House of Whispers #15 – Nalo Hopkinson, Dan Watters, Writers; Dominike “Domo” Stanton, Artist; Zac Atkinson, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: The most ambitious of the Sandman Universe books takes a major turn towards tying it in with the classic book with House of Whispers #15, a twisty issue that ties together multiple story threads in dramatic fashion.
First ,we get a flashback that explains the origin of the House of Whispers and how it ties in to the Houses of Mystery and Secrets, via an ancient pact between Dream and Despair. We learn the story of Aesop, who has worked as its keeper for thousands of years – only to find himself in danger at the hands of the Corinthian, who is looking to claim a house for himself and has no problem killing an immortal.
The story takes a surprising turn as Aesop proves to be a lot more canny than Corinthian expected, and he becomes part of the house – but probably not in the way he intended. This is a clever twist, but one that endangers everything the house represents at the moment it’s most vulnerable.
But outside of that plot, there is a LOT going on in House of Whispers #15. The current leadership of the House is in danger, as Mistress Erzulie is in the middle of a nasty divorce. Her husband Ogun is determined to find a way to resurrect their co-husband Agwe despite her warnings, and her refusal to go along with it threatens their bond.
The story of a young girl in an abusive home who encounters an elderly sick cat doesn’t seem to have much relevance to the plot, but a mysterious watcher at her location and the effect of the Corinthian’s hostile takeover create a spiral effect that pulls her in. The addition of Constantine to this title, spinning out of his one-shot, ups the stakes and weaves this closer to the other books in the line. We’ve been building a lot of ongoing subplots for a year, and it feels like they’re starting to pay off in a big way.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
