James Jean announced today on his official site that he’s leaving Fables. Stating that he wishes to focus more on his personal work and painting his final issue will be 81 completing the current story arc. This marks an end to Jean’s eight year tenure as cover artist for the series and it’s spin off Jack of Fables.

From his website:

Here’s a message I just sent off to the Fables team:

“This is a difficult email for me to write. Don’t worry . . . as far as I know, I don’t have any tumors or crippling neuroses, and my taxes are in order. But I feel like I’m breaking up with the prom queen on prom night, after having dated through grades 6 – 12. Feeble analogies aside, it has been an amazing opportunity to work on Fables these past 7 years (8 this October). But I feel that it’s time to devote myself full-time to painting and personal work. Shelly and I talked yesterday, and my last cover will be 81, at the end of the story arc. It has been a true privilege to work on a team that has produced such great chemistry on paper, and to have been a part of such an important book that has entertained and drawn together so many people.

I won’t be disappearing, though — I’ll still be here in my fortress of solitude painting away, my solace found in seeing a brand new issue of Fables arrive every month with the same story and interior art that has engaged so many readers. It’ll just come wrapped in a different (and hopefully more handsome) cover.”

It’s a bummer to see him go, but on the bright side best cover artist at the Eisners will now go to someone else finally.