The Dream Hunters isn't your typical Sandman tale, and I think familiar readers will recognize that right off the bat. However, the real accomplishment of this tale is story is how irrelevant the Sandman name really is. In fact, if anything, it's not a stretch to say that the namesake only attracts the otherwise uninterested readers to the book rather than take the chance of existing on its own. Though Morpheus and The Dreaming make appearances, the tale of The Dream Hunters could very well exist on their own merits without being raveled into the world of Sandman. Regardless, this hardcover collection is a worthwhile adaptation of Neil Gaiman's original short story of the same name, and should be read at least once, Sandman fanatic or not.
In Neil Gaiman's original afterword for the novella, he claimed the story of The Dream Hunters was a reworked fairy tale from Old Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theoodora Ozaki, except that this statement was said in jest but taken seriously by many readers. In the afterword for the adaptation, he clears things up, but the tale still feels like the reimagined fairy tale he once claimed. Adapted into comic book form by P. Craig Russell, the words are taken directly from Gaiman's original work. Where the graphic version really hammers in the Eastern influence is obviously in the art. Not to take away from Yoshitaka Amano's original illustrations from the novella in the least, but Russell's work here is just as fantastic.
Clearly thoroughly researched, Russell is meticulous in the design of the Japanese architecture, clothing and demonic creatures. In fact, all of the wonderful authenticity of the book makes it a bit surprising when Morpheus does appear later in the story, as I honestly forgot that I was reading a Sandman tale. As I said, The Dream Hunters very much reads like a fairy tale. The story centers around a fox who falls in love with a lonely monk whilst trying to play a prank on him. The fox soon learns of a fatal plot to kill the monk, and she seeks out the help of Morpheus to save him. The tale contains more emotion than I ever expected from a story concerning a fox and a monk, but that can easily be attributed to Gaiman's effectiveness with words and the lengths to which Russell is able to stretch them.
For such a simple tale, the story delivers on a lot of different themes that could be construed one way or another in the complicated times we live in, but I think the most important here is the love between the two main characters. Obviously, love between a monk and a fox sounds odd, but I think it serves as a good parable for what true love is and the possibilities that lie within it. Call it corny if you want, this is a book that really goes for your heart strings. More often than not, it succeeds. This is a comic that you can point out to your ignorant "literary" friends when they claim comics aren't "literature". You slap this book in their pretentious little paws and they'll want to buy you a PBR for an apology.
Most of the pages have very basic layouts, but the composition of the panels are where Russell's storytelling talents lie. He is skilled at knowing when to not show something, or to show very little of it, and have it work to great effect in conjunction with the narration. In addition, he'll often make the narration part of the panel itself rather than isolated inside its own box. Not exactly a revolutionary concept, but it adds to the cohesive nature of the art and words, making it seem all the more like an ancient tale inscribed on parchment. Lovern Kindzierski's coloring should not go unmentioned, as the pastoral palette he chooses for the book gives it much of the heart that resonates with the reader.
If you didn't pick up The Dream Hunters in its original four issues, there's no reason you shouldn't work this into your budget. The hardcover features all four original series covers by Yuko Shimizu (currently doing the equally awesome covers for The Unwritten) along with their variants by artists like Mike Mignola, Joe Kubert, and Paul Pope. In addition, there are three afterwords: one by Neil Gaiman, one by P. Craig Russell, and another from Vertigo Executive Editor Karen Berger, along with Russell's title page art and a page of sketches. That's a lot of goodies; I can't find a reason for anyone to not want this book.
Oh, unless you are a heartless beast. Then this definitely isn't for you.
The Sandman: The Dream Hunters hardcover from Vertigo is in shops now.
