Neil Gaiman's The Sandman: A Comic Book Review
In August, Netflix will release an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's short-lived The Sandman series, which made me consider how lovely it would be to read the original and see what all the commotion is about. Gaiman crafted a totally different kind of story in The Sandman. Although we do reach there in the end, his intensely gripping tale of incarceration, release, and retaliation lacks the typical "save the world" plot that most comics have.
Gaiman's non-traditional story combined with the exquisite illustrations by Sam Keith and Mike Dringen resulted in a mesmerizing tale that lingered in my mind long after I had done reading.
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The Sandman #1
We first encounter Dream, sometimes known as Prince Morpheus, in issue #1. Morpheus is neither a good guy nor a bad guy, nor even an anti-hero. He is a strong being that oversees Dreamtime. Morpheus has a lot of duties as a result. But he has been imprisoned by a mystical order, and his absence is having many negative effects on Earth. The comic starts by bouncing over the years, checking in on various people who are harmed by the imbalance in the cosmos brought on by Dream's confinement.
After a while, enough time has passed for those viewing Morpheus to get comfortable. He can get away, but he is really frail. To help him restore his strength, he needs his pouch, his helm, and his ruby. His captors took them from him when they first imprisoned him, but over the decades they’ve lost these powerful objects. Morpheus starts looking for them since he needs their power to recover.
The importance of Dream
In The Sandman #1, I really like the cosmic imbalances brought about by Morpheus's absence. It discussed the significance of dreams to people. Without dreams, we are hopeless, drifting through life without fully engaging in it. Similar to this, humans either developed unbreakable sleep cycles or turned into perpetual sleepwalkers who were unable to communicate with those around them.
There were a few persons who did not continue to sleep. These individuals, in my opinion, exemplify dreams' secondary purpose of providing an opportunity to decompress, unwind, and disconnect from the pressures of everyday life. In fact, individuals who suffer from sleeplessness in the novel eventually commit suicide pretty fast if they cannot find another release because life becomes intolerable without this release.
I admired Gaiman's perspective on the significance of dreams. Morpheus has a crucial role for the universe and its inhabitants as the keeper of Dreamtime. In later issues, I was extremely interested in learning more about his domain and how he might communicate with individuals through dreams. I was eager to learn the significance of his instruments, a purse, a headpiece, and a ruby as well as how he would locate them.
The Sandman #2
In The Sandman #2, Neil Gaiman continues to outline Morpheus's mission. Morpheus is too frail without his bag, helm, and ruby to retake control of Dreamtime on his own. However, he is unsure of their location. He does, however, know who can assist him.
Gaiman introduces the three-in-one, often known as the fates, a concept borrowed from numerous myths throughout history. He is permitted to ask one question—and only one—of the maiden, mother, and crone. The Maiden informs him that John Constantine was the most recent buyer of his satchel. His helm was once traded to a demon, the Mother informs him. The Crone finally lets him know that the League of Justice already has his ruby.
In issue #2, we also get to know Dr. John Dee, also known as Dr. Destiny. Dr. Destiny has been residing in Arkham Asylum for a considerable amount of time. Morpheus's reappearance hasn't helped him; he hasn't dreamed in ages. Dee is a highly unsettling character who also has serious mother issues. Even though he currently seems irrelevant, the fact that Morpheus' return has not changed his dream problem makes him seem like someone to keep an eye on.
The roadmap
Issue #2 was easy to read yet very significant. The primary objective of Issue #2 was to lay out the route that Morpheus will take when he regains his powers, in addition to presenting a potential future villain.
I must admit that anticipating a meeting with John Constantine, a journey to hell, and a run-in with the League of Justice made me eager to read the remaining issues—which is kind of the goal, right? Who will we encounter in Hell, I do wonder. Hell is kind of generic, but Constantine and the League of Justice are obvious allusions to other DC franchises. Just like Gaiman meant, I'm sure someone will be there (Lucifer perhaps), and my interest is peaked.
Despite some blatant name-dropping, Issue #2's narrative is excellent. I like the fates; they’re mysterious and sassy, everything a trio of supernatural women should be! The time spent dreaming is somewhat disorganized, but considering that it is dreamtime, that makes sense. I loved having a clear idea of where the story was going thanks to the clear plan provided for the remainder of Morpheus's journey, which is kind of like a chapter list at the start of a book.
The Sandman #3
Morpheus meets John Constantine in The Sandman #3 to get his pouch. Constantine apparently no longer possesses the pouch, though. A former girlfriend long ago stole it from him. Morpheus turns to leave when he hears this, but Constantine is adamant about going with him to lend a hand. Morpheus' pouch, it turns out, wasn't empty; instead, it contained magical sleep sand. Constantine's ex-girlfriend has developed a sand addiction and now spends her days dozing off on the sand. Her fantasies have materialized and taken over the house she lives in, trying to trap anyone who enters.
The foolishness of being overly fixated on dreams and neglecting to live is illustrated in Gaiman's story. In the end, Morpheus is able to drive the nightmares out of the house, but he is unable to save the girl. I interpreted this as an allegory for how, if nothing is done to make dreams come true, they will gradually disappear. Then, with nothing to show for your life, you will be left broken and alone.
The Sandman #4
After getting his sand pouch back, Morpheus makes the decision to go to hell to get his helm. Here we encounter Lucifer, Lord of Hell, another one of our favorites. When Morpheus and Lucifer finally meet, he discovers that Lucifer is no longer the only authority in Hell. These days, a triumvirate controls Hell.
Once Azazel and Beelzebub have joined Lucifer, they both consent to aid Morpheus. However, when they locate the demon holding the helm, he is adamant about keeping it. So begins a struggle that, while entertaining visually, was also quite stimulating mentally.
The panels depict a nightclub as the battle starts, and for a split second I thought, "Oh god, it's going to be a rap battle, how ridiculous!" But after the battle started, I discovered it was a wizard's battle! I quickly changed from being unenthusiastic to being overjoyed.
Witty competitions are always entertaining to watch, and this one was no exception. The dialogues were great, yet the sights remained somewhat startling. Of course, Morpheus prevails in the end and takes back his helm, eager to carry on with his mission.
Morpheus’s time in hell is designed to represent the promise that is embedded in dreams. Without hope, we cannot advance and change; instead, we will stay in our current state. Issue #4 demonstrated the significance of dreams, after Issue #3's warning about the peril of getting lost in dreams. It served as a good reminder to never lose faith.
The Sandman #5
Morpheus locates his ruby in The Sandman #5, but he discovers that it has changed in some way. He is attacked psychically, and he falls. While all of this is going on, Dr. Dee (Dr. Destiny's new name) escapes and also comes looking for the ruby. It turns out he changed it, so now it only functions for him.
Like issue #2, this one was also easy to read quickly. The major goal appears to have been to make a few name drops at the JLA and increase Morpheus' travel challenges. Although it had a slight filler vibe, skipping it would leave you bewildered by following issues, therefore it wasn't actually filler. It was maybe just a little understated and not my favorite topic.
The Sandman #6
Dr. Dee holds six people hostage in a restaurant for the duration of a 24-hour period using the force of a ruby, as seen in issue #6. He starts off little, but over time, he gets worse and worse, and the things he makes them do get sicker and sicker.
At the end, they all pass away. The TV in the restaurant informs us that everyone is going through a similar situation, but we only actually get to see and feel for these six individuals.
In reality, problem #6 is a tale about how people can manipulate our dreams. Dr. Dee utilizes the ruby, which grants him access to other people's dreams and allows him to see and manipulate them, to force them to commit heinous acts they otherwise would never do. Similar to this, if we let other people define our goals, we will ultimately be miserable (hopefully not as unhappy as those six, but still).
I particularly appreciate how Gaiman uses each of Morpheus's resources to provide a lesson on dreams. Even if the teachings are subtle, they are still being learned as they are read. I adore it because it gives the plot depth that goes beyond just punching the bad guy.
The Sandman #7
Save the world now! The purpose of this novel is not for Morpheus to attempt to save the world. He will need to get his ruby back from Dr. Dee in order to complete his own journey to get his stolen property back, which will also result in saving the planet. These two engage in combat using dreams as their weapons in the realm of the dreams.
Morpheus is unable to just take the ruby from him because of how drastically Dr. Dee altered it, and as a result, the ruby has been able to steal more and more power. When Dr. Dee incorrectly assumes that removing the ruby, which houses so much of Morpheus's power, will destroy him, it appears as though Morpheus might lose the battle.
Instead, Morpheus reclaims all of the power that the gem had previously taken away. He is more powerful than he has ever been, rendering Dr. Dee helpless. Dr. Dee is sent back to Arkham by Morpheus, who also puts the entire planet to sleep. Everything will seem like a terribly awful dream when everyone wakes up, and life will resume as usual.
The lesson from problem #7 is that if you let your dreams fly, everything is possible. Dr. Dee has complete control over dreams at the start of the conflict thanks to his ruby, hence he is the dominant force. Once the ruby is broken and the dreams are released, Morpheus regains control and the conflict is quickly resolved. I adored that so much.
Everyone should read The Sandman because its stories within stories are so enlightening and encouraging. It seems to be just what the world needs at this time.
The Sandman #8
It's time to finish up. After completing his mission, Morpheus is at a loss about what to do next. After reading a narrative, I've often pondered the same thing. What happens next once the hero has achieved whatever it is they have worked so hard to achieve?
Morpheus runs into his sister Death as he mulls about this issue. She invites him to accompany her on her rounds, and as he observes her compassionately handle each soul, he rediscovers his sense of self. After some time, he is prepared to resume his duties as Dream and return to his realm. It was a clever way for Gaiman to wrap up his tale and reveal it to the rest of us.
Bringing The Sandman to life through art
Sam Keith and Mike Dringenberg bring the world of The Sandman to life with their exquisite artwork. They have incredibly ethereal covers. To evoke the world of dreams, the edges are softened and blurred. The pictures are sharper inside.
The colors are dark, and the style is much more realistic. Darker hues were undoubtedly chosen to give the reader a sense of nightfall and sleep.
In comparison to the rest of the series, issue #8 is rather unique. Despite the interior being somewhat different, the cover is still fantastic (perhaps my favorite) and in the same style as the previous seven. Lots of vibrant hues may be seen in issue #8.
The colors are the lightest in the series, despite the fact that the subject is primarily about dying. This, in my opinion, is due to the argument being made that life is important and, dare I say it, beautiful, and that death is not something to be feared and shunned.
Because Morpheus entered the tranquility towards the end of his quest, I also believe that is why the colors are so different. He can now unwind and appreciate the beauty of the universe and his role in it because his confinement and the hectic quest for his misplaced equipment are behind him.
Ending the visit
The whole series was fantastic. I truly enjoyed discovering all the hidden meanings in the panels. In all honesty, I wish that The Sandman's significance would be the focus of the English course. For those who believe comics are solely for children, it might open their eyes.
Gaiman spins a tale that is both enjoyable and educational at the same time. The story is made better overall and has deeper implications thanks to the art that goes along with it. The Netflix series that encouraged me to read The Sandman is something I'm looking forward to. It should be fantastic if it's even half as excellent as the original work!
Rating: 9.5/10
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