Mark's up to "A Hope in Hell," with Bowie!Lucifer.

Seeing Etrigan reminded me, we're still in the section where Gaiman was basically playing Alan Moore riffs(Specifically, the Floronic Man and Arcane arcs from Swamp Thing). I'm not sure his distinctive voice starts until....hmmm. "Men of Good Fortune" comes partway through Doll's House, right?

Mark's really excited about all the DC stuff, and I think he expects it to last throughout the series. But it pretty much stops after this first story! Thankfully. Of course, I didn't realize how much of this early stuff was from DC continuity, like Lucifer and the triumvirate. I'm liking it a lot more on the re-read, though; on Goodreads, I used my basic impressions to rate the volumes between three and five stars, but I have a feeling I'll end up upgrading some of the three-star books to four. This first volume is better than I thought it was. I found the Constantine issue weak in comparison, but the other three are very good.

"The Sound of Her Wings" is generally agreed to be the place where the book starts to become its own thing.

"The Sound of Her Wings" is generally agreed to be the place where the book starts to become its own thing.

As it should be! jingles ankh necklace

In "I forget that other people aren't like us" news, apparently there are people media-savvy enough to be doing a read-along with Mark to whom the name "Arkham Asylum" means nothing. Now, granted, there was good animated Batman on tv when I was a kid, but, really? With the movies, and the games, and the...these being things that people should just KNOW.

At this point, Mark's reactions seem to be basically "this is cool." It will be interesting to see how he responds when things kick into gear.

So, do people think that Daniel lets Nada out of Hell ?

In "I forget that other people aren't like us" news, apparently there are people media-savvy enough to be doing a read-along with Mark to whom the name "Arkham Asylum" means nothing. Now, granted, there was good animated Batman on tv when I was a kid, but, really? With the movies, and the games, and the...these being things that people should just KNOW.

Arkham is an institution! I mean, yes, literally. But also metaphorically.

At this point, Mark's reactions seem to be basically "this is cool." It will be interesting to see how he responds when things kick into gear.

Yeah, I think he'll have a lot more to say once we hit A Doll's House.

I'm feeling motivated to come up with a list of References Everyone Should Get, Goddammit. But that would mostly be a procrastination technique. Or a mildly diverting party game.

Yeah, I think he'll have a lot more to say once we hit A Doll's House.

Agreed. Doll's House is where the plot actually kicks in, which is appropriate, given the name of the first volume. I'm trying to remember if I've re-read since my first time through (relatively unspoiled. Like, I didn't know the ending.), and I don't think I have, since I didn't remember noticing Mervyn on the bus before.

Re: References Everyone Should Get:

Xander: Who was the real power, The Captain, or Tenille?

Buffy: Who are these people?

Xander: Boy, someone was raised in a culture-free environment.

I'm trying to remember if I've re-read since my first time through (relatively unspoiled. Like, I didn't know the ending.), and I don't think I have, since I didn't remember noticing Mervyn on the bus before.

I noticed but didn't recognize on this re-read until someone pointed him out, and then I felt dumb, because I love him! Doesn't he defend the Dreaming with a machine gun and shit?

In The Kindly Ones, yes.

Just one more reason that's my favorite.