there's another Sandman book that Gaiman wrote where different artists tackle a story for a different eternal.

Yeah, Endless Nights. I'll have to check that out too sometime.

I'll have to check that out too sometime.

It's hit and miss, but the guy who did Destiny (my memory fails me) took my breatha way.

There's a Dream story with a Japanese artist that's just freakin' gorgeous, too.

Dream Hunters. I saw that in the library but didn't know if it was worth getting. It seemed like most of the one-shots I didn't really like.

It's worth a check-out from the library. I bought it, but haven't ever re-read it.

I love figuring out the French expressions that they use like "a bras raccourcis" (which is how you hold your arms when you set upon somebody for a fight) for the chief. And how do they translate "idée fixe" for Obélix's dog who only cares about bones? That is one of the most perfect names.

Well, the English names are usually portmanteau words and phrases too, but they often have the extra beauty of hinting at something about the character--more often than the French originals, IMO.

It's interesting you bring up Idéfix, the dog--he's one example where I really appreciate the English version IN VIEW of the original. (Btw, do you know if the authors MEANT his name to signify specifically obsession about bones, or is that your surmise?) In English he's Dogmatix, which is different from "idée fixe", but at least nebulously related to some psychological characteristic, obsessiveness/stubborness, AND there's that extra kick of "Dog" in a dog's name.

Dream Hunters is worth getting for the art alone.

I'll have to catch up in my rereading, since I'm only up to "24 Hours" in Preludes and Nocturnes, but I love the way The Wake ends. I like Daniel, but I loved Morpheus, and I think the series had to end with him. And the bit where he's telling Shakespeare what kind of story to write...I wish I had it in front of me, but it's usually about even odds whether I end up in tears at that point.

Does Victor know about this?

Where do you think she got the name.

And yes, she's good with a sacrificial dagger.

It's interesting you bring up Idéfix, the dog--he's one example where I really appreciate the English version IN VIEW of the original. (Btw, do you know if the authors MEANT his name to signify specifically obsession about bones, or is that your surmise?) In English he's Dogmatix, which is different from "idée fixe", but at least nebulously related to some psychological characteristic, obsessiveness/stubborness, AND there's that extra kick of "Dog" in a dog's name.

Actually, I think of all the "translations", that comes closest in meaning. Plus, as you say, bonus points for using dog as part of it. His name was initially more dog related--the name Idéfix came from a readers' contest; he was originally supposed to be called Patracourcix.

Ha! The chick who dumped Dream and forced him into Brief Lives was THESSALY?!

It's brought up in The Kindly Ones, though indirectly:

"Someone... once told me that we would see each other again."
"Someone was right...."I... I did not intend to hurt you."
"And what if you did not? Intent and outcome are so rarely incident."

It's one of my favorite quotes from that arc.

And oh! Aw! Destruction showed up!! I mean, he didn't show up, show up, but he stopped by. I like Destruction for some reason, even though we don't see much of him.

Me too. I've always loved the above-it characters, the ones who have stepped out of the game and aren't subject to it anymore, like Shakespeare's fools.

I don't understand why Gaiman wrote two extra issues after it, though. "Exiles" was better than "Soft Places," and I must say, it was nice to see the old Dream again for a bit, but "The Wake" closed things out so nicely it didn't feel necessary.

I think he wanted to show the going-on-ness of things with the extra issues. Yes, we get that the new Dream is going to carry on, but it's good that he tied these present developments in with the past and the future. Also he wasn't done with the Shakespeare thread yet; it was stated way-back that Dream commissioned two plays, so it was clear Gaiman intended to come back to it.

And I do wonder whether the Guy Fawkes thing was a V for Vendetta shout-out.

Pretty sure that was more of a history shout-out, for texture.

I have now read Sandman. I feel enriched and cool.

You should've felt that a long time ago, chief.