"The Dark, Killing Winter" is the thirty-second issue of Fables, and the third part of the informal Mean Seasons arc.
Publisher's summary
It's going to be a long, dark winter for the denizens of Fabletown. Prince Charming discovers that keeping campaign promises is a lot harder than making them. Beauty and the Beast find that filling Snow and Bigby's shoes may be more than they can handle. A body is found under mysterious circumstances and an unexpected guest arrives at the Farm.
Plot
At a wintery castle in the Homelands, an icy sprite flies and tells a regal Fable that he's seen his son.
Outside, in Fabletown, Beast tells and convinces protesting Fables who want their promises fulfilled to go home for the moment until an appointment can be made. Frau Totenkinder tells Beast that she can work on his enchantment, so he can transform at will to help with his new job, and Beast asks for a favor with eyeballs. The new mayor and sheriff discuss matters, including the disappearance of one of Bluebeard's treasure rooms, with contents worth billions.
At his apartment, Mr. Web strangely chokes to death, apparently alone. At the Farm, Snow is catching up on old letter, including a card from Totenkinder congratulating her on her seven children. Rose and Snow assume it's an error. Dr. Swineheart tells Beast that he doesn't know if Mr. Web was murdered, as he appears to have died of natural causes. In Beast's office, Beast pardons Flycatcher of his janitorial duties, which makes him upset.
Out of nowhere, the Fable from the castle appears at the Farm - the North Wind, Bigby's father, has arrived to see his grandchildren.
Deaths
Trivia
- One of the protestors who want Prince Charming's promises fulfilled is holding up a poster reading "Someday my PRINCE will GO!!!", a pun on the title of the song "Someday My Prince Will Come" from the 1937 Disney film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.