BT07 – Violence

Sandman Mystery Theater: Dr. Death and the Night of the Butcher, Vol. 5 (DC Vertigo) [collects #21-28]
w. Matt Wagner, Steven Seagle; a. Guy Davis, Vince Locke 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

DC continues to reprint the mid-90s series based on the “Golden Age” Sandman, Wesley Dodds.  A nightmare-ridden wealthy inventor in Depression-era New York, tied to the thoughts of the imprisoned Sandman (of Gaiman fame), Dodds, haunts the bloody, corrupt streets of the city, gas gun in hand, meting out justice on the savage murderers of the city, be they of high or low estate …

This volume includes a cleverly homicidal doctor and savage, dismembering monster, but in many ways the mysteries and perpetrators are of secondary importance to the cast of characters.  Dodd is a philosopher driven by impulses he doesn’t understand.  His society girlfriend Dian learns his secret, and resents his keeping from her.  A chief detective on the force considers the Sandman as much a threat as the worst perp out there.  The soap opera between all of them and the other supporting cast (many of whom come and go as suspects, victims, or just in passing faces) paint a brutal, dismal, yet oddly attractive picture of 1930s New York — itself in many ways the most important character in the story.

Good stuff.  I’m so glad they’ve finally gotten around to reprinting these.

Sachs & Violens (DC) [collects #1-4]
w. Peter David; a. George Perez 

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

You’d think the combination of one of my favorite writers and one of my favorite artists would be unstoppable, but S&V just falls short.  A porn model out for vengeance against the people who put her friend in a snuff film, and the Nam vet photographer who loves her going along for the violent ride, should make for some interesting story-telling, but, honestly, it just falls flat.  Perez does pretty work, but not his best.  David piles coincidence on coincidence.  And as much as I enjoy sex and violence, here too much of it just seems contrived for shock value.

David recently brought the characters (introduced here in 1993) back in his Fallen Angel series.  They worked better there than, stand-alone, here.

(listening to: Fine Young Cannibals, “She Drives Me Crazy” from The ’80s Hit(s) Back)
(listening to: Pointer Sisters, “Jump (For My Love)” from Greatest Hits of the 80s)