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.

(Not to mention this will no doubt result in Legion of Super Heroes reboot v6.0 or v7.0... I forget what number we're on by now...)

Actually, that would be a blessing at this point. The current incarnation of the LSH is awful.

Similar to what ABC is doing with Lost and the "Hanso Foundation" Web site, DC brings us www.52thecomic.com.

V. amusing.

I neither love not hate Gambit, but I'm hella amused by this tirade. I mean, it contains this tangent:

Incidentally, The Richard Gere Factor is the polar opposite of The Kurt Russell Factor. Guys love Kurt Russell; it's why they keep putting him in movies.

Man #1: "Dude, we should catch that movie Dreamer, the one about the little girl and the horse that taught a family to love again."
Man #2: "Fuck no we shouldn't."
Man #1: "It's got Kurt Russell and Kris Kristoferson."
Man #2: "Let us do this thing!!!"

Kris Kristoferson? I don't think so...

TV Comic strips from the late 60s and early 70s.

John Pertwee as a cross-dressing Doctor Who really disturbed me.