Sure, talk is cheap, but the VERTIGO 2012 Preview Sampler is FREE! Head over to your local comics shop in early February for a FREE 32-page preview featuring four new Vertigo monthlies that debut in March. My contribution to the mix is FAIREST, the “sister” series to FABLES, written by Bill Willingham with art by Phil Jimenez and Andy Lanning and painted covers by the incomparable Adam Hughes. Two things you need to know about FAIREST: 1. Many of our stories predate FABLES. So if you’ve always wanted to read FABLES but felt like issue #113 and/or 16 volumes was a bit late in the game to join the party, fear not! This is the perfect opportunity to break out your formal wear and find out what the fuss is all about. You don’t have to understand FABLES at all/on any level to enjoy FAIREST. But if you’re an ardent fan, you’ve got some seriously satisfying surprises ahead! 2. It rotates. Future arcs will include stories by 2011 Arthur C. Clarke winner and always fashion-forward Lauren Beukes (rhymes with mucus—her words, not mine!) and art star Inaki Miranda. Also on deck is the fab Cinderella team of iZOMBIE’s Chris Roberson and Shawn McManus who bring on another spy story starring Fabletown’s favorite secret agent and noted scribe Sean Williams whose storyarc set in India will really take you places. Keep checking back here for more info on the other new series that make their mark in March — assuming their respective editors are just as shameless about self -promotion. And see you next week for Less talk/More action! --Shelly