The Good Times Are Killing Me

I’ve read on many reviews that “Preludes and Nocturnes” is the weakest volume of “The Sandman”. After reading it I can only hope they’re right, because I loved this installment and have high expectation for the rest of series. In “Preludes and Nocturnes” Morpheus, Lord of Dreams, falls into a trap designed for his older sister Death and is imprisoned for 70 years. When he is finally able to escape and return to his kingdom, Morpheus discovers that his tools have been stolen, and that the dream world has fallen into ruin. The rest of the volume shows us how he tries to locate his tools and recuperate his power. The plot in this volume is very linear, but I have no problem with that. And the art is deliberately messy, which I thought fitted the storyline very well. I love how Morpheus (or Dream) is drawn: Thin and pale, like an empty canvas for our prettiest dreams and worst nightmares. Another thing I liked was the incorporation of mythological creatures (the Fates) and even biblical characters (like Cain and Abel), in the plot. I’m really fond of mythology and it was a pleasant surprise to see some of it here. I’m also a big fan of the Justice League (especially of Batman), so it was great to see the Scarecrow and Dr. Destiny. And speaking of Dr. Destiny, his involvement in the story was what I enjoyed the most. The ruby quest was creepy as hell and it gave us a taste of the power dreams can have in our world. The other two quest were a bit of a disappointment though, and the reason why I’m not giving “Preludes and Nocturnes” 5 stars. I expected more of a challenge given the weak state of Dream, but instead they felt like a breeze. I'm not saying that they're terrible; Hell was particularly interesting with the triumvirate and the tension between demons and Dream, but it didn’t feel as if at any point the safety and wellbeing of Morpheus were being seriously threatened in them. Oh! before I forget!!!!!!! I really liked the last part, “The Sound of Her Wings”. I’m used to seeing Death portrayed as a terrifying creature, but this version of Dream’s older sister was great. I’m looking forward to learning more about her. So anyway. If you happen to like comics and graphic novels and haven’t given this series a try, please do. I guarantee that it’s much better that whatever is on TV right now.