The Dreaming #15 – Simon Spurrier, Writer; Bilquis Evely, Artist; Mat Lopes, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: Now that the Dreaming is under the command of the mysterious newborn God Wan, things are changing fast in the land of dreams – and it’s not always for the best in The Dreaming #15. The issue starts with a dark and creepy twist as it’s revealed that the disappearance of Cain has knocked the balance of the universe out of whack – forcing Abel to carry on both sides of their twisted dynamic in a gory scene.
Dreams are going out again like normal, but many of them have a darker edge than the usual as we see in a double-page spread covering the mindscapes of four individuals both new and familiar. Bilquis Evely is back on art, and she manages to brilliantly capture the surreal vibe of the series in scenes that shift from black and white to neon color seamlessly. But the bigger problems of the Dreaming under Wan are just starting to become clear – and they include the fact that the Godling is slowly making countless beings obsolete.
While Judge Gallows earlier in the run was obviously evil, Wan is blissfully ignorant of the history of the Dreaming and seeks progress and efficiency above all else. The scene when he wipes out Lucien’s library and replaces it with a digital copy to “help him” is one of the most quietly devastating scenes in a DC comic in a while – and one that will hit home to anyone who has seen themselves suddenly declared obsolete.
There are many players in this book like Dora and Cain, who have been taken off-page by various events, and Dreaming #15 seems to hint at a lot of returns. It often feels like this series is a collection of chess pieces being moved around, but now they’ve been replaced by a system that doesn’t have any use for them. Wan is a villain that has no idea they’re a villain, and that might be one of the creepiest kinds. What happens when dreams themselves become obsolete?
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
