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The Dreaming (2018)
Empty Shells
Even the Lord of Dreams is powerless against the storm of lost love. As with his predecessor Morpheus, Lord Daniel will find love in the last place anyone could have hoped for... the realm of the mortals. And as with all romantic entanglements between mortals and the Endless, things are destined to be doomed. Meanwhile, a newly awakened mind in the Dreaming brings with it radical changes that may undo reality itself! Collects The Dreaming #7-12.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 14, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
February 20, 2020
I enjoyed volume one but completely lost interest with this obtuse story of explaining what happened to Daniel while Daniel is barely in the book. I didn't care for Abigail Larson's art in this two-parter either. It wasn't until we returned to World's End 2/3rds of the way through that I grew interested again. Up to that point in this book, there was very little story focusing more on flowery language that put my brain to sleep. The book was a dud for me for a lot of it but the last 2 issues did pick back up once Spurrier focused on the storytelling.
September 19, 2022
The middle piece in a trilogy is always a little disappointing but this one kept me interested enough to immediately buy the last installment. And now I just need more time to read.
January 4, 2026
We finally get an explanation for why Dream abandoned his realm in the first volume: As a freshly minted cosmic entity, wanting to understand mortals more, Daniel falls for one, but his enemies use the girl to poison him and lock him out of his own realm. He ends up severely weakened and heartbroken, and his lover ODs and ends up in a coma.
Knowing his foes are persistent, he enacts a foolproof plan. Dream steals a cosmic egg from Titania, the Faerie Queen, goes to hell to incubate it, blesses the egg with fortune at a spectral bar, and creates a new universe from it to escape his foes. He then takes his beloved there, sealing the door behind them. Dora and Mathew retrace his steps, trying to find him, only to discover that none can follow where the king of dreams has gone.
This volume got kind of boring in the middle, and the guest artist's art for the first two issues just wasn’t it for me. Still not sure what’s going on with the giant AI moth now in charge of the Dreaming, and I have no idea who the big bad revealed at the end was, but the main story continues to save the book for me, not to mention Bilques’ phenomenal art for the rest of the volume. This is a 3.5 star read, but I’m rounding it off to 4 because of the art.
Knowing his foes are persistent, he enacts a foolproof plan. Dream steals a cosmic egg from Titania, the Faerie Queen, goes to hell to incubate it, blesses the egg with fortune at a spectral bar, and creates a new universe from it to escape his foes. He then takes his beloved there, sealing the door behind them. Dora and Mathew retrace his steps, trying to find him, only to discover that none can follow where the king of dreams has gone.
This volume got kind of boring in the middle, and the guest artist's art for the first two issues just wasn’t it for me. Still not sure what’s going on with the giant AI moth now in charge of the Dreaming, and I have no idea who the big bad revealed at the end was, but the main story continues to save the book for me, not to mention Bilques’ phenomenal art for the rest of the volume. This is a 3.5 star read, but I’m rounding it off to 4 because of the art.
February 9, 2020
I really liked the first volume in this series but ended up skimming most of this one. I think the reason I liked the first one is because while it did a good job with the ensemble cast it was still mostly about Dora, who is definitely the most interesting character here. This one focused on the new Dream and his ~romance with a human woman~ for the first couple issues and by that time I had already lost interesting. Honestly the least interesting part of the Sandman universe has always been its main character, but I just don't think I'm in a place where I can bring myself to muddle through all the other stuff going on when I really just care about Dora. Sandman has always been very hit or miss for me and while I did feel obligated to make myself finish the original series I just don't feel the same with this.
December 2, 2022
Not sure what the hell is going on in Simon Spurrier’s The Dreaming Volume Two: “Empty Shells”, but I’ll be honest: I just like it for the pretty pictures anyway. Bilquis Evely and Abigail Larson provide some of the best, dreamy comic book artwork I’ve seen in a while. The artwork reminds me enough of the original Sandman artwork to make me momentarily forget that this is not written by Neil Gaiman. There’s a helluva lot of characters rambling on about… stuff. Some of it’s interesting, some of it is incomprehensible. There’s a lady with a heart-shaped cigarette lighter who has a daughter who dated the Lord of Dreams but gave him a tattoo which made him vulnerable and weak and it looks like Desire had something to do with it and, meanwhile, in the Dreaming, the bug-eyed giant moth-child that now rules the Dreaming is trying to figure out what certain things mean, like dreams, and the House of Mystery is on fire but nobody cares because everybody’s stuck in an endless story-within-a-story until Nora comes along and saves the day. Anyway, that’s my take-away…
January 17, 2020
Si Spurrier’s Dreaming epic continues in this second volume, with an interlude that explains where the Lord of Dreams has disappeared to, before we return to the main story and see just how far the Dreaming has fallen, and how far it has left to go.
The first two issue story is a wonderful tour-de-force of continuity, as Spurrier puts Daniel’s downfall square in his crosshairs, but tells it from the perspective of a love story instead. Dream himself is hardly in the issues, but his presence is absolutely felt when it is, and the way in which he is shanghaied feels reminiscent of the way in which Morpheus before him often landed himself in hot water. The art in these issues is by Abigail Larson instead of the usual Bilquis Evely, but the lighter visuals give these flashbacks the ethereal quality of a dream half-remembered, which is exactly the point.
Then we return to Wan, the new ruler of the Dreaming, as he attempts to sort out the mess that Daniel’s departure has made. Seeing a being made entirely of logic attempt to handle something entirely illogical is always fun, but the dark turn that things take ups the stakes considerably. Spurrier keeps the book an ensemble, with focus for Matthew, Cain, Abel, Dora, and Merv in equal measure, and Evely’s artwork remains top notch throughout.
The Dreaming is the closest to a Sandman follow-up as we’re likely to get I expect, but that doesn’t stop it from exceeding all expectations and being absolutely brilliant both despite and because of all that came before it. The artwork’s exquisite, the writing is on point, and I cannot wait to see what Spurrier throws at us next.
The first two issue story is a wonderful tour-de-force of continuity, as Spurrier puts Daniel’s downfall square in his crosshairs, but tells it from the perspective of a love story instead. Dream himself is hardly in the issues, but his presence is absolutely felt when it is, and the way in which he is shanghaied feels reminiscent of the way in which Morpheus before him often landed himself in hot water. The art in these issues is by Abigail Larson instead of the usual Bilquis Evely, but the lighter visuals give these flashbacks the ethereal quality of a dream half-remembered, which is exactly the point.
Then we return to Wan, the new ruler of the Dreaming, as he attempts to sort out the mess that Daniel’s departure has made. Seeing a being made entirely of logic attempt to handle something entirely illogical is always fun, but the dark turn that things take ups the stakes considerably. Spurrier keeps the book an ensemble, with focus for Matthew, Cain, Abel, Dora, and Merv in equal measure, and Evely’s artwork remains top notch throughout.
The Dreaming is the closest to a Sandman follow-up as we’re likely to get I expect, but that doesn’t stop it from exceeding all expectations and being absolutely brilliant both despite and because of all that came before it. The artwork’s exquisite, the writing is on point, and I cannot wait to see what Spurrier throws at us next.
June 2, 2021
Bueno bueno bueno, que aquí las cosas empiezan a mejorar. Cáscaras Vacías es el segundo arco argumental de The Dreaming, la "serie principal" del Universo Sandman lanzado por DC y tutelado por Neil Gaiman, veintimuchos años después del final de The Sandman. Y si el tomo anterior había servido para remover el universo establecido por la serie de Gaiman, con la desaparición de Lord Sueño de su reino, la brecha, la aparición del Juez Gallows, el declive de Lucien, la presentación de Dora y la llegada de una nueva criatura al Sueño, una nueva criatura que bien podría ser un Eterno o algo completamente distinto, en Cáscaras Vacías Spurrier nos cuenta dos historias bien definidas y separadas. Por un lado, tenemos a la criatura recién llegada y aún innominada que ha comenzado a regentar el Sueño (y a la que de aquí en adelante vamos a llamar Pálido, ya que es el nombre que se da a sí misma al final de la historia) charlando con Abel mientras recorren el Sueño y se va a adaptando a su recién adquirida divinidad, mientras tratan de analizar las propias acciones de Abel y la muerte y desaparición de Caín. Y por otro lado, Dora y Matthew se lanzan a la búsqueda de Lord Daniel, lo que les va a llevar a recorrer el Reino de las Hadas, el Infierno y, en un homenaje a uno de los mejores arcos de The Sandman (lo digo como si hubiera habido alguno malo... pero en fin), a la Posada en el Fin del Mundo, donde personajes procedentes de diferentes mundos cuentan sus historias. Y la verdad es que aquí guionista y dibujantes están inmensos, las cosas como son. De hecho sigo pensando que no le pongo las cinco estrellas por la comparación directa con The Sandman...
Pero no solo esto, dentro de este tomo hay un arco de dos números llamado simplemente Amor que recupera a otro de los personajes míticos de The Sandman: la mismísima Rose Walker, protagonista completa del segundo arco de la colección, La Casa de Muñecas, que llega para hablarnos de como ha sido su vida desde la desaparición de Morfeo, o su transformación en Daniel... es decir, desde el final de la colección de Sandman, y nos cuenta la historia de amor entre la hija de Rose y el propio Daniel, justificando en esta el por qué Sueño abandonó su dominio... O justificándolo a medias, que aún hay mucho por saber.
Así que nada, encantado de volver a casa. Encantado de volver al Sueño.
Pero no solo esto, dentro de este tomo hay un arco de dos números llamado simplemente Amor que recupera a otro de los personajes míticos de The Sandman: la mismísima Rose Walker, protagonista completa del segundo arco de la colección, La Casa de Muñecas, que llega para hablarnos de como ha sido su vida desde la desaparición de Morfeo, o su transformación en Daniel... es decir, desde el final de la colección de Sandman, y nos cuenta la historia de amor entre la hija de Rose y el propio Daniel, justificando en esta el por qué Sueño abandonó su dominio... O justificándolo a medias, que aún hay mucho por saber.
Así que nada, encantado de volver a casa. Encantado de volver al Sueño.
November 6, 2023
This series is ambitious I'll give it that. Did I enjoy the scope and depth? well unfortunately it went way over my head at times and you seemingly need a degree in world mythology just to keep up. Other than the occasional hey heard that name before or might remember a few story highlights I didn't see the purpose of rattling off a dozen names every couple of pages. I enjoy a good story within the story. I liked the continuous story loop in the pub the was on fire. Evelies art was shows great details with very creative layouts with slick borders that pays homage to the original series quite well.
The ongoing narrative looks interesting enough to stick around and I know the creators are giving it their all I just really want to love this series.
The ongoing narrative looks interesting enough to stick around and I know the creators are giving it their all I just really want to love this series.
July 20, 2021
This is probably the most successful of the attempted re-boot of Neil Gaiman's world, but this is not a good comic. The artwork isn't bad, but the story is immensely tedious. Lots of stuff seems to be happening, but on closer inspection, pretty much nothing is really happening. I like Spurrier's work a lot and he seemed like a natural for a title like this, but the wheels seem to be spinning right now, without much in the way of progress.
April 6, 2024
What did I just read? A overly ambitious attempt to emulate Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore. This was a mishmash of incomprehensible ideas that never really gel into a cohesive narrative. Where's the vision? Where's the heart and the magic? Spurrier got to play with Gaiman's sandbox but he overreached imo. He fails to engage the reader and create something meaningful.
Kudos to Bilquis Evely though because she got it right and kills it on art.
Kudos to Bilquis Evely though because she got it right and kills it on art.
March 6, 2021
Loved the pub scene.
May 23, 2021
Just fill my trough up with this slop. This is my slop. Stories, dreams, mythology, in jokes about demonology, LORE - this is my slop.
April 3, 2021
Empty Shells is the continuation of the Dreaming storyline, featuring two different stories that fuel the overall narrative of the series. The first two issues, Love, Part One and Love, Part 2, serves as both a sequel and a prequel to the previous volume, as Borderlands calls it, a Pre-Sequel. The next four issues serve as the continuation of the prime narrative of Pathways and Emanations.
Love is a great way to catch a breath after the wild cliffhanger of Pathways and Emanations. Before the story, however, the art. If the entire series were in this art style, I do not know if I would enjoy it honestly. But, when used for a quick two issue side story, it is a perfect way to establish a story outside of the linear narrative of issue-to-issue. The artist for these two issues, Abigail Larson, does some incredible work, but for my eye, she emphasizes style over detail in some cases. Some faces looked indistinct, and some expressions were lost on me. Bilquis Evely is the primary artist for the series, and their work is more my style.
The storyline of Love occurs after the events of Pathways and Emanations, with constant flashbacks to the events leading up to Dream’s desertion of the Dreaming. What I truly enjoyed about this interlude is that it focuses on Rose Walker, a returning character from the original Sandman run, and picks up on some threads that were established during A Doll’s House, A Game of You, and a small part of The Wake. My love of the original probably propels this story higher, as it also ties heavily into some of the lore of the Endless, particularly Desire. I do not think that this story would work without Rose Walker as the vehicle for the narrative, but the choice to use Rose, and the rest of the Walker family, is the right one.
Love is a lot of exposition and not a lot of action, but it rewards original Sandman readers, and provides context for Dream being absent in The Dreaming. I did not know how I felt about the two issues until the panel of Dream holding Ivy, lovingly looking at her saying “she’s just sleeping” gave me goosebumps when I read it and gives me goosebumps thinking about it right now. To me, Love is an essential part of the Sandman canon now. If for some reason the rest of The Dreaming and the Sandman Universe crashes and burns, this two-issue tale will stand a mark of excellence.
The remains four issues return to Evely as the main artist and they are fantastic. They really make the Dreaming, and all the associated worlds pop. The colors are beautiful, the characters expressive, and overall, I love it.
The story also continues the excellence of Pathways and Emanations. Dora and Mathew are looking for Dream, while Able works with the new AI dream construct, Wan, to figure out its role in the Dreaming. The Dora storyline is an absolute treat, with each issue visiting a location that was featured in the original Sandman. The trip to Hell is fun as well as funny. The visit to an old character from the Sandman in the land of the Faeries is great, and really plays with the notion that you must be weary when striking a deal with the Fae Folk (something that is done exceptionally well in the Magicians television show). Of all the throwback locations, the issue in the World’s End pub is my favorite. I loved the frame tale set in the World’s End in that arc of the original series, and the return hit all the right notes with me.
The parallel narrative of Wan deciding that it is insane, trying to logically make sense of an inherently illogical realm is engaging. Wan’s eventual assumption of the role as the de facto leader of the Dreaming puts the story on interesting footing, with some great foreshadowing of potential pitfalls of Wan’s upcoming reign.
The Dreaming series continues to excite me. I’m disappointed only in the fact that there are three collected volumes, but I am absolutely loving the entire ride. This is also a 5/5.
Love is a great way to catch a breath after the wild cliffhanger of Pathways and Emanations. Before the story, however, the art. If the entire series were in this art style, I do not know if I would enjoy it honestly. But, when used for a quick two issue side story, it is a perfect way to establish a story outside of the linear narrative of issue-to-issue. The artist for these two issues, Abigail Larson, does some incredible work, but for my eye, she emphasizes style over detail in some cases. Some faces looked indistinct, and some expressions were lost on me. Bilquis Evely is the primary artist for the series, and their work is more my style.
The storyline of Love occurs after the events of Pathways and Emanations, with constant flashbacks to the events leading up to Dream’s desertion of the Dreaming. What I truly enjoyed about this interlude is that it focuses on Rose Walker, a returning character from the original Sandman run, and picks up on some threads that were established during A Doll’s House, A Game of You, and a small part of The Wake. My love of the original probably propels this story higher, as it also ties heavily into some of the lore of the Endless, particularly Desire. I do not think that this story would work without Rose Walker as the vehicle for the narrative, but the choice to use Rose, and the rest of the Walker family, is the right one.
Love is a lot of exposition and not a lot of action, but it rewards original Sandman readers, and provides context for Dream being absent in The Dreaming. I did not know how I felt about the two issues until the panel of Dream holding Ivy, lovingly looking at her saying “she’s just sleeping” gave me goosebumps when I read it and gives me goosebumps thinking about it right now. To me, Love is an essential part of the Sandman canon now. If for some reason the rest of The Dreaming and the Sandman Universe crashes and burns, this two-issue tale will stand a mark of excellence.
The remains four issues return to Evely as the main artist and they are fantastic. They really make the Dreaming, and all the associated worlds pop. The colors are beautiful, the characters expressive, and overall, I love it.
The story also continues the excellence of Pathways and Emanations. Dora and Mathew are looking for Dream, while Able works with the new AI dream construct, Wan, to figure out its role in the Dreaming. The Dora storyline is an absolute treat, with each issue visiting a location that was featured in the original Sandman. The trip to Hell is fun as well as funny. The visit to an old character from the Sandman in the land of the Faeries is great, and really plays with the notion that you must be weary when striking a deal with the Fae Folk (something that is done exceptionally well in the Magicians television show). Of all the throwback locations, the issue in the World’s End pub is my favorite. I loved the frame tale set in the World’s End in that arc of the original series, and the return hit all the right notes with me.
The parallel narrative of Wan deciding that it is insane, trying to logically make sense of an inherently illogical realm is engaging. Wan’s eventual assumption of the role as the de facto leader of the Dreaming puts the story on interesting footing, with some great foreshadowing of potential pitfalls of Wan’s upcoming reign.
The Dreaming series continues to excite me. I’m disappointed only in the fact that there are three collected volumes, but I am absolutely loving the entire ride. This is also a 5/5.
August 16, 2020
233/365
"La mayoría de sueños no son más que recuerdos e imaginación, todo mezclado. Las cosas no tienen sentido hasta que se disponen de cierta forma. Una interpretación inspirada del caos, ¿sabéis? En el fondo, eso es lo que es una historia: una mentira pulcra que tiene más sentido que la sucia verdad...".
Puede que "El sueño" sea la historia del Universo Sandman que me cuesta más seguir en algunos puntos, pero también la considero mi favorita junto a Lucifer y los Libros de Magia, porque de todas es la que más apuesta por reinventarse, por jugar con la mitología, las historias, los formatos y es un absoluto canto a la imaginación que supone Sandman.
En este tomo, recuperamos a Rose Walker y cierta taberna donde se paga con historias, y además seguimos con la búsqueda del Señor del Sueño. Todo ello con personajes extraños, viejos y nuevos, tramas insólitas, viejas y nuevas, y una sensación de que estamos en un mundo denso, complejo e inesperado como un buen sueño.
"La mayoría de sueños no son más que recuerdos e imaginación, todo mezclado. Las cosas no tienen sentido hasta que se disponen de cierta forma. Una interpretación inspirada del caos, ¿sabéis? En el fondo, eso es lo que es una historia: una mentira pulcra que tiene más sentido que la sucia verdad...".
Puede que "El sueño" sea la historia del Universo Sandman que me cuesta más seguir en algunos puntos, pero también la considero mi favorita junto a Lucifer y los Libros de Magia, porque de todas es la que más apuesta por reinventarse, por jugar con la mitología, las historias, los formatos y es un absoluto canto a la imaginación que supone Sandman.
En este tomo, recuperamos a Rose Walker y cierta taberna donde se paga con historias, y además seguimos con la búsqueda del Señor del Sueño. Todo ello con personajes extraños, viejos y nuevos, tramas insólitas, viejas y nuevas, y una sensación de que estamos en un mundo denso, complejo e inesperado como un buen sueño.
December 3, 2019
Of the new 'Sandman Universe' books that started in 2018, 'The Dreaming' has quickly become my favorite.
The writing is consistently excellent, with lyrical passages and intertwining stories that make frequent reference to the Sandman and even the original Books of Magic series. Simon Spurrier has clearly done his homework in putting together a multifaceted, threaded tale with both new characters and familiar ones. Neil Gaiman created a rich universe to play in, and Spurrier takes full advantage of it by removing the Dream King and setting the entire realm of the Dreaming on its head. He also makes it his own, with surprising twists and fun dialogue that even Gaiman might not have thought of, which certainly keeps it interesting.
The art, while coming from different artists with varying styles through the different arcs of story, is similarly excellent. Sometimes impressionistic and minimal, sometimes rich in detail, the art is always expressive of the themes and events being illustrated.
Bear in mind that this new series is a complete reboot, faithful to Gaiman's original work but completely ignoring the former long-running series 'The Dreaming' from the late 1990's. None of the events of that series seems to have been carried over to this one. These pages continue the story of recalcitrant hero Dora, who seeks (or gets dragged along) to find the missing lord of the realm. Familiar characters like Matthew the Raven, Cain and Abel, and Merv Pumpkinhead make their appearances, visiting Hell and Faerie and other strange lands. There's a new (and kind of scary) boss in town, and plenty of mystery and surprises along the way.
I want to give special notice to the two-issue arc the opens this volume: "Love" parts 1 and 2. Evocative and strange and haunting, this story within the story brings back a character from the pages of Sandman and gives her a delightful spin and a deft hand. I was impressed by how well it was handled, both in Spurrier's clever writing and the fine art style adopted by artist Abigail Larson. The story in these two issues works as a self-contained tale, but also bears weight in the overall plot of The Dreaming - a style of storytelling that reminded me more than ever of Gaiman's own multilayered work in the Sandman.
Overall, the Sandman Universe is a bit hit and miss, and only rarely does it live up to the richness and the quality of its inspiration. In 'The Dreaming,' however, I've found what I hoped for - a story and a style that reminds me of why I love the Sandman in the first place. It both does justice to the source material and expands upon it - a trick worthy of the Lord of Dreams himself.
The writing is consistently excellent, with lyrical passages and intertwining stories that make frequent reference to the Sandman and even the original Books of Magic series. Simon Spurrier has clearly done his homework in putting together a multifaceted, threaded tale with both new characters and familiar ones. Neil Gaiman created a rich universe to play in, and Spurrier takes full advantage of it by removing the Dream King and setting the entire realm of the Dreaming on its head. He also makes it his own, with surprising twists and fun dialogue that even Gaiman might not have thought of, which certainly keeps it interesting.
The art, while coming from different artists with varying styles through the different arcs of story, is similarly excellent. Sometimes impressionistic and minimal, sometimes rich in detail, the art is always expressive of the themes and events being illustrated.
Bear in mind that this new series is a complete reboot, faithful to Gaiman's original work but completely ignoring the former long-running series 'The Dreaming' from the late 1990's. None of the events of that series seems to have been carried over to this one. These pages continue the story of recalcitrant hero Dora, who seeks (or gets dragged along) to find the missing lord of the realm. Familiar characters like Matthew the Raven, Cain and Abel, and Merv Pumpkinhead make their appearances, visiting Hell and Faerie and other strange lands. There's a new (and kind of scary) boss in town, and plenty of mystery and surprises along the way.
I want to give special notice to the two-issue arc the opens this volume: "Love" parts 1 and 2. Evocative and strange and haunting, this story within the story brings back a character from the pages of Sandman and gives her a delightful spin and a deft hand. I was impressed by how well it was handled, both in Spurrier's clever writing and the fine art style adopted by artist Abigail Larson. The story in these two issues works as a self-contained tale, but also bears weight in the overall plot of The Dreaming - a style of storytelling that reminded me more than ever of Gaiman's own multilayered work in the Sandman.
Overall, the Sandman Universe is a bit hit and miss, and only rarely does it live up to the richness and the quality of its inspiration. In 'The Dreaming,' however, I've found what I hoped for - a story and a style that reminds me of why I love the Sandman in the first place. It both does justice to the source material and expands upon it - a trick worthy of the Lord of Dreams himself.
August 9, 2021
Amei acompanhar a jornada de Dora. Eu já havia me apaixonado por ela no Volume 1, agora o carinho pela personagem não apenas assentou como quero muito mais dessa jornada.
Engana-se quem espera que esta história seja mais um ode à Sonho (Morpheus ou Daniel). Embora Dora siga atrás do Perpétuo, essa é uma jornada dela. Dela e da Inteligência Artificial que a segue pelos olhos do corvo Mathew.
Mais do que isso é uma perfeita forma de ensinar como nasce um Sonho (ou, se assim quiser interpretar, uma história ou uma personagem).
A conclusão oferece um gancho muito bom para o Volume 3 (seguindo a linha do Volume 1 de apresentar uma personagem nova, gerando curiosidade pela continuação).
Engana-se quem espera que esta história seja mais um ode à Sonho (Morpheus ou Daniel). Embora Dora siga atrás do Perpétuo, essa é uma jornada dela. Dela e da Inteligência Artificial que a segue pelos olhos do corvo Mathew.
Mais do que isso é uma perfeita forma de ensinar como nasce um Sonho (ou, se assim quiser interpretar, uma história ou uma personagem).
A conclusão oferece um gancho muito bom para o Volume 3 (seguindo a linha do Volume 1 de apresentar uma personagem nova, gerando curiosidade pela continuação).
December 21, 2020
This volume has two perfect issues: "Love" parts 1 and 2 reveal what's going on with Daniel, but do so very artfully by telling stories about revisiting old friends. They're a perfect continuation of Sandman.
The rest of the volume is perfectly OK, but like the volume that came before. The denizens of the Dreaming MacGuffin quest while forces move against them, and it all occurs pretty slowly. It's an enjoyable read, but sadly not up to the quality that Spurrier reveals in those two perfect issues.
The rest of the volume is perfectly OK, but like the volume that came before. The denizens of the Dreaming MacGuffin quest while forces move against them, and it all occurs pretty slowly. It's an enjoyable read, but sadly not up to the quality that Spurrier reveals in those two perfect issues.
April 28, 2024
The Dreaming Vol. 2: Empty Shells
Daniel, former Lord of the Dreaming, tries to understand the lives of mortals, so strikes up a relationship with Ivy, daughter of Rose Walker - who was a Dream vortex. As the Dreaming begins to collapse, a new order must be instated.
Some great ideas in this book and the graphics add a fluid, dreamlike quality to the page.
Daniel, former Lord of the Dreaming, tries to understand the lives of mortals, so strikes up a relationship with Ivy, daughter of Rose Walker - who was a Dream vortex. As the Dreaming begins to collapse, a new order must be instated.
Some great ideas in this book and the graphics add a fluid, dreamlike quality to the page.
May 13, 2021
I really enjoyed this! Dora is fast becoming my favourite character and the moth entity is awesome too.
Great art, intriguing story - I look forward to continuing this series.
Great art, intriguing story - I look forward to continuing this series.
June 19, 2022
A journey to find a story. Dream is lost but still present in everyone's thoughts. Some good philosophical points brought up.
August 19, 2022
The second volume of this was noticeably better. The story is picking up- we find out what Dream has been up to, we get a significant cameo of a beloved character from the original comics run, and the mysterious Dora decides to help find Dream. The writing style is smoother and more evocative, allowing you to settle in with the story and get comfortable. It ends on a cliffhanger and I'm hoping that they're able to stick the landing in the finale.
January 31, 2021
This Volume was my favorite of the trilogy, as it were.
In this Volume we see more of Daniel and his ill-fated romance, and we find out why he left the Dreaming to fall apart. He also seems to be on a quest to find certain objects - what will become of this quest? (I had a theory which turned out to be completely wrong, but which I might've somewhat preferred to what actually happened. Heh.)
As Daniel is off on his quest, the Dreaming is still falling apart. But the Box-thing from the first Volume eventually hatches, and someone new takes over the Dreaming. A creature of logic and order and... maybe something more?
Cain and Abel play a pretty decent sized role in this story. And poor Lucien...
Once again, the artwork by Bilquis Evely is amazing. There's some other art thrown into this one which I didn't find as good - or maybe just the transitions were jarring - but I always appreciated the return to Evely's work more than the forays into the others.
In this Volume we see more of Daniel and his ill-fated romance, and we find out why he left the Dreaming to fall apart. He also seems to be on a quest to find certain objects - what will become of this quest? (I had a theory which turned out to be completely wrong, but which I might've somewhat preferred to what actually happened. Heh.)
As Daniel is off on his quest, the Dreaming is still falling apart. But the Box-thing from the first Volume eventually hatches, and someone new takes over the Dreaming. A creature of logic and order and... maybe something more?
Cain and Abel play a pretty decent sized role in this story. And poor Lucien...
Once again, the artwork by Bilquis Evely is amazing. There's some other art thrown into this one which I didn't find as good - or maybe just the transitions were jarring - but I always appreciated the return to Evely's work more than the forays into the others.
April 16, 2022
This was so much better than the last volume. The story feels more focused, there's more connections to the Sandman comics, like an update on Rose Walker!! I was wondering what happened to her after The Sandman, and here we get to learn what happened to her and her child! We also get to find out what exactly happened to Daniel Hall!Dream and there is still some stuff left for future stories, but I think this was a fantastic continuation of the series. The artwork was great as always, except for Issues 7 &8; I wasn't liking it very much and it didn't fit with the style of the series to me. If I had any other nitpicks it would be that the new ruler of The Dreaming, Wan, has dialogue that reads like an academic textbook on acid.
Overall, I'm so glad that this series has improved, and I hope it stays that way. That ending was truly wild. Although, the reasons given why Daniel Hall couldn't return to The Dreaming was interesting, but I can't help but feel that something is being contradicted here.
Overall, I'm so glad that this series has improved, and I hope it stays that way. That ending was truly wild. Although, the reasons given why Daniel Hall couldn't return to The Dreaming was interesting, but I can't help but feel that something is being contradicted here.
April 4, 2020
A bit tedious in the beginning, when the focus was on Daniel and his foray into human romance. It all felt rather familiar, what with the conspiracy to separate Dream from his powers and his kingdom and him going on a quest to retrieve his power. Wasn’t that the main focus of The early Sandman volumes?
Once we returned to the Dreaming, though, I did enjoy the interactions between Abel and their newest ruler, who is extremely creepy...
Once we returned to the Dreaming, though, I did enjoy the interactions between Abel and their newest ruler, who is extremely creepy...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2022
se fosse só a parte da Dora era 5 estrelas
mas tinha que ter aquela história chata e mal desenhada da rose
mas tinha que ter aquela história chata e mal desenhada da rose
February 17, 2020
I'm just not loving this series. The best parts are the callbacks to the original series by Gaiman, and when the best thing I can say about a book is that it makes me think of something I'd rather read instead...
January 28, 2023
Eine Geschichte über Dream ohne Dream? Das wollte im ersten Band von »The Dreaming« nicht so recht funktionieren. Der wilde Stil und das Durcheinander wird im zweiten Band etwas anders und der Autor Simon Spurrier orientiert sich wieder mehr am Original von Neil Gaiman, der mit dieser Reihe nichts zu tun hat. Außer natürlich, dass sich der Figuren bedient wird, die er in seiner Sandman-Reihe entworfen hat.
»Man muss sich auf Geschichten konzentrieren, nicht auf das Ende.« Diesen Satz findet der Leser im zweiten Band öfter und er beschreibt, was wirklich der Wesenszug dieser Fortsetzung ist. Denn die Sandman-Reihe war eine Geschichte über Geschichten, was am besten im World’s End verkörpert wird, die Kneipe, in der Geschichten die Bezahlung sind und die auch kurz in diesem Band auftaucht. Allerdings fehlt diesen Geschichten die Klasse eines Neil Gaiman.
Im Fokus steht natürlich noch immer die Suche nach Dream und noch immer ist sein Reich führerlos, aber nun wird auch ein Blick auf ihn selbst geworfen und gezeigt, weshalb er Probleme hat, in sein Reich zurückzukehren. Es ist in meinen Augen immerhin etwas und dadurch versprüht dieser zweite Band auch ein wenig den Flair der Original-Serie.
Optisch wird dem Leser wieder einiges geboten. Die Zeichnungen stammen wieder von unterschiedlichen Künstlern und die Optik ist mal bunt und schräg, mal düster und bedrohlich und mal eckig und kantig. Nicht jede Zeichnung traf meinen Künstlernerv, aber es gab auch einige, die einfach nur großartig waren und deren Anblick für die schwächelnde Geschichte entschädigte.
Fazit
Auch im zweiten Band werten die Zeichnungen den Band erheblich auf und haben den maßgeblichen Anteil daran, eine Empfehlung für dieses Buch auszusprechen. Es fehlt auf der einen Seite die erzählerische Klasse von Neil Gaiman, was aber auf der anderen Seiten durch die zeichnerische Leistung gut kompensiert werden kann. »The Dreaming« kommt auch im zweiten Band nicht an die Sandman-Reihe heran, weiß aber dennoch auf seine Art zu überzeugen, weshalb ich für Fans der Reihe eine Empfehlung aussprechen kann.
»Man muss sich auf Geschichten konzentrieren, nicht auf das Ende.« Diesen Satz findet der Leser im zweiten Band öfter und er beschreibt, was wirklich der Wesenszug dieser Fortsetzung ist. Denn die Sandman-Reihe war eine Geschichte über Geschichten, was am besten im World’s End verkörpert wird, die Kneipe, in der Geschichten die Bezahlung sind und die auch kurz in diesem Band auftaucht. Allerdings fehlt diesen Geschichten die Klasse eines Neil Gaiman.
Im Fokus steht natürlich noch immer die Suche nach Dream und noch immer ist sein Reich führerlos, aber nun wird auch ein Blick auf ihn selbst geworfen und gezeigt, weshalb er Probleme hat, in sein Reich zurückzukehren. Es ist in meinen Augen immerhin etwas und dadurch versprüht dieser zweite Band auch ein wenig den Flair der Original-Serie.
Optisch wird dem Leser wieder einiges geboten. Die Zeichnungen stammen wieder von unterschiedlichen Künstlern und die Optik ist mal bunt und schräg, mal düster und bedrohlich und mal eckig und kantig. Nicht jede Zeichnung traf meinen Künstlernerv, aber es gab auch einige, die einfach nur großartig waren und deren Anblick für die schwächelnde Geschichte entschädigte.
Fazit
Auch im zweiten Band werten die Zeichnungen den Band erheblich auf und haben den maßgeblichen Anteil daran, eine Empfehlung für dieses Buch auszusprechen. Es fehlt auf der einen Seite die erzählerische Klasse von Neil Gaiman, was aber auf der anderen Seiten durch die zeichnerische Leistung gut kompensiert werden kann. »The Dreaming« kommt auch im zweiten Band nicht an die Sandman-Reihe heran, weiß aber dennoch auf seine Art zu überzeugen, weshalb ich für Fans der Reihe eine Empfehlung aussprechen kann.
September 28, 2020
3.5 Stars.
Let me start by boiling this entire Volume down into a few sentences summary.
- Dream falls in love a mortal woman named Ivy, who is able to convince him to get a tattoo. The tattoo is a symbol that was given to Ivy by (unbeknownst to her) a cult of ?witches?. The tattoo weakens Dream and he goes on a quest to overcome it. Dora goes on an adventure to find both Dream and Lucien. While Lucien is returned to The Dreaming, it is found out that Dream has hatched a cosmic egg and retreated with Ivy to an entirely new reality he just created. All of this helps the current leader of The Dreaming, the giant doll-like headed ghost moth thing, to take a new form and the name of Wan, to lead and guide The Dreaming in Dream's absence.
Ok, now... that summary comes after reading a very dialogue heavy Volume, written well, and like poetry, giving some truly beautiful moments... BUT... is almost completely summed up in the last 10 pages, finally giving clarity and context to the chaos and prose of the entirety of the Volume before it. Some of this is what I have come to expect from Sandman Universe graphic novels, but for whatever reason just struck me as slightly annoying this time.
I've narrowed it down... The thing I loved about the original title and all it's Volumes, was the dysfunctional family relationship taking place between all the members of The Endless, Dream's family. They are missing from these three current titles (this one, Books of Magic, and House of Secrets) and I really miss them. I hope this universe continues, but we get back to The Endless... perhaps seeking their help in pulling Dream back to this universe, and finally (as they started to do in Sandman Vol 10) coming to accept Daniel as the new Dream and what that means for all of them.
Still beautiful, still well written, and I'll still keep reading it, but...
Recommend.
Let me start by boiling this entire Volume down into a few sentences summary.
- Dream falls in love a mortal woman named Ivy, who is able to convince him to get a tattoo. The tattoo is a symbol that was given to Ivy by (unbeknownst to her) a cult of ?witches?. The tattoo weakens Dream and he goes on a quest to overcome it. Dora goes on an adventure to find both Dream and Lucien. While Lucien is returned to The Dreaming, it is found out that Dream has hatched a cosmic egg and retreated with Ivy to an entirely new reality he just created. All of this helps the current leader of The Dreaming, the giant doll-like headed ghost moth thing, to take a new form and the name of Wan, to lead and guide The Dreaming in Dream's absence.
Ok, now... that summary comes after reading a very dialogue heavy Volume, written well, and like poetry, giving some truly beautiful moments... BUT... is almost completely summed up in the last 10 pages, finally giving clarity and context to the chaos and prose of the entirety of the Volume before it. Some of this is what I have come to expect from Sandman Universe graphic novels, but for whatever reason just struck me as slightly annoying this time.
I've narrowed it down... The thing I loved about the original title and all it's Volumes, was the dysfunctional family relationship taking place between all the members of The Endless, Dream's family. They are missing from these three current titles (this one, Books of Magic, and House of Secrets) and I really miss them. I hope this universe continues, but we get back to The Endless... perhaps seeking their help in pulling Dream back to this universe, and finally (as they started to do in Sandman Vol 10) coming to accept Daniel as the new Dream and what that means for all of them.
Still beautiful, still well written, and I'll still keep reading it, but...
Recommend.
March 21, 2020
This volume starts by filling in a lot of the missing pieces from the previous volume, explaining what happened to Daniel and why the Dreaming is in its current state. That it does so by building off of a character from the original Sandman is kind of expected, but also very well done, as Rose details the events to a bedridden and amnesiac Lucien. The story is powerful, weaving in a lot of the human-level Dreaming pieces in a complex but effective web. The rest of the book balances between the Moth's attempts at governing Dreaming (with hints of its most dangerous ability), and Dora and Matthew having adventures as they try to hunt down Daniel's path. That is the liveliest of the stories, with intriguing characters, visits with past favorites, and a great issue built around stories in Worlds End. Moth and Abel make for an interesting pair, and it felt like that side of the plot was more set-up than action, even with its final reveal.
This volume features much more plot than the first, which I kind of remember only as a vortex of emotions and battle. I prefer this more grounded story that still retains all the magic of the Dreaming and does a masterful job of weaving the old and the new, and also provides some stunning vistas and images in Bilquis Everly's gorgeous art. This story is definitely moving in the right direction, and is, at least so far, another worthy addition to the Sandman Universe.
This volume features much more plot than the first, which I kind of remember only as a vortex of emotions and battle. I prefer this more grounded story that still retains all the magic of the Dreaming and does a masterful job of weaving the old and the new, and also provides some stunning vistas and images in Bilquis Everly's gorgeous art. This story is definitely moving in the right direction, and is, at least so far, another worthy addition to the Sandman Universe.
December 5, 2020
I was dead wrong about this volume. Maybe it was the extended part with Abigail Larson's art, which compares rather unfavorably with that of Bilquis Evely (but then, almost any art would). As I was reading it, however, I felt something familiar and remembered something that had gotten hazy over the years since I read the original Sandman: the variation in art is in inherent in the Sandman Universe. It is part of its DNA. Furthermore, here it serves the purpose of illustrating the (mostly but not entirely) waking world, contrasted with the actual Dreaming and plane-hopping.
As to the story, it does not merely feel comfortable to use the same premise and pattern, oh no. It is actually a direct sequel to the events of the original Sandman, as well as Gaiman's original limited run on Books of Magic. Elements from almost thirty years ago are used expertly to further this strange-yet-familiar plot, as Daniel gets entangled with the Kincaid-Walker family who inadvertently undid his predecessor.
Good old fashioned misdirection and fairy deals, a visit to the World's End and a very weird human plot to take over the Dreaming, No, I am now definitely invested in this series. It is like finding an old friend, somewhat changed, but good for a good old fashioned escapade.
My only nagging loose end that I hope gets answered is why Nuala is back in Faerie and under Titania's thrall. The recap of the original Dreaming series gives most of an answer, but not quite.
As to the story, it does not merely feel comfortable to use the same premise and pattern, oh no. It is actually a direct sequel to the events of the original Sandman, as well as Gaiman's original limited run on Books of Magic. Elements from almost thirty years ago are used expertly to further this strange-yet-familiar plot, as Daniel gets entangled with the Kincaid-Walker family who inadvertently undid his predecessor.
Good old fashioned misdirection and fairy deals, a visit to the World's End and a very weird human plot to take over the Dreaming, No, I am now definitely invested in this series. It is like finding an old friend, somewhat changed, but good for a good old fashioned escapade.
My only nagging loose end that I hope gets answered is why Nuala is back in Faerie and under Titania's thrall. The recap of the original Dreaming series gives most of an answer, but not quite.
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