The Sandman #31 (The Sandman

The Sandman (Single Issues)

by Neil Gaiman, Shawn McManus (Artist), Neil Gaiman

Morpheus, the Dream King, joins his sisters in this stand-alone tale revolving around the quirky life of America's first--and only--emperor.

Genres: Comics, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Dc Comics, Horror

26 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Sud666]

This single issue bridges the gap between the story arcs of "Distant Mirrors" and "A Game of You". I rather enjoyed this short tale. It is about a man who has lost everything and is about to take his own life. Despair reaches out to her brother Dream for a contest. She, Delerium and Desire will see if there is something they can do to tempt the man, while Dream shows us the power of dreams and has the man believing he is Emperor of America.

Without giving away too many spoilers, it shows us how dreams can protect, nurture and motivate. In the case of this man, they also serve to elevate his soul making him resistant to the wiles of the other three. A cool and strange story- vintage Gaiman.

On a side note- there really was a man calling himself the Emperor of the US. Joshua Abraham Norton, calling himself "Norton I, Emperor of the United States". He lived in San Francisco and was something of a local legend, tourists and visitors flocked to see him. While he never had any power, he was rather a popular and influential figure. It is said when he died over 10,000 people attended his funeral.

[Oana]

I'm really fond of Emperor Norton. If I had the chance I'd love to have a drink with him and listen to whatever he had to say.

As a big fan of Dream, I always love to see how he helps humanity. He turned Norton's life around with a dream. Can't say I didn't love how he managed to best Despair and Desire at their own game (Delirium is a sweetheart I don't have anything against her)

And last but not least, I love how Death came into the story at the end, like an old friend whom you've not seen in ages, ready to go on a last stroll with and talk about what happened in your life. I swear she's my favorite interpretation of death, makes me feel all fuzzy inside and completely not scared of what comes in the afterlife

[Andrew]

I which, Despair takes over a human man and challenges Dream to pull him out of his 'Despair' before he commits suicide.

[Valuxiea]

One of my favorite issues of Sandman. I visited Emperor Norton's grave several years ago, and it was an incredible experience.

[Storm]

"Mister Norton has shed no blood, robbed no one, and despoiled no country, which is more than can be said for most fellows in the King line.

Mister Joshua Norton is a failed businessman too afraid to even take his own life. Despair thinks she owns him, calls Dream and goads him into a wager. What Dream does is clever, unexpected and beyond the realms of normal reason, a solution so crazy, it's pure genius. Thus things transpire. And the last 2 pages, let's just say, I cried.

Death says "I've met a lot of kings, and emperors and heads of state in my time, Joshua. I've met them ALL. And you know something? I think I liked you best." The waterworks started. Then the final words at the bottom of the page proclaiming that "He was the first and last emperor of the United States of America". Apparently this is based on a true story of a real person. Wow. Just ... wow. A politician who is a good man, who cannot be tempted by desire, who will not give in to despair, but who believes in a dream. Such a man once existed. I only wish there were a candidate in 2020 that was even HALF the man Joshua Norton was.

[Simona Stefani]

Qui si narra la storia di Joshua Norton primo e unico imperatore degli USA diventato così grazie a Dream.
Episodio contenuto in Fables and Reflections

[Eddie B.]

I wasn't so fond of the "Season of Mists" arc. I preferred the three little (month-titled) stories that came after it. And I think I liked them with an ascending order. "Three Septembers and a January" was one of the sweetest stories I've read so far in Sandman. And how clever it was to present it right after the story of "August"! 🥲

[Mina Martín]

Me encanta cuando una historia de The Sandman te hace largar una lágrima o dos.

[Ryan]

Favorite stand alone story of the three “Distant Mirrors” issues.. A delight and one of the most light hearted of the entire series.

[P.]

I was going to give it a 3, but the ending made all the difference - I think I'm beginning to understand the brilliance of this man. His ideas are so imaginative and original! This one is his own unique take on the first and last 'emperor of the US', a real-life figure in American history. A delightful story that incorporates Dream and his siblings and how they managed to influence him. Awesome!

[Alexander]

I live the significance and lesson of this story, if you can call it that. A dream and a life of contentment will get you further in life than anything you can imagine and desire.

[OinkFish Pigs]

A really great story that showed Morph’s humanity, the power of dreams, hope, and existentialism.

10

[Sladjana]

SANDMAN 31/THREE SEPTEMBERS AND A JANUARY-NEIL GAIMAN
✒"He was the first and the last emperor of the United States of America."
🤓Rekoh li ja da su stripovi veoma edukativni 😁
🤓Ova epizoda Sandmana je inspirisana stvarnim čovekom
🤓Zvao se Joshua Norton
🤓Bio je samoproklamovani Joshua I-car Amerike.
🤓Bio je glavna atrakcija u San Francisku u XIX veku. Ljudi su dolazili iz cele Amerike da se upoznaju i slikaju s njim.
🤓Možda je bio ludak,možda ekcentrični sanjar a možda mu je zaista bog San omogućio da proživi nešto što nijedan čovek nikad nije,a da izbegne Očaj i Ludilo.
🤓Pročitajte pa odlučite. Zabava je zagarantovana. 😊
#7sensesofabook #bookstagram #readingaddict #literature #knjige

[Daniel Guglielmo]

In the Audible Original audio experience, Fables and Reflections actually comes before A Game of You (and also intertwined with Distant Mirrors).
To be honest, this is a 3.5 for me. With such a harsh detour from the (main) characters and plot lines, I cannot recall a single thing that happened in this episode. Very dry but still happy to be in the universe overall. Happy to be done with this segment!

[Aurelie]

Sometimes Gaiman's stories are so heavy with dialogue, thick in story building that it's too complicated and/or out there to understand with a single read. Will have to revisit the last couple of chapters again because, oof.

[W.G. Saraband]

This is Neil Gaiman's take on the real story of Joshua Abraham Norton, America's first and last emperor. As always, it's freaking good.

[Iranoctis]

Eine traurige Geschichte, die das Herz erwärmt. Ein absolutes Kleinod.

[Darren Douglas]

Excellently told!

[sue rr]

bem louco, como sempre. foi bom ver delírio em cena e mais outros perpétuos em desafiando Sandman.

[Jenna Alcock]

A fun one, and it took me a moment who realised who was played the main man, though deals about human lives, how cheeky.

[Jennifer Naveiras]

Los sueños pueden acabar incluso con la desesperación.

[Harshi]

I love Emperor Norton

[SYD!!!!!]

THIS WAS CUTE AND I LIKED IT A LOT

[sophie]

My favorite of the mini comics so far

[Binati Sheth]

I know you googled Norton. :)
I am looking forward to how the rest of this story develops in chapters 38, 39, 40, 50.

[Nick]

One of my favorite Sandman Stories, made better by the fact that Emporer Norton I was a real person. To have a dream like his by which to live is what we all hope for.

[لِيو.]

5 siblings

[Natilin Alpaca Saurio]

(Corre a Googlearlo)
NO JODAS! ES VERDAD!!!

:0?!!

[André Sousa]

9/10

[James]

Not the most enjoyable of reads. Body tried to fall asleep on several occasions!