The Sandman: The Doll's House (1990)

An actual graphic NOVEL with a storyline all the way through. I like it expanded on some characters from the first book. A great continuation of the series. There are many "dolls" here. ( )

This volume is different from the first, the story is not so centered in the Sandman and more on side characters, some were mentioned in the previous book. It starts with a beautiful tale and there are lots of good stuff until the end. Totally worth my time. ( )

Volume 1 didn't do this series justice. Now, with Volume 2, I get it. I understand what the hype is about. Still not massively fond of the art, but it's beginning to fit a bit better.

Would have been nice if Dringenberg (the artist) would have given a tip of the hat to the artist Patrick Nagel, seeing as how Desire is stolen from his style, and he also aped it for Chantal's dream sequence. I hate when one artist borrows from another without credit.

( )

I enjoyed the parts with the eternals, but the child molester plot and rape scenes really turned me off. ( )

Herein we get a bit more worldbuilding, seeing how Dream is taking back his world after decades of capture. For the most part, we deal with the fallout around a family of one of the women from Sandman 1 (the one who found herself pregnant), but there's also a very well told story of a man granted immortality--on the condition that he checks up with Dream once every hundred years at the same old pub. Also a 'Cereal' convention (that took me longer than it should have). Of course.

It's well written, beautifully (in the creepy sort of way at times) illustrated, and well worth the read. Onwards!

Random pages worth sharing/spoilers:



Something you can't do as easily in a traditional novel. A really unsettling way to literally turn the panels in different directions.



You know, you've got a point. You only meet Death once, but you Dream a third of your life.



Heh. Shaxberd. Fun to see how things all fit together in an alternate world such as this.



More Constantines! Also I do like this story. An ordinary man 'cursed' to live forever. Not a new story, but always interesting to see how it goes.



Heh. Teenager. :D



Desire is... a weird one. I think with Desire and Despair we've only seen four of the seven so far? Curious who the others are. We shall see when we shall see. ( )