From the publisher: As they fade from the world’s consciousness, Nurse Nikki’s support group of marginalized myths and monsters gathers to discuss their shared crisis and forge a path to their former glory. When they decide that the best way to reclaim their power in the minds of men is to take to the streets to party, the motley parade of spirits, demons, and legends provokes an unimaginable existential hangover.
I enjoyed Simon Spurrier's previous story arc in The Dreaming, and The Dreaming #13 feels like palate cleanser or deep breath before the next arc gets started. And while I enjoy the multi-issue stories, and seem to remember Gaiman doing this occasionally during The Sandman.
Hot on the heels of major revelations about Dream and the Dreaming, Spurrier cuts to present day England and a support group of mythical monsters. The crux of the story is that the monsters are fading away as humanity's beliefs change. The group bans together to try and draw some attention to themselves in order to strengthen their grasp on reality. They discover both a type of freedom and joy, and a deep disappointment and sorrow. Spurrier's characterization was interesting, giving each monster a distinct personality that fit it's nature, and he did a good job of showing a little background as to who they were or where they came from for those of us unfamiliar with these creatures.
This wasn't my favorite story, as it was a little strange for my tastes, but I did like the examination of myths. Gaiman and others have done similar things in other stories, but Spurrier put his own spin on the idea. His myths are disguised as regular humans, but when they gather they take on their true forms. This story is an examination of the power of belief and also one that shows the freedom in being who you were meant to be. To that end, I think Spurrier did a great job. I also think this issue looked at some of the consequences of Dream's absence from his realm, and hopefully that will tie it back into the overarching tale that Spurrier has been telling over the past year.
I'm not sure where Spurrier is going with these next few issues, whether they are tied together tightly or are loosely gathered around a common theme, but I'm anxious to move back into the mystery of who is attacking Dream, and what he is going to do about it.
I would recommend The Dreaming #13 by Simon Spurrier. It is a fine interlude (I think) issue, but is not my favorite.
I received a preview copy of this book from DC Comics in exchange for an honest review.
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