From: lsmith@deci.cs.umn.edu (Lance "Squiddie" Smith)
Subject: Re: Sandman -- Brief Lives 7
Organization: The Little Squids of the Poor
Distribution: na 
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 03:07:22 GMT

In article <1993Jan21.220135.9803@athena.mit.edu> dml@athena.mit.edu (David M LaMacchia) writes:
>Just a few thoughts and questions on the latest installment....
>
>1) When Dream was standing with Delirium on the grave of Johanna Constantine,
>was Dream shivering because (1) he had just broken his promise to himself,
>which we know from SOM and other places is against the heart of his nature,
>or (2) because he was standing on Johanna's grave, or something more?

I think it may be more serious. One thing that I noticed is that there's
a lot of mention of rules that even the Endless must obey. Look back at
Sandman #40 and the Sandman Special. If Dream owes Orpheus a boon, I'd
guess that the son will ask that he be allowed to die. This will require
the breaking of several rules and that should have significant consequences.

>2) Once again we got more references to change, kind of like being hit
>with a lead brick, unfortunately.  Destruction with his cooking, Delirium
>having the same color eyes (didn't she do this last issue, and even before
>Dream notices this issue?), etc.  I don't have the issue in front of me,
>but I'm sure there were others.

Delirium was supposed to have different colored eyes except for two pages
in this issue. Probably pages 11-12 (by the number given in the art.) 
In the past they were the same color and this was blamed on the printing
process. This time they are different color and that would have to be a
human error.

>3) Does anyone think we'll *never* see who Dream got so upset over?  That
>she might be waiting for him for this final meeting but it will be like his
>meeting with Orpheus...i.e. off-panel?  

Could be. 

>I'm glad Dream finally caught up with Destruction...the storyline had begun
>to drag a little bit.

I knew it was coming, but I was hoping for one more issue of questing
mainly because I wanted to see more of Etain and The Alderman. I'm
somewhat disappointed that they weren't used more because they seemed 
like interesting characters. Maybe in another story.

>Oh, one last question:
>
>In the flashback scenes, what did the scene with the Corinthian refer to?
>Is this something we haven't seen before, an even in the past we don't know
>about?  Blood on the throne of the Dreaming....  

I don't think we know. Everything seems quite white. You suppose there's
any connection to Lianora? (Close? the woman who was last to leave Barbie's
skerry.) She had that long scar on her cheek.

Some other things

- The Letter Column is now putting names and addresses at the top of the 
  letters. I guess they're going for a cleaner look. Two more letters about 
  Concerned Moms of America. I had thought we had decided to ignore this 
  nonsense. (Did everyone send in their letter?)

- Note that Delirium's envelope seems to be addressed to Santa Claus.

- Is Destruction's statue facing the opposite way from the rest?

- Two differnt inkers this issue. Vince Locke, who has been doing it, and 
  Dick Giordano. Any guess who did what pages?

- Tilt-A-Whirl, the favorite ride of my youth. Also a fairly good local
  band who had to change their name because the people who made the ride
  weren't pleased that someone else was using the name. Good thing the
  'lt" is obscured. Those circus people play hardball

- I like Del's new look. White becomes her. Is this the last of the fishnet 
  body stocking?

- Chang Tso-Lin would have been about 19 in 1893. Probably someone else.

(part 26)--------------------
  Lance "Cr2O3.2H2O" Smith  | "Good grief! He's dead! He must have cracked his 
    (lsmith@cs.umn.edu)     |  shell when you pulled that football away. Maybe
  Idea shamelessly stolen,  |  we can get your brother to bury him in the 
   then slightly modified.  |  pumpkin patch with the others."    _Peanuts_ 
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