Month: September 2023

Review: Sandman Volume 5: A Game of You

On By E. A. SolinasIn reviewsLeave a comment

Do you remember Barbie? Not the doll, but the creepily perky blonde from “The Doll’s House” who had a matching husband named Ken. Well, she’s the protagonist of the fifth “Sandman” collection, which is accurately titled “A Game of You” — a haunting, fairy-tale exploration into a young woman’s dreaming imagination, and the friends who are trying to save her.

Having split from Ken, Barbie has since moved to New York and is living in a small apartment building with a lesbian couple named Hazel and Foxglove, a kindly transwoman named Wanda, a creepy guy, and a prim mystery woman named Thessaly. She also hasn’t dreamed in two years.

But then she has a run-in with an imaginary creature from her childhood, who gives her the magical jewel called the Porpentine with his dying breath. And that night, she goes back into a fantasy world from her childhood — a place of talking animals, haunted forests, and a mysterious enemy called the Cuckoo.

But as Barbie (aka Princess Barbara) sets out to defeat the Cuckoo, Thessaly wakes Foxglove, Hazel and Wanda, and reveals that Barbie is in desperate need of their help — and uses her magic to open a gateway to the realm of dreams. But they may not be in time to save Barbie from the machinations of the Cuckoo — or New York from the destructive magic being stirred.

In most authors’ works, supporting characters are just window dressing for the main characters. In Neil Gaiman’s works, every character has their own unique backstory and purpose in the plot — Barbie was just one of the minor background characters in a previous story, but in “A Game of You” we discover her dreams, her past, her fears, and her own connection to the Dream King.

And in turn, the other characters are given well-developed backstories, problems and personalities — the no-nonsense Thessaly, hinted to be an ancient witch or something; Hazel, who is afraid of what her pregnancy might mean for her relationship, and the sensitive, loyal Wanda who will never let Barbie down. Even the crazy dog-hating lady has a REASON to be here, and a history of her own.

Gaiman’s storytelling here mingles an enchanted high fantasy world (reminiscent of Narnia) with a darker, more gruesome story. I mean, there’s a skinned face with eyes and tongue NAILED TO THE WALL, having a casual conversation with Wanda. Ew. And even if things are worked out by the end, not everything turns out all right — there are tragic losses, changes, and Barbie has left behind a part of her life.

And where is Morpheus in all this? He only appears in a few scenes, but his involvement is truly vital to the story. And no, I won’t say how.

“Sandman Volume 5: A Game of You” will probably leave you with a little smile, but a tear in your eye. A magnificently powerful, haunting story.

Review: The Sandman Volume 4: Season of Mists

On By E. A. SolinasIn reviewsLeave a comment

Morpheus of the Endless has had many trials throughout the ages… but none quite as strange as the one he must face in “The Sandman, Volume Four: Season of Mists.” The fourth collection of Neil Gaiman’s classic Sandman series centers on sudden changes in the world of Hell, and the terrifying choice that the Lord of Dreams must make — who does it go to?

After a disastrous meeting with the other Endless, Morpheus goes to Hell to set free his onetime lover, Nada. But when he gets there, he finds that Lucifer is tired of being the lord of Hell, and is shutting the whole place down — and he gives ownership of it to Morpheus. In the meantime, the souls of the damned are roaming Earth, and the anguished demons have nowhere to go.

Morpheus isn’t interested in ruling Hell, so soon various powers appear to claim Hell — Norse, Japanese and Egyptian gods, a trio of powerful demons, Order, Chaos, a Faerie diplomat, and a pair of angels are sent to watch the proceedings. Threats, bribes and tricks ensue, leaving Morpheus with a seemingly-impossible choice to make.

Just a warning: This comic book, despite its brilliant storytelling, left me with a sort of squirmy feeling, because it bases itself on Christian theology that many people actually believe in (heaven, hell, Satan, angels, God, etc). But it isn’t in line with those beliefs, so some parts of it come across as… uncomfortable.

However, you should always keep in mind that it is merely fiction. “Season of Mists” is epic in scope — it encompasses different worlds, dimensions and lands in a seeemingly endless, wondrously terrifying universe. Gaiman is absolutely brilliant at conjuring the exquisite and the grotesque, the eerie and the strange — and he manages all of those here.

And the art really helps here — the bleak, raw wastes of Hell, the snowflake beauty of the angels, the visceral grotesqueness of the demons (one is a lumpen creature with a melting eyeless head and toothy mouths for nipples), and the twilit, mildly unnerving realm of Dreaming.

As for Morpheus himself, this story is a surprisingly personal one. He’s given a realm he doesn’t want, but doesn’t seem to have any good way of ridding himself of it (at least, not at first). And the Lord of Dream has to face up to his own misdeeds — namely, he FINALLY figures out that he was horrible to Nada, and that his punishment of her was cruel. The way their story is wrapped up is painful, but still very touching.

“The Sandman Volume Four: Season of Mists” made me uncomfortable with some of its handling of Christian theology, but there is no denying that it is a richly-imagined, powerful story by a master storyteller.

Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 20/20

On By E. A. SolinasIn reviewsLeave a comment

For its 20th anniversary, IDW Comics is doing something a little unusual – they are creating one-off issues of some of their series, set twenty years after or before the main series.

And since the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are chronologically only a few years old, their comic issue therefore has to be twenty years later. This brings us to “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: IDW 20/20,” a future tale that takes place in a war-torn 2039, and shows how the Turtles have changed – or not changed – in the next two decades, though fans of other characters may be left disappointed.

So what are the Turtles of the future like? Well, Raph seems more level-headed and less angry, and is still accompanied by his faithful pet dinosaur Pepperoni. Leonardo is more distant and mystical than in times past, and has acquired both a brown cloak and the ability to astrally teleport. Michelangelo has become more mature and tactical in his thinking, which is a good thing since he is now the team’s leader. And Donatello… he hasn’t really changed much, except that he now has armored shoulder pads.

The second Utrom civil war is raging across Europe, and the imprisoned Donnie sends his brothers news of a backup Technodrome. So the three set out (in their flying van) to Florence, deep in the heart of enemy territory, to stop the enemy Utroms before they can terraform first Europe, and then the world. They’re surrounded by foes on every side, and even Donnie’s unexpected return may not be enough to turn the tide – but the Turtles will triumph no matter what.

Fans of other characters in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” – Splinter, April, Casey, Alopex, Old Hob, Angel, Harold Lillja and the rest – may be a bit disappointed in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: IDW 20/20,” since the only supporting character whose future is revealed is Sally Pride. No, the focus in this comic is on the Turtles themselves – how they’ve changed, how they haven’t changed, and the brotherly bond that holds them together despite everything.

The story itself is a brief, pivotal slice of a much more epic tale, stretching across countries and encompassing entire wars and armies, and involving a large amount of action. Most of it involves the Turtles facing up against an onslaught of pink blobs in armored walkers, and the occasional explosion or blast of a dinosaur-mounted laser cannon. And while the situation remains grim and combative right through to the end, the story reminds us that no matter what, the Turtle brothers will always triumph where it counts.

Leo is the one that has changed the most in this future scenario – he’s more withdrawn, more quiet and distant from his brothers, which has clearly saddened all of them. But his connection to his brothers proves to be stronger than the pressure he has felt, and we see him break out of his shell (so to speak). Mikey is the other big change, having taken up the mantle of leader, which tempers his happy, optimistic personality with the stresses and fears of the job. Donnie and Raph haven’t changed nearly as much – the former is still an enthusiastic, nerdy peacemaker, and the latter is still passionate and driven in a fight.

It doesn’t give too much away about the future of the Turtles’ allies, but “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: IDW 20/20” is an ultimately uplifting ode to what four reptilian brothers can do when they put their minds to it. Namely, saving the world.