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The Sandman, Vol. 4: Season of Mists (The Sandman #4)

by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author), Matt Wagner (Illustrator), George Pratt (Illustrator), Dick Giordano (Illustrator), Kelley Jones (Illustrator), P. Craig Russell (Illustrator), Mike Dringenberg (Illustrator), Malcolm Jones III (Illustrator) , more…

4.55 of 5 stars 4.55 · rating details · 27,030 ratings · 526 reviews

Lucifer has grown tired of being the lord of Hell. He kicks out the demons and the damned alike, closes up shop, and gives the key tp Hell to Morpheus. Beings from all the world's mythologies converge on the lord of Dream to seize this instrument of power. collecting The Sandman #21–28

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published March 10th 1999 by Vertigo (first published 1992)

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Nov 13, 2011 Anthony Chavez rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, graphic-novel-manga

What happens when Lucifer decides to leave hell? Season of Mists, the fourth volume of The Sandman answers that question as Dream heads to Hell once again, this time to release a former lover who has been imprisoned and tortured for thousands of years. Upon arrival, he finds Hell deserted, and Lucifer ushering out the stragglers he has banished from the lands, he then hands dream the key to the kingdom.

This is the best of the first four volumes in the series, with "A Doll's House" a close secon...more What happens when Lucifer decides to leave hell? Season of Mists, the fourth volume of The Sandman answers that question as Dream heads to Hell once again, this time to release a former lover who has been imprisoned and tortured for thousands of years. Upon arrival, he finds Hell deserted, and Lucifer ushering out the stragglers he has banished from the lands, he then hands dream the key to the kingdom.

This is the best of the first four volumes in the series, with "A Doll's House" a close second, this should not be missed by fans, nor casual observers.

Gaiman always adds epic storytelling and mythology in the series and this volume is no exception, Season of Mists takes on a lot: sin, redemption, both personal and religious, and the battle between good and evil. To discuss too much of the plot would ruin some of the rich suprises to come, but Gaiman's inventiveness is to the max here, with a gleefully funny and fascinating scene involving intrigue and lobbying by any number of demons, gods, and demigods, this provides an interesting look at the interactions between them (Thor getting ridiculously drunk and hitting on women during the banquet, for example). There is also a great ghost story set in a boys school that's not really like any haunted house tale you've ever read. But in the midst of his epic scope, Gaiman never neglects the smaller and more intimate touches, and scenes involving nothing more than an unlikely character commenting on a sunset or an unexpected birth revealing unexpected depths and complexities to Gaiman's creations. The character of Lucifer is excellent and intriguing as well, and God's reward to the two angels who oversaw Dreams decision? Well, that's up to the reader to decide. It's become apparent just a little ways into the volume that Gaiman has constructed something akin to a new cosmology and mythology here, and while it's wonderful to get lost in his worlds, it's the surprisingly human characters that keep us enthralled and reading volume after volume.(less)

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Apr 09, 2012 Nicolo Yu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novels

Beware of gifts from the Devil, a lesson that Dream learned too late when he entered the realm of Hell, ready to do battle with Lucifer if necessary, only to have the Lord of Hell tell his gift he was closing shop. There was to be no battle unless Dream wanted it so and only a gift for his guest, the key of Hell. Now the reluctant owner of a prime piece of psychic real estate, Morpheus gets embroiled by a series of supplicants from various pantheons seeking the key and eager to offer gifts, thre...more Beware of gifts from the Devil, a lesson that Dream learned too late when he entered the realm of Hell, ready to do battle with Lucifer if necessary, only to have the Lord of Hell tell his gift he was closing shop. There was to be no battle unless Dream wanted it so and only a gift for his guest, the key of Hell. Now the reluctant owner of a prime piece of psychic real estate, Morpheus gets embroiled by a series of supplicants from various pantheons seeking the key and eager to offer gifts, threats and bribes for it.

This was Lucifer’s perfect revenge for a slight he received from Morpheus in the opening arc. In abdicating Hell he changed his destiny, no longer was he the warden for souls seeking torment and punishment for their sins. Lucifer was free and now Morpheus was vexed, not knowing what to do with the key.

The themes of change and freedom that occur when a king gives up his kingdom are a familiar refrain that would be revisited in later volumes in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. Gaiman is one of earliest writers who’ve used the comic book medium to craft stories that make you think, others of this ilk are his fellow Brits and they helped usher comic books from adolescent escapist pamphlets to mature stories that helped the medium gain acceptance as a legitimate art form.

In this volume, much of Gaiman story in volume is enhanced by the talents of his art team. The meat of the story is penciled by Kelley Jones, whose visceral style gives us a Hell that would bring one nightmares. A framing sequence is provided by Mike Dringenbery in what would be his coda to the series. He is credited for defining the look of the Endless, especially of Death, in whom he receives a co-creating credit. This would be the last time his understated and realistic style would grace this title.

This is one of the more memorable Sandman stories, it introduces Hell, the existence of various pantheons and a woman who had spurned Dream. A lot characters that made their debut here would prove to be important in succeeding stories as they assume larger roles in the saga of Morpheus. It is an excellent story and it opens up a lot of possibilities for the character,
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Mar 22, 2009 Robert Jazo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, modern-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Taken as a whole, Neil Gaiman's series The Sandman is probably my favorite comic book series. On the surface it is the story of Dream, one of the seven immortal beings known as the Endless. Each one embodies a concept over which they have dominion: Destiny, Death, Dreams, Destruction, Desire, Despair, and Delirium (formerly Delight).

This is really just the jumping off point for Neil Gaiman's storytelling though. Since his main character is the "Prince of Stories", Gaiman felt entitled to tell an...more Taken as a whole, Neil Gaiman's series The Sandman is probably my favorite comic book series. On the surface it is the story of Dream, one of the seven immortal beings known as the Endless. Each one embodies a concept over which they have dominion: Destiny, Death, Dreams, Destruction, Desire, Despair, and Delirium (formerly Delight).

This is really just the jumping off point for Neil Gaiman's storytelling though. Since his main character is the "Prince of Stories", Gaiman felt entitled to tell any story he wanted. Horror, comedy, high concept fantasy, mythology, and countless other genre's make an appearance. Yet despite this, all these disparate story arcs eventually connect and merge until at the end it truly feels as if it is the inevitable conclusion of everything that came before.
Frankly, don't have the words to sum up the series. Thankfully, Neil Gaiman was asked to sum up the Sandman in one sentence and did so brilliantly:

"The King of Dreams learns that all things must change or die and makes his choice".

That brilliance is why I love this series. Even among the cornucopia of pleasures that The Sandman provides, Season of Mists stands out. It starts simply enough. After a family meeting, Death basically uses guilt to convince dream to free an old lover that he cosigned to hell. He knows to do that he must cross paths with Lucifer, who he had offended earlier in the series. He girds himself for battle and prepares to storm the gates of hell itself.

Up to this point it is a pretty typical comic book plot. But when he gets to hell he finds it empty. He eventually finds Lucifer, only to find out that he has tired of his duties and decided to quit. He kicked all of the demons and tortured souls out of hell, which is causing no end of chaos. He then locks the gate and gives Dream the key, making him the new ruler of hell.

The key proves to be as devious a revenge as any could imagine, since there are many gods, demons, and manifestations of abstract concepts who desire it. Dream is trapped by his overwhelming sense of responsibility to consider all who desire the key. Meanwhile, the devil relaxes on a beach.(less)

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Feb 16, 2008 Kirsten rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-pre-12-07, own, graphic-novels, fiction

One of my all-time favorite Sandman story arcs. Lucifer decides that he's sick of being the lord of Hell, so to relieve himself of his duties and cause Morpheus some trouble as well, he closes down Hell and gives Morpheus the key. Now Morpheus must contend with the hordes of supernatural delegations who have come to him to petition for this most valuable real estate. The Faeries want Hell permanently shut down, so that they will no longer have to pay their tithe to Hell. Odin and his compatriots...more

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Oct 23, 2007 Keely rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, fantasy, reviewed, contemporary-fantasy

It is unfortunate that Gaiman seems to be unable to surrender his archetypal cast to either humanity or inhumanity, but lets them sit awkwardly in the middle. Though he often presents Dream and his siblings as falling to love or petty squabbling, their reactions to such are often not to work towards decision, but to subside. In those cases where they do act, it becomes merely a meaningless exercise to continue the story. When this is done for the purpose of framing other tales and interweaving i...more

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May 12, 2012 Draven rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I haven't had a chance the read the three prior books to Season of Mists but I enjoyed book 4 so much that I plan to read to entire series (eventually). The artwork reminded me very much of my beloved The Crow by James O'Barr and I connected easily with Morpheus and all his sublime ambiguity. His journey to Hell and subsequent conversations with Lucifer are without a doubt sparkling gems of writing across the entire genre! It was so extraordinary, I wrote my mid-term paper for my graphic novel c...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Klytia rated it 4 of 5 stars

“Agli amici assenti, agli amori perduti, agli antichi dei, e alla stagione delle nebbie, e che ognuno di noi possa sempre dare al diavolo ciò che gli spetta” un brindisi che è anche il cuore di questo volume.

Spinto dalla sorella maggiore, Sogno si reca all’inferno con l’intento di liberare la sua antica amante, Nada, che lui stesso condannò a una dura pena migliaia di anni prima. Laggiù, Morfeo verrà a sapere che Lucifero ha abbandonato il suo regno...e che il successore al trono degli inferi è...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Ideasmith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The fourth Sandman book is where you get to meet the entire Endless family in one place - or at least the still active ones. Destiny, the eldest, calls for a family conclave. Desire needles Dream about sentencing Nada (from Book 2: The Doll's House) to hell for declining his proposal. Death, while attempting to pacify Dream, concedes that he has indeed been unfair to Nada. Stung by this, Dream resolves to go to Hell to bring Nada back.

Dream prepares for his destruction in Hell, anticipating tha...more

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Jul 23, 2012 Jade Kerrion rated it 5 of 5 stars

There are several things Gaiman does well, and among them, is the weaving of mythologies into a single beautifully cohesive thread. In "Season of Mists," Lucifer decides that he's tired of ruling hell. He shuts it down and hands Morpheus (Dream) the key to hell. Soon, the representatives of various pantheons show up to make a case for why Morpheus should give the key to them.

The story blossoms into fantastic integration of mythology into mainstream Christianity. I'll confess that I was concerne...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Ronyell rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Sandman Fans!!

Shelves: action-adventure, alternative-worlds, best-books-of-2012, book-series, books-i-want-to-own, drama, fantasy, favorites, graphic-novels-comics, horror, mystery, neil-gaiman, read-in-2012, reviewed-books, strong-hero, vertigo-comics, urban-fantasy, young-adult-teen-books, ronyell-s-epinions-reviews, my-blog-reviews

After reading more of Neil Gaiman’s classic “Sandman” series, I never would have thought that the stories would get better and better and the fourth volume “Season of Mists” certainly did not disappoint me! Dream (Morpheus) definitely got his hands full in this volume that will reveal many shocking surprises for the fans of the fantastic “Sandman” series!

In this volume “Season of Mists,” when a family meeting between the Endless ends up revealing Dream’s past horrible deed of condemning the woma...more After reading more of Neil Gaiman’s classic “Sandman” series, I never would have thought that the stories would get better and better and the fourth volume “Season of Mists” certainly did not disappoint me! Dream (Morpheus) definitely got his hands full in this volume that will reveal many shocking surprises for the fans of the fantastic “Sandman” series!

In this volume “Season of Mists,” when a family meeting between the Endless ends up revealing Dream’s past horrible deed of condemning the woman he loved, Nada, to the Underworld, Dream decides to go down to the Underworld to rescue Nada. Unfortunately, Lucifer Morningstar, who vowed to destroy Dream after Dream humiliated him in the first volume, has plans for Dream that might end up turning Dream’s world into a nightmare! Instead of having separate stories in this volume, this volume is broken up in chapters and it has a total of six chapters along with a prologue and an epilogue.

Neil Gaiman has once again created a story from the popular “Sandman” series that will continue to stand the test of time to many generations! The fourth volume of Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” series is just as enjoyable as the first two volumes as it details Dream’s efforts to rescue his former lover Nada from the depths of the Underworld. I loved the way that Neil Gaiman made the atmosphere of this story extremely dark yet adventurous at the same time as the majority of this volume takes place in the Underworld and I was so shocked at seeing the horrible activities that takes place in the Underworld. I also loved the religious references that Neil Gaiman brings to this volume as there are many references about the balance between Heaven and Hell and I loved how it was explained through this story. The character Lucifer Morningstar proved to be an interesting antagonist in this volume as Neil Gaiman did a brilliant job of laying out his plot against Dream step by step and the burden that he placed on Dream was cleverly plotted and as I keep on reading more about Lucifer’s plan throughout this volume, I wanted to know how Dream was going to beat Lucifer at his own game. Kelley Jones, Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III, Matt Wagner, Dick Giordano, George Pratt and P. Craig Russell’s artwork were brilliant in this volume as they each brought their own unique flair to the story. I loved the illustrations of the Underworld that each artist brought because the images of the Underworld were brilliant and disturbing at the same time and it really brought out the intensity in this story.

Like the first three volumes of the “Sandman” series, there is some disturbing content in this volume, especially with the scenes of the Underworld. In the Underworld sequences, there are many images of people being tortured such as an image of a man who has nails embedded in his body and chains that pulled at his skin and some images of people being impaled by sharp staffs. Also, there are some images of nudity in this volume that might offend some people who do not like seeing nudity in images.

Overall, “The Sandman: Season of Mists” is a truly brilliant and haunting volume for fans of Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” series and will surely be a pure delight to read for many years. I would recommend this volume to readers ages sixteen and up since there are many disturbing images and some nudity that some people might not enjoy reading. Now I am off to read the fifth volume in the “Sandman” series, The Sandman, Vol. 5: A Game of You.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog(less)

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Aug 14, 2011 Patrick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hmm, not sure what I think of this one. It did nothing for me in particular. I grow tired of stories of Cabbages and Kings, and only really enjoyed the one human-centered story, that of dead school boy ghosts. But Big Stuff I can do without, especially when I don't believe in it. The Devil giving up his reign comes out of nowhere... at first I thought it a trick, and perhaps it will be revealed as one in a later issue, but here it seems simply abrupt. And after much discussion and some fun scene...more

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Mar 19, 2011 Yousif Mukhtar rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What if you were given the key to Hell? A key that allows you to have control of a whole world. Would you accept it?

That is the main concept of the whole story: '' What in hell would I do with the key to Hell?'' The story starts with Destiny finding out a prophecy that the future has problems in hand. And so he calls his siblings after a very absented meeting. Dream of the Endless is once again imitated by Desire. Desire tells him that what he has done to his lover Nada is wrong, and that he ha...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Tancredi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: graphic-novel

"Che potere avrebbe l'Inferno se coloro che sono imprigionati non potessero sognare il Paradiso?"

Sul volume in particolare:
Ecco. Ci siamo. E' questo il volume della serie che mi ha fatto adorare completamente Neil Gaiman. E' stata una lettura veramente... trascendente.
L'umanità profondissima e tangibile che caratterizza il personaggio di Lucifero (il personaggio più bello che sia mai stato creato), proprio quel Lucifero che decide di abbandonare l'Inferno... Geniale. Assolutamente geniale.

------...more "Che potere avrebbe l'Inferno se coloro che sono imprigionati non potessero sognare il Paradiso?"

Sul volume in particolare:
Ecco. Ci siamo. E' questo il volume della serie che mi ha fatto adorare completamente Neil Gaiman. E' stata una lettura veramente... trascendente.
L'umanità profondissima e tangibile che caratterizza il personaggio di Lucifero (il personaggio più bello che sia mai stato creato), proprio quel Lucifero che decide di abbandonare l'Inferno... Geniale. Assolutamente geniale.

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Sulla serie in generale: Parlare di "The Sandman" mi mette imbarazzo e non solo, perché di fronte ad un'opera mastodontica e superiore come questa non posso che sentirmi un mero ammasso di carne pensante per sbaglio, per una malata frizione casuale tra i miei neuroni.

La verità è che "The Sandman" è l'opera di un genio fuori dal comune, che non si può comprendere mai del tutto, nemmeno leggendolo mille volte. Per la profondità della sua scrittura, per la finezza dellle sue citazioni letterarie, per la cura paziente e poetica con cui ogni singola parola pausa e virgola viene scelta, per il modo oserei dire "chirurgico" con cui si intrufola nell'animo umano, mettendolo a nudo.
"The Sandman" è un'opera che sostanzialmente è una rappresentazione di ciò che siamo, una rappresentazione dell'essere umano, con tutte le sue pieghe, le sue contraddizioni e le zone nascoste, in ombra.
La finezza della sua analisi dell'uomo la si può vedere ad esempio nella creazione dei sette Eterni: Sogno, Morte, Destino, Distruzione, Disperazione, Desiderio, Delirio. Sette personificazioni di sette elementi che scuotono gli uomini, che ne plasmano la crescita.
Parlando della trama, che qui è veramente l'intreccio invisibile e complesso di mille fili narrativi, "The Sandman" è fondamentalmente la storia di una crescita morale, quella di Sogno, il protagonista, che sceglie un percorso forzato con lo scopo di redimersi completamente, viaggiando tra dimensioni più o meno allegoriche, contattando e interagendo con una miriade di personaggi (ed è STRAORDINARIA la caleidoscopia varietà di personalità secondarie che Gaiman crea, arricchendo la storia).
"The Sandman" è soprattutto la prova che il fumetto, o meglio, la "graphic novel" è un'opera d'arte degna della qualità di letteratura. Non a caso un episodio di questa serie di fumetti è riuscito a vincere un premio riservato alle opere letterarie.
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May 31, 2010 Jesse Field rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

"But even if Destiny could tell you, he will not. Destiny holds his secrets. The Garden of Destiny. You would know it if you saw it. After all, you wander it until you die. Or Beyond. For the paths are long, and even in death, there is no ending to them."

Ugh.

It's really too bad I didn't get a chance to read Sandman when I was about 14. Gaiman's clunky, endless scene-setting ("assorted events are set in motion; and a relationship thought long done with proves to have much relevance today") is mea...more "But even if Destiny could tell you, he will not. Destiny holds his secrets. The Garden of Destiny. You would know it if you saw it. After all, you wander it until you die. Or Beyond. For the paths are long, and even in death, there is no ending to them."

Ugh.

It's really too bad I didn't get a chance to read Sandman when I was about 14. Gaiman's clunky, endless scene-setting ("assorted events are set in motion; and a relationship thought long done with proves to have much relevance today") is meant to enthrall adolescents trying their best to be what was once called "alternative." Reading Gaiman is much like listening to Nirvana or Smashing Pumpkins, or watching early Tim Burton's 1988 Batman -- what once captivated now at first jogs our interest, but then quickly loses it again.

Two quick notes, one positive and one negative, that I want to carry away down the path towards making my own creative writing:

1. Gaiman's pacing is slow. He repeats himself (did you know that in Dream's kingdom, Dream can do anything he wants? Yep! ...Hey! Did you know...) He doesn't always use "exposition as ammunition," but instead inserts exposition in between when major action should be happening, deliberately slowing the pace further. There are no real climaxes in Gaiman's fiction: protagonists face big decisions, but then something else takes care of it all for them. Dream expects to have a crisis, but Lucifer preempts Dream by abandoning Hell. Dream expects to have a crisis again, but Creation sends in his angels to take the keys to Hell. Daemon ex Machina, Deus ex Machina: this volume is nothing more than a double ex Machina. The pace of the work is thus made loose and slack, like a middle school sagger shlumping to Shpongle.

2. Graphic novels have a dual center: text, art. Here, the protagonist Dream is a shadowy and sullen artibus with a conscience. Text-wise, there isn't a lot to him. That thus leaves all the room necessary for a whole team to go in and render Dream in pencil and ink. If Gaiman has any real talent, it's in writing loose text that leaves room. He's a natural minimalist, suggesting whole worlds in breathy asides ("There is much that Faerie can offer you.") It would be nice if there was more than a suggestion at times, and here again, the art saves, with fantastic drawings of the castles of Hell, etc. This particular series combines multiple artistic idioms purposely to suggest an uneasy collection of worlds -- the gods of Nippon stand next to the Gods of Egypt, etc. As a study in composing portraits to form layered, interwoven settings, Sandman could serve as a representative example that rarely goes wrong.(less)

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Oct 29, 2011 Moira rated it 5 of 5 stars

Možná už tuším, proč mi minulý díl moc nesedl. Bylo to sešívané, čtyři různé (i když úchvatné) záblesky inspirace, strhující střípky fantazie. Ale naprosto rozdílné, krátké povídky. Oproti tomu je Údobí Mlh ucelený příběh, kdy jen jedna povídka je skoro z kontextu, aby dokreslovala celý obraz příběhu.

Co říct? Že je Sandman úžasný jsem zmínila už třikrát. Nerada se opakuju a nerada plýtvám superlativy. (I když si je dílka opravdu zaslouží.. x)) Údobí Mlh se opět vyšplhalo hodně vysoko v mém hodno...more

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Feb 18, 2011 Eric rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comics, fantasy, norse, sprituality

I liked this. I don't know why it didn't really grab me enough to put four stars. I guess because it feels removed somehow.

The meeting of the family of Endless in the beginning I guess is their first introduction. At least it feels this way. I didn't quite buy the need for them all to be there or Dream's sudden change of heart which is what the rest of the story hinges on.

I'm assuming his connection to Nada was explained in an earlier book, otherwise I think it would help to see it here. It see...more

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Oct 18, 2009 Meredith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 03, 2012 Maggie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: novelas-graficas

Una de las cosas más geniales de Sandman es que tiene muchísimas referencias, a veces a otros comics uno que otro personaje aparece, o incluso a personas reales. En esta parte en específico se habla del cielo y el infierno y se mencionan también a los dioses de Asgard, a los japoneses y a los egipcios. Creo que este me gustó mucho porque sugirió una idea muy interesante: El Diablo abdica al infierno.

Los hermanos eternos tienen una reunión, porque así está escrito en su Destino, en la que a Sueñ...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Paul Nelson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourite-graphic-novels, graphic-novels

Seasons of mist is definitely the best of the Sandman series so far, Destiny of the Endless is visited by the Fates and as a result calls a family meeting. Present are Destiny, Dream, Death, the twins Desire and Despair, and Delirium, only one of the Endless is missing which is an intriguing fact by itself.

Destiny tells them of his meeting with the Fates and sets of a significant chain of events, Desire argues with Dream about one of Dream's past romances, a young tribal woman named Nada who he...more

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Feb 16, 2009 Morgan rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: a comparative religions class at some fucking Ivy League school

Recommended to Morgan by: Kestrel Plump

The whole Sandman series hedges the fence between good graphic novel and stupid-ass comics. The strength is in Gaiman's ability to captivate his readers, the weakness is in DC's ("Vertigo's"—whatever) penchant for pushing product and having whomever they have handy do the penciling, inking and coloring for their comix. The result is a work of inconsistent art, ranging from enjoyable to unbearable. The only steady hand in the whole thing is Todd Klein, the letterist for all the Sandman books. Sto...more

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Jan 01, 2013 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, graphic-manga, gothic-dark-or-otherwise-creepy

I enojyed this story arc quite a bit., I did. I liked watching the Endless siblings interact, and my curiousity about the missing sibling and Delight's change into Delirium is certainly piqued. The idea that Lucifer abandons Hell and releases the souls was interesting, as was the assertion that people choose Hell, it doesn't choose you. I also greatly enjoyed the dinner party of gods and other immortal or puissant beings. (Hey, if Gaiman can use "puissant" every other page, so can I). However, t...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Deslni01 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, graphic, novel, comic, vertigo

What happens when Lucifer decides to leave hell? Season of Mists, the fourth volume of The Sandman answers that question as Dream heads to Hell to release a former lover who has been imprisoned and tortured for thousands of years. Upon arrival, he finds Hell empty, and Lucifer hands him the key to the kingdom.[return][return]Gaiman draws a multitude of mythology and mythological characters into this volume, as representatives of many mythological groups seek the key to Hell from Dream. This prov...more

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Jan 22, 2011 D.M. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As much as I genuinely do like this story, I have to confess it feels like a bit of a failure somehow. Perhaps it's the deliberately stilted language Gaiman's chosen to use in this arc, or perhaps it's the numerous ill-wedded matches of inkers and colourers which mar this story for me. Whatever the cause, I always come away from this volume dissatisfied, which is unfortunate following the repeated strengths of the previous book (Dream Country) but fortunately made up for in the next one (A Game...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Michael Nash rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

*5th reading*
This is my favorite “main story” volume of the Sandman. The Kindly Ones doesn’t count because, as the climax of the series, it can’t be considered as an individual work. A there are stories in Fables and Reflections that I like better. But as a whole, this one is really tops. With the possible exception of the artwork, I love everything about it. I love: Morpheus’s determined entrance into Hell, despite the fact that he had earlier humiliated Lucifer (whom Gaiman lovingly writes in...more

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Jun 10, 2013 Algernon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, comics, favorites

The speech of Lucifer Morningstar on giving up his responsibilities in Hell would be good enough to justify the five stars review, but there is a lot more to like in this new book of the Sandman comic. Like the old fashioned chapter headings, teasers of events to come and plot twists to discover:

issue 21 : In which a Family reunion occasions certain recriminations; assorted events are set in motion; and a relationship thought long done with proves to have much relevance today.

The prologue brin...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Clive rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Season of Mists revolves around the most specific storyline premise from the volumes thus far; that of Lucifer abandoning Hell and the aftermath of this decision. This volume employs this concept to its full potential through which important themes for the whole mythos are explored and Dream is again put under the limelight for a tale which significantly reveals more of his character.

Lucifer’s abdication of his reign serves both as an internal plot driving device as well as to infuse the saga w...more Season of Mists revolves around the most specific storyline premise from the volumes thus far; that of Lucifer abandoning Hell and the aftermath of this decision. This volume employs this concept to its full potential through which important themes for the whole mythos are explored and Dream is again put under the limelight for a tale which significantly reveals more of his character.

Lucifer’s abdication of his reign serves both as an internal plot driving device as well as to infuse the saga with a meta-inquiry on the roles of characters. The themes related to the notion of roles have been hinted at in previous volumes, most notably in the third volume. Season of Mists divulges directly this subject matter by subverting the role of a character who very likely has been one of the most constant in his depictions throughout fiction. Lucifer’s identity has mostly followed the tradition of The Divine Comedy and Paradise Lost where it is inextricably bound to the location of Hell itself. His character depends on being the Lord of Hell and the powers and moral placing which this grants him.

Gaiman exploits this association which has become ingrained in our perception of Lucifer by leaving the reasons behind his decision vague and inconclusive. Lucifer points out to Dream that he is merely tired, suggesting that his role is as a matter of fact a burden that has come about from being defined by duty due to the constant representations. The event happens quite arbitrarily, considering that Lucifer was planning on the downfall of Dream in The Doll’s House, which makes it adequately startling; a reaction perfectly suited to the nature of the theme.

As mentioned, Dream is intimately tied in the narrative of this issue. He is faced by the other Endless to admit that his verdict of condemning Nada to Hell cannot be justified as it arose out of the wounding of his pride. This prompts him to revisit Hell in order to liberate her and it is thus that he encounters Lucifer on his way out. There, Dream is given the key to Hell by Lucifer and left to his own discretion on what to do with it. Lucifer and Dream offer a very strong contrast in the way they react to their narrative roles. This part can even be linked with the temptation of Jesus by Satan in the desert as Lucifer subtly teases Dream on his rigidness in adhering to his role and domain.

What follows from Dream’s possession of the key is a highly inventive turn of events. I really enjoyed the host of deities hailing from different mythologies and countries who come to bargain with Dream for ownership over Hell. The irony is not lost when Hell is seen by some as their salvation. This culminates in the eventual handing of the key to two angels, which might hint towards a repetitive cycle even though the angels vowed to change Hell to a place of redemption rather than punishment.

This volume is also memorable for showing for the first time all of the Endless, sans one, together. There is the introduction of another Endless too, Destiny, whose realm, The Garden of Forking Ways, is another brilliantly realised locale. The missing Endless, who remains unknown to this point, is still indirectly present as Desire insidiously refers to a past event involving him and Dream rekindling the guilt felt by the latter. The scenes with Death and Dream were again delicately portrayed, continuing to cultivate the tender relation between the two. Dream’s difficult parting from Nada has to be mentioned since it a moving piece that highlights how Dream has let go of his pride. (less)

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Jan 19, 2009 Eileen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 16, 2012 Matt Holgate rated it 5 of 5 stars

I recently re-read 'The Sandman' series, and I honestly believe it may be my favourite writing out there. Period. It possesses a fantastic quality - a soul - that is consistent throughout. There is something in it for everyone.

Of the series, I think 'Season of Mists' is the best of the best. Just when you think you know where the story is taking you, it shifts gears, and in particular it makes Dream a flesh and blood character for what I felt was the first time. Anything beforehand was a glimpse...more

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May 28, 2012 Ellie Mendez rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ah Lucifer....even when he quits his job his bad-ass!

One of the things that I enjoy the most from the Sandman series is the use of mythology, with Thor, Loki, Odin, Bast and so many others as 'guest stars' in this story. With the formal introduction of most of the family (Destiny, Desire, Death, Despair, Dream and Delirium) Neil Gaiman has created his own mythological beings....this is how legends are born!

The story is fascinating, the Dream Lord goes to hell to right a wrong he did eons before...more

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May 24, 2012 Cat rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is my first experience of the Sandman series, and I would definitely read more. I feel like my graphic novel reading chops need improving; I find myself looking at the text or the pictures and need to find a more comprehensive way to attend to both. But that being said, Gaiman's sly sense of humor comes through in this book alongside a larger, darker vision. The ending of this volume is very creepy and actually reminiscent (for me, anyway) of Foucault's thesis in Discipline and Punish: The ...more This is my first experience of the Sandman series, and I would definitely read more. I feel like my graphic novel reading chops need improving; I find myself looking at the text or the pictures and need to find a more comprehensive way to attend to both. But that being said, Gaiman's sly sense of humor comes through in this book alongside a larger, darker vision. The ending of this volume is very creepy and actually reminiscent (for me, anyway) of Foucault's thesis in Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison about the shift from external ideas of damnation and punishment to internalized self-regulation and the promise of the penal system to reform the subject (discipline). That was a cool if disturbing resonance of the resolution, which I won't say more about for fear of spoilers.

The dramatization of gods from multiple pantheons (Christian, Norse, Egyptian, invented, Shakespearean Fairies, etc.) is one of Gaiman's real gifts, as can be seen in American Gods and Anansi Boys. He has fun with the imaginative intermingling, the anachronistic dialogue (how would these gods express themselves in a contemporary setting and idiom?); and the power struggles. Thus, the plot of this volume (gods and demons jockeying to be the Lord of Hell because Lucifer's given it up) allows Gaiman to highlight the heightened characters and supernatural hijinks that he does best. Also, I think what Gaiman describes beautifully in Anansi Boys--the simultaneity of being a person, an animal, and an archetype or divinity--inheres in the genre here. Where better than comics to picture characters at once individually human, uncannily animal-like (Batman, Spiderman, etc.), and yet archetypal?

My favorite character was, of course, Bast, the Egyptian cat goddess. Gaiman appreciates the intrepidness and elegance of cats, as he shows elsewhere in stories and blog posts. Sometimes, the episodes within the volume felt a bit chaotic and shapeless to me, and some of the humor didn't work for me (Thor and Jemmy often fell flat for me), hence the three-star rating. I did really like the one installment that seems a total excursus set in a British boarding school that becomes haunted and hellish (perhaps, Gaiman implies, it already was) when Lucifer sets the demons and ghosts free from his realm. (less)

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The Sandman, Vol. 4: Season of Mists (The Sandman #4)

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