Romancing The Stone: It's Not You! It's -- well, actually it is you.

Nina first encountered Cinderella here, and for a second time here.

 Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love # 3
Written by Chris Roberson
Art by Shawn McManus & Lee Loughridge
Published by Vertigo/DC Comics

Soooooo......listen, I need some help. Some advice. I think Cinderella and I need to -- well -- have a talk.  

I don't know. Something has changed. Maybe it's me? I'm not sure what to do here.

I was really looking forward to the date. It was my choice, not some sort of poorly thought out get together. I was really excited about date #3. But in the middle of the date I just knew that the chemistry was gone. Is that possible? I mean, do you think it was just an off night? Or that I'm PMS-ing or something?  

What specifically was different? Well, let's see. Issue three started off with one of those historical flashbacks. That's the type of thing I've usually loved whenever I've read it. But all of a sudden, the art seemed really cartoonish to me. I hadn't remembered it looking that way. That's okay, I thought. Just an off night. I kept reading.

Then we got back to the story that I had enjoyed in the first two issues. Cindy and Aladdin were about to be pummeled by these deadly green guys. And what did they do to get out of it? Well, Aladdin pulls a magic carpet out of his pants. Look, I'm usually a sucker for a magic carpet, or at least a magic-carpet type of twist, and I quite like it when men pull things out of their pants. And yet, reading these two pages, in each frame I found myself going, "C'mon!  Really?" Look, I know it's a "magic" carpet - but it's still a carpet. These green guys could have pulled it down or gotten on it themselves. It's not like it had a force field around it or anything...it just happens to fly. And in the time it took for Aladdin to pull it out, lay it down and for them to get on it? It just wasn't really plausible. I really don't think you want me to start questioning the plausibility of a magic carpet getaway, because then I'm going to start questioning the plausibility of magic in general, and that's when I run out of reasons to read a comic about Cinderella the super-spy.

After that, the story cuts back to the shoe store, where Rapunzel shows up after she just got her haircut. She's shopping for running shoes? I know that normally I would have found that so adorable and clever. But here I am this time, and I'm just sort of irritated by it.  

See? These sorts of thing didn't bother me before! I know they didn't! I would have chalked it all up to "fun" and amusement.  

What's going on with me?  

Well, yes. Yes, I'll own up to it. It did get pretty hot and heavy with The Sword. I'm taking a momentary break from The Sword, just to get some perspective, process my feelings, question my actions, and you know, keep playing the field. But maybe that's it? Maybe what I used to think was so cute and clever and adorable now suffers in comparison to the glorious Sword-y few hours I spent? All of a sudden, I'm wondering--did I actually find Cinderella sexy? (I said I did. I remember writing that down.) But now, she doesn't even compare to the sleekness and rawness of The Sword. The Sword had showmanship, and now I'm finding myself irritated by what Cinderella has to offer. Everything is suffering in comparison!

I feel terrible. I mean, I know I like Cinderella. I do! I don't want to be one of those people who hangs out with one comic just so they aren't loneyly, waiting on something better to come along. Look, I kind of hate the idea that The Sword has now influenced my experience so much that I'm seriously considering giving up on Cinderella forever.  

I guess that's what happens in dating and relationships. Do I have to totally break up with Cinderella? Do I have to do anything? 

And do I have to decide right now?  

Okay, look, what I'll do is read the second volume of The Sword this week. I'll just go from there. Maybe it won't last. Man, this is hard. It's like the rose ceremony on the Bachelor(ette).

Cindy, you are still your pithy, adorable, clever, fun, sexy self.....but I'm just looking for a little more excitement. (And more crazy flying. Body severing!!!! If you can fit that in, maybe, just a little--we can talk later. Okay?)

-Nina Stone, 2010

Comments

[Mory Buckman]

We have told you that Cinderella is just "Fables lite". The really exciting stuff is in the main comic.

[Guy Smiley]

I enjoy Fables a lot. Being one of those wait-for-the-collection people, I haven't seen Cinderella yet. However, based on the strength of your enthusiasm last week, I bought and read vol. 1 of The Sword.

I find the Luna Bros. art really flat and distancing, so I usually avoid their stuff. Felt it here, too, but the story was so good that often I even got into the art. I didn't like the historical backstory bit as much as you did, but I agree that the whole thing flowed nicely, was paced and plotted very well. I think the second volume is probably somewhere on my horizon. So thanks for the tip ...

[Jordan]

Good news/bad news: The Sword never cools off. It's difficult, but I'm trying to wait for volume 4 before I go back and read everything again from the beginning. The guys are hugely talented