Every now and then NPR holds an online I-will-if-you-will book club. A handful of NPR bloggers pick and read a book that people might be reluctant to read and lead discussions on twitter, through comments posts, live chats, etc. I missed the past two times they did it, when they picked the first Twilight book (didn't care to read it) and Moby Dick (didn't care to read it). Back in November they took votes to see what they should read next. We voted. And waited. And waited. They never chose. I gave up and stopped checking in on it. Then last week I read somewhere on a blog that they finally decided to read The Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman. Hoorah! I'd like to read those! Oh, but wait. They've already started and are almost finished. Of course.
So.
I still decide to try and participate, even in the late stages, and pick up the first volume, Preludes and Nocturnes while at the comic store (shout out to D and B comics!). OH. But wait again! Turns out they're reading VOL 3 for some reason. And only volume 3. They're starting--and finishing--in the middle of the series. Because that makes sense. And it's only one volume. They're allotting readers 5 whole weeks to read a 160 page comic book.
So.
I still read the first volume I bought. It's good. Not "I'm-gonna-go-buy-the-rest-of-the-series-now!" good, but still good. The stories follow The Sandman (or Dream) who is...well, he's the Sandman. He brings you your dreams. Except here dreams are something more. They're really stories. The basis of all stories.
The whole volume was an interesting exploration of stories and their creators. Especially in the chapter '24 Hours,' which I think will haunt me for a while to come.
The artwork was incredible throughout. Not particularly my style, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate it. I think my favorite things was that the storyline is also inhabited by characters from the DC Universe. So there were mentions of the Justice League, Batman, Arkham Asylum, John Constantine...pretty cool.
Plus...did I just find the origins of the raisins face meme?
See it? SEE IT?
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