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After being dazzled by the artwork in 'The Sandman Overture', I was initially a bit put off by the artwork in Preludes & Nocturnes. To be fair, before reading Overture, it had been more than 10 years since I had last opened a Sandman comic. Since P&N picked up where the polished masterpiece Overture left off, it was not hard to notice the choppy rhythm of the storytelling at the comic's inception. Neil Gaiman Himself admits to that. The momentum builds of course, and my eyes even adjust to the early art work style again as I begin to enjoy the descent into the astral playground. Though each issue has its gems, my favorites are (in no particular order): A Hope in Hell, The Sound of Her Wings, and 24 Hours. My overall grade (1-10): 8
Sleep of the Just-Roderick Burgess, a loosely based version of the occultist Aleister Crowley, traps Dream during a summoning ritual and strips him of his dream talismans (A pouch of dream sand, a helm, and a ruby) before locking him in a special glass cell. The world is in chaos, plagued by a "sleepy sickness" that makes people sleep their lives away. Burgess, obsessed with conquering Death, dies of old age and his prisoner is passed to his son, Alex. Alex doesn't really want the burden but doesn't know what else to do with Dream. Dream escapes after many decades but is weakened by his imprisonment and in need of his tools which were all lost over the years in a variety of destructive ways. Perhaps it is Dream's resemblance to Gaiman that enhances this but there is something very sexy about a naked Dream breaking free of his captivity and releasing his wroth in all it's splendor. He makes sure to curse his captor (Alex Burgess) to a horrible fate of constantly waking from a nightmare before beginning his search for his lost dream tools.
Imperfect Hosts-Dream now also referred to Morpheus, goes back to find his realm, The Dreaming, in ruin because of his absence. Dream consults with the Kindly Ones (or insert synonymous name), the mythological equivalent to the goddesses of vengeance, in order to learn more on the whereabouts of his talismans. He is granted one question from each of them and this leads him to seek John Constantine, the last known possessor of the dream sand pouch. I didn't particularly love this issue as a whole but did enjoy the banter with the goddesses, because who doesn't? Truthfully, I could have done without the Batman/Justice League cameo. Not because I don't like Batman or the JLA, but because I just don't see them as making sense in Dream's particular universe.
Dream a Little Dream of Me- This issue parallels the effects of addiction, and though it was gruesome, it was also quite sad. Dream searches for the pouch of Dream Sand with help from John Constantine, who is expecting him after being made aware of his return by Mad Hettie. They find it with Rachel, John's ex-girlfriend who has been consumed by the "joys" of dream dust. She is wasting away and has completely stopped eating and drinking. Dream, at John's plea, gives Rachel death and an beautiful endless dream. John also asks to be free of his own perpetual nightmare. The issue ends with John walking away singing, "Mr. Sandman, bring me at dream..." It has an eerie effect. The dream/nightmare sequences in this issue are surreal, confusing, sad, and exactly what you would expect if you were looking through a window of someone Else's darkness.
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| The very sad effects of becoming addicted to dreams. |
A Hope in Hell-This issue was my absolute favorite. Dream has to defeat the demon Choronson to get his helm back and they have some of the best battle banter EVER! Since Choronson came to possess the helm in a fair exchange, the battle style would be his to choose and he chooses Reality, thinking this is not Dream's strong suit, especially in his weakened state. A battle of wits ensues as they both try to be the bigger idea that devours the other. In the final "battle" Choronson, thinks he has Dream beat as he declares himself the "anti-life, the end of everything..." When Dream makes his move, he declares "he is hope" and knows that he has won. Hope can conquer anything as long as it isn't lost.
Passengers-John Dee (Doctor Destiny) escapes Arkham Asylum after his mother Ethel Cripps (the once mistress of Rod Burgess who ran away with his bestie/partner), gave him a certain gift of protection. He then carjacks a woman named Rosemary at gunpoint forcing her to drive him to claim the ruby that had once belonged to Morpheus. Meanwhile, Dream is also on his way to get his ruby back. When he finds it, he has a bad reaction to it since Doctor Dee had altered the ruby during his previous possession making it so he was the only one who could use it. Dee calls the ruby a Metriopticon and he uses it to control dreams and the minds and actions of other people. Doctor Dee thanks the kindly Rosemary for the ride with a bullet in her head, and thus begins his psychotic rampage. There is a brief cameo by Scarecrow (an inmate at Arkham with Dee) in this issue. It didn't bother me nearly as much as the appearance of Batman and the Justice League in 'Imperfect Hosts'. That being said, I am still not a huge fan of merging that aspect of DC Universe in this story.
24 Hours-This issue should have come with a warning. It is the most terrifying story in Preludes & Nocturnes. This is the stuff nightmares are made of. I read this one through a couple of times and was more unsettled each time. I loved it.
It takes place in a diner where a waitress, a secret writer who creates alternate stories for all her regular patrons, notes a stranger sitting quietly at one of the tables. This is of course, Doctor Dee. Using the ruby, or Metriopticon as Dee calls it, he begins to bend the patrons minds to his "amusement" and the entropy begins. The next 24 hours are documented in a journalistic style with each hour more horrific than the last. Dee is a malignant narcissist and takes great pleasure in controlling the patrons into complete devotion for him. He is bringing the madness out of everyone and they are killing, raping, and confessing. They are the darkest parts of themselves. A lot can happen in 24 hours. Dream arrives at the end of the macabre and walks through the gruesome scene of decapitated heads, entrails, and mutilation and confronts Dee.
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| They worship him and carry him around like he just scored the winning point in a game. |
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| In a ridiculous display of consideration, Dee licks a finger cut off in sacrifice, as not to seem an ungracious god. |
Sound and Fury-We open with the world gone mad, an Armageddon that most people don't anticipate in their doomsday prepping. Doctor Dee and the ruby are wreaking real havoc in the world. Dee seems surprised to learn that the fire in the heart of the ruby is Dream's soul and realizes how weak Morpheus must be without it. Still, Dream challenges Dee, declaring that since Dee has stolen a thing of Dreams that he will have to battle him in the Dreaming. Once in the Dreamworld Dee is a bit disoriented by the surreal landscape and distracting visions. He eventually gets his wits about him and remembers he is there to kill Morpheus. A brief appearance of Dream's brother Destiny "afraid to turn the page" is exceptionally placed. In Dee's arrogance he taunts Morpheus with the ruby's power and in his effort to kill Dream breaks the ruby in his hand. He thinks he has succeeded but finds himself small and defeated in the hand of Morpheus. Neither Dee or Dream anticipated that when the ruby broke, Dream's full power would be unleashed and returned to him. Morpheus takes pity on Dee understanding the power the ruby had on his mind and also because if it weren't for Dee shattering the ruby, he may have never came into his full potential again. Instead of killing Dee, he returns him to Arkham Asylum.
The Sound of Her Wings-After Morpheus regains his power, he falls into a depression. His sister Death comes to visit him in a park where he is feeding pigeons and brooding. Dream laments about how empty he feels now that he has succeeded in getting his tools back. Death listens patiently while he speaks and when he is finished she gives him a crack over the head and tells him to snap out of it. As 1 of 5 siblings, I have experienced similar conversations with my siblings and I just loved how normal this conversation was all things anthropomorphic considered. Dream also explains that when he was captured by Burgess, that it was her he was really after. She knows this and they both know that things would have gone far worse if Burgess had succeeded in her capture. Dream accompanies his sister as she tends to her "responsibilities" and is grateful for the perspective Death has given him. The introduction to Death in this issue is a bubbly and friendly treat (and a perfect way to end P&N.)
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