TCCDM Dig and Flip: Sandman Mystery Theatre: Vol. 5: Dr. Death and The Night Of The Butcher (2007)

Sandman Mystery Theatre: Vol. 5
Dr. Death and The Night Of The Butcher
Matt Wagner /Steven T. Seagle (writers)
Guy Davis/Vince Locke (artists)
Vertigo Comics
First published April 7, 2007
Graphic Novel, 208 pages
 
NO SPOILERS:
      This is late-1930s, early 40s crime noir.  The two stories within are dusted with a delicious pulp flavor, making them all the more fun to read.  But don't be fooled by the time era; the violence is real and in your face.  One story is about someone who determines if a person's life is worth living; the other story is about a serial killer.  Much darker than one might expect.  The words and drawings within fill your senses with a wonderfully unsettling atmosphere.  Our hero, Wesley Dodds, aka The Sandman, is a pudgy, average social businessman who solves mysteries with his wits, donning a rather clumsy gas mask and carrying a sleeping-gas gun.  No superpowers whatsoever.

Sandman Mystery Theatre: Vol. 5 (inside)

     Wesley Dodds' identity is known only to his butler and possibly his on-again/off-again love interest, Dian Belmond, the daughter of the chief of police.  Surprisingly, their courtship is a fascinating subplot.  And as you should know, Sandman uses the sleeping gas to also extract truthful answers from his targets before sending them off into la-la land.  The Vertigo graphic novels are well done, and I recommend grabbing one when you can.

"Sleeping Gas" - The Teardrop Explodes / "Kilimanjaro" (1980)

Good stuff.

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