Writer: James Tynion IV
Artists: Lisandro Estherren, Patricio Delpeche
Color Artist: Patricio Delpeche
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Text Page Designer (Thessaly Special): AndWorld Design

Reviewed by Steve J. Ray

Summary

The second volume of James Tynion IV’s take on The Sandman Universe, Nightmare Country: The Glass House is finally here!

This gorgeous hardcover edition includes all six chapters of The Glass House and the one-shot Thessaly special. The dust jacket art, featuring the Corinthian, and the main cover, with the King of Pain, are both by Reiko Murakami. Also collected are all the main and variant covers.

New York artist, Madison Flynn, has been murdered by the re-animated corpse of her best friend, Kelly (AKA “Kells”). Now, the reborn Corinthian, along with Madison’s spirit, are both on the trail of the deadly duo behind Kelly’s murder, Mr. Agony and Mr. Ecstasy.

The two rogue nightmares killed Madison, and others because they could see a new nightmare, The Smiling Man, during waking hours. More troubling still, this nightmare was seemingly not a creation of Dream. To add even more fuel to the fire, it seems that Agony and Ecstasy had been commissioned to commit these murders by Desire, Dream’s younger sibling and frequent adversary.

Madison has been granted new flesh by Death of The Endless, at her brother Dream’s behest. Neither one seems to know of Desire’s involvement at this moment in time.

Positives

Nightmare Country‘s back! Thankfully Lisandro Estherren, Patricio Delpeche, and Simon Bowland have returned, alongside James Tynion. This issue cleverly picks up exactly where volume one left off, adding new characters to the tale and, by the end of the book, bringing back yet another huge presence from Neil Gaiman’s original Sandman run. We also meet another old “friend” from the classic “The Doll’s House” saga, again.

There are still people out there who have also seen The Smiling Man, and we can only wonder how long it will be before Agony and Ecstasy will be on their trail. Add a whole ton of supernatural intrigue, clubs that no one should want to be a member of, and the return of Kells, and this is one super-loaded graphic novel!

It may be hard to believe, but the art and colors by Lisandro and Patricio have actually improved since volume one. This book looks amazing, and Madison’s new form made me very happy indeed. The nods to the first arc are wonderful, and the love for the entire Sandman Universe, as created by Neil Gaiman, is palpable.

Simon Bowland also continues to impress with his letters, particularly when they clearly differentiate humans from angels, demons, and Endless.

James Tynion is sick, twisted, and terrifying. Great work, sir… keep it up. The saga of Kels and Max is as dark a love story as I could ever dream of and features a set of circumstances beyond my wildest imaginings. How does he even think this stuff up? Kelly’s just the sweetest… entity/ghost/spirit and I’m sure the undead deserve love too, right? Of course, when her beau, Max, discovers who she was and what she did; cats, pigeons, cans, and worms will be all over the place.

Kelly’s one of the residents of “The King Of Pain”, a nightclub that links our plane to Hell itself. This is the place where the richest, and those in their employ, can cater to all their most twisted needs and desires… or should that be Desires? Of course, we now know that Agony and Ecstasy, the evil duo who killed Kelly and forced her to kill Madison, were working for Desire of The Endless, one of the younger siblings of Destiny, Death, and Dream.

The addition of Thessaly as a main character opens up a world of storytelling possibilities that this exceptional creative team is grasping with both hands and running with.

Never in my wildest imaginings could I ever have believed that love between an undead girl and a mortal man could feel beautiful and real, but Max and Kells are so brilliantly written and drawn that I can’t help but root for them. Thessaly has always been infuriating, and now that she knows who’s been pulling the strings, even hers (from waaay back in the original Sandman series) I know that sparks are going to fly. Will she and Daniel’Dream cross paths?

Seeing Azazel, The King Of Pain, Dream, and his siblings in this book always makes me happy, so this book ticked a lot of boxes.

The creeping horror continues to unnerve and disturb, in the most delicious and entertaining ways. Is the Corinthian going to revert to type? Is he really working with Madison and Dream, or with the demon Azazel? Knowing the mind of James Tynion, I think we’ll get an answer somewhere between those two extremes that will both surprise and delight us.

All the breadcrumbs James Tynion’s been dropping since Nightmare Country volume one are starting to bear fruit, including the huge bombshell that closed the story. Dream has become embroiled in the events occurring in this series, so I can’t wait to witness the fireworks when he discovers that, once again, one of his younger siblings is neck-deep in the whole mess. In fact, it looks like they’re the one who’s behind the whole scenario.

I’ve been following Dream and his siblings since day one, so seeing them honored and homaged in great new comics makes me very happy indeed.

The secret of the Smiling Man has haunted readers for close to two years now and the story of Madison Flynn has been a source of terror and delight the entire time. Seeing her, The Corinthian, Max, and Kells get swept upon by a wave of demons, serial killers and the whims of The Endless has made this series feel closer to Gaiman’s classic than any other spin-off/follow-up that’s come before.

The power that Dream displays in this collection is nothing short of awesome. The way he handles both his creations and his various enemies is unbelievable. Tynion’s take on Daniel is perfect; he’s got the will and determination of Morpheus, but an edge and confidence that the original Dream never possessed.

First, let me say straight off the bat, that Thessaly is a horrible person. However, she’s a fascinating, deep, and extremely complex character. I’ve followed her story since her first appearance in issue #32 of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman (1991). She’s gone from being a terrifying, bigoted, and ultra-powerful witch in “A Game Of You“, to Dream’s lover, magical avenger, and force of nature in her more recent appearances.

James Tynion has a real grasp on the character and is finally showing us her past in Nightmare Country: The Glass House. By doing so, he lets us see some of the moments that made and forged her. The brilliant part is that all of this fits in with what we’ve already seen of her over the decades, honoring what her creator has already told us about her while adding more flesh to the bones of her history. I must also laud the way James creates new side characters that I immediately fall in love with. They’re all so flawed, human, and real!

Maria Lovet is a wonderful artist who gives readers a Thessaly as great as the one drawn by her co-creator, the inimitable Colleen Doran. The art in the chapter starring Thessaly is gorgeous; simple, clean, atmospheric, and, dare I say it, magical. This great story works both as a follow-up to The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country #6 and as a chapter in the ongoing saga of Madison Flynn.

Yes, the writing, art, and Simon Bowland’s lettering in this book are (as always) first-rate, but I think I need to name guest creators AndWorld Design (AKA Deron Bennett) as the MVP of Thessaly’s tale.

I love experimental comics, and DC has been spoiling us recently with issues that tell a story as one continuous 20-page image, an entire story seen from one character’s POV, and the incomparable DC Black Label horror series, The Nice House On The Lake (also written by James Tynion). This chapter contains entire pages dedicated to text and art that are so seamlessly intertwined, that the reader’s left wondering whether the artist, colorist, or letterer was responsible for the final result. With this story, I finally have my answer.

The tale features several text pages, but they’re so lovely to look at that you’d be completely justified in calling them works of art. Some look like ancient scrolls, others like pages from a storybook, and yet others like a movie script (the scroll pages are featured below).

AndWorld didn’t just letter these pages. No. Just like the way they did in TNHOTL they imagined and executed the designs, created the textures, and provided the color. As usual, I’ve been left in awe. I cannot understand people who don’t see comics as true literature or art, because, for me, they’re the perfect marriage of both.

Negatives

How long until the final volume? Aaaaarrrrgggghhhh!

Verdict

The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country: The Glass House closes with style and power. James Tynion’s foray into Neil Gaiman’s world of dreams and nightmares has never disappointed, and with the final act of this incredible dark fantasy/horror coming in 2024, a clash between Dream and Desire (and possibly Despair too, if the cover for the final chapter’s anything to go by) is edging ever closer.

A war is coming, and I can’t wait. The final chapters of this tale are tantalizingly close, but still just beyond our reach. I will wait, however impatiently, as I know what’s coming will deliver a story for the ages. This book gives readers the perfect close to this arc while leaving us all begging for more. Like the winter season itself, the wait will be a long, cold one… but one I believe will ultimately be worth it.

I’ll see you all again in dreams.

Review Copy Courtesy of Penguin Random House. Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment.

The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country: The Glass House Collected Edition is available now from all good book and comic retailers: ISBN 9781779520722

The post Book Review: Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country: The Glass House – Collected Edition appeared first on DC Comics News.

Writer: Pornsak Pichetshote
Artists: Jeff Stokely, Craig Taillefer, Javier Rodríguez
Color Artist: Miquel Muerto
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Reviewed By Steve J. Ray

Summary

The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives -Collected Edition is finally here, and Charles and Edwin are back! Who? You may ask. Worry not, dear reader, I’ll have you caught up before you can say, Thessaly.

Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine first appeared in the now-classic The Sandman #25 (April 1991). They were created by Neil Gaiman, Matt Wagner, and Malcolm Jones III during the brilliant “Season of Mists” story arc (Volume 4 of the Sandman graphic novels series, which is reprinted in Book Two of the lovely new set of collected editions).

This vintage tale saw Lucifer give up his throne and relinquish the key to the gates of hell. The underworld was then emptied and the dead once again roamed the Earth. Death of the Endless had a tough time rounding up the denizens of hell and both Charles and Edwin, rather than move on, decided to stay on Earth and solve supernatural crimes.

A lot more has happened in one-shots, crossovers, a mini-series, as well as in an ongoing Dead Boy Detectives series, over the years, but that’s all everyone needs to know, in a nutshell. Oh, and the characters have appeared in the HBO Max TV series Doom Patrol too.

Positives

If you’ve read The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country, you’ll know that it ended in a cliffhanger. This issue follows on directly, making the two stories almost feel like one. Another Sandman character, the witch Thessaly, made an appearance at the end of Nightmare Country, and she plays a part in this book, too.

Eisner Award-winning writer, Pornsak Pichetshote (The Good Asian, Infidel), has woven a tale of horror and dark magic that gripped me from page one. His use of Thai folklore and legend is fascinating and engaging. His resumé speaks for itself, as he’s written Swamp Thing stories for DC, TV’s Cloak & Dagger for Marvel, and many other horror comics and books. As a writer of Thai-American heritage, his insight into Asian supernatural lore is refreshing and intriguing.

In the story we meet three Thai ghosts; Melvin, a Snake Ghost, Jai, a Hollow-Backed Ghost, and Tanya, a Mother Ghost. Having died between the 1970s and the present the three were taken care of by the Thai “Ghost Doctor”, Dom. The main antagonist in the book is a fourth ghost, the deadly Krasue. This monster is a normal human woman by day, but at night her head and spine detach and fly around the city, hunting down helpless victims. I know… right?!?

Our heroes are also attacked by a horde of mutilated ghost babies (known as the Kumanthong), who are both stomach-churning and heartbreaking. Pornsak Pichetshote’s scripts are textured and his imagination is wonderful. Dead baby ghosts are terrifying, but the fact that they may also have feelings makes them all the more tragic.

Edwin and Charles have an unorthodox relationship, and we’ve seen that. The fact that these are ghosts with feelings and emotions elevates the intensity of events and makes the characters so much more relatable.

I’m totally into this mythology. Thai culture and spiritual beliefs are brand new to me and I find them fascinating. The way the new ghosts only appear at night makes Charles and Edwin’s work harder, and the book that much more fun to read. This adds a whole extra layer of tension and drama to the proceedings.

Pichetshote’s tale is part whodunnit, part thriller, and 100% horror. The best bit is, that while every cast member is dead, they’ve all got more spark, humanity, and personality than some folks that are still alive. The script is great fun to read and every character has their own strengths and characteristics, making them fascinating to follow.

The art by Jeff Stokely and Miquel Muerto (what a great name for a color artist working on a horror book) is lovely. The characters and colors are quite bright and punchy, and even though the visuals are quite simple-looking (in a good way), this makes the grotesquery of the gore and horror that much more powerful. This story’s brand new, yet it looks and feels like it would fit in my 1990s Sandman library effortlessly. Muertos’s lovely colors make the art shine and don’t overshadow or smother the subtle line work.

From chapter two onward, the creative team is joined by inker Craig Taillefer, who does what any great inker should do; finish the penciller’s art in a way that highlights both artists’ skills, but doesn’t wash away the penciller’s style. Yes, the visuals in this book are fairly cartoony in style, but the skill is in the storytelling, the characters’ faces, and the deep, rich backgrounds.

Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou had already impressed me with his excellent work on Sword Of Azrael, so I knew the lettering on this book would be great too. Yay, me… I was right! His ghost text, sound effects, and chapter headings are simply gorgeous. From little notepads showing us what the characters are thinking (nope I really don’t miss thought bubbles at all), to ghostly dream speak, and big loud, almost manga-style arguments between the characters. All of his work is stellar.

We have a guest artist drawing all but the final page of chapter four, the brilliant Javier Rodríguez. I’ve been following this artist’s work since the late 90s when he worked for the publisher Ediciones La Cúpula. He was one of many artists working on the wild and whacky title El Víbora, published in my native country of Spain between 1979 and 2005. American comics fans may primarily know him as a color artist, from titles such as Batgirl: Year One for DC, but this guy can draw! His work on this chapter is lovely, and I would dearly love to see even more of his art across DC in months and years to come.

This book raises so many fascinating questions. If ghosts are already dead, how can they be “killed”? Pornsak Pichetshote’s written one hell of a tale, not just because of the haunted goings on, but also because of all the wonderful semi-autobiographical touches he adds, due to being a Thai-American. Honestly, this book is great.

The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives isn’t just a horror story either, as we also get some amazing social commentary. Shootings in schools, bullying, racism; all these topics are handled in this book. The best thing is that Pichetshote’s not smacking us around the head with politics, he’s doing what all the best writers do and uses fiction to hold a cautionary mirror over fact. Why is it only children who seem to be capable of learning and wanting change? Have all adults truly just given up?

The fascinating glimpse into ghosts from across the globe, the re-introduction of three favorite characters from Neil Gaiman’s legendary Sandman series, and the horror and humor they all bring have been an absolute delight. I know that’s a weird thing to say about a horror comic, but it’s true.

Negatives

None. Whether you only know Charles and Edwin from this book, or if you’ve followed their adventures for decades, writer Pornsak Pichetshote has you covered. With every chapter, we learn more about our heroes.

Verdict

I’ve learned about new mythologies, felt scared, laughed, and had my heart broken. As a lifelong comics fan, this is the kind of series that proves the validity and power of the medium. It still upsets me when people put comics down, particularly when there are great stories like Dead Boy Detectives on the shelves.

The entire Sandman Universe has always been built on diversity and representation; both in its cast of characters and in the depth of stories it’s always told. The creative team behind Dead Boy Detectives is honoring that legacy and building on it beautifully.

Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives delivers everything I love about comics. Great characters, next-level threats, humor, scares, and thrills. The fact that it also educates while it entertains is a huge bonus. While this is a brilliant horror story, it also sheds light on life, love, and the problems faced by the children of immigrants.

This terrific book collects all six issues. It also presents the main and standard variant covers before each chapter, and has a nine-page gallery with all the other variant covers at the back of the book. For anyone wanting to know or read more about The Sandman Universe, there’s also a four-page reading guide.

The post Book Review: The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives – Collected Edition appeared first on DC Comics News.

Writer/Artist: Sina Grace
Color Artist: Chris Peter
Letterer: AndWorld’s DC Hopkins

Reviewed by Steve J. Ray

Summary

Sina Grace (Iceman, Ghosted in L.A.) has always been a writer/artist whose work I’ve enjoyed and admired, and Superman: The Harvests Of Youth isn’t just one of the best things he’s ever produced, it’s become one of my favorite YA books and Superman stories… ever.

DC’s range of Young Adult Graphic Novels are some of the finest books out there. I haven’t been a teenager for over thirty years, but these volumes make me feel, think, and are always super entertaining.

This story is, at its heart, one about ordinary people. Yes, everyone knows that Superman is far from ordinary, but that’s part of the magic and power of the character. As Clark Kent, although he’s handsome, smart, and talented, all he wants to be is an ordinary guy. Superman is all about protecting the “ordinary”, the innocent, and those who need his help.

Positives

Let’s be honest, if we had powers like Superman’s, would we use them in the same way he does? Or would we be more like the pitiful super-powered deviants that populate the pages of stories like The Boys? Superman’s greatest power isn’t his superhuman strength, his ability to fly, or the ability to shoot heat beams from his eyes. No. What makes Superman great and inspirational is the way he uses his special abilities to protect and aid those who have none.

Sina Grace gets this. Superman: The Harvests Of Youth gives us a young Clark Kent, a teenager still trying to find his place in the world and learning to use his gifts. When tragedy hits Smallville he learns that, even with his amazing abilities, he can’t save everyone. We may have read tales like this before, but seeing real teenagers with real problems and all the pressure they face – with the future Man of Steel as one of them – makes this Superman story feel all the more grounded and real.

Of course, having a story based in Smallville means that we get to see all the classic residents of this wonderful mid-western town; Lana Lang, Pete Ross, Chloe Sullivan, and Ma & Pa Kent. All of them are pitch-perfect in this book, but the addition of brand new characters Gil Stockwell and Amy Buenaventura (great surname, get your Spanish phrasebook out) adds to the uniqueness and power of this book.

Sina says in his afterword:

There’s no denying that Clark Kent and the people of Smallville are amongst the most iconic in pop culture, so the importance of getting to write and draw a story about Superman’s formative years was not lost on me.”

He goes on to say:

Who are these people in real life? How much will they resemble previous interpretations of the past? What makes my perspective unique?”

Having read the book, all I can say is, “Sina… you nailed it.”

The dialogue is fresh, realistic, and modern, the character designs are perfect and timeless, and the surprises and twists are next level. As soon as we see the teenage Lex Luthor certain expectations are raised. Of course, young Lex clearly showcases some of the characteristics of the man and villain he will eventually become, but the real antagonist of the book is a massive surprise. In fact, the term antagonist may not be the best one to use in this case. The real enemy here is humanity and the way people treat each other, the “villain” of the piece just uses all of that in the worst ways possible.

Sina’s writing and art are terrific throughout, and the storytelling is absolutely sublime. Just check out the facial expressions and love displayed by Ma and Pa Kent in the pages above. What’s amazing is that his work is elevated even further by the gorgeous warm, subtle color palette employed by the brilliant Chris Peter. The earthy, natural tones in this book enhance and add to the atmosphere. Somehow, even in the powerful action scenes near the end of the story, everything feels grounded, and real. Just the fact that we get bronze/copper-toned robots, instead of the usual chrome/steel deal is a huge plus. Nice work, Mr. Peter.

AndWorld Design is one of the finest lettering/design studios in the comics industry, and the work by DC Hopkins in this book is exemplary. There are very few sound effects in this story, in fact, most of the lettering is made up of character dialogue. However, the design choices made by Hopkins and Sina Grace are completely on the money. Where we do get sound effects, they look like part of the art, rather than big, hyper-flashy special effects. In fact, in places they look like Sina may have just drawn them in himself. Also, the choice to have lower-case font dialogue throughout the book really works and adds to making everything feel like conversation, rather than melodramatic exposition.

In short, every member of this creative team has knocked it out of the park.

Negatives

This is just nit-picking. Some of what happens in these pages (and I hate the fact that I’m typing this) goes against what we know to be Superman canon. However (and I love the fact that I’m typing this) I DON’T CARE! These people feel real, the emotions hit home, and we’re being shown the ugly side of society in a way that doesn’t feel preachy or heavy-handed. This is the kind of book I want every teenager and young adult to read; not just because they need to know that they’re not alone, but because this book is fun and one of the best Young Superman tales I’ve ever read.

Verdict

Superman: The Harvests Of Youth is a wonderful story. For me, it ranks with John Byrne’s original Man Of Steel, and Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s Superman For All Seasons as one of the finest tales of Clark Kent’s formative years. Please, do not sleep on this book, buy a copy and share it.

Review Copy and Cover Art Courtesy of Penguin Random House. Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment

Paperback
$16.99
Out NOW
ISBN: 9781779511058

The post Book Review: Superman: The Harvests Of Youth appeared first on DC Comics News.

Writers and artists discussed their upcoming books including Nicole Maines, Sina Grace and Jeffery Brown.  Maines, known to most fans as Dreamer on Supergirl, was there  to talk about Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story.  Sina Grace shared his excitement over his upcoming book Superman: The Harvests of Youth.  Penelope and Jerry Gaylord chatted about Diana and the Hero’s Journey and Clark & Lex. Jeffrey Brown was there to talk about the hit Batman and Robin and Howard. Bestselling author Jim Benton got fans hyped for Fann Club: Batman Squad.

With all that star power there were bound to be some special announcements, and the panel did not disappoint! Jeffrey Brown is writing a sequel to his Batman and Robin and Howard middle-grade graphic novel, it will be called Batman and Robin and Howard: Summer Breakdown. It will be a 3-issue comic book series and will arrive in March of 2024.

To top it all off, Sherri L. Smith showed up as a secret guest. She will be writing her first DC graphic novel. it will be aimed at middle schoolers and will be titled Lightning: Changes. Lily J Allen will be doing the art. Lightning: Changes will focus on a  young Jennifer Pierce as she deals with a rough summer. Safe to say the rest of the Black Lightning family will be involved! Lightning: Changes will hit stores in the fall of 2024!  Check out a few preview images below!

The post DC Young Readers Panel At SDCC 2023 appeared first on DC Comics News.

Writer: James Tynion IV
Artists: Lisandro Estherren, Yanick Paquette, Andrea Sorrentino, Francesco Francavilla, Dani, Aaron Campbell, Maria Llovet
Color Artists: Patricio Delpeche, Nathan Fairbairn, Jordie Bellaire, Francesco Francavilla, Tamra Bonvillain, Maria Llovet
Letterer: Simon Bowland

Reviewed by Steve J. Ray

Summary

The stunning Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country hardcover collected edition contains the complete first arc of the series, a gallery of all the main and variant covers, a haunting, yet beautiful dust-jacket cover by Alex Eckman-Lawn, plus a stunning hi-res print of the extremely rare 1:100 Death of the Endless cover, by Jenny Frison.

Here’s a brief synopsis from Penguin Random House:

Acclaimed writer James Tynion IV has waited his whole career to pay tribute to the mythos of The Sandman, the work that made him the writer he is today – and that time has come!

 

Designed to welcome new readers into one of the greatest worlds in DC’s library, The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country is a terrifying travelogue through a nation recognizable and obscene, which will show you things seen in no Sandman series ever before.

 

With spectacular art by Lisandro Estherren (Redneck, Strange Skies Over East Berlin) and “nightmare” sequences by comics art all-stars!

 

This volume collects The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country #1-6.

Positives

This is a seriously good book and as strong a first volume as I could’ve wished for. James Tynion is one of the foremost horror writers in comics, and the incredible art teams who worked on this collection are as phenomenally talented as he is.

The main story, “Nightmare Country” is one of those tales that seem to bathe you in a slow, creeping, stream of horror that makes you feel like you’re drowning. Lisandro Estherren’s beautiful art then elevates that feeling because it’s the equivalent of sinking into sweet, delicious, but ultimately deadly honey.

The main protagonist is New York artist, Madison Flynn. She says she doesn’t dream anymore, but in waking hours she sees “The Smiling Man”, a golem-like lump of clay with three mouths, two of them where its eyes should be. When we meet her, Flynn isn’t the only person to see this creature, but she may well be the only one still alive. The duo behind the deaths of the other witnesses is hot on her trail, while the Corinthian, another nightmare with mouths for eyes, is even closer.

The reintroduction of the Corinthian sold me when Nightmare Country was first announced, as I’ve been enthralled by the character since their first appearance in Neil Gaiman’s original, legendary Sandman series. The way that this iteration of the nightmare has all the memories of the original, while they are separate entities and act and think differently, is masterfully handled.

The main antagonists, Mr. Agony and Mr. Ecstasy are ruthless, remorseless, savage assassins who thoroughly enjoy their work. It’s great that, at first, we wonder whether the two Misters are kin to The Corinthian or, even worse, just sick evil human beings (the real monsters). They’re also a loving tribute to Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere characters, Messrs Croup, and Vandemar. Oh, and I’d love to be able to see all your faces when you find out who’s behind their killing spree!

The way that Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country comes across as a natural extension of Neil Gaiman’s classic series is wonderful and the appearance of other inhabitants of the Dreaming is also very welcome. The best part is that James Tynion is rewarding fans who have loved these stories for the last 30+ years, without alienating or baffling new readers.

We’re also treated to interludes in the first five chapters. I usually hate it when a comic is handled by more than one art team, but it really works within the structure of this particular narrative. These secondary “The Dreaming” stories, with art produced by different creative teams, tell the characters’ back story in gorgeous, original ways that don’t feel like an info dump or annoyingly intrusive exposition.

Anyone who knows me, or who regularly reads my reviews, knows that I’m a child of the Alan Moore era Swamp Thing, Neil Gaiman’s original Sandman epic, and all the Vertigo/DC Black Label books that followed. It’s clear that James Tynion feels the same way, and he cites The Sandman as being the reason he became a writer (See the trailer advertising the series at the bottom of this review and check out my interview with him here, or on YouTube).

Seeing Moore’s Boogey Man referenced (Swamp Thing Vol. 2, #44) alongside the Corinthian’s debut story (Sandman issues #9-16) made my heart leap with joy. Those classics, for me, were when comics grew up, so seeing these tales honored and expanded on is a delight.

The surreal quality of Lisandro Estherren’s art adds so much to the feel of this book and I don’t believe any ultra-realistic or even fully painted work would do the story as much justice. Estherren’s dream-like, cartoony style, coupled with haunting colors by Patricio Delpeche, all give readers a world that seems to be just on the wrong side of a cracked, cursed mirror.

Simon Bowland’s creative lettering also helps the nightmares sound inhuman and adds to the tension and drama. His reworking of the old “Dream Country” logo (Sandman volume three, issues #17-20, 1990, collected in book one of the new omnibus editions) is an evocative and brilliantly thoughtful plus.

Another wonderful aspect of this story is that the human characters are every bit as interesting as the dreams and nightmares that are invading their world. They’re deep, flawed, realistic, and sympathetic, which has already made me feel for them, and want to continue following their stories.

“The Cereal Convention” and “Chaste” side stories are a love letter to Neil Gaiman’s original, timeless, seminal Sandman run. We get to see more than one classic character from the original series other than the Corinthian too. The witch, Thessaly, is the star of the final chapter of the book, which leads straight into the follow-up series, Dead Boy Detectives. While she’s not a nice person, she’s a brilliant character.

The art and colors by Maria Lovet in the closing tale are similar enough in style to Estherren’s that they won’t jar readers, yet different enough that the story clearly feels like a new chapter in the ongoing series. The way she colors outside the lines adds a level of oddness and nostalgia that puts you on edge, while also reminding you of a more innocent, Ben-Day Dots era of years gone by. It’s very effective indeed.

Negatives

You’re dreaming…

Verdict

Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country is about as good a graphic novel as anyone could ask for. It delivers shocks, horror, betrayal, violence, and dark fantasy at the highest level. This book will happily sit on the same shelf as my Sandman originals because it’s more than worthy.

Review copy courtesy of Penguin Random House. Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment.

The post Book Review: Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country – Collected Edition appeared first on DC Comics News.

Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Álvaro Martínez Bueno
Color Artist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: AndWorld Design

Reviewed by: Steve J. Ray

WARNING – This review contains mild spoilers for the first volume of the series. If you haven’t read that yet, PLEASE DO SO. You can pick up The Nice House On The Lake Vol. One Collected Edition, anywhere books and comics are sold.

The Nice House On The Lake Vol. Two collects issues #7 – #12 of the title, the main and variant covers, and also publishes writer James Tynion IV’s original pitch for the series.

Summary

It’s been almost exactly a year since volume one was released, and we last checked in on the housemates, so the wait for The Nice House On The Lake Vol. Two has been a long and anxious one.

The previous book dropped bombshells, surprised us, scared us, and blew our minds. The appearance of Reg near the end of the book, (even though he was already trying to make himself seen and heard when Sam discovered the second house, at the end of chapter three, and even got a mention in chapter one) changed everything. Here was Walter’s closest confidant, possibly his best friend, and someone who knew all his secrets.

Of course, by the end of volume one, we also discovered that Norm (now Norah) and a few others also knew the truth about Walter long before they were all gathered at the lake house, only to have those memories wiped. This was yet another shocking revelation.

All this neatly brings us to volume two, where more secrets are revealed, and we finally get to see how the plans for the house came together, and who was actually behind them.

Positives

Where do I even begin? Be forewarned, there will be no “negatives” section in this review. James Tynion, Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Jordie Bellaire, and Deron Bennett have continued to lift the curtain and, while I’ve been anxious to see what lurks there, I also really wanted to look away… but couldn’t.

Once again, we’re given a story that fascinates and terrifies us. The art, color, and letters are sublime, adding to said tension, fear, and fascination perfectly. We learn more about Reg and Walter, and how the plans for the house came into being. The worst part is that we kind of already knew some of the answers, just because of what we’ve already witnessed. In a stroke of brilliance, though, this doesn’t lessen the blow, it reinforces the horror.

What is a revelation is the further looks into Walter’s past and his feelings for his friends. Norah, Reg, and Molly in particular. We know – or rather Walter has told us – that his human body had hormones and that he really did have feelings for his friends, some of which were far deeper than just platonic. Volume two takes this even further.

The way that James Tynion can make something as simple and commonplace as feeling like an outsider feel even more isolating and terrifying than it already is, is pure genius. At some point or another, we’ve all felt like we don’t belong, or that others are more loved or wanted than we are. Seeing it happen to the best, the brightest, and the most beautiful in this messed-up world that’s been turned upside down, makes this horrific fantasy feel all the more real.

That’s one of the greatest aspects of this entire series; the way that the writing and the art feel so down-to-earth and real, even though this whole chain of events, and the planet that the survivors have inherited, is just about as messed up and wrong as anything ever could be.

The art by Álvaro Martínez Bueno and Jordie Bellaire just highlights all of it. The visuals in this book are simply phenomenal and make the commonplace horrific, simply by bringing the most terrifying of possible scenarios into what should be the safest place of all… home.

While the whole series has been stunning, there’s a page in this book that showcases some of the best storytelling I’ve ever seen in a comic. The way the camera pans away from Ryan, just as Walter and all the other housemates walk away from her, is unnerving, spine-chilling, and incredibly effective. Truly beautiful work from everyone involved.

Even the way Deron Bennett’s letters blow up whenever Walter’s ire is raised is a joy to behold.

From steamed-up mirrors with hidden messages, to sublime vistas, and some of the most human of human beings, this series is a pure delight. Saying that about a horror story may sound odd, but the storytelling genius of every creative talent working on this book makes me proud to be a grown man who’s still reading comics.

The way this sublime horror story taps into human nature and the fears all of us have is beautifully handled. No one likes to be kept in the dark or lied to, even when the truth can be extremely painful. Walter has quelled a rebellion before, but the personalities of the people he has saved are too strong to be held back. As every adult alive will agree, eventually the truth will come out, and the bigger the lie, the more destructive the consequences.

We have eleven people, locked in a perfect house, away from the rest of the world. Over the first six issues, collected in volume one, we, and they, learned that they were the last surviving humans on Earth and that the one friend they all had in common, Walter, was actually not human at all.

This creature, for want of a better word, had been given a human form and emotions, in order to preserve ten perfect examples of humanity: an artist, a writer, an actor, a historian, a musician, a mathematician, a doctor, a scientist, a politician, and a person of faith.

Read the last two paragraphs back to yourself, and you’ll automatically see a problem. If you’ve been following the series, then, for you, this problem will also have a name. Walter, it seems, became all too human, and saved one more person than he was allowed to by his superiors, who or whatever they may be. There are eleven survivors, not ten.

Walter has complete physical and psychological control of his charges, including the ability to manipulate their memories and make them invulnerable to harm. Eventually, they found all that out, and, while the inability to cause themselves any physical harm was generally met with glee and taken as a boon and a wonder, the fact that they were the only people left alive on Earth had the complete opposite effect. Walter had to wipe those particular memories out.

Over the course of the series, we also learned that one of Walter’s charges helped him design the idyllic home and habitat they all share. In this book, we learn that another inhabitant of the house helped him design the control systems. Now… imagine what could happen if the wrong people had access to these controls. That’s as close to dropping a spoiler as I’ll ever get, but that thought alone should have you clamoring for this collection.

Horror and tension have always been present on these pages, but this book manages to up the ante and deliver even more shocks and twists. Walter and his masters may have spared the occupants of the house, but right from the beginning, Walter’s been lying, both to his superiors and to his human friends.

Has Walter known exactly what was going to happen all along and planned for it? Or worse, has this been his agenda from the start?

James Tynion has cleverly shown us how all this will most likely end, writing scenes set “now” and interspersing them with those showing us how we got here. This story has been exquisitely and expertly crafted, so much so that I had to re-read book one again in the days leading up to the release of The Nice House On The Lake Vol. Two.

Memories have been lost, regained, manipulated, and edited like a document on a PC. Walter’s been writing all these people’s lives for decades… but what happens when the puppets’ strings are cut? Is this horror fiction, or a deep look at how writers treat their characters, as told by one of the best? This series works on so many levels and I’ve loved every second.

Having met and interviewed both the writer, James Tynion IV, and the artist, Álvaro Martínez Bueno, I know just how much love, blood, sweat, and tears have gone into these pages. The best news? As James said in his interview, this chapter may well be over, but there’s more story to tell.

Few series have hit me in the same way that this one has, emotionally. I feel a kinship with Walter, and with his friends. I’ve brought a few people to DC Comics News, and to our sister sites Dark Knight News and Fantastic Universes. These great people have, over the years, become more than colleagues, they’ve become part of an extended family, spread over the globe with a common love of comics and stories. If I knew the end of the world was coming, but had a way of saving them, I would.

The problem is, what if you could only save so many? What if you made the wrong choice and the ones you saved turned against each other and you ended up losing them all anyway? What if the ones you chose not to save should’ve been the ones you saved after all? Worst of all, what if every decision you made wasn’t even your own and you had power over every decision the people you saved would make, moving forward?

The Nice House On The Lake Vol. Two concludes this chapter, which tells the story of a being who can control people like chess pieces, characters in a video game, or protagonists in a book. Every day, writers make choices about who lives and who dies in the stories they tell, but Walter does it with living, breathing human beings. Yes, he’s saved them and given them the perfect home and everything they could ever need, but the biggest, most beautiful, magical cage in the world is, at the end of it all, still a cage. The freedom to do what you want, to read, watch, eat, and drink whatever you like may sound great, but only being able to do it with a limited number of others isn’t, particularly when that group has been chosen by someone else.

The team of Álvaro Martínez Bueno, Jordie Bellaire, and Deron Bennett (AndWorld Design) have redefined what collaborative storytelling is. Once again in this book, there are whole pages that are made up of text and color, with only avatars of the character’s faces. Were these pages created by Deron and Jordie, just Deron, or Álvaro, Jordie, and Deron as a team? I don’t know, but I’m eternally grateful and incredibly impressed. Using web pages, message threads, and transcripts to tell this story has given readers a comic that looks, feels, and reads like no other.

Verdict

The Nice House On The Lake Vol. Two is an amazing book, both to read and to look at. The creative team that put this story together ranks, at least in my mind, as one of the best in all of comics. If you’ve never read this series, do yourselves a favor and pick up the double Eisner Award winning volume one as well (ISBN 9781779514349).

If, like me, you’ve been following this story from the beginning, then this finale will satisfy you, but will also leave you wanting more. At least we now know that we’ll actually be getting it.

The Nice House On The Lake Vol. Two comes out on Mar 7th, 2023. ISBN: 9781779517401

Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment. Review copy courtesy of Penguin Random House.

The post Book Review: The Nice House On The Lake Vol. Two – Collected Edition appeared first on DC Comics News.

These two YA graphic novels are very different takes on DC’s most popular character, Batman. Bruce Wayne: Not Super takes a familiar road, setting these larger-than-life characters in a school. We’ve seen this done many times, in many different ways, but this one focuses on a young Bruce Wayne as he deals with feeling like the odd-man-out amongst a school full of superpowered kids.

Then there’s Fann Club: The Batman Squad, which just sounds crazy… in a good way. The tag line for this book is “the justiest justice of all” and the synopsis is equally strange. In this one, Batman superfan Ernest Fann rallies his friends (and dog) to train in super important hero things like Standing Mysteriously on a Roof, only to find themselves having to investigate a robbery… perpetrated by a werewolf.

I told you it sounded crazy.

Check out more details below, including the covers for each book and some of Peckmezci’s interiors for Bruce Wayne: Not Super.

Per DC:

DC Announces Two Middle Grade Books for Spring 2023

Next Spring, two new DC middle-grade graphic novels will introduce new takes on the iconic Batman—one through the eyes of a young Bruce Wayne, just discovering how he can be a Super Hero, and one through the eyes of a young Batman super-fan, who is learning how he can be like his hero.

 

On sale February 7, 2023, Bruce Wayne: Not Super follows a 13-year-old Bruce Wayne as he attends an exclusive prep school for the gifted. But, in this book written by Stuart Gibbs (SpySchool) with art by Berat Peckmezci (Flash), this school is for the super-gifted. Bruce doesn’t stand a chance of winning a race against the future Flash, or a swim meet against the future Aquaman, and he always gets picked last for dodgeball.

 

It’s hard enough being in middle school, but it’s even worse when you’re the only kid at your school who doesn’t have super-powers. Bruce does have a goal though: he wants to make a difference in the world. But how can he do that when he doesn’t have any powers? While the Future-Supers are currently content to simply use their gifts to glide through school and court popularity, Bruce struggles to figure out if he has any gifts at all — and if so, how to use them. His challenge comes when he discovers fellow student Jack Napier and his hired bully Bane shaking down lesser-powered students for money, including that hapless kid Dick Grayson. Someone must stand up to them and somehow, it’s going to be Bruce!

 

Bruce Wayne: Not Super represents an alternate origin story for Batman and a number of other iconic DC characters, imagining them all as school age kids and with Bruce as the misfit. Filled with a lot of humor, this is a light-hearted take on a well-known and beloved character. 

 

Then on June 6, 2023, Fann Club: The Batman Squad takes on the neighborhood. Written and drawn by satirist Jim Benton (Dear Dumb Diary), the book follows the adventures and misadventures of Ernest Fann, a boy who idolizes Batman. 

 

With no particular training or superpowers, Ernest decides to set up a crimefighting unit consisting of his immediate friends and his dog. Ernest takes on the name of Gerbilwing, his best friend Jack becomes Nightstand, his sitter Harriet is dubbed Nightshadow, and his dog Westy takes on the crime-fighting alias of Night Terrier.

 

Their very important training exercises—all designed by Ernest, of course, consist of Scowling, Standing Mysteriously on A Roof, and going on neighborhood patrol. But things get complicated when Ernest and Jack—a.k.a Gerbilwing and Nightstand—visit a bank that happens to be in the middle of a robbery. And not just any robbery, but one that’s being committed by a werewolf! What’s his connection to a number of “disasters” that have been going on in Ernest’s neighborhood? Will The Batman Squad taste defeat on their very first day of crime-fighting?

 

Fann Club: The Batman Squad is a great send-up of the Batman mythos as well as a series of silly adventures fill of great, tongue-in-cheek satire for readers of all ages.

Bruce Wayne: Not Super will hit comic shops and digital retailers on Feb. 3, 2023, with Fann Club: The Batman Squad following on June 6. Are you looking forward to these two new YA graphic novels? If so, be sure to stay tuned for more news about these, and more, in the months to come.

The post DC Announces Two New Batman YA Graphic Novels Coming In 2023 appeared first on DC Comics News.

Written by Sholly Fisch (Flash Facts, Action Comics) and with adorable art by Christopher Uminga (Ghostbusters) this graphic novel has a very unique feel about it.  The premise is that this will be a more immersive experience in comparison to its other child-friendly titles of recent years.  Of course, this isn’t a bad thing anything to introduce and encourage a new generation of comic readers is welcome.

The book’s tagline:

Look for clues! Analyze evidence! Solve riddles! Learn Gotham City history!

makes it sound like a great introduction to the DC universe for kids.

Batman is a great detective, but he rarely works alone. His sidekicks Robin and Batgirl, his butler Alfred, and the police of Gotham City all play a role in helping him keep his city safe. In DC’s upcoming Batman’s Mystery Casebook graphic novel by Sholly Fisch and Christopher Uminga, you can help keep Gotham City safe, too! Look for clues! Analyze evidence! Solve riddles! Learn Gotham City history!

 

How good are your detective skills? Did you know that no two fingerprints are the same? Help the Batman as he goes on his adventures and see if you can spot the answers to these mysteries before he logs them into his casebook. Then, like Robin and Batgirl, try one of his crime-fighting techniques to help solve a mystery. You could study shoe prints to determine who tracked mud all through the kitchen, or take fingerprints to find the cookie-eating culprit! (It’s probably your little brother.)

The book is scheduled for release on August 30th, 2022, and will contain 144 pages of Gotham City cuteness.

Source Article

The post DC Announce Batman’s Mystery Casebook appeared first on DC Comics News.

Our full nomination list is here, and we would like to invite you all to vote! We want your voices to be heard and for you to be a major part in these awards, so if you’re interested, please submit your votes in the link below!

You will be voting on several categories for DC Comics, as well as some for Indie Comics.

Voting will conclude on January 22, 2022, so be sure to get your votes in and share this link with your friends!

VOTE HERE:  https://s.surveyplanet.com/f3wn1lh4

DC Comics News Awards winners will be revealed on January 29, 2022.

Be sure to stay up-to-date on all the DC news and independent comics reviews right here!

The post DC COMICS NEWS AWARDS 2022 NOMINATIONS appeared first on DC Comics News.

Check it out below:

This new comic book from author Mariko Tamaki and artist Yoshi Yoshitani introduces Mandy, the daughter of the iconic hero, Starfire. But where Starfire is known for her glowing personality, Mandy couldn’t be more different — she’s goth, jaded, and desperate to get out from under her mother’s shadow.

The post ‘I Am Not Starfire’ Trailer Officially Released appeared first on DC Comics News.