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Sandman Mystery Theatre (collected editions) #8
Sandman Mystery Theatre, Vol. 8: The Blackhawk and the Return of the Scarlet Ghost
In this series of noir detective tales of intrigue, bigotry and incest, millionaire Wesley Dodds takes on the costumed persona of the Sandman in 1930s New York donning a gas mask, fedora, business suit and cape to fight the forces of evil.
In this eighth volume, in the early days of World War II, the Sandman finds himself drawn into international intrigue when a brash young Polish pilot petitions him to finance the resistance efforts overseas. But a string of murders seems to follow this pilot, whom the Sandman will come to know as Blackhawk.
Then, the Sandman examines the seedy world of pulp publishing in 1930's New York. With the market for dime novels dwindling, publishers are willing to try anything - even crime. Wesley Dodds sets out to learn why one publisher has become a target for sabotage and murder.
In this eighth volume, in the early days of World War II, the Sandman finds himself drawn into international intrigue when a brash young Polish pilot petitions him to finance the resistance efforts overseas. But a string of murders seems to follow this pilot, whom the Sandman will come to know as Blackhawk.
Then, the Sandman examines the seedy world of pulp publishing in 1930's New York. With the market for dime novels dwindling, publishers are willing to try anything - even crime. Wesley Dodds sets out to learn why one publisher has become a target for sabotage and murder.
224 pages, Paperback
First published April 13, 2010
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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 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 11, 2017
I loved/love this series. The stories and art were so consistent. This volume collects two stories that I particularly enjoyed, which originally appeared in issues 45-52. DC seems to have deserted this reprint project eighteen issues shy of completion which is a criminal shame, depriving readers new and old of one of their true jewels.
September 20, 2023
Commenting on this volume since it's unfortunately the last SMT story in trade paperback format (for now at least, but all issues are on DC Universe with an Ultra subscription), and since the stories are pretty consistent: Wesley Dodds fights crime in 1930's New York as the vigilante Sandman, haunted by prophetic dreams. The various storylines follow a similar structure of a demented killer of some kind that the Sandman must contend with, and we get some occasional cameos from other JSA characters like Hourman, a pre-Starman Ted Knight, and Jim Corrigan. The glue that helps tie these stories together is Wesley's girlfriend Dian Belmont, and their evolving relationship as she discovers, and deals with his dual identity. Wesley and Dian in this book are one of the fleshed out and loveable couples that I can think of in comics, and one of the major elements that makes this such a great read years later.
November 17, 2011
The Blackhawk was the better written story but The Return of the Scarlet Ghost was more interesting, as it tried to bring together all the different incarnations of the Sandman. The pulp mags angle in the story was alot of fun.
September 8, 2011
One of my favorite series, consistently great until the end. This volume features a great nod to the Golden Age "Sandy the Golden Boy" (who grew up to become one of my favorite, neglected JSA characters, Sand Hawkins). So glad DC is collecting these, however slowly.
January 6, 2023
Il primo story-arc del volume è incentrato su Prohaska, l'aviatore noto come Blackhawk. Ambientato poco prima dello scoppio della seconda guerra mondiale. Giunto negli States in cerca di finanziatori per la creazione di un gruppo di resistenza contro i nazisti, avrà a che fare anche con i sostenitori dei nazisti in America. La storia, nel complesso abbastanza amara e tragica, rappresenta bene il futuro oscuro in arrivo.
Il secondo ciclo parla dell'editoria, della transizione dalle pulp stories ai fumetti. Incontriamo il Sandman dei pulp e del fumetto in una classica crime story della serie. Tra protagonisti brutali ed ignoranti e vicende torbide, finirà con una bomba che manderà in ospedale Dian Belmont.
Nel complesso 4 stelle.
Il secondo ciclo parla dell'editoria, della transizione dalle pulp stories ai fumetti. Incontriamo il Sandman dei pulp e del fumetto in una classica crime story della serie. Tra protagonisti brutali ed ignoranti e vicende torbide, finirà con una bomba che manderà in ospedale Dian Belmont.
Nel complesso 4 stelle.
September 26, 2023
The final volume of this throwback series that's been collected in trade (fingers crossed they'll finish the run with their recent repubishings), this is consistent with the previous volumes, in that it's a solid noir taking place in the 1930s where we get little easter eggs of golden age DC characters. Usually, the JSA-era appearances don't hold much nostalgic appeal to me, as it's not part of the DC universe that I enjoy, but in this volume we have a fun section, rendered in a very different art style than the rest of the series, where we see a ton of incarnations of Sandman, including Neil Gaiman's Morpheus.
October 20, 2025
As always this remains a great series. I didn't like this volume quite as much as some of the others because these stories aren't horror, and the series works best with horror stories. Instead, we get a new interpretation of Blackhawk, who turns out to be pretty unlikeable but then redeems himself in the end in a way. Then we get a story dealing with the pulp magazine and comic publishing industry back in 1939. The last panel is a bombshell.
June 19, 2017
Viimane seniilmunud taastrükitud sarjast, Scarlet Ghosti lõpunumber kandis järjekorranumbrit #52. Kogu sari aga oli 70 osa, seega on veel oodata küll. Paraku läheb taas-taastrükiga veel mõned aastad aega kuni sinnamaani jõutakse, siin pole muud kui pöialt pidada et hoogu ikka jaguks ja et kinni ei kiiluks nagu eelmise taastrükiga juhtus...
February 22, 2024
it was hard for me to get through
July 4, 2024
I am happy to see this line of trades continue. 2, maybe 3 more, and we'll have the entire series compiled in trade paperback format. Good reads one and all.
May 1, 2010
Still a good series, but I find myself tiring of the "everybody's a bigot" theme. Maybe if these particular stories had been a little more compelling, I wouldn't have fixated on that particular element, but "The Blackhawk" brings nothing new to the table. "The Return of the Scarlet Ghost" was a little more interesting, as it tried to bring together all the different incarnations of the Sandman: the original comic superhero, Gaiman's Dream, and the modernized Mystery Theater take on the character.
Still, it seemed like most of the story was focused to heavily on a trio of not terribly interesting thugs. It might have worked better if the story had featured The Face as its main villain, working directly against Wesley, rather than just having him sort of show up to act as additional muscle.
Still, it seemed like most of the story was focused to heavily on a trio of not terribly interesting thugs. It might have worked better if the story had featured The Face as its main villain, working directly against Wesley, rather than just having him sort of show up to act as additional muscle.
November 8, 2012
Originaly bought as single-issues, I have the complete collection.
Somehow, Matt Wagner and Guy Davis were the perfect team to bring the original Sandman back.
Where most writers would have updated the character to bring him into the 21st century, Matt Wagner goes way back to his original roots set in the 1940s and gives us a bare bones version of the character.
This isn't a super-hero, he doesn't jump from rooftops, he's faillable, he's a well-rounded, caring human being, heck he's not even muscle-bound, he could probably even lose a bit of weight. You actually get the impression that he has to make an effort to do the things he does. Add to that the more than believable love interest of Dian and you have the setting for some great stories.
These stories should be re-collected into Absolute or Deluxe editions... even if I might be the only one buying them :-)
Somehow, Matt Wagner and Guy Davis were the perfect team to bring the original Sandman back.
Where most writers would have updated the character to bring him into the 21st century, Matt Wagner goes way back to his original roots set in the 1940s and gives us a bare bones version of the character.
This isn't a super-hero, he doesn't jump from rooftops, he's faillable, he's a well-rounded, caring human being, heck he's not even muscle-bound, he could probably even lose a bit of weight. You actually get the impression that he has to make an effort to do the things he does. Add to that the more than believable love interest of Dian and you have the setting for some great stories.
These stories should be re-collected into Absolute or Deluxe editions... even if I might be the only one buying them :-)
March 10, 2012
Love seeing the relationship between Wesley and Dian develop. Great ending. Hope there are more volumes to come.
October 15, 2016
I really love this series!
November 27, 2020
Another good volume of one of the better comic series to come out of the 90s. It’s unfortunate this is the last volume collected.
January 19, 2014
Sometimes I forget how terrific this series was.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews