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Fables (2002) #28

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"Dog Company: War Stories, Part 1": Bigby visits the apartment of and elderly man he calls "Duff". As they share a beer, Duff tells Bigby that he has cancer. But he tells Bigby not to be sad for him, he lived his life well. He outlived all the

Fables #28 is an issue of the series Fables (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 2004. It was published on August 11, 2004.

Synopsis for "Dog Company: War Stories, Part 1"

Bigby visits the apartment of and elderly man he calls "Duff". As they share a beer, Duff tells Bigby that he has cancer. But he tells Bigby not to be sad for him, he lived his life well. He outlived all the others. He entrusts Bigby with an album, featuring old pictures of a World War II squadron: Dog Company. Bigby gives it a read while Duff goes to get them more beer.

On the night of July 1944, a small platoon of American troops parachutes down behind enemy lines for Operation: Chambermaid. The men were handpicked for the mission, though none of them know why. The company was led by lieutenant Levine, who himself was commended by Sergeant Harp. Harp wasn't from Dog Company, or any other Airborne division they knew of, the first time they met him was on the plane that dropped them here. All Dog Company needed to know was that Sergeant Harp was the man they had to get to wherever he needed to go. But first Harp wanted them to stay put, camp out a few days behind enemy lines while they waited for the ninth member of their squad to appear. Their guide, as Harp says. Lieutenant Levin wasn't happy about it, his orders didn't mention anyone else joining them. But as the Sergeant puts it, the man they're waiting on is "off the books", not associated with the army, just a friend he's worked with before. Then Harp tells Lieutenant Levin that without the guide, he wouldn't even be attempting this impossible fool's mission. And so, for the next three days, Dog Company had it simple, keeping quiet while camping out waiting for their man, eating rations and lying around. Finally, on the fourth day the guide comes stepping through the brush, and it's none other than Bigby Wolf! He and Harp shake hands while Bigby apologizes for being late; he had to divert a few curious patrols from their location. He assures the rest of Dog Company that there were no enemy units around, so they could be as noisy as they want. Levin objects to the assumption, but Harp tells him if Bigby says it's true, then you can believe it. The company packed up and headed out that night. Somehow, Duffy notes, Bigby always manages to steer them away from patrols. Even when that was impossible, he'd help them just slink past unnoticed. Every morning, Bigby would bring them bags of real food like roasted chickens, hams, and boiled eggs that he confiscates from the locals. No one stops him because he claims it's for the district's Gestapo.

One night, Bigby led them through an enemy encampment where all the soldiers were dead. Attacked in their sleep by what looked like a savage animal. At this point, Sergeant Harp told Lieutenant Levin that his platoon had a choice to make; he and Bigby were going to dress up in enemy soldier uniforms, and Levin can have Dog Company do the same if they like, it will delay any firefight for a while, though Harp warns that a firefight will be inevitable soon. If they get caught wearing the uniforms, however, there will be no jail time as POWs, they'd simply be shot as spies. Lieutenant Levin decided to stick to their own gear.

Dog Company arrives outside an old castle in Eberstadt. Harp tells them that he and Bigby needed to snoop around inside first and then blow it up. The platoon would have to help them get inside while watching their backs. Nearby was a burned down tavern, which Bigby said was destroyed by a drunken guest who got careless with his matches. In truth, Bigby needed everyone to clear out of there so that they could make use of a hidden passage in the cellar that led into the castle. A passage so old that no record of it survives, so no one knows it was there anymore, not even the enemy. Lieutenant Levin asks how he knew about it, and Bigby replies that's "top secret". As they crouch through the tunnel, which is about two miles long, Sergeant Harp tells them that he heard from the intelligence HQ that the Nazi's were building a superweapon somewhere in this castle. When they enter the castle, Harp orders Dog Company to hold the doorway at all costs, it was their only escape route.

Harp and Bigby go deeper into the castle, stealthily dispatching some Nazi guardsmen along the way. While Harp starts setting up charges, Bigby moves on ahead. Up on the ramparts, he encounters a soldier and, pretending to be a superior officer, asks the man where his commander is. The soldier tells him he might be in the main tower with the scientists, but he'd have to report Bigby to his sergeant first before he can let him go. Bigby snaps his neck. Back at the secret passage exit, the troops set up positions to provide Bigby and Sergeant Hap the best covering fire if necessary. One of the men asks Lieutenant Levin the name of this castle. Levin tells him the name is Frankenstein's Castle.

Up at the top room of the main tower, Bigby peers through the door at an amazing sight: the Nazi's were building their own Frankenstein monster!

Appearing in "Dog Company: War Stories, Part 1"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Nazis
    • Doctor Wechsler (First appearance) (Flashback only)

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

  • None

Vehicles:

  • None


Trivia

  • Bigby's stubble grows back quickly, even after he shaves it three times a day. A problem when you're trying to pose as a Nazi officer.


See Also


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