This is my first foray back into the world of the Sandman since I read Overture years ago. The DC Universe is
about to get more nightmarish as the absolute worst of Dream’s nightmares comes
to our world to figure out why someone knows about another nightmare like
himself.
Sandman
Universe: Nightmare Country #1 is written by James Tynion IV, art by
Lisandro Estherren, colors by Patricio Delpeche, and lettering by Simon
Bowland. The issue also features guest artist Yanick Paquette and guest
colorist Nathan Fairbairn. The series is also part of DC’s Black Label line,
which has been the home for all of DC’s new Sandman stories since the shutdown
of Vertigo in 2020.
The main character of the story is
the Corinthian, a nightmare created by the Sandman to terrorize us in our
sleep. He has mouths where his eyes should be, and delights in eating our eyes
with his eye mouths when he visits us as we dream. But now, this denizen of the
darkness beyond our subconscious comes to the waking world to meet a young
artist named Flynn.
Flynn’s paintings are inspired by a nightmare she can
see named The Smiling Man, a being who looks like an even more grotesque
version of the Corinthian. As this happens, masked killers Mr. Agony and Mr.
Ecstasy commit a horrific murder, and decide that Flynn is the next person they
must kill.
First off, the artwork in this comic
is just absolutely phenomenal. It really fits the style of artwork that was
established in Neil Gaiman’s original series. It ranges from beautiful, to
abstract, to horrifying all in the same issue. I can’t think of a better way to
describe this comic either–beautiful, abstract and horrifying. I’m a real
sucker for comics that really put extra effort into their artwork, and DC did
an amazing job in selecting both Lisandro Estherren and guest artist Yanick
Paquette. I can’t wait to see who the guest is on issue #2.
Storywise, this issue is definitely
the issue that gets the plot going. We meet our main heroes and antagonists and
get a recap of who the Corinthian is, which is great for people who haven’t
read The Sandman and are just now
dipping their toes into this wild side of the DC Universe. I myself got into The Sandman by reading the spinoff Death: The Time of Your Life so if you
like, the roller coaster has only just begun.
This issue has just enough to whet appetites and get
readers excited for the rest of this series. I’m
not too familiar with the works of James Tyion IV but he made a name for
himself writing Batman comics. Since I like this series so
far I think I’m going to check out his other work as the series comes out.
Which will most likely mean I’ll buy one of his stories, forget about it, and
read it like a year later. Such is the life of a comic book fan who wants to
read so much but has so little time.
This comic was really wonderful to read. So many old
memories and feelings came back to me as I read this. A real childlike
excitement mixed with the love I have for the Sandman comics that I gained when
I read the series in high school, nearly 10 years ago . This comic feels like a
true piece of art, just like the original series, both in story and in artwork.
As I wrap up I still feel like I
found a piece of me that’s been missing. While I do love Batman, Green Lantern,
and all the other great heroes, they just don’t scratch the itch like Sandman
does. I think picking the Corinthian as the main character is perfect for a
Sandman spin off, and so far I’m really diggin the series. If you’re looking
for a new comic to get spooked and be blown away by amazing artwork, I can’t
think of a better one than one about the world’s worst nightmare.
SCORE: 9/10
Advent Seven 
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