From the publisher: Rose Walker was a vortex, once. And as a vortex, she draws dreams to herself…and she is drawn to them. And it’s a good thing, too, because Dora, Matthew, and Abel are in well over their heads in the waking world-a world that is slowly destroying itself, as Wan’s plans for the collective unconscious of humanity have come to pass!
The Dreaming #18 finishes one story arc (sort of), but Simon Spurrier also sets up what should be (I think) the concluding story in a tale he has been telling since this version of The Dreaming began. That story is this: Where has Dream gone, and why did he leave? Over the course of this run, we've seen Dora find out what she is and what happened to her; why Dream left; an attack on The Dreaming; a new ruler, the sentient AI Wan; Cain's death; Abel's transformation; Lucien giving up; mythological-type beings disappearing; and a quest to fix things in both the waking world and the Dreaming.
Issue #18 brings back Rose Walker, a character who was a dream vortex in The Sandman series and who we saw earlier in The Dreaming. She is being pulled across an America where things are weirdly wrong, and she eventually arrives in the home of the now deceased man who is responsible for the mess the Dreaming (and the world) is in. There, she discovers Dora fading from existence; Cain and Abel trying to reconcile; and Matthew the Raven. What Rose does and the character who shows up unexpectedly set the stage for the battle/confrontation to come, one in which our heroes (?) must confront Wan and save The Dreaming, along with everyone in the waking world. Oh, and maybe restore Dream to his throne.
I've really been enjoying this series. Spurrier continues to capture the feeling that Gaiman instilled in his creations many years ago. Stories about stories, and myths, and deep connections are what the Sandman universe is all about, and The Dreaming is fully engaged in that. The quest to find Dream, along with Dora discovering herself, has been very engaging. Spurrier has been slowly spooling out information, all the while adding depth and texture to this universe. It can be tough to put your own spin on characters as well formed as the denizens of The Dreaming and to bring something new to a beloved story, and I've been pleased with Spurrier's effort. Every month, I look forward to reading the next chapter, and my only complaint is that I have to wait another month to see what happens next.
I highly recommend The Dreaming #18 by Simon Spurrier. I'm fully invested in seeing how the story wraps up, and can't wait to read the next issue(s) and discover how Spurrier ties everything together.
I received a preview copy of this book from DC Comics in exchange for an honest review.
No comments:
Post a Comment