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Sandman Mystery Theatre Recut Collection #2
Sandman Mystery Theatre Book Two
SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE, the classic Vertigo series, is recollected here!
The year is 1938, and the world is holding its breath—mesmerized by the onrushing storm that will soon engulf it in fire and steel. In New York City, one man’s sleep is filled with tormenting visions of the evils that mankind visits upon itself, compelling him to act. And so, by night, Wesley Dodds lays aside the trappings of his inherited wealth to roam the shadows as the Sandman, armed with a tranquilizing gas gun and driven by an unrelenting sense of justice.
Haunted and obsessed, the Sandman moves through a decadent, post-Depression landscape, stalking the predators who hide themselves beneath society’s callous indifference to the weak and vulnerable. No one sees him at his work until he chooses to reveal himself—no one, that is, except the woman who is destined to be the light to his darkness.
Written by comics legends Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle and illustrated by acclaimed artists Guy Davis and Vince Locke, this second volume of the complete SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE collects issues #13-24 of the classic Vertigo series and also includes the never-before-reprinted SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE ANNUAL #1, featuring stunning guest artwork from Alex Ross, David Lloyd, John Bolton and more.
The year is 1938, and the world is holding its breath—mesmerized by the onrushing storm that will soon engulf it in fire and steel. In New York City, one man’s sleep is filled with tormenting visions of the evils that mankind visits upon itself, compelling him to act. And so, by night, Wesley Dodds lays aside the trappings of his inherited wealth to roam the shadows as the Sandman, armed with a tranquilizing gas gun and driven by an unrelenting sense of justice.
Haunted and obsessed, the Sandman moves through a decadent, post-Depression landscape, stalking the predators who hide themselves beneath society’s callous indifference to the weak and vulnerable. No one sees him at his work until he chooses to reveal himself—no one, that is, except the woman who is destined to be the light to his darkness.
Written by comics legends Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle and illustrated by acclaimed artists Guy Davis and Vince Locke, this second volume of the complete SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE collects issues #13-24 of the classic Vertigo series and also includes the never-before-reprinted SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE ANNUAL #1, featuring stunning guest artwork from Alex Ross, David Lloyd, John Bolton and more.
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1995
21 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Matt Wagner
967 books231 followersMatt Wagner is an American comic book writer and artist. In addition to his creator-owned series' Mage and Grendel, he has also worked on comics featuring The Demon and Batman as well as such titles as Sandman Mystery Theatre and Trinity, a DC Comics limited series featuring Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 20, 2023
More good pulpy stories about the Sandman.
I think you follow Dian even more than you follow Wesely Dodd, and we see her start to slowly piece together all of his quirky behavior and put two and two together.
On the flip side, Wesley is struggling with whether or not to let her in on his secret life.
I'm looking forward to reading what happens with all of that drama.
All of the crime stories are interesting, even if you know who did it pretty much right off the bat.
It's all kind of seedy and dark but in an oddly realistic way. Wesley isn't some buff hottie running around making the city sexy. He's...average. You can imagine him wheezing as he runs to catch the criminal, and unlike Clark Kent, his glasses aren't for show. So, there's this middle-aged, slightly flabby looking dude running around trying to catch criminals and gas them in the face.
Who knew I needed this in my life?
Also, Wagner doesn't shy away from all the things that make most of us glad we didn't grow up in the 1930s.
The art is still blech but it kind of works for this series.
If you liked the first book, I think you'll definitely like this one.
Recommended.
I think you follow Dian even more than you follow Wesely Dodd, and we see her start to slowly piece together all of his quirky behavior and put two and two together.
On the flip side, Wesley is struggling with whether or not to let her in on his secret life.
I'm looking forward to reading what happens with all of that drama.
All of the crime stories are interesting, even if you know who did it pretty much right off the bat.
It's all kind of seedy and dark but in an oddly realistic way. Wesley isn't some buff hottie running around making the city sexy. He's...average. You can imagine him wheezing as he runs to catch the criminal, and unlike Clark Kent, his glasses aren't for show. So, there's this middle-aged, slightly flabby looking dude running around trying to catch criminals and gas them in the face.
Who knew I needed this in my life?
Also, Wagner doesn't shy away from all the things that make most of us glad we didn't grow up in the 1930s.
The art is still blech but it kind of works for this series.
If you liked the first book, I think you'll definitely like this one.
Recommended.
February 18, 2019
I've really enjoyed this series, as it looks at the 1930's New York lifestyle with a minimum of rose colored glasses, discussing issues like racism and sexism and capitalism while telling interesting mysteries. I appreciate that Dian Belmont comes across as the protagonist, rather than Wesley, and much of the world is seen through her perspective. There may be a bit too much of the will-they/won't-they going on, but this volume amps up the stakes on that, especially in the final few issues. The mysteries are nothing special, usually with the most obvious character being the villain, but the hows and the whys of the investigation are well done, and The Sandman, while often getting to save the day, also seems outmatched on occasion, and is dependent on others to put some clues together.
My favorite in this collection is actually the annual, which puts all these pieces together in a single story, with each chapter told from the perspective of a different character, all musing about the value of Central Park in their lives. It's well done, lyrical and beautiful without sugar-coating the world it takes place in.
The art work in general is good, evoking the times while feeling a little bit washed out. My biggest problem was actually the lettering - cursive font lettering just isn't pleasant to read no matter how appropriate it might be for the characters. I look forward to reading more of this series when I can get my hands on it.
My favorite in this collection is actually the annual, which puts all these pieces together in a single story, with each chapter told from the perspective of a different character, all musing about the value of Central Park in their lives. It's well done, lyrical and beautiful without sugar-coating the world it takes place in.
The art work in general is good, evoking the times while feeling a little bit washed out. My biggest problem was actually the lettering - cursive font lettering just isn't pleasant to read no matter how appropriate it might be for the characters. I look forward to reading more of this series when I can get my hands on it.
February 5, 2017
Using the same formula as in Book One, this volume even surpasses it thanks to consistent art by Guy Davis, the inclusion of the Sandman Mystery Theatre Annual #1, and superior writing by Wagner & Seagle, with stories that are more engaging than in the first volume.
As in the first volume, the three (main) story arcs each consist of four parts, and each mystery is resolved in a satisfying manner. This book will appeal to fans of pulp, mysteries, and suspense stories. The writing is by far the best part: the plots are intelligent; the era (1938 New York City) is portrayed faithfully (not that I was there at that time!), even down to how the people speak - racist comments included. The arcs are just the right length: 4 issues. That gives the writer time to tell a good story, at a good pace, without having to unnecessarily stretch it out (... to six issues, let's say). I like that the characters are evolving from one story to the next, and that we get to know a few more of the supporting characters, such as the police detective and the coroner.
I can't wait for Book 3!
As in the first volume, the three (main) story arcs each consist of four parts, and each mystery is resolved in a satisfying manner. This book will appeal to fans of pulp, mysteries, and suspense stories. The writing is by far the best part: the plots are intelligent; the era (1938 New York City) is portrayed faithfully (not that I was there at that time!), even down to how the people speak - racist comments included. The arcs are just the right length: 4 issues. That gives the writer time to tell a good story, at a good pace, without having to unnecessarily stretch it out (... to six issues, let's say). I like that the characters are evolving from one story to the next, and that we get to know a few more of the supporting characters, such as the police detective and the coroner.
I can't wait for Book 3!
October 15, 2022
It seems that the creators' skills are put in better use in the stories contained in this second volume.
July 5, 2024
The most serious and telling parts about Sandman Mystery Theatre to me are its arc endings. They pastiche the simple and direct endings of old pulp serials while deliberately showing us that there will always be plenty that can’t be fixed and likely never will. Part of you feels unfulfilled, unsatisfied - in many ways the real villains won. This to me (on top of everything else that’s genius about it) separates it from most comics, even most mature-rated ones. The first time this really hit me, even though it was definitely present beforehand, was the end of The Brute arc. Wes and Dian kiss all simple fairy tale ending-style while we know the money and help Wes gave to the boxer guy’s daughter will not change, and will likely never fix the very real-life horror she went through. You don’t get the feeling at the end of the Vamp arc that anyone was in the right, except possibly the antagonist herself, and that too is obviously a ridiculous and unthinkable stretch.
The Scorpion was certainly in the wrong, and most of the people he killed had their own terrible limitations, but the writers made it clear his motives were disturbed and muddled: an excuse for his psychotic and bizarre killings. Even here, even though the Scorpion is caught, one of his victims sits in the corner post-near-death experience, in a ptsd triggered daze about his or someone else’s childhood sexual abuse. The Sandman saved Dian and clocked out Dr. Death…but Death still killed all those people and assaulted Lucy. The Sandman beat the nicknamed bad guy, hurray…but what about everybody and everything else?. In the Annual issue, Dian’s dad, the D.A., sits and laments about the possibility of one of the criminals involved with the Tarantula in the first arc being mentally ill and not evil. In a way he’s right there with the reader: uncertain.
The ambiguity of Wes’ dream prescience is a difficult one, and it makes for all sorts of interesting conjecture - at least up to the point I’ve gotten. It’s established that he dreams of evil and goes to vanquish it, sure thing. Okay, but the pedophile in The Brute exists and is doing the unthinkable, where are you Sandman? In the Annual, Wes tells us he’s too far away from a crime in-progress to stop it while mid-kiss with Dian. Is it possible he was “too far away” for his sleep’s evil senses to activate and have him hunt down the predator boss who used to employ Humphries? Was he in the middle of another situation? And was that situation in-question him hiding in plain sight for his own safety, like it was with Dian in Central Park, or was that situation another plumbing of the Halloween-costumed depths of hell instead of a proper vindication for a non-dressed-up opponent. It’s established that Wes didn’t dream about the Central Park mugger because the mugger wasn’t a bad person, but he was still committing criminal acts for profit. Where’s the line? And why is he only in pursuit of these proto-supervillains? The only wrench in this problem is that Wesley in Sandman: Year One stages or whatever that was DID in fact stop the two un-monikered Italian rapists deep in Central Park in the Annual issue. I’m sure he’s gone for unnamed trope villains in other places I’ve forgotten too, but barely.
The answer I stick with is that this is either Vertigo Earth-1 Wesley Dodds, where the dream sickness from Gaiman’s Sandman is toying with everyone, and Wes is influenced by the epidemic to “fight crime” and alleviate his nightmares (the most likely answer), or the Vertigo Earth-2 Wes that shares Morpheus’ soul, where a bunch of other traditional costumed lunatics seem to be running around. Either way, it’s sound that this narrative runs its course the way it does: Earth-1 Wes would be more likely influenced by the Dreaming to oust aberrations of the collective unconscious than he would general evil, he’s driven to right the wrongs of the dream sickness, an illness that’s messing with the other serial weirdos just as hard. The Sandman, the Scorpion, and every other headliner are colorful, primordial id made manifest in material form through neuroses, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and unconscious actions. Archetypal, sexual, complicated. If it was Wes from Vertigo Earth-2, the world that is implied to be original Earth-2 (but who fucking knows), then it makes sense that Wes is fighting the flashy baddies over the average abusers and deviants because that’s what the superheroes of that earth would do anyway - you never see the Justice Society of America bringing in illicit pornographers or public masterbaters.
So, not only does Wes not meet the demands of this gruesome, cruel world as the only New York vigilante the P.D. or anybody else ever mentions up to this point (more proof of it being Vertigo Earth-1), but he persists in not becoming more well-rounded. His dreams dictate that he defeats who he defeats, and he moves on to the next one once the last issue is “resolved”. Dark, delicate and ominously powerful stuff.
Thoughts on the Annual Issue
(I was gonna put this down as a note when I got to the last page of that issue but I was over my limit by 544 words or something):
Just when you have the fleeting thought in the back of your mind that “Humphries is kind of rip-off Alfred”, you get an anthology of one-shot backstories, each for different characters you’ve either dealt with from the beginning of the series or for the first time. This Annual issue was great minus a little extra exploitation than usual in my opinion, and that’s coming from a comic that usually handles difficult subject matter very tastefully (and has disturbed me more than once with its tragic honesty and realism; that’s hard to pull off when you’re trying to use grim pathos on a guy whose favorite American filmmaker is Todd Solondz lmao). I’m admittedly not as informed on Annual comic economics as I should be, but it seems like a publisher’s primary goal is to get a little extra money from the readers with them: in this instance Vertigo probably called for a little extra formulated shock alongside some named illustrators to get as much readership as possible. I thought the rape in Dr. Death, while nuanced, did feel a little formulaic as well, but given the nature of that story I do think it made its point and it’s definitely less forced than the transgressions present in the arc before.
In closing, this is certainly my favorite comic run that isn’t a maxiseries. It’s got a little bit of everything I love in there: the human condition, hyperrealism (even if it’s with its occasional plot armor every once in a while), neo-noir, historical accuracy, character development - pretty much the whole package. I’m gonna read volume three pretty soon, I just hope that the minute failings in Annual and Dr. Death don’t end up making the next few issues fall flat.
3.5/5.
The Scorpion was certainly in the wrong, and most of the people he killed had their own terrible limitations, but the writers made it clear his motives were disturbed and muddled: an excuse for his psychotic and bizarre killings. Even here, even though the Scorpion is caught, one of his victims sits in the corner post-near-death experience, in a ptsd triggered daze about his or someone else’s childhood sexual abuse. The Sandman saved Dian and clocked out Dr. Death…but Death still killed all those people and assaulted Lucy. The Sandman beat the nicknamed bad guy, hurray…but what about everybody and everything else?. In the Annual issue, Dian’s dad, the D.A., sits and laments about the possibility of one of the criminals involved with the Tarantula in the first arc being mentally ill and not evil. In a way he’s right there with the reader: uncertain.
The ambiguity of Wes’ dream prescience is a difficult one, and it makes for all sorts of interesting conjecture - at least up to the point I’ve gotten. It’s established that he dreams of evil and goes to vanquish it, sure thing. Okay, but the pedophile in The Brute exists and is doing the unthinkable, where are you Sandman? In the Annual, Wes tells us he’s too far away from a crime in-progress to stop it while mid-kiss with Dian. Is it possible he was “too far away” for his sleep’s evil senses to activate and have him hunt down the predator boss who used to employ Humphries? Was he in the middle of another situation? And was that situation in-question him hiding in plain sight for his own safety, like it was with Dian in Central Park, or was that situation another plumbing of the Halloween-costumed depths of hell instead of a proper vindication for a non-dressed-up opponent. It’s established that Wes didn’t dream about the Central Park mugger because the mugger wasn’t a bad person, but he was still committing criminal acts for profit. Where’s the line? And why is he only in pursuit of these proto-supervillains? The only wrench in this problem is that Wesley in Sandman: Year One stages or whatever that was DID in fact stop the two un-monikered Italian rapists deep in Central Park in the Annual issue. I’m sure he’s gone for unnamed trope villains in other places I’ve forgotten too, but barely.
The answer I stick with is that this is either Vertigo Earth-1 Wesley Dodds, where the dream sickness from Gaiman’s Sandman is toying with everyone, and Wes is influenced by the epidemic to “fight crime” and alleviate his nightmares (the most likely answer), or the Vertigo Earth-2 Wes that shares Morpheus’ soul, where a bunch of other traditional costumed lunatics seem to be running around. Either way, it’s sound that this narrative runs its course the way it does: Earth-1 Wes would be more likely influenced by the Dreaming to oust aberrations of the collective unconscious than he would general evil, he’s driven to right the wrongs of the dream sickness, an illness that’s messing with the other serial weirdos just as hard. The Sandman, the Scorpion, and every other headliner are colorful, primordial id made manifest in material form through neuroses, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and unconscious actions. Archetypal, sexual, complicated. If it was Wes from Vertigo Earth-2, the world that is implied to be original Earth-2 (but who fucking knows), then it makes sense that Wes is fighting the flashy baddies over the average abusers and deviants because that’s what the superheroes of that earth would do anyway - you never see the Justice Society of America bringing in illicit pornographers or public masterbaters.
So, not only does Wes not meet the demands of this gruesome, cruel world as the only New York vigilante the P.D. or anybody else ever mentions up to this point (more proof of it being Vertigo Earth-1), but he persists in not becoming more well-rounded. His dreams dictate that he defeats who he defeats, and he moves on to the next one once the last issue is “resolved”. Dark, delicate and ominously powerful stuff.
Thoughts on the Annual Issue
(I was gonna put this down as a note when I got to the last page of that issue but I was over my limit by 544 words or something):
Just when you have the fleeting thought in the back of your mind that “Humphries is kind of rip-off Alfred”, you get an anthology of one-shot backstories, each for different characters you’ve either dealt with from the beginning of the series or for the first time. This Annual issue was great minus a little extra exploitation than usual in my opinion, and that’s coming from a comic that usually handles difficult subject matter very tastefully (and has disturbed me more than once with its tragic honesty and realism; that’s hard to pull off when you’re trying to use grim pathos on a guy whose favorite American filmmaker is Todd Solondz lmao). I’m admittedly not as informed on Annual comic economics as I should be, but it seems like a publisher’s primary goal is to get a little extra money from the readers with them: in this instance Vertigo probably called for a little extra formulated shock alongside some named illustrators to get as much readership as possible. I thought the rape in Dr. Death, while nuanced, did feel a little formulaic as well, but given the nature of that story I do think it made its point and it’s definitely less forced than the transgressions present in the arc before.
In closing, this is certainly my favorite comic run that isn’t a maxiseries. It’s got a little bit of everything I love in there: the human condition, hyperrealism (even if it’s with its occasional plot armor every once in a while), neo-noir, historical accuracy, character development - pretty much the whole package. I’m gonna read volume three pretty soon, I just hope that the minute failings in Annual and Dr. Death don’t end up making the next few issues fall flat.
3.5/5.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2023
It's hard to get more 90s Vertigo than this book. It's a crime noir with a sexual bent, some nudity, swearing, a little bit of the occult but grounded with 1930s history, and a crime solver with no super powers but a secret identity. Throw in some very of-the-moment commentary on sexulaity, racism, and class struggles, and you have a pretty solid example of comics "growing up" in the more traditional comics market.
Of course there were pulps before this, and EC Comics was no stranger to adult themes but the Vertigo line had a reputation as "comics for adults" as opposed to "adult comics."
While the first volume had a bit of trouble finding its footing, this collaboration between writers Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle is gripping from the first page to the last. Right up until the final chapter (the Annual issue) the art by Guy Davis and Vince Locke is a very 90s take on what a 1930s comic should look like. The faces are a tough sell to me, and the squiggly aspect of the backgrounds and hard cross-hatching aren't my favorite, either, but it doesn't detract from the story.
The annual, by contrast, is gorgeous and evolves with the story .
While this is nothing like the crime noir of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, this book might be interesting to fans of theirs, as its sort of a historical inspiration from just before they came on to the comics scene. It might also interest fans of Starman, as Wesley and Dian appear there as an elderly couple, and here you get to see them in their sleuthing prime.
Of course there were pulps before this, and EC Comics was no stranger to adult themes but the Vertigo line had a reputation as "comics for adults" as opposed to "adult comics."
While the first volume had a bit of trouble finding its footing, this collaboration between writers Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle is gripping from the first page to the last. Right up until the final chapter (the Annual issue) the art by Guy Davis and Vince Locke is a very 90s take on what a 1930s comic should look like. The faces are a tough sell to me, and the squiggly aspect of the backgrounds and hard cross-hatching aren't my favorite, either, but it doesn't detract from the story.
The annual, by contrast, is gorgeous and evolves with the story .
While this is nothing like the crime noir of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, this book might be interesting to fans of theirs, as its sort of a historical inspiration from just before they came on to the comics scene. It might also interest fans of Starman, as Wesley and Dian appear there as an elderly couple, and here you get to see them in their sleuthing prime.
Read
November 19, 2019More Sandman stories of high society functions, sleuthing, and hard-bitten crime. This collection is just as good as the first, with clever little mysteries that frequently descend into nightmare territory. What I like most about these stories, though, is Wesley and Dian’s relationship. They’re charming as a couple, doubly so with the hindsight of “Sand and Stars,” the Starman arc featuring an elderly Wesley and Dian. Seeing them meet, get to know each other, and argue makes that story all the more poignant. Across this collection, Dian becomes suspicious of Wesley’s behavior and eventually sets out to prove he’s the Sandman. I really like how this plays out. Dian wants what’s best for herself and Wesley, determined to get to the truth but also spiteful towards her new boyfriend for keeping his identity secret. Meanwhile, Wesley struggles to tell Dian, while still going out at night with the mask and gun. Wagner and Seagle handle all of this very well. They make Wesley and Dian feel like real people with real problems. Also, Lieutenant Burke: this guy is hilarious! I loved when he came on panel, spewing clever one-liners and insults. If DC ever does a story set during this time period again, they should absolutely include him.
(Sadly my library has no more volumes of the series. I hope to finish it one day, but I’m putting it on pause for now.)
(Sadly my library has no more volumes of the series. I hope to finish it one day, but I’m putting it on pause for now.)
February 7, 2018
As mysteries, the culprit usually isn't hard to figure out.
As a noir story using Golden Age DC characters to tell the sorts of stories they never could have told in the 1940s, Sandman Mystery Theatre is great. This is a series for adults, and this volume alone deals with themes and ideas like homosexuality, rape, domestic abuse, income inequality, euthanasia, and a host of other issues that just plain couldn't be told in the 40s in the comic book art form.
Plus, the real shine here is not the Sandman, but his love interest Dian Belmont, a spirited woman who doesn't sit still to be a damsel in distress and is quite smart and clever in her own right.
As a noir story using Golden Age DC characters to tell the sorts of stories they never could have told in the 1940s, Sandman Mystery Theatre is great. This is a series for adults, and this volume alone deals with themes and ideas like homosexuality, rape, domestic abuse, income inequality, euthanasia, and a host of other issues that just plain couldn't be told in the 40s in the comic book art form.
Plus, the real shine here is not the Sandman, but his love interest Dian Belmont, a spirited woman who doesn't sit still to be a damsel in distress and is quite smart and clever in her own right.
March 15, 2023
Similar to the first collection in the series we have a strong set of murder mystery story lines set against a 30s era America. Elements of race, sexism, and main characters that hold ideals different then much of the surrounding cast. We get to see the relationship with Dian and Wesley evolve over the various story archs in a satisfying manner. Additionally, we gain the first bit of insight into the butler like character of Humphreys and some fleshing out of other characters as well. All said a solid continuation of the series.
December 28, 2025
I have always loved this series -- especially the art of Guy Davis. But what I am learning about myself on this, my first re-read of the series since the original, monthly floppies, is that I identify way more with the "villains" who are out for retributive justice than I do with Wesley or Diane. We didn't necessarily talk so openly about white privilege back then, when the series was new, but Wes and Diane have the luxury of avoiding all of the conflict if they'd just mind their own busybody business. I guess that's the difference that 30 years of living makes for one's worldview.
March 23, 2017
Puhas kuld. Samas kahtlemata mitte just kõige kergem lugemine. 1930ndate lõpu dekadentlikus New Yorgis toimuvaid igasugu vähem- ja enamverisemaid kriminaalseid juhtumusi kujutatakse suht staatiliselt, lõpplahendus nihkub kätte väga aeglaselt ja no kurjam on ka kohe enam-vähem algusest peale teada, sest põhirõhk ei ole üldse "kes tegi'l?", pigem "kus tegi?" ja "miks tegi?". No Sandman aeg-ajalt tolmutab ringi oma gaasipüstoliga ja love story Dian Belmontiga võtab k atuure üles. Edasised osad lähevad juba väga alla 16 keelatuteks, ja ka väga verised. Kolmandat kogumikku avav "The Night of the Butcher" oli mäletatavasti üks jõhkramaid lugusid kogu sarjas.
Annaks jumal nüüd Vertigole või DC'le kannatust kogu sari kogumikena avaldada, esimene katse lõppes teatavasti veidi üle poole juures ära.
Annaks jumal nüüd Vertigole või DC'le kannatust kogu sari kogumikena avaldada, esimene katse lõppes teatavasti veidi üle poole juures ära.
July 22, 2017
Builds on the first set of stories in a really satisfying way. Guy Davis really comes into his own artistically here as well - there's a slight refinement on the designs from the first volume that's really nice. (Although Wagner's original pitch at the end of the book feels like we missed out on an even more over-the-top version of this, sadly.)
July 25, 2024
Only if you really like comics about raping
Plots are stupid, twists nonexistent. Every issue includes graphic rape of children. Sandman is irrelevant to the plot, a bumbling twerp who actively undermines justice at all times
The story is a threadbare excuse for indulging in rape, incest, and pedophilia fantasies. Guy Davis is a treasure, what was Wagner thinking?
Plots are stupid, twists nonexistent. Every issue includes graphic rape of children. Sandman is irrelevant to the plot, a bumbling twerp who actively undermines justice at all times
The story is a threadbare excuse for indulging in rape, incest, and pedophilia fantasies. Guy Davis is a treasure, what was Wagner thinking?
June 8, 2023
I read these out of order. It doesn't really matter. This is noir done right. The artwork isn't great, but that is kind of the point, to give the real feel of a 1930's comic book. The stories are preposterous in places, but again, kind of the point. I'm a fan.
November 19, 2024
Some of the best ever.
I absolutely love Golden age characters. They are always so much fun and unique. Always a trip to see the world of years past through the eyes of the characters in the book. I highly recommend this book.
I absolutely love Golden age characters. They are always so much fun and unique. Always a trip to see the world of years past through the eyes of the characters in the book. I highly recommend this book.
June 13, 2017
My favorite collection to read these days. Can't wait for the next omnibus!
December 22, 2021
The whole series was really good. Recommended to Golden Age fans.
April 24, 2022
My words can't do it justice.
Everything about the vertigo line I have encountered has been so lovely, but this gem truly takes my breath away
Everything about the vertigo line I have encountered has been so lovely, but this gem truly takes my breath away
February 11, 2023
This series continues to entertain. I am excited to keep reading.
June 30, 2023
Love this series - I didn't get into it during the initial run but am glad to be catching up now.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews