Writer: Simon Spurrier / Artist: Bilquid Evely / DC Comics
When they collect The Dreaming into volumes, it’s going to quickly become mandatory reading for Sandman fans and comic fans in generally. A fitting continuation to the multi-facted and multi-named legacy of Lord Dream, The Dreaming is one of the prettiest comics out on the market and one of the most ambitious narratives about human imagination. It is also a book that when a new issue comes out, I dig up notes and previous issues to make sure I can keep track of everything that’s happening. While I enjoy The Dreaming #10, it’s also a labor of love in its monthly format.
Spurrier and Evely work brilliantly together though, and it makes it a worthy endeavor. Right off that bat, Evely’s art with Lopes’s colors utterly captivate you. The Dreaming #10 features dynamic paneling, an interplay of remorseful and playful body language, etheric lighting, frightening set pieces, and hypnotizing imagery. And for a book that is meant to embody and explain the collective unconscious of the universe, it succeeds in creating this visually engaging world of wonder and terror. Evely’s pencils are just superb all-around and keep me engage while I do some mental bookkeeping.
Ten issues in, Spurrier has developed this sprawling three-pronged narrative with multiple principle characters, each taking on varying degrees of importance depending on what issue we’re on. Furthermore, each character has a huge ensemble surrounding them. From a purely personal standpoint, it’s just a lot to take in and track, especially since I’m getting these issues every few weeks. It mandates rereads and slow deliberation of the story to fully appreciate the epic nature of The Dreaming, and it’s also something I know that’s going to read better in a single sitting.
Narrative ambition aside, The Dreaming is without a doubt an appreciated addition to the Sandman universe, and it’s worth the effort to parse it all out.
8.8 “Hero’s Journeys” out of 10
Reading The Dreaming? Check out BNP’s other reviews here.
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