Comics
Review: ‘The Sandman: Overture’ #2
Full of unforgettable imagery and inspired dialogue, “The Sandman: Overture” #2 continues to be the high standard of creative imagination. Though the second installment took its time getting here,the team-of Neil Gaiman and J.H. Williams III deliver a remarkable issue worth waiting for. This is the stuff dreams are made of.
WRITTEN BY: Neil Gaiman
ART BY: J. H. Williams III
PUBLISHER: Vertigo Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: March 26, 2014
Morpheus, Endless of Dreams, has traveled across the universe, to the distant past, to meet his reincarnations. He witnesses different versions of himself standing right in front of him, arguing with each other in the same voice. They are all different aspects of Morpheus but still represent the same person. Answering to the call of death, the multiples have been summoned together to the same location to mourn. Part of Dream has died and he demands to know why. Stuck between the real and the unreal, Morpheus has to find out who killed the dreamer.
Gaiman’s dialogue runs across the page in poetic rhythm. In each dialogue balloon, Gaiman provides a different style of language with each incarnation of Morpheus. It’s like having multiple personalities but speaking through a singular voice. Gaiman demonstrates his witty humor as Morpheus turns away after arguing with himself. Though Morpheus is the definition of serious drama, the secondary characters are always a laugh riot.
Gaiman is a true wordsmith as he plays around with his repetitive rhyming scheme. Morpheus agrees with his other twin versions, but he is technically agreeing with himself. You want to read and reread the poetic dialogue just to enjoy the wordplay. Morpheus is able to say so much about himself and still remain a mystery. Though readers think they know Morpheus through previous volumes, Gaiman is able to explore his protagonist through uncharted territory.
In the opening pages, Williams’ illustrations captures the haunting elegance of Morpheus fashionable wardrobe. In his character design, Morpheus wears a long robe as if it were a cape covering his entire body. Dave Stewart’s white tones highlights the essence of a ghostly figure gracefully floating in the air. The whiteness of Morpheus’ spectral body makes the background seem surreal and exaggerated at the same time.
Through his drawings, Williams is able to portray the beauty in dreaming and the eeriness of nightmares. In a splash page, Williams captures Morpheus in a majestic pose, as the bottom of his cape breathes fire. Williams then illustrates a demonic spider with a human head flashings its fangs at the camera. In an impressive display of color, Stewart uses red and black inks to capitalize on the hellish background.
Destined to be a classic, “The Sandman: Overture” is a must-read. Let Gaiman and Williams take you to an extraordinary dream you will never want to wake up from.
4.5/5 Skulls
Review by – Jorge Solis
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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