The universe knows someone is missing, and slowly it attempts to replace him.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman

Spoiler Alert: Plot Summary

The Sandman is about a failed attempt to kidnap and control Death and all that happens afterward. Instead of capturing Death, a secret society captures Dream, Death's brother. They try to harness his power, but their attempts are futile, and he eventually breaks free and wreaks vengeance on them for stripping him of his totems and leaving him imprisoned for decades. Dream must undergo a series of challenges to retrieve the totems which help him to wield his power, but after he is successful in getting them back, he feels empty. He discusses his feelings with Death, his older sister, and this is where the first volume comes to a close. 

Spoiler Over: Continue Here

Dear blobbists, 

  Perhaps I needed to read more than just the first installment (my edition called it "Preludes and Nocturnes) but I didn't really get into this one. I loved the concept, but it overall felt really dark and gory and a little bit gross. I also felt like it fell into the category of the somewhat icky male gaze, where there was a weird amount of gross female nudity/sexual commentary but it felt very one-sided.

  That being said, the intro to my copy waxed poetic about how revolutionary and amazing and fantastic this series is/was, so maybe I was just coming in with my expectations set too high. I still feel like we need wayyyyyyyyyyyyy more graphic novels by women, POC, and everything in between and inclusive of those identities. 

  Genuinely no offense meant to those who love this series - I may well come back to it and read more volumes in time, but I wasn't inspired to at this particular juncture. 

  I don't have much else to say about this one. I often feel really guilty after finishing a graphic novel because it seems like something that would take a tremendous amount of work and yet I consume it in almost no time at all. Maybe there's a different way to read graphic novels, or maybe that's part of the experience, and just something the writers/illustators are habituated to. Like gymnasts who vault for a millisecond and then are done competing for another year. 

 Well, I'm off to tackle the Age of Innocence. Join me if you like!

Stay safe, keep faith, good night!