The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country #1 is published by DC Comics, written by James Tynion IV and illustrated by Yanick Paquette and Lisandro Estherren.
Issue #1 is available 12th April 2022, either directly from DC Comics online or from your local comic book store, digital copies will be available to download from the usual content providers.
Synopsis
Sometimes, nightmares walk the Earth. Every night when you sleep, the Lord of Dreams chooses the path you’ll follow‚ into a sylvan Elysium, or down the hallways of your darkest fears. And sometimes, if it is Dream’s will, those nightmares escape those halls, and go out into the world.
But it is not a choice he makes lightly. Today the Corinthian walks the Earth again. The most feared of all Dream’s nightmares, his ravenous mouths have made him a legend among serial killers. Letting the Corinthian out among mortals is the most dangerous thing Dream could possibly do. But he has no choice‚ because there is another nightmare walking the Earth, one that must be hunted and this monster is one that Dream, lord of all nightmares, did not make.
Designed to welcome new readers into one of the greatest worlds in DC’s library, The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country is a terrifying travelogue through a nation recognizable and obscene, which will show you things seen in no Sandman series ever before-with spectacular art by Lisandro Estherren (Redneck, Strange ySkies Over East Berlin) and “nightmare” sequences by comics art all-stars, starting with the incredible Yanick Paquette.
Review
The one thing that keeps attracting me to DC is the darkness of their content and normally the DC Black label doesn’t disappoint, the latest title from that branch is The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country, billed as a terrifying travelogue through an obscene nation this comic definitely isn’t for the faint at heart.
A graphic story unfolds of one of the most feared of the nightmares Corinthian who once again is walking the earth amongst the mortals. The man with mouths for eyes is probably one of the most feared of the nightmares and the dramatic scenes that unfold are chilling to say the least with his late night visits to unsuspecting mortals with scenes that would turn most people’s stomachs.
The Sandman is already a name most people linked to horror and the only person that could take this iconic story on is an iconic name, James Tynion IV has made a career out of writing horror so taking on this mantle was a walk in the park for him and the results are page after page of graphic content that will make most reader’s hair stand on end.
The illustrative partnership of Yanick Paquette and Lisandro Estherren brought a graphically dark story that will open your eyes to a dark world, the immense detail on every page brings the story to life.
For me this issue was an introduction to the Sandman world and it was a dark trip into and very dark world that stayed with me once the comic was finished, I look forward to see how this arc unfolds.
Verdict
A chillingly dark tale that chills you to the bone, it is bit slow to start but does pick up in pace. The illustrations are dark and doesn’t leave alot untold, I am looking forward to see how the arc unfolds in the hope that it does gather pace.
⭐⭐⭐
