The Dreaming #1
Publisher: Vertigo
Story: Simon Spurrier
Pencils: Bilquis Evely
Inks: Bilquis Evely
Colors: Mat Lopes
Letters: Simon Bowlannd
Cover: Jae Lee and June Chung (variant cover by Yanick Paquette and Nathan Fairbairn)
The first issue of a new series, picking up from the four-part Sandman Universe last month, The Dreaming focuses squarely on the events inside the Realm of Dreams, and the core mystery unveiled in the Sandman Universe special: Daniel, the new Dream, is missing in action, and his absence is causing things inside the Dreaming to fall apart. Despite the best efforts of the rest of Daniel’s associates, primarily Lucien the Librarian, Matthew the Raven, Eve of Stories, and the forever pessimistic Merv the Pumpkinhead, things are not running smoothly. Lucien, in particular, seems to be losing his memory and at times is unable to complete his thoughts. The fact that he’s aware of this failing makes the situation all the more dire.
Although Lucien is the point-of-view narrator for most of the issue, the main character for The Dreaming, at least in this issue, is Dora. She is a very compelling character, capable of the feats of being able to sleep while in the Dreaming, as well as being able to hop across dimensions, which is something that, in the past, only Dream himself was able to do. In addition to her unique capabilities, Dora also has a very interesting, and physical, relationship with a minor Duke of Hell, Balam. It is a disturbing but very intriguing relationship that adds further depth to what is quickly becoming one of the more fascinating characters of this story.
Spurrier wisely pulls on the history of the Dreaming from the previous stories told by creator Neil Gaiman, but then adds new elements such as Dora and the emotionless, faceless creatures that have invaded the Dreaming, in order to build on the past without necessarily just repeating it. The disorder happening in the Dreaming in this arc, while partially calling back to the chaos happening from the initial Sandman arc (Preludes & Nocturnes) way back in 1989, moves the story ahead in new and different ways that defy any specific parallels to the origin story of the entire Sandman universe.
To help convey the surreal world of the Dreaming, Evely and Lopes combine their talents to create beautiful, bizarre scenes that challenge the reader’s sense of reality while still staying grounded enough to make sense. Some of the best scenes involve Dora’s excusion to Hell, in which we see her true (and very disturbing) form, and the scenes where an incursion is made into the Dreaming itself, and the guardians step up to defend their home. All of the pencil designs and inking are complemented perfectly by Lopes’ bold, but dark coloring.
The Dreaming #1 is the perfect issue for fans of the original Sandman series who are looking for continues tales in the realm of the Sandman. The characters, both established and new, are well-detailed both in writing and visuals, and the lush landscapes of the Dreaming are depicted with a sense of wonder and mystery by the artistic team. Most compelling are the mysteries behind Dora’s true character and the suspicious absence of the Lord of Dreams himself. The creative team is doing an excellent job keeping these mysteries intriguing, dropping just enough hints to keep readers guessing, but without giving too much away. It makes for great story-telling and demands continued reading for future issues.
Martin Thomas
martin@comicattack.net
