Sandman Midnight Theatre

Sandman Mystery Theatre (collected editions) #6.5

by Neil Gaiman (Script, Plot), Matt Wagner (Plot), Teddy Kristiansen (Illustrator)

A one-shot comic book in which two DC comics characters called the Sandman — Dream and Wesley Dodds — encounter each other.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

64 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1995

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back in the 90's, Vertigo actually had two Sandman comics going. One, Neil Gaiman's Sandman, featured Morpheus. The other, Matt Wagner's Sandman Mystery Theatre, was about the Golden Age Sandman Wesley Dodd's mystery man exploits in 1930's New York. This book is where the twain shall meet. A case brings Wesley Dodd to England where he eventually crosses paths with the trapped Morpheus. This is really a Sandman Mystery Theatre story that Dream appears in. Still, it's quite good with surreal, smoky art from Teddy Kristiansen.

[Drew Canole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Included in Sandman Absolute 5... but very very unnecessary as a Sandman book. All the characters featured are from Sandman Mystery Theatre. Morpheus is still trapped in the Roderick Burgess's dome in his cellar. We get some more background into Burgess, but honestly not much. It shows that maybe he's not pure evil. Just a sad old man at this point.

Artwork is great. A lot of dialogue which was hard to be interested in.

[Udolpho · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art was amazing but the story was disappointing.

[Αταλάντη Ευριπίδου · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another great Sandman spin-off and this is mainly due to the fact that it's co-written by Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner (the creator of Mage and Grendel). This is a great volume, taking place right in the beginning of the Sandman comics, after Burgess has captured Morpheus and would, therefore, be a good read for even those readers not familiar with the Sandman series. Wesley and Dian are well-written and interesting characters and I like this different take on the Sandman (as a masked hero instead of Dream of the Endless). A well-crafted story that sheds light to the years of Morpheus' imprisonment, I highly recommend it.

[Igor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yeah, this is really and *only* for the people that have either read both Gaiman's "The Sandman" and Wagner's "Sandman Mystery Theatre" or are at least familiar with one or the other. Everyone else will feel like they're missing something most of the time. It doesn't really work as a standalone and even within the context of the two series it connects it's just...eh, okay and nothing more.

[Dev · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apparently this is a kind of 'crossover' with a title called Mystery Theater, which I have never read so suffice to say I was incredibly confused and wouldn't recommend reading this unless you are familiar with both titles. Confusion aside, the whole ~dark arts secret sex club~ plotline is so tired and stale I probably would have skipped this anyway. Sorry.

[Pilipma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never read any of Sandman's books before. From what I read this book is suppose to be a tie in or a stand alone. So I got and oh my god am I happy I did?!

This book is brilliant! I have never read anything like it!

To be clear - I understand that there is SO much I missed or didn't fully understand. It is very clear that there is a huge universe out there that this book only shines a spot on, but this little part that you do get to see is amazing. It is full of character, it has backstory, it has it's own momentum... it is human! it is clever! it has a heart!

I was planning on getting my hands on Sandman just because it's Gaiman and it is such a renowned comic run, but I am more certain than ever that I was to dive into that world like there is no tomorrow.

Also, if you are still reading this review - art is brilliant in this book. 6 out 5. GET IT! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN WAITING FOR?!

[Madeline · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think Sandman Midnight Theatre would be great and super enjoyable if one is familiar with both Sandman characters. I, however, have only read about Gaiman's Sandman before. It really just meant that I didn't care much for the other Sandman and characters from that story. Certainly, Gaiman's Sandman often follows random people, but this one just didn't do it for me.

[Sámuel Godó · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very good with a rather interesting artstyle. Loved it. Can recommend.

[Joe Kucharski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread from 1995

When the Golden Age Sandman was reintroduced for the acclaimed (and still missed!) Sandman Mystery Theatre, fans knew that eventually the two Sandmen - Wesley Dodds and his namesake Morpheus, the King of Dreams - would have to eventually meet. And they did in the pages of the Sandman Midnight Theatre graphic novel. Yes, the meeting was short, but exquisite enough for fanboys to rejoice.

Written and scripted by Sandman creator Neil Gaiman and plotted by Sandman Mystery Theatre author Matt Wagner, Sandman Midnight Theatre is a totally enjoyable read by Vertigo/DC Comics. The graphic novel is beautifully painted by Teddy Kristiansen, who would soon go on to co-create the House of Secrets revival. Kristiansen's artwork is perfect for a foggy London and stylizing make the Sandman caped crusader look rather heroic.

Sandman Midnight Theatre also contains a lot of filler. Gaiman is a master of dialogue, and is always a joy to read, but here his inputted thoughts into meaningless secondary and tertiary characters comes close to rambling and even tries to be dirty for the sake of being shocking, but instead comes across as ridiculous.

Minor scripting issues aside, the plot is a great one that completely fits into the events of both Sandmen in 1939. This might not be completely accessible for the causal Sandman reader... but those causal readers absolutely need to be introduced to the great Matt Wagner and Sandman Midnight Theatre is the perfect entry.

[Devero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Con questo albo assistiamo a due eventi fondamentali nella vita di Sandman, visti dall'occhio del fan. Il primo vede il ricongiungimento in Inghilterra tra Wesley Dodds e Dian Belmond. Lei non è convinta del suo rapporto con lui, anche se lo ama. Non è certa del posto che deve avere nella sua vita. Lui è convintamente innamorato di lei e la segue con una scusa qualsiasi. Verranno coinvolti in riti esoterici, incontreranno un prete ladro per fin di bene, che si firma "The Cannon", risolveranno un caso e torneranno negli Stases più innamorati che mai l'uno dell'altra.
Il secondo vede il crossover tra i due Sandman più noti della DC: l'originale Wesley Dodds ed il signore dei sogni, Morfeo-Dream. Il fan scopre con certezza che i sogni che guidano Dodds gli vengono da Dream, anche se questo è prigioniero, al momento, dello stregone.
La storia, scritta a quattro mani, scorre abbastanza bene. Parte del cross-over è l'uso di un disegnatore-illustratore della scuderia di Gaiman, che da un senso di straniamento per il lettore della sola serie regolare dedicata a Wesley Dodds.
Darei tra le 4 stelle e le 4 stelle e mezza all'albo.

[Shreyas · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Sandman Midnight Theatre' (The Sandman: One Shot #1) by Neil Gaiman, Matt Wagner, Teddy Kristiansen, et al.

"You. I know you. There is some of me in you. Poor creature. It cannot be easy for you. There is nothing that you can do for me. Now, forget."

Rating: 4.25/5.



Review:
Back in the early '90s, Vertigo comics had two different Sandman runs. The first, that we know of, is Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. And the other is Matt Wagner's 'Sandman Mystery Theatre' series which featured the pulpy adventures of Wesley Dodds, an amateur detective, who operates under the guise of the Sandman.

'Sandman Midnight Theatre' is an ambitious crossover of the two different Sandman runs under the Vertigo comics banner. It takes place firmly in the continuity of Sandman Mystery Theatre and Sandman (between issues #36 and #37 of the former and between panels of issue #1 of the latter).

I wasn't acquainted with the Sandman Mystery Theatre comic run, but it did not hamper my experience of reading this graphic novel in any way. It’s more of a Wesley Dodds story than a Morpheus one, but since the latter was imprisoned the entire time Dodds was operating as a gas-masked vigilante (around the buildup to World War II), it’s impossible to provide them equal page space. It's not a team-up, but the concept works out fine by the end.

In the end, it’s a crime story, with the fringes of mystical cultishness on its edges, and a weird dream lord in a bubble. But despite the mystical aspect, it is still a crime story, and Neil Gaiman tells it in a grand style.

[David Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Sandman Midnight Theatre" features a crossover between the Golden Age Sandman (Wesley Dodds, created by Gardner Fox and Bert Christman) and Neil Gaiman's Sandman (Morpheus, the literal embodiment of Dreams) as written by Gaiman and illustrated by Teddy Kristiansen. The artwork is gorgeous and creates a wonderful brooding, film noir feel as Dodds travels to England to find who had blackmailed his friend, resulting in the friend's suicide. Much of the story serves as a reason for Dodds to meet Morpheus, who at the time of the story is still imprisoned by Roderick Burgess.

While Gaiman had previously retconned the Golden Age Sandman to suggest that he devised his superhero alter-ego as part of a psychic side effect from Morpheus' capture, the two had not previously met. This one-shot is part of a 70-issue series also published under the "Sandman Mystery Theatre" banner that updated Wesley Dodds' version of the character for the Modern Age and, as such, it may feel like a forced crossover rather than a fully-developed mystery. Those who enjoy Gaiman's writing and Kristiansen's artwork will find it a fulfilling read.

[DrCrower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recuerdo haberme leído este especial hace muchos años, cuando terminé la lectura del "Sandman" de Neil Gaiman, por puro completismo. No me dijo gran cosa, ya que la relación con Morfeo es breve...

Ahora, igual 25 años después, lo he releído como aficionado al "Sandman" de la Golden Age, el singular Wesley Dodds, que protagonizó la serie de Vertigo "Sandman: Mystery Theatre" en los años 90 escrita por el gran (hasta este 2023 no me había dado cuenta de tanto) Matt Wagner y lo he encontrado genial. En 1939 el detective pulp de la máscara antigás acabará en una fiesta celebrada por Roderick Burgess, el hombre que atrapó a Morfeo, en una especie de parodia sórdida de los mitos de Aleister Crowley. Las ilustraciones de Teddky Kristiansen son magníficas. Y el encuentro entre ambos "Sandmans", al que recordaba como algo hecho casi por compromiso, ahora me ha parecido hasta conmovedor.

[Storm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collaboration between the writers of the old DC Sandman superhero, and Neil Gaiman's incarnation of The Sandman. There are a few good things - (1) there is some backstory for Roderick and Alex Burgess, the father mage who imprisoned Morpheus, and Alex his son, plus hints of Alex's affair with Paul (2) it links both Sandmen together and (3) there is a semi strong female character in Dian. The negatives - it is fairly convoluted. The prose could be better, it is not up to Gaiman's normal standard. And lastly, the sepia toned art isn't that good, parts looked clunky and clumsy instead of being flowing and effortless. Not the best Sandman story out there, as he is only peripherally touched on.

[Lau · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Interesante.
No conozco al personaje Sandman / Wesley Dodds (antihéroe, asumo) más que por la aparición mínima que tuvo en The Sandman, que creo que fue durante un solo cuadro o dos.

Esta es una historia corta y misteriosa que gira en torno a un evento clandestino y exclusivo de Roderick Burgess, durante el tiempo en que tiene atrapado a Morpheus (que aparece muy brevemente), como se ve en el primer volumen de The Sandman.
Hay muchos personajes para ser tan breve –la historia de Annabel fue la que más me gustó– ilustrada con un estilo que me hizo pensar mucho en Modigliani.
Cuando me había enganchado con la historia se terminó, y me encontré deseando que fuera más larga.

[Zac · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ties in nicely to the Roderick and Alex Burgess plot lines of the main Sandman series, so is mainly interesting from that perspective. It's probably also quite good if you happen to be a fan of the Wesley Dodds version of Sandman, but I don't know if anyone is. I quite like the texture of the art, which is done in a chalky, painty style and can be a bit ambiguous at times. It would quite suit the dreamlike quality of the Sandman series except this story is set in the 'real world' of 1930s England. The party scene and the conversations of the attendees seemed a bit unnecessary but overall the comic worked well as a bit of a detective story interlude/crossover.

[Bruno Franco Netto · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short story acts a crossover between two Sandmans - Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age superhero known as Sandman; and Morpheus, Gaiman's Sandman. The result in this Gaiman concocted tale is somewhat mixed. It feels more like a bizarre experiment rather than a cohesive story, and even for someone like myself who has read Gaiman's Sandman from the first to the last issue, it feels and reads disjointed and hard to follow. While Gaiman's world is still here, and the premise is interesting and the characters well drawn and written, ultimately the story does not feel as well constructed or interesting as most of Gaiman's stories in this world or in fact in any other world he's had a hand in.

[Steven moran · Rating 1 out of 5]

WARNING DO NOT BUY!!!

I bought this assuming that it was the entire series in a collected volume, but it is only the first issue. Neither comixology or Kindle have the rest of the series so you have an ending with a cliffhanger that you can't complete unless you find the rest of the story somewhere else. This why so many people I know are apprehensive about purchasing things from digital stores because you can't return it.:-[

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful crossover between The Sandman and Sandman Mystery Theatre. Though it starts off a bit slow, the dovetailing of all the peoples and events on a certain eventful night in England is wonderful. And it's great to get recognition of Wesley's place in Morpheus' story. Plus, this is a crucial story in the advancement of Wesley and Dian's relationship, placed at what would become exactly the middle of the SMT arc [4+/5].

[Gustavo · Rating 3 out of 5]

O Teatro da Meia-Noite
Eh, realmente não é o que eu esperava
Achei um bom drama com elementos sobrenaturais, porém algumas histórias meio que só levam do nada pra lugar nenhum. Minha favorita provavelmente é a história do Destino, seguido pela primeira e as duas outras no mesmo nível. São contos curtos com personagens muito humanos e foge muito do lugar comum dos quadrinhos de heróis.
Não acho ruim, mas não adorei como eu achei que iria.

[Edward Correa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esta historia muestra algunas señales de lo que en esa época comenzar a ser "la voz de Neil Gaiman", aunque al inicio del relato parece extenderse más de lo necesario que situaciones que construyen a los personajes... lentamente. De igual forma, todo vale la pena para enfrentar a los dos Sandman en un momento fugaz, pero increíble.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the long anticipated crossover between The Sandman and Sandman Mystery Theatre, and while it was a cool story, it really wasn't much of a crossover. It was more a Theatre story with a Sandman cameo. I enjoyed it, and the set up was excellent, but I'd have loved to see more interaction between the two characters.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recommend? Eh.

I’m planning on rereading the whole series, but stumbled upon this at a used bookstore. It doesn’t add much, and I started to loose interest when it came to the party. I wish it was a tad longer for some more explanations.

[Marcus · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was the worst one of all of the Sandmans I have read.
The art-style is not for me, since it was difficult to discern the different characters. The story is not as thrilling as usual and I had to drag myself through the whole thing.

[Andrew Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun little One-Shot where the two versions of DC Sandman "meet". The meeting is nothing but a very small bridge and some fan service, but the detective story is fun.

The art wasn't really my style but it is good enough, and fits the sort of Noir feeling the comic has.

[Nick H · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a fun tie-in story, but too traditional a plot to be considered in the same breath as Gaiman’s SANDMAN series. For what it is though, I enjoyed myself. The artwork is really nice too.

いいスタイルけど話はちょっと普通すぎる。サンドマンのコミックの強点が変な物語だ

[Léa Taranto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not as much of Morpheus as I’d hoped but a nice inter and intricately connected web of stories many which tie neatly off while leaving the main one full of vibrant promise and life

[Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sandman meets The Sandman.... Wesley Dodds and Morpheus, together again for the first time!

[Joshua Rotella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art and a haunting story.