Review: The Lord of Dreams
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 14, 2013
The world of comic books was a very different place before the Sandman came into being.Neil Gaiman revolutionized the graphic novel with his tales of the Endless and their struggles, and "The Sandman #1" makes a solid introduction to the world of Morpheus, the lord of dreams. While the first issue doesn't have the best art of the series, it does have a spellbindingly strange plot, full of dark edges, strange creatures and magic that you don't wanna mess with.After his son dies, doctor at a museum brings the Magdalene Grimoire to the aspiring warlock, Dr. Burgess. With this book, he can summon and imprison Death, bringing an end to mortality everywhere... which sounds like a recipe for trouble in itself. But no one will ever know, because the ritual doesn't summon Death -- it summons Dream.With his mask, jewel and powder stolen, he is trapped for inside a crystal ball. And while he is trapped, the world is plagued by people who fall asleep for years, but can never dream. Seventy years pass, and the man inside the globe doesn't speak, doesn't eat, and doesn't age -- but he bides his time until he can break free of his prison.The world of "The Sandman" is a strange one -- it lightly interlocks with other graphic novel series, effortlessly slips from one world to another, and exposes both the beauty and ugliness of our own world. "Sandman #1" is an excellent introduction to Neil Gaiman's strange, expansive world, as well as his hollow-eyed anti-hero.Granted, it's not really a story unto itself -- it's a springboard meant to start out his quest. Neil Gaiman's story is strange and surreal, filled with warped, bizarre dreams that interlock with reality. His writing tends to be elegantly menacing, with tragedy (the people unable to wake) mingled in with human sacrifices, evil magic and the occasional exploding head. Not kidding.Sadly, the art is not quite as good as some of Gaiman's other work. Sam Kieth's artwork is too bright and relies too much on splashes of color, and he tends to make faces kind of exaggerated.As for the protagonist, he's a strange one. While he remains silent and unmoving for most of the story, Dream's presence hangs like a cloud over every other character's life -- and while he doesn't seem particularly dangerous, we see glimpses of his awe-inspiring power and his ability to be cruel to those who have imprisoned him."Sandan #1" is a spellbinding start to a classic story -- it kicks off the first arc of Gaiman's classic series, and introduces you to his most enduring character.