Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Random Review Corner

SK, please keep reviewing the Arsenal issues, as I def won't be getting them. Your thoughts are reflecting my own thus far on the overall direction of the GA verse.

I actually sent this review, and one for #1, to J.T. Krul.

This basically sums up the entire thing happening in Arrowland right now. But, bear in mind, it's a bunch of doodles.

http://LevyRasputin.deviantart.com/art/the-disaster-of-GA-for-dummies-161402585

Okay, I stopped by my back-up CBS today to get some Lone Ranger back issues and made an impulse buy where I totally succumbed to the nostalgia of my youth. I actually went and picked up Shadowhawk #1 by Image Comics.

I know what you're thinking: Cobie, are you crazy? But hold, faithful, lurker! You may have seen me speak of this before but when I was 12-14, and Image Comics was just starting, Shadowhawk was my favorite! When my father decided we were canceling all Image Comics after like the 3rd or 4th month, I pleaded my case and was able to keep both Shadowhawk and Spawn. I've always had a soft spot for Shadowhawk ever since. It was my gritty comic of my youth.

So, where does that leave me now? Well, the premise is the original Shadowhawk is back, after dying 10 years ago (after having AIDS when that was a serious new thing for comics). The premise itself is enough to excite me.

The execution, on the other hand, was merely "okay". Not bad, mind you, but not anything really spectacular. Putting aside any rose-colored memories of the original series I may have, this new relaunch is by all new comers on the creative team whom I don't know, with Jim Valentino overseeing things. My problem is they basically write Shadowhawk as a Frank Miller Daredevil type in terms of grittiness while the artwork is a bit more superhero-y than I would have liked. They bring the question up right in the comic: is he superhero or vigilante? I'd like them to decide and go with it.

Much too much time was spent with Shadowhawk fighting a super-villain. This is a #1--I need the supporting cast laid out and I need the entire spirit of the series established. That was a negative. How they are going to get this together since he's 'back from the dead' is beyond me but I hope they do.

They also need to remind me and show new readers what makes Shadowhawk different from Daredevil or Batman or other vigilantes. A black superhero isn't that rare anymore and I don't think he has AIDS now, so what makes him different? Let's get into that.

On the plus side, the artwork was very good, and I'm reminded why I like the characters look so much.

I'm also curious on whether they can resolve the back from the dead bit in a cool way. I'd like to see a real restoration of a cast and secret identity--if they can accomplish that, it'd be a big bonus.

Also on the plus side is that this really is the original Shadowhawk who is a no-nonsense badass. I hated when the next Shadowhawk was a young kid who was enthusiastic and naive and it basically made me stop collecting. Invincible already has that covered. The idea of a Daredevil that has crossed the line and keeps crossing it, while knowing he's done so and hating himself for it--that's a bit more intriguing to me. I'm hoping we get more of that.

I'm willing to give this series another 2 issues on nostalgia alone, which is something I wouldn't afford many other comics, even DC and Marvels. They need to win me over, and then I'll make a decision. I *want* to like this series because I have a soft spot for the character. But he's no Spider-Man or Legion, meaning I won't buy his series just 'cuz. I need a solid delivery every issue story-wise and art-wise.

Okay LW, I've got a random review for you, and specifically for Lardy. I picked up Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine by Marvel Comics the other day despite initially reading the solicitation and thinking it would get a HARD Pass. The reason is really that who in the world needs another Wolverine comic, or another Wolverine/Spider-Man comic? Well, as a major Spider-Man fan, after a little while, I started to think, maybe I actually do.

Then I saw Comic Book Resources gave an incredibly rare 5 out of 5 stars in its review of #1 which made me stand up and take notice. I shouldn't have been surprised: artwork is by Adam Kubert, who I have always loved and the writing is by Jason Aaron, who has been getting a shower of praise from Lardy, myself and the general comic book critic community for a long time. Aaron is the man, and this thread is chalk-full of reviews of comics Lardy has picked up based on his name.

My general reaction was: this is a pretty groovy Spidey/Wolvie story! I'm pretty glad I got it, and I'll definitely get the next two issues (making it highly likely I'll complete the six issue mini). The premise caught me totally off-guard, as I was expecting a street-level type story with ninjas or gangsters, which is kind of the stereotypical team-up these two heroes have. WRONG. We've got time travel, dinosaurs and pure superheroey goodness from the get-go. I can not only dig it, but I was feelin' super-fly about it.

Kubert's artwork is terrific and as a longtime fan who loved his Ka-Zar and Hulk in the Savage Lad stories, I was pleased as pie to see Kubert doing dinosaurs, cavemen, volcanos and all other manner of visual treats. (Spoiler that might influence you: the tale is *not* in the Savage Land).

But the real treat was the writing. Aaron is renowned for his seriousness and grittiness in Scalped but here he shows he can be a completely different writer when he wants to be. The story is serious, but there is a certain amount of fun to the plot. Aaron also just nails Spider-Man's voice, something many writers struggle with. He's funny, he's ironic, he's self-referential, but he's also brilliant, courageous and moral. I'm suddenly wishing he was writing some Amazing Spider-Man stories!

Aaron's real dynamic is the Logan/Peter relationship which he gets very well. These two aren't exactly pals and get under each other's skin quite a bit. They don't hate each other (like the forceful Batman & Superman hate each other nonsense of the late 80's/90's), but they really don't enjoy being around one another. And it makes for all kinds of awkward, tension-filled scenarios that Aaron loads with great dialogue.

I think this was a solid buy. Any Spider-Man fans looking for a Spidey fix but hating the current ASM, this might be for you. It also is a distinctly superhero story with sci-fi overtones.

One disclaimer I'd add though is this isn't exactly the most earth-shattering story of the year in terms of sense of importance, so I don't to overstate it. It fits within the category of 'terrific little yarn but in the grand scheme of things relatively unimportant to the larger mythos', which are types of stories I enjoy quite a bit (unless the maturing friendship between Peter and Logan counts as important to you).

At this point, Des, I've been very tempted to get Astonishing Spidey/Wolvie but have been put off by two things: the $3.99 cover price and the likelihood that it's going to experience HUGE delays with Adam Kubert on art.

I guess also knowing it's self-contained, as I believe is the mission statement of the Astonishing line, is also a double-edged sword. On one hand I know it's gonna have a beginning, middle and end. On the other, it's not likely to contain any significant developments for either character. It's hard for me to stand by that complaint, though, as I'm following neither character (or virtually any Marvel character, now) on a regular basis. So its appeal as a standalone could be just what I'm looking for.

I've thumbed through it. Hell, I'll thumb through anything with Aaron's name on it. I'm especially intrigued by your stating that Aaron nails Peter, especially given our recent back-and-forth over on the All-Spider-man thread.

I'm surprised actually at your restraint in not mentioning the <span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">mecha-Devil Dinosaur</span></span>, which tells everyone what they need to know about whether this project is for them or not. Though I haven't read the previous material in question, the idea definitely appeals to me!

At this point I feel sure I will pick it up, sooner or later. If it looks like it will be published in a timely manner, I may pay the steep per-issue price. Otherwise, I'm likely to wait for the trade. Either way...it will be mine!

So, Des, did my review above of the first Aaron-written Ghost Rider trade picque your interest?

Absolutely! I will definately be picking up the first Aaron GR trade the next time I do a big trade order (probably sometime in the next two months). I usually order 4-6 at a time, so I would probably do the GR, the next few Scalpeds and Air's I need and actually I might start to try to get into Hellboy, starting at the beginning. But your review nailed it for me and confirmed what I already suspected, that this would be right up my alley.

For AS/W, I left out the spoiler you have above because it was on the last page only, but you're right that it kind of sums up whether it is up someone's alley or not. I also figured the self-contained thing would be something you'd want to consider, given you usually like story arcs full of characterization with lasting, real repercussions on the characters; yet, you're so dissatissifed with Marvel these days, its unlikely you'd be getting ASM or any other titles with Wolvie or Spidey. This could be a way to get a quick fix. Too bad its $3.99 like you said. They pack it full of some nice pin-ups at the end so you get *something*, but I'll leave that up to you if you think a few pin-ups are worth the extra $1.00 (I tend to think they really aren't).

And yeah, given our recent conversation on which writers get Peter's voice, I actually had that in mind while I was reading the issue. Given, its only one issue of Aaron writing Pete, but I was surprised at how well I thought he nailed him. Especially since I'm used to him writing bad-ass, gritty characters, which Spidey isn't.

Man, I hope Kubert's art doesn't delay things. He hasn't really done anything lately so I'm hoping they gave him a huge head start.

I recently bought Sandman Mystery Theatre Vol.8: The Blackhawk & Return of the Scarlet Ghost.

In all honesty, it kind of freaked me out, mostly because the second arc dealt with the earlier days of the comic industruy as I'm trying to figure out a way to break into it.

Sanman Mystery Theatre is one of the best things from DC Comics. The only thing I had any kind of issue with, was the strict four issue arc format...but that was a minor thing in all reality. Actually talked with Guy Davis about that while the book was still being published.

I pretty much just need Vol.3 and 5, I can't buy the rest because I have about half of the arcs they haven't reprinted yet. The Crone, Cannon, and the Goblin.

Picked up #2 of this mini and I'm glad I'm reading it. I will definitely finish the story and find it to be a good read with all of the above good qualities still prominent in #2.

I think at this point if Luke had his own ongoing and it could be in this vein--street crime drama--I'd totally be buying it. I wish Arcudi could be writing Luke on a regular basis for solo stories while Bendis & Jeff Parker wrote him elsewhere in teams.

(Again, as someone who never bothered to give Luke a second notice until a few years ago, I'm surprised by how much I've grown to like him.)

I picked up a comic book I'd heard about but for whatever reason never bothered to get until now: Cowboy Ninja Viking. What makes this comic book unique is (A) it's really crazy premise and (B) it's format. I picked up #3 because I couldn't find #1 and #2.

The premise is that the lead character has four personalities: his main personality, and then also a cowboy, a ninja and a viking. And through that premise, #3 of CNV is actually hilarious, weird and awesome all at the same time. The back and forth between personalities is as you'd expect the hilarious part, and also makes the series a very weird, quirky kind of thing. Weird/quirky is good because I'm always looking for something different. The sense of awesome is the different characters interacting besides the lead, which includes two other 'triplets'.

One negative for me, however, was it was pretty hard to understand what was going on a bit. The chaotic nature of the script kept the sense of fun going but I just read it about 20 minutes ago and I already forgot all the names of the lead characters. So a little more clarity would be welcome.

On the other hand, the weirdness and sense of chaos is wild. In addition to the lead there are the two other triplet characters that are equally crazy: one is his ex-wife who is a samuri / sniper / chef, and the two of them interacting meant there were 8 personalities interacting.

I think part of the premise is each 'triplet' was supposed to have a personality that isn't ferocious in battle, so you get 'chef' and 'Amish preacher' in some, yet our lead doesn't have this limitation.

The format, the other unique thing about it is that this comic is in full on Golden Age format, with a much wider page. I'll admit that in a fickle way this kind of kept me limited from picking it up. Comics actually look better in a wider format because of more page space, but it doesn't fit with my collection and you have to get the wider plastics to put them in. But I got over it; I hope others will too.

The artwork is by Riley Rossmo (writing was by AJ Lieberman), both are creators I'm not too familiar with. Rossmo's artwork is a bit scratchy for my tastes, though I can kind of see a very stylistic approach that grows on your throughout the course of the issue. I can see the Bill Sienkiewicz influence here, which isn't a bad thing because a lil' Bill S is sometimes quite enjoyable.

I'm uncertain at this point if I'll continue but in all likelihood, I'll probably buy a few more issues (I think its up to like #7 or something by now). I think I can handle the stylistic artwork and chaotic writing once a month in order to indulge in the ridiculous premise for a time. I'll definitely review any additional issues to see how I'm feeling over time.

Rise of Arsenal #3.

Okay. Okay. Deep breath. Deep bre-MOTHER$%^&%&%^^&%&^%^&&&#@#$%^y*(&*(^%%$%^^&!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, got that out of my system.

So, I read Rise of Arsenal #3 today. Let's begin...

We continue into the fight scene between Roy and the mother (HA!) of his child, Cheshire. Throws in a few barbs at Jade for what an awful mother she is, like Roy has any idea how true that is, until he has her pinned to the wall. Tears begin about how they miss Lian, kiss, and of course have sex. Oh wait, they don't. Because *GASP* Roy can't bring it up!

So, what does he do? He's got a new costume, boys and girls, and in my opinion he should've stuck to the purple one. He gets it just magically, apparently, because where did he get anyway? Nobody knows. No bow and no arrows. He's got knives and samurai swords. He decides to let loose on the criminals currently preying on a disorganized and damaged Star City. Vultures, he calls them. Then, on a rooftop, another visit from his hallucinational friend Corey, who informs him that painkillers aren't going to do the job anymore. Roy spots a drug dealer in an alley below, and decides that with Lian gone, it doesn't matter anymore what he does. He scores a premium "A-Train" hit and strings out, or whatever euphemism you use when someone does heroin.

We enter into a new hallucination. He sees Lian and has a "happy reunion" with her before he gets into a fight with an army of Prometheuses, screaming how he won't let them hurt her again. Then he sees the Electrocutioner, and big surprise, we finally see that Roy has simply beaten the holy hell out of a gang of junkies, and the Electructioner is really Batman. And for some reason Roy's holding a dead cat, I'm not entirely sure, I glanced at this part. Still strung out, he gets into a fight with Dick, with Dick saying he'll get Roy help before knocking Roy out.

Roy awakens strapped to a bed in a padded room, with Black Canary. Canary informs Roy about what he did and that she knows he's using again. Roy tries to say it's the pain in his arm that made him do it, but she won't listen, and tells Roy that it's for his own good. We find out that Dick had brought him to Virgil House, apparently a place for supervillains with substance abuse problems. Dick and Dinah talk about Roy and whether or not he actually wants help.

We close on Roy having another "conversation" with Corey, saying that Dinah's right and he'll probably beat this as well, until he starts screaming at Corey to leave him alone. It closes with it being a hallucination of Lian, battered and bruised, asking why Roy didn't hear her crying.

"DEATH OF A HERO"

...

Good God what the hell are these people doing? Impotent? Honestly? Was that really necessary? To just keep throwing more salt on the wound?

Whatever "ending" this book has had already been ruined the minute DC released the solicit for Titans #26 in August, and it has cemented what this book is. Gratuitous. Pure and simple. This isn't emotional, nor is it meaningful. This is pain, this is weakness, this is suffering. All we've seen is a interesting character had indignity after indignity stacked on top of him and done by him. He's alienated himself and he's betrayed everything he stands for. This isn't about Lian anymore, this is about himself and what's been done to HIM. This isn't a grieving father, it's just plain selfishness.

And of course, what everyone feared has come true. Roy has turned into another anti-hero. He's started on the path as DC's Punisher. And we don't even have to read anymore of the issues to know how it'll turn out. Empty. Hollow and empty. How do I know? Animal Man.

In the last storyarc Grant Morrison did for Animal Man, he had Buddy Baker's family, his wife Ellen and his kids Maxine and Cliff, killed by an assassin hired by big business guys who didn't like Buddy screwing up their business. The end result was Buddy teaming up with Mirror Master to find the three guys responsible. Buddy cut his hair and donned a new costume made from leather, the skin of dead animals, and he killed each one of them. He made them suffer, them and the guy they hired to do it. And how did he feel after it? Empty. Nothing was the same. We know how it's going to end with Roy, and don't say anything else.

His friends have been standing around like a bunch of slack-jawed morons and doing nothing but making it worse. Did Mia HONESTLY think Roy would even want to look at her? And God knows Dinah hasn't been helpful. For three issues she's just looked like she's made of ice. She's the closest thing Roy has to mom, why isn't she acting like it. And don't say because of Ollie because those two break up and get back together on a daily basis, it's pathetic. She is pathetic. And Dick hasn't had any emotion on his face at all. Did any of them even know about the painkillers yet? Or the hallucinations? Did they know about them? No. They've done nothing. They aren't IN character at all.

I can't believe I'm honestly going to read the last issue.

Based on a recommendation by Outdoor Miner , I picked up The Weird World of Jack Staff by Paul Grist (published by Image). Everything I've ever heard about this series is that its excellent but know ahead of time its basically quarterly (if that).

Jack Staff sprang out of a Union Jack project with Marvel that never took off, and over the years Paul Grist has expanded it to become its own franchise of British superhero, and has brought in all manner of British comic book archetypes and analogues. The series also has the quirky art style of Paul Grist, which you absolutely have to be a fan of before you enter. I was never a fan before but I kind of dig now that I've read the issue. Many artists these days have a somewhat similar style (Mike Avon Oeming comes to mind but its different enough to stand out).

Overall, the issue had three stories running through 5 short stories (part 1, story 1; part 1, story 2; part 1, story 3; part 2 story 2; part 2 story 3--if you can keep up with that). The jumping between stories is a bit off-putting at first, but I can appreciate some solid non-linear storytelling and it certainly makes me feel engaged. One of the stories was complete but the other two were continued. If I knew this would be out again next month, that wouldn't bother me, but I kind of wish I got all full stories (no matter what the size) if I have to wait a few months for the next issue.

The tone of the series is fun/adventure with a self-awareness that causes some humor at times. The artwork is cartoony which underlies that, but the series certainly takes itself seriously.

All in all, a solid buy. Will I buy another issue? I'm not really too sure--I haven't committed myself to doing so; but there is a good chance I might pick up an issue off the rack at any given time and buy it. I may even decide to buy a few back issues if I'm bored and looking for something to read. But there are other things I will want to get beforehand that will take precedence.

A comic I've been meaning to get to in my pile and finally did is Speak of the Devil by Gilbert Hernandez & Dark Horse Comics. Hernandez is of course most well known for co-creating the legendary independent comic book series Love and Rockets with his brothers, which has been one of the exemplary comic books from the independent scene throughout its history.

I've never read Love & Rockets (and am quite curious if anyone here ever has) but all I've ever heard about it is how damn good it is. So I wanted to give this a try. The first thing to get used to is Hernandez's art style, which is a simple, cartoony style at first glance, but a slower read reveals some real depth in facial expressions and tone. Despite the cartoonish style, you get a sense that this is a serious work, with some real poignancy developing. At times, it's also quite eerie.

Speak of the Devil was in fact, quite interesting. It basically is about a girl in a devil costume who is a voyeur, looking into people's homes and watching their most private moments and you get the sense that there is really a lot going on in her head that you're just dying to learn more about. Meanwhile, the pele she is watching have their own weird subtleties. This includes her father & step-mom, who become ware there is a peeping Tom about, but don't realize its her; it is even further complicated when the step-mother appears to enjoy the idea of someone watching her & her husband have sex.

It's a very interesting look at people in general, with some very Hitchcock-esque overtones on sexuality and voyeurism. The artwork with this premise and these characters, takes on a very eerie tone. Being in black & white also enhances that.

I have to say, it's a little hard to put into words how I felt about the issue. I thought it was more fascinating than anything and I might try to pick up #2 at the very least. I do know this came out quite awhile ago and has not finished yet, so I suspect there were some heavy delays somewhere along the way.

Sandman: The Doll's House

The fourth Sandman volume I read and the second one I bought.

The volume starts with a tale about a lost glass kingdom of Africa, told by a tribal elder to a young man going through rites of passage. It's a tale of a queen named Nada, who became the love of the dream god, Lord Kai'ckul. Nada had first met him not knowing he was the lord of dreams, and when she learned his true identity she was horrified, for nothing ever good comes from one loving an Endless. However, Kai'ckul convinces her to make love with him, and almost as punishment, a meteor struck and destroyed her city. Nada threw herself from a cliff, and in the realm of Grandmother Death Kai'ckul asked her three times to come back with her. On the third, he warned her if she said no he would send her to hell. The elder ends the story there, as no one knows what happened. But we know, as in the previous volume, that Nada was indeed sent to Hell, and is still there up to this volume.

Meanwhile, Desire, the androgynous Endless, notes that Dream and has returned. It contact's it's twin sister, Despair, about the arrival of a Vortex.

The volume focuses on Rose Walker, a teenage girl who has long since separated from her brother Jed, after their parents divorced. Rose is traveling to England with her mother, Miranda, at the behest of an old woman named Unity Kinkaid. Unity was one of many people who, in the first Sandman volume, succumbed to the "sleepy sickness" that overtook so many when Dream was captured. Unity had been raped while she was asleep, and the child was given up for adoption. The child being Miranda. As Rose gives her mom and her newly acquainted grandmother a chance to sort it out, she wanders into a broom closet and meets the Three (Cynthia, Mildred, and Mordred). The inform her that she is at a crossroads, and warn her about very bad, very dangerous things to come for her and her brother.

Over in the Dreaming, Dream is still attempting to fully repair all the damage done to his realm since his departure. He learns that there are four dreams currently missing. Brute and Glob, two nightmares, a realm called Fiddler's Green, and one of Dream's greater nightmares, the Corinthian, a man with jagged teeth lining his eye sockets. He is also dealing with the upcoming rebirth of a "vortex", an occurrence which happens in the Dreaming and if not dealt with can have serious consequences for both worlds.

Rose, using money given to her by her grandmother, goes back to the United States to try and find her brother (with help from a private detective). She moves into a boarding house populated by...

*Hal: The landlord, a gay man who works in a drag show, and quiet possibly the sanest one besides Rose.
*Barbie and Ken: A yuppie couple who are almost horrifyingly normal. They even finish each other's sentences.
*Chantal and Zelda: A pair of women who collect stuffed spiders. No one knows if they're lesbians, sisters, business partners, or whatever. Zelda never speaks, and they always dress in bridal gowns.
*Gilbert: Who is never seen.

Rose, during her investigation, learns that after her father died, her brother was sent to live with their grandfather. But then their grandfather died, so the trail goes cold.

It turns out, though, that Jed was sent to live with two cousins, Barnaby and Clarice, who are given a stipend by social services. The two treat him like an animal and keep him locked in the basement; they only take him out as a show for when someone from social services comes by. Jed, however, is also the hiding place Brute and Glob have been using. Inside his mind they've severed it from the Dreaming, and have been using...

Hector Hall, a.k.a. Silver Scarab, a.k.a. Sandman, as THEIR Sandman, to replace Morpheus. They've even got Lyta Hall, still pregnant after two years inside Jed's mind. Hector is convinced he is the Sandman and he fights dangerous enemies. The truth is, Brute and Glob had him replaced Garrett Sandford, the former Sandman, who killed himself. This Sandman is the revision Jack Kirby created years ago, the one that appeared in Infinity Inc. Hector has been fighting nonsensical battles against pathetic enemies, and Lyta has all but lost touch with reality. Dream finally discovers the two, and sets out to deal with them. Hector tries to fight off the "Nightmare Beast" before Dream finally pulls everyone out of Jed's mind. The resulting explosion kills Barnaby and Clarice. Brute and Glob attempt to beg for mercy, but Dream consigns them to the "Darkness". He then sends Hector Hall back to the afterlife, earning him Lyta's rage. He informs her, though, that because of the time her baby spent gestating in the Dreaming, he might be there to claim it. As he leaves, Lyta warns him that he'll have her baby over her dead body, the spooky bastard. And Jed? Well, he gets a ride...

Back over to Rose, she finally meets the mysterious Gilbert, an old gentleman who helps save her from a group of muggers. When Rose finally gets word on Clarice and Barnaby, Gilbert accompanies her on her trip. The two stop at a hotel which is being used for a cereal convention...

That is, a convention of serial killers. Collectors, as they call themselves. Among them are the Corinthian, who appears to be a twenty-something man with white hair and a pair of sunglasses. These "collectors" swap stories about their exploits, discussing methods and partying, actually holding "panels". There's even one about female serial killers being type-cast as black widows and nurses. The Corinthian, along with a couple of others, take the time to have a little "fun" with a man claiming to be a killer called the Boogeyman, but turns out to be the editor of a BDSM magazine.

Rose is completely unaware of the convention's true face, although Gilbert becomes aware when he sees the Corinthian in an elevator. Thankfully, the Corinthian doesn't notice him. Why? You'll find out later. He writes down a name on a piece of paper, telling Rose to call it out if she ever needs help. Which she does, when an overweight "collector" called Fun Land, who has a thing for little girls, decides to introduce himself. He attempts to rape Rose in her room, but she manages to call out the name on the paper. Morpheus. Dream arrives and puts Fun Land in his own little dream world. He then makes quick work of the Corinthian, dissolving him into nothing, save for a skull with teeth in the eye sockets. Before he leaves, Dream does something to the rest of the collectors, and making them realize just how petty and meaningless their lives really are. He makes them see what's inside, and it traumatizes them.

In the parking lot, Rose finds Gilbert, carrying Jed in his arms.

Back at the boarding house, we culminate on the vortex story as Rose falls asleep, and we peer into the dreams of the other housemates...

*Ken: Dreams of money, power, and sex.
*Barbie: She dreams she is Princess Barbie of the Land, having just found the Porpentine with Martin Tenebones. They are trying to save the Land from the malevolent Cuckoo.
*Chantal: Chantal falls in love with a sentence, yet her dreams turn into repeating moments, trying to make something of nothing.
*Zelda: Her childhood, where it is hinted that she collected bones from a graveyard.
*Hal: Questions of identity, of being over the rainbow, and Judy Garland ripping off her face to find one under another.

We learn that Rose, as a Vortex, has the ability to combine all these dreams together, open them up and merge them. Dream must kill her or she could destroy the Dreaming. The housemates wake up, slightly traumatized by the events, most of all Barbie, with the ramifications from that being revealed in volume 5.

Gilbert is visited by Matthew Cable in his raven form, a companion to Dream, who informs him about Rose's predicament. Gilbert enters the Dreaming and reveals himself as Fiddler's Green. Transforming back into his former self, he offers his life for Rose's, but Dream is adamant.

Meanwhile, in Britain, Unity Kinkaid is dying, and drifts off to sleep with her daughter by her side. In the Dreaming, Unity, appearing as she did when she was young, finds Dream and Rose. She explains to Dream that, had he not been imprisoned, SHE would've been the actual Vortex. She tells Rose that she needs to give her her heart, as it's the only way Unity can become the Vortex. Rose does, actually, reaching inside and pulling out a glass heart, which she gives to Unity. At that moment, she dies in the real world.

Six months pass, with both Dream and Rose doing some thinking. Rose has isolated herself and thinks about the ramifications if her dreams were real, meaning her and all humans are just game pieces. But, she decides that she brooded long enough and decides that the dreams were merely dreams.

Dream, however, confronts his sibling, Desire. He has figured out that, Desire was the one who raped Unity Kinkaid, thus making Rose his great niece. If Dream had killed Rose, he would've killed a family member, which is one of biggest no-no's for the Endless. Desire, content with using humans as pieces, gets a reality check from Dream, who informs hir that without humans, the Endless would have no meaning. The Endless are humanity's toys, not the other way around. Obviously, Desire doesn't get it.

There's also a fill-in story with a man named Hob Gadling, who believes he will not die simply because he chooses not to. Starting in the Middle Ages, his words are heard by Death and Dream, and Death decides to humor him. From that point, Dream decides to meet with him once every hundred years. The meetings demonstrate Dream's growth as a person.

^The Dream / Hob stories remain a personal high water mark for me in regards to character interactions in comic books. I could reread those every single day I think.

<span class="spoiler_containter"><span class="spoiler_wording">Click Here For A Spoiler</span><span class="spoiler_text">And the final Hob story where he meets up with Death after Dream has died and decides he wants to live at least another 100 years leaves a huge smile on my face every time. Its symbolic for what Gaiman achieved on the series and the reasons for choosing life over death: relationships and art/stories.</span></span>

I was actually surprised that Fun Land made an appearance in Kevin Smith's Widening Gyre Batman miniseries.

The Doll's House is a great read. It set so much up for the Sandman series. Nice summary, Kid.

Thank you.

The Sandman: Dream Country

A series of four stories which aren't really related to one another, yet one will have a part to play later on the series.

CALLIOPE
*A struggling writer named Richard Madoc, who hasn't been able to write anything after the success of his first novel, contacts another author, an old man named Erasmus Fry. In return for a bezoar Fry gives Madoc the secret to his success. Calliope, one of the nine muses who, years ago, Fry managed to trap, and has been keeping her for sixty years. Actually, Fry gives him to Madoc because she's of no use to him anymore. Richard brings her to his home, rapes her, and then begins writing his next novel after a surge of inspiration.

Calliope calls on the Three, this time in their form as Greek Goddesses, begging for help. We learn in this conversation that she was once Dream's wife, and they had a son, Orpheus. But their relationship ended very badly, and she denies the possibility of any help from him. Not like he could, considering this is when Dream was imprisoned. The Three tell her they can't do anything, and Calliope begs for any help at all. Even from Dream.

As time passes over a few years, Richard keeps using Calliope to fuel his writing, and becomes the next Clive Barker/Stephen King, winning awards, having his books turned into films, and appearing on talk shows. He learns, though, that Erasmus Fry has died. Richard's reminded that Fry had asked, if Richard intended to do any more in return for giving him Calliope, to get his book "Here Comes A Candle" republished. Richard did nothing.

Finally, Calliope has her meeting with her ex-husband after his release.

Returning home one night, Richard finds Dream in his home, demanding Calliope's release. Richard claims he can't because he needs her for inspiration. Her inspiration's a drug and he's got a never-ending supply. Dream, indignant to Richard's response, decides that if he wants ideas, he'll get them. LOTS of them. Richard does indeed, but they keep coming so quickly he resorts to having to carve them on a brick wall with his fingers. He's found by a doctor friend, the one who gave him the bezoar in the beginning, and takes him back to his place. Richard tells his friend to go to his apartment and tell Calliope she's free to go. The friend does so, and once she's gone, Richard's imagination goes completely blank.

Calliope speaks with Dream, and while they don't exactly get back together, they part ways amicably. Well, amicably enough.

Sarky, as creator of this thread, I had more in mind reviewing the books as opposed to summarizing them. If you recount the story point-by-point, then anyone reading the post will already know everything there is to know about the story and won't have any reason to check it out themselves. Think about concentrating on your reactions to the story and art and giving enough of the plot to whet someone's appetite (or enough to show that it's worth avoiding).

Not trying to dictate how posts here should be formatted but offering my perspective. If I had an unread Sandman trade, for example, I'd actually be pretty upset to see the story spoiled beat-by-beat.

Sorry... I tend to do that whenever I try to review a book.

I dug through the back issue bins and picked up Black Terror #1 because Outdoor Miner has been collecting it and he's led me in the direction of several great comics lately. It's by Dynamite Entertainment and spins out of the Project Superpowers event/storyline they have going featuring the usage of several Golden Age characters now in the public domain from companies like Nedor, Lev Gleason Publications, Standard, Centaur and I think a few others.

A little disclaimer: I have not read any Project Superpowers stories and did not intend to; so my feelings toward Black Terror are very much reflected by the fact that I'm reading a title directly tied into a larger title. I simply have read enough ensemble comics lately that aren't doing it for me and am tired of the 'large group of superheroes = cool" mentality pervasive in comics. I also feel that every comic book should stand on its own.

So from the above, you can guess what criticism I have against Black Terror, that it is too tied into Project Superpowers which kind of hurts it and I think that its a fair and accurate criticism. On the other hand, having so many other characters appear in the opening pages was exciting to see, and helped accentuate how Black Terror stands out among them. For a #1 issue, I would let it pass and hope that in future issues Black Terror is more the sole focus (though some guest stars are okay).

Alternatively, the most obvious and biggest feat was the immensely terrific interior art by Mike Lilly. Alex Ross is the spiritual guru of this whole event and does some gorgeous cover work, but I actually thought the interior work by Mike Lilly was superior to that--it was actually quite impressive! Black Terror is portrayed as very much a superhero with dynamic action sequences, but there is also a dark, moody quality to it in places. And then there is a third element, a swashbuckler feel that adds a layer of excitement and 'fun', despite the serious story. All of this could be picked up from the artwork, and I'm so impressed that its enough to get me to buy #2.

Black Terror himself is a character that is pretty groovy. He's got a long history, being a Golden Age superstar and then having a brief comeback in the 1980's. He's a bit unique, having a pirate / death motif, like a swashbuckling Punisher that is a bit more superhero than that description would you think. I currently collect no other comic books with a star like him.

The plotting and scripting was done by Jim Krueger which was 'okay'. The plot is interesting but it's really feeling like a subplot of the larger Project Superpowers plot. That's okay for right now, but I hope Black Terror eventually stands out on its own.

The scripting portion of it I felt was very over-narrated, with far too many dramatic adjectives to describe an emotion or situation. It reminded me a bit of the 1970's when that was more common, and that's not always a good thing--for every 1970's comic that was well-written there was one that wasn't.

So I'm on the fence. The plot & scripting were only okay, but the art and the character have peaked my interest. I'll likely now dig through the bins for #2 and make a decision after that.

The Secret History by Jean-Pierre Pécau, various artists Volume I (Archaia Press)

There was a review for this book that called it "one of those fancy-pants European comics..." - but there wasn't anything snooty about it. It's an engrossing, complex journey through history, primarily of Europe.

The Secret History follows four immortal siblings through time. They were the only survivors from an ancient village and each one was given a runestone by their dying shaman. Two tend towards the dark side and two tend towards the good, but all are master manipulators and the battles which they provoke are not only for power but against one another. The siblings (who call themselves Archons) are not so interesting character-wise; it's the games they play which hold one's attention.

The stories progress through time, from the Egyptian era (so favoured by Archaia) through the Middle Ages, up to World War I. Pécau takes real world events and retells them to show how they were influenced, if not instigated, by the four. Some poetic licence is applied to his portrayal of real historical people, which gives them a depth of character that the four Archons lack.

A number of different artists worked on the book, which was originally published as 7 individual issues. Beautiful and highly detailed artwork throughout, and the styles are not so different as to be distracting.

It's the perfect story for a secret society, wheels-within-wheels, conspiracy buff like myself.

^Wow FC, that sounds *exactly* like my cup of tea! I'm doing a big TPB order sometime soon and that will certainly make the list!