DC Comics · 1991

The Sandman

23 · Vol. The Sandman

The last thing Morpheus expects upon his return to Hell is an open gate and a vacant kingdom. And yet, that’s exactly what he finds as Lucifer explains he’s decided to give up the kingdom of the damned and hands over the keys to the Dream King. But is this a gift—or a curse? Lord Morpheus, dreading his impending confrontation with Lord Lucifer, travels to Hell to free his former lover, Queen Nada. When he gets to Hell, though, he finds the gates wide open, and the realm vacant. Morpheus calls out to Lucifer, who appears to him and promises to do him no harm within the bounds of Hell. Lucifer, it seems has decided to abandon Hell after 10 billion years and he asks Morpheus to accompany him as he makes final preparations for his departure. But what is Lucifer really up to?

DC Comics · 1991

The Sandman

22 · Vol. The Sandman

Two years ago, Morpheus embarrassed Lucifer in front of the Morningstar’s subjects and he swore vengeance on the Dream King. Now, in chapter 1 of the acclaimed “Season of Mists,” Morpheus prepares for his return to Hell…on a mission to free a former lover he vanquished there thousands of years ago. Lord Dream summons all the residents of The Dreaming to an assembly where he reveals that he plans to journey to Hell; a journey he might not return from given that Lucifer has vowed to destroy him for the embarrassment Morpheus caused him in The Sandman issue #4. Morpheus chooses to send Cain to herald his arrival in Hell. Thereafter, both Morpheus and Lucifer make preparations for their first meeting in two years...

TM-Semic · 1991

Batman

1991/01 · Vol. Batman

Translation of Batman: The Killing Joke

DC Comics · 1990

The Sandman

21 · Vol. The Sandman

In this prologue issue to the acclaimed “Season of Mists” storyline, Destiny learns of drastic changes on the horizon within existence and calls a meeting of his family, the Endless. But the gathering turns ugly, setting the stage for a tumultuous road ahead for the eternal family. 'Season of the Mists: Episode 0', AKA 'Season of the Mists: Prologue' opens with Destiny walking through his garden. There he encounters the Grey Ladies who tell him, "A king will forsake his kingdom", "Life and death will clash and fray", "The oldest battle begins once more", "And all these things have genesis here in your garden". Consulting his book, he realizes he must call a family meeting of The Endless. The siblings' dinner conversation is less than pleasant, and sets into motion a number of events.

DC Comics · 1990

The Sandman" Season of Mists

Story arc · 14 issues

DC Comics · 1990

The Sandman

16 · Vol. The Sandman

Rose faces Morpheus and discovers her delicate place in the cosmos. If she wakes, she could destroy everything. But if she remains in the dream realm, she'll cease to exist. Don't miss this dramatic ending to "A Doll's House." In The Dreaming, human Rose Walker has just discovered that she is a "dream vortex" and because of that, the Lord of the Dream Realm intends to kill her for the safety of all mankind. Gilbert AKA Fiddler's Green tries to intervene on her behalf, offering his life in her place, but to no avail. Then, Rose's sleeping grandmother Unity appears on the scene, and she's much more aware of the situation than even Morpheus himself!

DC Comics · 1990

The Sandman

15 · Vol. The Sandman

Explore the vibrant dreams of Rose Walker's peculiar roommates in this mind-bending issue that explains exactly why Rose has been intertwined with the Dream King's newest adventure. In this story we see Rose Walker has returned from the hotel which featured in the collectors and has returned to in the Inn which is owned by Hal the crossdresser. We are informed that her brother has been checked into the hospital and is in a bad way, despite his young age he is suffering from a concussion and is extremely dehydrated. Rose speaks breifly with the other lodgers before turning in to bed but despite her overwhealming tiredness she cannot sleep. The pannels take is downstairs and we see Hal is dreaming, he dreams of Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland, they have a secret to tell him. he hears them whisper as he wakes briefly and loses what they said, again he see Judy Garland, but this time she removes her own face. Again we see Rose tossing and turning in bed, as a voice speaks, telling her to forget and to sleep. We see Gilbert as he approaches Jed's hospital bed. Meanwhile stood high above a dream vortex that is Rose Walker stands Dream and Matthew, Dream tells Matthew to visit the hospital, and explains there is something about Rose he does not understand. Next we are drawn into Kens dream, his dream is filled with dirty sex, even the s' are dollar signs. Below we see Barbies dream, she is in her own world, she is taking a mystical journey, she speaks to a dream creature Martin Tenbones, and she speaks of the Cuckoo and the porpentine. Now we are inside Chantal's dream, confused, mixed up words about stories float around, Zelda speaks and begins to tell a tale. Hal is dreaming again, he dreams of Robert a lover, his song is playing as they kiss. As everyone dreams, Rose watches them somehow, lucid, aware that she is dreaming, yet it somehow seems real. Above them all she can feel them, aware of their dream worlds and their places in them. Cantal dreams to block out her own memories, Barbie dreams of a rich world full of life, Ken still seeks money, sex and most of all power, and she see's Hal, seeking identity and love. Now we see everyone is awake, they all react as if it was simultaneous. Hal moves up the stairs torch in hand to check on Rose, she is gone, and somehow he is not surprised. We see Roses mother stood over unity in her weakening moments, she asks her daughter if Rose would like the doll house. Roses mother cries to herself. We are now with Rose again, she is flying with Dream high above a canyon he sets her down on a rock as they talk. Meanwhile Matthew has reached the hospital, there he finds Gilbert as they are introduced to one another. Matthew reveals he was once a man and Gilbert reveals that he was once a dream. Matthew also tells Gilbert that Rose is a vortex, Gilbert knows the only way Dream ever dealt with a vortex was to terminate its existence. Again we see Ken's dream of Money, and Barbie has reached "The porpentine" with Martin Tenbones. Chantal has fallen in love with a sentence, but cannot read it. Zelda is in a graveyard, she speaks of her childhood, Chantal is there, they converse and Chantal lifts up her veil to reveal a spiders head, Zleda is somewhat relieved. Now all dreams are on, the vortex swirls in the middle and they all see Rose as she dreams in the center of the swirling mass. Dream says enough, he wakes her. He tells her of the damage she has done, though he can repair it, and finally that it is time for them to talk.

DC Comics · 1990

The Sandman

14 · Vol. The Sandman

You’re cordially invited to a convention unlike any other. Where murder and chaos are praised and the depraved urges of psychos are openly celebrated. At this convention of serial killers, the only admission is your life. Hopefully accidental attendee Rose Walker can make it out alive.This story is set in a hotel where a group of people are coming together from all over the globe. It's the first ever annual serial killer convention. The story begins by showing us a number of "The collectors" coming off a boat, we see them come together in the hotel that has been booked for the convention as they begin to communicate. Meanwhile waiting for news about her missing brother is Rose Walker, one of the main protagonists of the dolls house series. Unaware of her situation she goes about her business as usual and frets constantly about the lack of information on her brothers whereabouts. We see the event organiser known only as "Mister Nimrod" searching for a guest of "honor", a killer known as "The Family Man" who is supposed to be making an appearance as well as giving a speech. We also see various conversations between "collectors" with a number of killer puns in each section. With the convention going on in the hotel Rose trys to stay in her room but finds it unbearable, we see her go next door seeking comfort from her friend known as Gilbert, who will later be revealed as a missing dream creature "Fiddlers Green." He tells her the original story of Red Riding Hood, with the intention of calming her nerves, but in fact the grotesque nature of the story shakes her even more. We rejoin the convention with the arrival of The Corinthian, origionally a nightmare created by Dream he has become a renound serial killer. He has also brought a guest, Roses missing younger brother tied up in the boot of his car. He checks in and to Mister Nimrods excitement agrees to appear as the guest of honor in place of the still missing Family Man. We see Mister Nimrod prepair to go on stage and see a glimpse of his real psyche, he introduces The Corinthian and the crowd goes wild. Next we see a conversation between two "collectors" one identifies himself as The Bogeyman and converse with several others including The Doctor, we see a panel with him stood over a grotesque sewing machine, the whole room bathed in red light. Meanwhile Rose and Gilbert are using the elevator as Gilbert convinces Rose that some fresh air would be good for them both. Outside the lift Corinthian and The Doctor are disgussing The Bogey man, Corinthian states that he must be a fake as the real deal died years ago, and that something must be done. The two enter the lift with Rose and Gilbert and both party's go quiet, Gilbert hides his face from Corinthian as they go down together. The collectors leave and gilbert and rose make it outside. Gilbet gives rose a name on paper and says to call the name should trouble arise, he then leaves her. Corinthian invites "The Bogeyman" up to his room, and ambushes him revealing that they know his true identity, he tries to argue but is beaten badly and driven out to a nearby wooded area, there The Doctor, Mister Nimrod and Corinthian "take it in turns" until his is dead. Back at the hotel Funland a pedophile killer spots Rose and begins to stalk her, we read into some more of the collectors stories throughout the hotel before rejoining Rose back up in Gilbert's room, she finds he is still missing. Onc again we rejoin Funland talking to another killer and learn his story, until Funland leaves suddenly. Back in Roses room she hears a knock at the door and a voice claiming her room service has arrived, upon opening the door she finds Funland who beats her to the floor, she calls the name on the paper "Morpheus" and Dream arrives to save her, he puts them both into a deep sleep and walks in the main convention room. Here he confronts Corinthian who is giving a speech, Corinthian stabs into Dreams hand with a knife but to no avail. Dream undoes the Corinthian and then turns to the "collectors" and undoes their own dream. The dream in which they are righteous, he makes them see who they really are and one by one they leave. Out in the car park Gilbert appears carrying an unconscious Jed Walker, Roses missing brother and presents him to Rose.

DC Comics · 1990

The Sandman

13 · Vol. The Sandman

In a stand-alone story spanning centuries, Morpheus grants an ordinary man named Hob Gandling a gift allowing him to cheat death. Over the many years, Morpheus revisits Hob to see how a human would deal with unlimited life—for better or worse. But both Hob and Morpheus learn surprising lessons… Our story opens in an English tavern in the late 1300’s. The customers grouse about taxes, impending wars, and the other myriad of problems that are affecting their livelihood. in the midst of it all, two pale customers come in and order drinks. They are Oneiros and Teluete, better known to us as Dream and Death, and at the moment, Dream is grumbling about being dragged to the mortal plain. Death reckons, however, that it is good for him to spend time among the humans and see things on their terms for a change. As they settle in, they hear a brazen young man announcing that he has no intention of dying- that people only die because they choose to. Death and Dream are, to say the least, quite amused by this man’s boast, and as a sort of game, Dream asks his sister if she would entertain this man’s notions. She agrees, and Dream approaches the man and asks, “Did I hear you say you had no intention of ever dying?” “Then let us meet here again, in this tavern, in a hundred years!” The crowd around Hob Gadling erupts into laughter, but he seriously says, “I will see you in the year of our lord 1489, then.” We move ahead, and it is now 1489, and the look on Hob Gadling’s face is one of disbelieve and caution. Staring at Dream sitting across him at a table in the pub, he asks, “How did you know?…Who ARE you…? Have I unwittingly made a bargain with the Devil?” to which Dream replies, “No…I am merely …interested”. They go on to talk about the exciting new things that have come up, from chimneys to handkerchiefs, and Hob is excited about venturing into a new thing called printing. “So you still want to live?’ asks Dream. “Oh, Yes” is the reply. Then they agree to meet again in a hundred years. It is now 1589. Through the Shipping Trade, Hob has made himself a very rich man. With a huge donation to the king, he has even been knighted. He is no longer Hob, but Sir Robert Gadlen. His business is expanding and expanding, and there’s nowhere to go but up… A Filthy, starving beggar arrives at the door of the Pub, and becomes belligerent when denied access inside. Upon recognizing the peasant as Hob Gadling, he asks the doorman to let him in. it is now 1689, and times have not been well for the young Hob Gadling. He has lost everything he had in the last century, his family and business, and asks ”Do you know how hungry a man can get when he is starving but doesn’t die?” Dream looks seriously at Hob, believing the game is over, and asks, “Do you not seek the respite of Death?, to which Hob flashes a beaming smile and says “Are you crazy? Death is a mug’s game…I’ve got so much to live for!” By the time Dream meets up with Hob again in 1789 , he has become a successful Slave Trader, a profession that appalls Dream. Hob excitedly explains how cotton is traded for slaves, and the slaves are traded for tobacco and sugar, and then back again. Suddenly the two are accosted at their table by a woman and her two henchmen. She is Lady Johanna Constantine, and she’s been following the lead on a legend that spoke of The Devil meeting a Wandering Jew every century at a tavern. Dream flatly states “I am no Devil” and Hob offers, “And I’m not a Jew!” , but the team knows what they have , and attempt to abduct them, saying “There’s so much you can teach me. So much I can Learn.” Dram pulls out a bag of dust and says “No. I Think Not”. Lady Johanna is suddenly sobbing in a trance. He has shown her her old ghosts, and she is entranced by them. The two are free to slip out, and as they depart, Dream leaves Hob with something to ponder: “It is a poor thing to enslave another. I would suggest you find yourself a different line of business.” Forward to 1889. Hob comments to Dream that he’s noticed he’s not the only one who seems to live forever. Over the centuries he’s seen quite a few people that seem to have been around as long as he. Then he turns the subject to the matter of why Dream meets him at the Tavern every 100 years. Really, Why does he do it? He’s seen what happens when someone lives forever, so that can’t be it. And after 500 years, Hob hasn’t changed all that much as a person. No, he concludes, the reason Dream come every century is because he’s lonely. This offends the Dream Lord to no end, that Hob would dare say that he needed friendship from a mortal! As Dream gets up to leave, Hob calls out, “Tell you what, I’LL be here in another 100 years, and if YOU’RE here then, too, it will be because we’re friends. No other reason, right? “Right?’ be asks, unsure of himself as Dream stalks off. It is now 1989, and we see a very modern Robert Gadling in a blue suit and tie waiting anxiously at his table, while the customers grouse about taxes and impending wars, and all the problems that affect their livelihood. The door opens, and as the figure steps in, Robert stammers, “I…I wasn’t sure you’d be coming” To which Dream smiles and says “I have always heard it was impolite to keep one’s friends waiting!”

DC Comics · 1990

The Sandman

12 · Vol. The Sandman

Renegade dreams Brute and Glob have taken over the mind of Jed Walker and walled it off from the dreaming - a situation that does not please the Dream King who comes to deal with them. Meanwhile Jed's sister Rose, and her new found friend Gilbert break down in the middle of nowhere and have to spend the night at a hotel that's filled with a "Cereal Convention".

DC Comics · 1990

The Sandman: The Doll's House

1 · Vol. The Sandman: The Doll's House

A being that has existed since the beginning of the universe, Morpheus rules over the realm of dreams. But after a decades-long imprisonment, the Sandman has returned to find that a few dreams and nightmares have escaped to reality. Looking to recapture his lost possessions, Morpheus ventures to the human plane only to learn that a woman named Rose Walker has inadvertently become a dream vortex and threatens to rip apart his world. Now as Morpheus takes on the last escaped nightmare at a serial killers convention, the Lord of Dreams must mercilessly murder Rose or risk the destruction of his entire kingdom.

DC Comics · 1989

The Sandman

11 · Vol. The Sandman

The search for her brother leads Rose to Florida, where she moves into a house filled with odd residents. Meanwhile, two of the escaped dreams reveal a bizarre connection to Jed, Rose’s brother, while the third dream continues their murder spree—and collects disturbing mementos from their victims. Searching for her little brother Jed, who she hasn't seen in seven years, Rose Walker moves into a boarding house in Florida. The house is occupied by a strange mix of individuals, including the "Terrifyingly, apallingly normal" Barbie and Ken in the downstairs, Zelda and Chantal, creepy women who wear wedding dresses all the time across the hall, a weird recluse named Gilbert in the attic, and the split-personality landlord, Hal / Dolly. And then there's a raven that seems to hang around outside her window for no apparent reason. Meanwhile, the nightmares that have escaped the dreaming in Morpheus' absence seem to have been up to some particularly diabolical misdeeds.

DC Comics · 1989

The Sandman

10 · Vol. The Sandman

Meet Desire and Despair, two of Dream’s siblings who may or may not have had something to do with the tragedy that befell his former lover. This issue also introduces Rose Walker, a young woman tormented by bizarre dreams. Meanwhile, Morpheus makes plans to capture three dangerous, escaped dreams. The Doll's House storyline really gets started in this issue (which is also titled 'The Doll's House'). Here we are introduced to two more of Dream's siblings, Desire and Despair, and we learn that they may have played a part in the events that led to the Nada tragedy. We also meet Rose Walker a young woman plagued by strange dreams. When Rose and her mother travel to England to meet a strange (possibly crazy) benefactor, who has a very large doll house in her bedroom, the dreams begin merging with reality and it does not seem to bode well.

DC Comics · 1989

The Sandman

9 · Vol. The Sandman

During Morpheus’s incarceration, three dreams escaped his realm and are now loose in the waking world. At the same time, a young woman named Rose Walker searches for her little brother. As their stories converge, a vortex is discovered that could destroy all dreamers…and the world itself. In an undisclosed time and place - presumably Saharan Africa by the art - two tribesmen travel into the desert. Once they have built a fire, the older man tells the younger man a story from sunset to sunrise as the last step in the younger man's initiation to adulthood. According to the tale, where now there is desert, once the tribe once dwelt in a magnificent city ruled by a beautiful queen, Nada. She was a wise and just ruler, and the people prospered - until one day when a stranger arrived and the two fell in love - but the stranger was no ordinary man, and that changed everything forever!

DC Comics · 1989

The Sandman" The Doll's House

Story arc · 13 issues

Non-U.S. Editions The Sandman. Pesochniy chelovek. Kniga 2. Kukol'niy domik (Russia)

Creator-Owned · 1989

The Sandman

8 · Vol. The Sandman

Publishorial (text article by Jenette Kahn) Sandman Goes Beyond Their Wildest Dreams! (reviews by various writers, artists, publicists & DC staff) In the Beginning... (synopsis [by Neil Gaiman]) The Sound of Her Wings Spend a day with Dream as he catches up with his younger sister, Death, in search of inspiration. When the King of Dreams is depressed, can even a pep talk from Death set him on the right path? Morpheus having completed his quest for his artifacts seems lost and without purpose, until he receives a visit from his big sister, Death. Accompanying Death for the day revitalizes Dream and renews his sense of purpose. Notes: Ranked #2 in Wizard Magazine's list of "100 Best Single Issue Comics Since You Were Born". Comic story starring Death & Morpheus. Rest of the characters as illustrations to synopsis.

Creator-Owned · 1989

The Sandman

7 · Vol. The Sandman

Morpheus finally faces off with Dr. Destiny for the final piece of the Dream King’s objects of power--the Dreamstone! Warring across the landscape of The Dreaming, the two beings wage psychological war with the fate of the universe hanging in the balance! Morpheus tries to talk sense to Doctor Destiny, which of course proves fruitless. Dr. Destiny insists on a showdown, which the Dream King is willing to engage in - provided that the battle be fought in the Dreaming. "Publishorial" written by Jenette Kahn.

Creator-Owned · 1989

The Sandman

6 · Vol. The Sandman

Over the course of 24 horrific hours, Dr. Destiny unleashes impossibly dark terror on six unsuspecting people in a small-town diner. Armed with Morpheus’ Dreamstone, Destiny can rearrange time and space and does so to dreadful ends in this eerie, nearly standalone issue. Doctor Destiny, now in possession of Morpheus' Dreamstone uses it to unleash his madness on the world. All thoughts of world conquest go out the window however when he becomes too absorbed with watching TV and playing with a handful of patrons at an all night diner. The story follows his madness hour-by-hour as it progresses over a 24 hour period. "Publishorial" written by Jenette Kahn.