|
Taking a break after the sweeping grandeur of The Sandman Vol. From the dreams of cats to a performance of Midsummer Night's Dream with a very unusual audience, from a superhero ruminating on the unforeseen horrors of immortality to an author in desperate need of a muse, Gaiman lets Morpheus lurk in the background of these stories (or, in one case, remain entirely absent), creating wholly new worlds and plots to dwell in. 2: The Doll's House, Gaiman creates what is essentially a short story collection, allowing him to play with different ideas and themes within the boundaries of his intricate mythology. As with any short story collection, some of the four stand out more than others, but it's rare to find a collection where none of the pieces truly misfire. The results are fascinating, with Gaiman's usual mix of dark humor and true pathos, and even result in profound discussions about the nature of dreams, reality, and death itself. There's no doubt that they get dismissed as minor pieces in the overall story, but in some ways, they're most revealing of Gaiman's strengths as a writer.
This is another effective volume from Gaiman, but it isn't my favorite. 'Dream Country' presents four unrelated stories in which the Sandman is a unique character. This demonstrates the versatility of Gaiman's character, but the stories themselves vary in interest. In short, I liked this work, but not as much as volumes one and two.
Neil introduces is as merely an example of one script, for one issue, in one comic series by one author. The third Sandman volume, Dream Country is a collection of short stories following the Doll's House arc. While there is no overarching story arc in the collection, there is of course a sense of relevance as each part develops the Sandman's universe and other characters - especially his sister, Death, in the final part.Included with the set is an interest bonus - a copy of the script for one of the parts (Calliope). It is a fun little bonus, and he likens it to the curiosity of a magicians show - while it may ruin the illusion for some, most people have an insatiable, unquenchable thirst to see how it is done.As always, the artists change from story to story, or at least every few stories, offering different artistic styles that enhance each story and make them even more unique. This works particularly well in a collection such as this, where each story is really its own separate story.
I've gotta admit I didnt think I would like this series, but WOW. If you arnt totally interested in collecting every Sandman volume this is probably a good one to miss. But what stories they are.
Although this is my least favorite volume so far that isnt to say it's not amazing. You should know that this book is not half as epic as the first two but it takes a more laid back, sedate approach. I was pleasantly surprised by the first volume and absolutely blown away by the second.
Leave it to Gaimen to actually make me feel for a cat. The main reason it is not as good is because it isnt a part of the over all story arc. It is just a collection of four short stories.
And also this volume is very short and is a quick read. (You can read it online @ comicoo.com) I recommend getting the first two Sandman's and depending on how much you enjoyed them decide weather or not to purchase this.
I won't go into any more detail because you need to read "Facade" for yourself. The ONLY thing that makes this story bearable whatsoever is the artwork. Dream looked ridiculous. This is an unfortunate comic and I don't know how it made its way in this book.
It's a decent story but I have to disagree with those who said this book is worth it just because of this entry. "Calliope" is definitely worth the read.The second story is "Dream of a Thousand Cats". The artwork was awesome, but it just seemed like something was missing from this story. In a previous Sandman story, Dream tells William Shakespear that he has to write two plays for him and Dream will make sure that his words are carried through generation to generation. Apparently it was supposed to be funny but I just read crap. This is one of the dumbest things I've ever read.
There are some cool historical connections. This story is fairly intriguing, but in my opinion the artwork was terrible. Dream does not make an appearance but Death does. The first story is "Calliope". The actors perform a play for the faeries represented in the play.
It's a shame to see such a shallow story about cats under a Sandman title. It's disappointing to see crap like "Dream of a Thousand Cats" in this book. This story alone loses this book a star in my review.The third story is "A Midsummer Night's Dream". "Dream Country" is the third volume of the Sandman collection which is actually just a compilation of four short stories that have no connection to each other. It was very straightforward and didn't leave an imprint with me like other Sandman stories have.The fourth story is "Facade". Personally I think this is the best story in the book. The premise is essentially a women who wants to kill herself but can't die.
It's a fairly emotional tale and is written/drawn very well. I think "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is overrated. It tells the tale of Dream's first love and mother to his child. "Calliope" is a solid story but with terrible artwork. It was drawn very well. Gaiman actually won the World Fantasy Award (as read in the amazon.com review) for best short story. This book is worth the buy solely for this story.Overall I give this 3 stars.
"Facade" is a simple, powerful story with awesome artwork.
|
