The pursuit of Morpheus’s objects of power continues, but unlike last week where it was fairly easy to retrieve his sand, Morpheus finds that others pursue his power for less amenable ends. Get ready for a journey through hell in all its forms.
Cover by Dave McKeanWritten by Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg
Colored by Daniel Vozzo
Lettered by Tom KleinStill tracking his objects of power, Morpheus travels to Hell itself in search of his helmet. It seems it’s fallen into the hands of a higher demon, and there’s a realm of devils standing between Morpheus and his property…
Cover by Dave McKeanWritten by Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Sam Kieth and Malcolm Jones
Colored by Daniel Vozzo
Lettered by Tom KleinDr. Destiny escapes the twisted halls of Arkham Asylum with his eyes set on recovering the ruby he’s used time and again to fight the JLA. Little does he know, the ruby ACTUALLY belongs to Morpheus, and the two are set on a collision course. Guest-starring Mister Miracle and Martian Manhunter.
Cover by Dave McKeanWritten by Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Sam Kieth and Malcolm Jones
Colored by Daniel Vozzo
Lettered by Tom KleinOver the course of 24 horrific hours, Dr. Destiny unleashes impossibly dark terror on six unsuspecting people in a small-town diner. Armed with Morpheus’ Dreamstone, Destiny can rearrange time and space and does so to dreadful ends in this eerie, nearly standalone issue.
Although I am only at the tip of the iceberg of this journey into The Sandman, these three issues show just how unique this series is when compared to other comics of its time. And as well, each is unique in its approach to storytelling, all while keeping the framework of this saga in place, advancing the larger plot of Morpheus’s quest.
Issue #4 is a character study in classic horror, a literal journey into Hell where our protagonist, powerful on earth, becomes powerless in the presence of Lucifer Morningstar (his first appearance in the series). There’s also a bit of rock and roll element at play in Kieth and Dringenberg’s art style. You can’t deny that Morpheus bears a strong resemblance to Robert Smith of the Cure, and Lucifer looks a fair bit like David Bowie. One cannot help but wonder what might have been had this series come to television or film in the 1980s, and the casting cornucopia at our fingertips.
This issue is also a lovely character study in how establishing a visual setting to develop characterization working hand in hand. Morpehus’s journey through Hell to Lucifer’s castle brings us face to face with the horrors of hell, each richly detailed in look and personality. And there’s a beautiful spread halfway through the issue as Lucifer summons the demons of hell to his beck and call to find helm. Only one of these demons has that helm (and will fight Morpheus for it), but our artists give great care to give life to each of these grotesque beings in their one moment in the spotlight, and to show the kind of kingdom Lucifer rules over with his iron fist.
There’s an important plot point in the final pages of this issue: that dreams, the source of Morpheus’s dominance on earth, have no power in Hell. I can’t help but think this will prove important for later.
And then there’s issues #5 and #6, turning the focus to Doctor Destiny as he pursues Morpheus’s ruby (the Dreamstone), albeit for a different reason than Morpheus (and not knowing it belongs to him). In particular, issue #5 ties itself closely to DC canon. Arkham Asylum, the JLA, Granny Goodness, and Martian Manhunter all make appearances in Dr. Destiny’s escape from Arkham. Initially I was surprised at this choice. There’s enough in Gaiman’s plot that we don’t need some celebrity cameos to move this series along, and my cynical self did wonder if this was done to help push issue sales to a larger demographic. But in working my way through I find the cosmic side of DC pairs very well with this story, working within the Gaiman structure but not overtaking it. And while artwork and paneling leans more towards more conventional superhero comics, there’s still moments of unabashed creativity on the page.
Continued belowIssue #6 markets itself as a “nearly stand alone issue” a story of Dr. Destiny silently wreaking havoc in a nondescript diner on a group of innocents, taking them on a 24 hour journey of their highest highs and lowest lows. It can be appreciated as its own story, but it’s certainly worth reading issue #5 carefully to get an idea of Dr. Destiny and the power at his fingertips. Like issue #4, the story here relies on the concept of “show, don’t tell” as we do not see just what Dr. Destiny is doing with the ruby, but we see the effects of it loud and clear.
While these are three different issues in their narrative and to a certain extent their art, there is one thing they have in common (and something I touched on in last week’s review): brighter color as a tool for the malformed and the monstrous. Two demons that play a major role in issue #4 (Etrigan and Choronzon) stand out with their bright neon primary colors. The primary setting of the diner is in the classic 1950s style of chrome and pastels. It changes the reader’s perception of color as a signal that all is well when bathed in the light and bright. In this world, the light and the bright works to hide the terror that bubbles underneath the surface.
We have journeyed through Hell in both literal and metaphorical ways in this series of issues. Where can we go from here? We’ll find out next week.
Next week we’ll take a look at issues #7-9, where Morpheus and Doctor Destiny face off for the Dreamstone, a family reunion takes place, and a love story births a legend.
If you want to read along with me this summer, single issues and trades are available through comiXology. As of this writing, the first eight issues of the comic are also available on DC Universe Infinite. You can also check your local library for trade and collected editions of the series.
