apparently intended to encompass a wide variety of genres, as the surreal, horrific art does here.

Willingham and Sturges have come out of the gate running with an excellent first issue that promises even better things in the issues to come. If this first issue is any indication, this may well be another gem for Vertigo to add to their long list of classic comic books.  Good, good stuff.