The Sandman: Worlds' End
Encyclopedia
Worlds' End is the eighth collection of issues in the DC Comics
series The Sandman. It was written by Neil Gaiman
; illustrated by Michael Allred, Gary Amaro, Mark Buckingham
, Dick Giordano
, Tony Harris
, Steve Leialoha
, Vince Locke
, Shea Anton Pensa, Alec Stevens
, Bryan Talbot
, John Watkiss
, and Michael Zulli
; colored by Danny Vozzo; and lettered by Todd Klein
. The events in it are loosely associated with Zero Hour. The stories in the collection first appeared in 1993. The collection first appeared in paperback and hardback editions in 1994. The collection's title, setting, and a number of its themes and images are also found in G.K. Chesterton's poem "A Child of the Snows".
and Fables and Reflections
, this is a collection of (mostly) single-issue short stories, mostly not directly related to the main storyline of the series. Unlike those collections, however, the issues in Worlds' End were clearly written with this end in mind, and as a set form a frame tale.
This is the story of Brant Tucker and Charlene Mooney, who are involved in a car crash during what seems to be a snowstorm (in the Northern Summer). Charlene is badly hurt, and Brant is directed by a Mysterious Voice (a hedgehog) to a strange inn — "Worlds' End, a free house", as the pub sign outside declares it. It transpires later that this is one of four inns where travellers between dimensions, between realms and kingdoms, shelter during reality storms — the consequences of particularly momentous events. Throughout the reading of the collection, then, the reader is aware that some kind of momentous event has occurred, and the conclusion of the collection gives us an inkling of what it is; the revellers at the inn gather by its windows to watch a funeral procession cross the sky, which ends with Death looking sadly into the inn and then looking down sadly at her crossed hands, as the crescent moon behind her slowly turns red. The framing sequence is penciled by Bryan Talbot and inked by Mark Buckingham, Dick Giordano and Steve Leialoha, with the exception of the funeral procession, which is penciled by Gary Amaro and inked by Tony Harris.
The stories within the collection are each narrated by a different person during a storytelling session at the inn; as the introduction notes, this is similar to the device used in Chaucer's
Canterbury Tales. This gives each a distinct style both in the telling and in the illustration, with the collection drawn together by the short sequences between stories set at the inn itself. Each story told contains at least one character telling a story.
to model the approach after that which he had employed in The Sinners, published by DC's Piranha Press imprint in June 1989. This approach is a unique, stained-glass-like style that takes a nod to the German Expressionists
of the early 20th century.
"A Tale" concerns a city dweller who finds himself one day in what he believes to be the dream of the city in which he lives, where he encounters another stranded city dweller, Morpheus, and a woman who looks like Death, but who Gaiman has said is not. When asked, Stevens
said that he drew his own 'Mona' character from his Hardcore graphic novel, published by Piranha Press
in January 1990. It ends with the frightened city dweller returning to "reality", whereupon he moves away from the city to a small village, where the story-teller meets him. He fears that one day, the cities will awaken. This story is heavily influenced by the work of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, especially in its thematic concerns of a character nearly driven to madness after discovering a truth that humans were never meant to know. In his introduction to Lovecraft, The Dream Cycle of H. P. Lovecraft: Dreams of Terror and Death, Gaiman writes, "There's something about Lovecraft's fiction, about his worlds, that is oddly alluring for a writer of fantasy and horror. I've written three Lovecraftian stories: one obliquely, in Sandman—a quiet, dreamlike story (it's the first story in the Worlds' End collection. You can tell it's Lovecraftian, because I use the word "cyclopean" in it)."
, Cluracan. He is sent to the city Aurelian to represent the interests of Faerie in the political upheavals currently occurring in that distant place, and causes uproar with a prophecy to the autocratic ruler of Aurelian. He is imprisoned as a consequence, but freed by Morpheus, who is alerted to his plight by Cluracan's sister, Nuala, currently in Morpheus' service. Using his faerie powers to disguise himself, Cluracan provokes the inhabitants of Aurelian to rebellion against their corpulent and corrupt ruler. John Watkiss draws this story with swashbuckling brushstrokes.
, whose story is first told in The Doll's House
. Jim makes a voyage from Singapore to Liverpool, stopping in India. He meets Hob, who is presented as a guest on the ship, and an Indian stowaway whom Hob convinces the captain to let stay. The Indian tells a tale about a king who gives his beloved wife the fruit of immortality, who in turn gives it to her secret lover, which then passes to a concubine, then back to the king, who in shame leaves his city and wanders the earth. Before the end of their journey, a massive leviathan
appears and surrounds the ship in a terrible display, then disappears. Jim is eager to tell people what he saw, but Hob states that the sea holds many secrets that sailors know but don't and can't talk about. The story ends with Hob revealing he knows Jim's true identity and Jim learning Hob actually owns the ship he sails on. The tale of Jim may be inspired by the traditional folk song "The Handsome Cabin Boy." The story is penciled by Michael Zulli and inked by Dick Giordano.
In this America, Nixon is not re-elected in 1972; instead, he is succeeded by a young man named Prez Rickard
, as American youth — allowed to vote for the first time with the lowering of voting age to 18 — also vote to lower the required age for president and get behind one of their own. Prez is a great president, averting a conflict in the Middle East, solving the energy crisis and putting the USA's house in order.
Before he becomes President he is visited by Boss Smiley, a sinister figure with the "have a nice day" smiley face for a head. Smiley tempts Prez, offering him the presidency in exchange for allegiance. Prez refuses the offer, and is elected regardless.
During his successful first term, he is revisited by Smiley, who warns him not to seek a second term. Prez again disregards Smiley, and is re-elected. In Prez's second term, a deranged woman wounds Prez and kills his new fiancee to get a celebrity's (Ted Grant
) attention (similar to John Hinckley, Jr.
). Smiley tempts Prez one last time, offering to restore her to him if he will serve Smiley. Prez finishes his term and retires to his hometown, declining many requests to return to public life and eventually vanishing altogether.
The man recounts "a matter of personal belief and revelation," that at the end of his life, Prez is taken by Death to heaven, where Boss Smiley warmly claims him as a good servant and offers Prez a job as a praiser. Dream arrives and takes Prez away from an angry Smiley, and Prez begins wandering between worlds to help out other Americas. Prez is ultimately a Messiah figure for the American dream; young, perfect, idealistic and brilliant, and therefore essentially fleeting and transitory. Prez's role as an ecumenical religious figure is emphasized throughout; his parallels with Jesus Christ are demonstrated through parallels with stories from the Gospels, including events similar to Jesus's discussions with the temple elders or the temptation of Christ
, and stories from other religious traditions such as Taoism are included. There are also subtle homages to Watchmen
. The deranged woman who kills his new fiancee wears a smiley button. The panel which shows a zombie version of hers even has a blood spot on the smiley button identical to the one in Watchmen
. Prez's backstory as a watchmaker also mirrors that of Dr. Manhattan.
. Petrefax's story is penciled by Shea Anton Pensa and inked by Vince Locke.
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
series The Sandman. It was written by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
; illustrated by Michael Allred, Gary Amaro, Mark Buckingham
Mark Buckingham
Mark Buckingham is a British comic book artist. He is better known for his work on Marvelman and Fables.-Biography:Born as Mark John Buckingham May 23, 1966 in Clevedon, United Kingdom...
, Dick Giordano
Dick Giordano
Richard Joseph "Dick" Giordano was an American comic book artist and editor best known for introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes, and serving as executive editor of then–industry leader DC Comics...
, Tony Harris
Tony Harris (cartoonist)
Tony Harris is an American comic book artist, known for his work as series such as Starman, Iron Man, and Ex Machina. He has been nominated for five Eisner Awards for his work.-Career:...
, Steve Leialoha
Steve Leialoha
Steve Leialoha is an American comic book artist whose work first came to prominence in the 1970s. He has worked primarily as an inker, though occasionally as a penciller, for several publishers, including Marvel Comics and later DC Comics.-Biography:Leialoha's professional career began in 1975...
, Vince Locke
Vince Locke
Vincent Locke is an American comic book artist known for his work on Deadworld and A History of Violence and for his ultraviolent album covers for death metal band Cannibal Corpse.-Biography:...
, Shea Anton Pensa, Alec Stevens
Alec Stevens
Alec Preston Stevens is a professional author, illustrator and musician.-Biography:Alec Stevens was born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil where his father, a USAF officer stationed in various parts of the world, was on military assignment...
, Bryan Talbot
Bryan Talbot
Bryan Talbot is a British comic book artist and writer, born in Wigan, Lancashire, in 1952. He is best known as the creator of The Adventures of Luther Arkwright and its sequel Heart of Empire.-Career:...
, John Watkiss
John Watkiss
John Watkiss is an artist who has worked in both comics and film. Born in England in 1961.After growing up in the Midlands in England, John Watkiss graduated from The Faculty of Arts and Architecture, Brighton University with a bachelor of Fine Arts degree...
, and Michael Zulli
Michael Zulli
Michael Zulli is an American artist known for his work as an animal and wildlife illustrator and as a comic book illustrator. He's gotten great acclaim for his work on The Sandman with writer Neil Gaiman and has been a longtime collaborator with the author...
; colored by Danny Vozzo; and lettered by Todd Klein
Todd Klein
Todd Klein is an American comic book letterer, logo designer, and occasional writer, primarily for DC Comics.- Early career:Todd Klein broke into comics in the summer of 1977, hired by DC Comics as a staff production worker...
. The events in it are loosely associated with Zero Hour. The stories in the collection first appeared in 1993. The collection first appeared in paperback and hardback editions in 1994. The collection's title, setting, and a number of its themes and images are also found in G.K. Chesterton's poem "A Child of the Snows".
Synopsis
Like volumes 3 and 6, Dream CountryThe Sandman: Dream Country
Dream Country is the third trade paperback collection of the comic book series The Sandman, published by DC Comics. It collects issues #17-20...
and Fables and Reflections
The Sandman: Fables and Reflections
Fables & Reflections is the sixth collection of issues in the DC Comics series, The Sandman. It was written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Bryan Talbot, Stan Woch, P...
, this is a collection of (mostly) single-issue short stories, mostly not directly related to the main storyline of the series. Unlike those collections, however, the issues in Worlds' End were clearly written with this end in mind, and as a set form a frame tale.
This is the story of Brant Tucker and Charlene Mooney, who are involved in a car crash during what seems to be a snowstorm (in the Northern Summer). Charlene is badly hurt, and Brant is directed by a Mysterious Voice (a hedgehog) to a strange inn — "Worlds' End, a free house", as the pub sign outside declares it. It transpires later that this is one of four inns where travellers between dimensions, between realms and kingdoms, shelter during reality storms — the consequences of particularly momentous events. Throughout the reading of the collection, then, the reader is aware that some kind of momentous event has occurred, and the conclusion of the collection gives us an inkling of what it is; the revellers at the inn gather by its windows to watch a funeral procession cross the sky, which ends with Death looking sadly into the inn and then looking down sadly at her crossed hands, as the crescent moon behind her slowly turns red. The framing sequence is penciled by Bryan Talbot and inked by Mark Buckingham, Dick Giordano and Steve Leialoha, with the exception of the funeral procession, which is penciled by Gary Amaro and inked by Tony Harris.
The stories within the collection are each narrated by a different person during a storytelling session at the inn; as the introduction notes, this is similar to the device used in Chaucer's
Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
Canterbury Tales. This gives each a distinct style both in the telling and in the illustration, with the collection drawn together by the short sequences between stories set at the inn itself. Each story told contains at least one character telling a story.
(#51) "A Tale of Two Cities"
The first story is perhaps the most distinctive in graphical style; it eschews the traditional comic style, with linked panels containing speech bubbles and panels which narrate the story. The narration appears as prose, with illustrations interrupting to provide snapshots of the action in the story. Gaiman had asked artist Alec StevensAlec Stevens
Alec Preston Stevens is a professional author, illustrator and musician.-Biography:Alec Stevens was born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil where his father, a USAF officer stationed in various parts of the world, was on military assignment...
to model the approach after that which he had employed in The Sinners, published by DC's Piranha Press imprint in June 1989. This approach is a unique, stained-glass-like style that takes a nod to the German Expressionists
Expressionism
Expressionism was a modernist movement, initially in poetry and painting, originating in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. Its typical trait is to present the world solely from a subjective perspective, distorting it radically for emotional effect in order to evoke moods or ideas...
of the early 20th century.
"A Tale" concerns a city dweller who finds himself one day in what he believes to be the dream of the city in which he lives, where he encounters another stranded city dweller, Morpheus, and a woman who looks like Death, but who Gaiman has said is not. When asked, Stevens
Alec Stevens
Alec Preston Stevens is a professional author, illustrator and musician.-Biography:Alec Stevens was born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil where his father, a USAF officer stationed in various parts of the world, was on military assignment...
said that he drew his own 'Mona' character from his Hardcore graphic novel, published by Piranha Press
Piranha Press
Piranha Press, an imprint of DC Comics from 1989 to 1994, was a response by DC to the growing interest in alternative comics. The imprint was edited by Mark Nevelow, who instead of developing comics with the established names in the alternative comics field, chose to introduce several unknown...
in January 1990. It ends with the frightened city dweller returning to "reality", whereupon he moves away from the city to a small village, where the story-teller meets him. He fears that one day, the cities will awaken. This story is heavily influenced by the work of horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, especially in its thematic concerns of a character nearly driven to madness after discovering a truth that humans were never meant to know. In his introduction to Lovecraft, The Dream Cycle of H. P. Lovecraft: Dreams of Terror and Death, Gaiman writes, "There's something about Lovecraft's fiction, about his worlds, that is oddly alluring for a writer of fantasy and horror. I've written three Lovecraftian stories: one obliquely, in Sandman—a quiet, dreamlike story (it's the first story in the Worlds' End collection. You can tell it's Lovecraftian, because I use the word "cyclopean" in it)."
(#52) "Cluracan's Tale"
The second story is a fantasy adventure yarn, spun by the flamboyant representative of Faerie introduced in Season of MistsThe Sandman: Season of Mists
Season of Mists is the fourth collection of issues in the DC Comics series, The Sandman.It was written by Neil Gaiman; illustrated by Kelley Jones, Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III, Matt Wagner, Dick Giordano, George Pratt, and P...
, Cluracan. He is sent to the city Aurelian to represent the interests of Faerie in the political upheavals currently occurring in that distant place, and causes uproar with a prophecy to the autocratic ruler of Aurelian. He is imprisoned as a consequence, but freed by Morpheus, who is alerted to his plight by Cluracan's sister, Nuala, currently in Morpheus' service. Using his faerie powers to disguise himself, Cluracan provokes the inhabitants of Aurelian to rebellion against their corpulent and corrupt ruler. John Watkiss draws this story with swashbuckling brushstrokes.
(#53) "Hob's Leviathan"
The third is a sea chanty told by a girl who poses as a boy, Jim, in order to be able to go to sea. It concerns the difficulties presented by extraordinary truths, and reintroduces Hob GadlingHob Gadling
Hob Gadling is a fictional character from the Sandman comic book series by Neil Gaiman. Gadling first appears in the story "Men of Good Fortune" in The Sandman #13 as a soldier of the Hundred Years' War, arguing with friends in an inn somewhere inside the modern borders of London.-Background:We...
, whose story is first told in The Doll's House
The Sandman: The Doll's House
The Doll's House is the second trade paperback collection of the comic book series The Sandman, published by DC Comics. It collects issues #9-16. It is written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III, Chris Bachalo, Michael Zulli and Steve Parkhouse, coloured by Robbie...
. Jim makes a voyage from Singapore to Liverpool, stopping in India. He meets Hob, who is presented as a guest on the ship, and an Indian stowaway whom Hob convinces the captain to let stay. The Indian tells a tale about a king who gives his beloved wife the fruit of immortality, who in turn gives it to her secret lover, which then passes to a concubine, then back to the king, who in shame leaves his city and wanders the earth. Before the end of their journey, a massive leviathan
Leviathan
Leviathan , is a sea monster referred to in the Bible. In Demonology, Leviathan is one of the seven princes of Hell and its gatekeeper . The word has become synonymous with any large sea monster or creature...
appears and surrounds the ship in a terrible display, then disappears. Jim is eager to tell people what he saw, but Hob states that the sea holds many secrets that sailors know but don't and can't talk about. The story ends with Hob revealing he knows Jim's true identity and Jim learning Hob actually owns the ship he sails on. The tale of Jim may be inspired by the traditional folk song "The Handsome Cabin Boy." The story is penciled by Michael Zulli and inked by Dick Giordano.
(#54) "The Golden Boy"
The fourth story is a story about America, told to Brant alone by an Asian man he meets upstairs in the inn.In this America, Nixon is not re-elected in 1972; instead, he is succeeded by a young man named Prez Rickard
Prez (DC Comics)
Prez: First Teen President was a four issue comic series by writer Joe Simon and artist Jerry Grandenetti, released by DC Comics in 1973 and 1974...
, as American youth — allowed to vote for the first time with the lowering of voting age to 18 — also vote to lower the required age for president and get behind one of their own. Prez is a great president, averting a conflict in the Middle East, solving the energy crisis and putting the USA's house in order.
Before he becomes President he is visited by Boss Smiley, a sinister figure with the "have a nice day" smiley face for a head. Smiley tempts Prez, offering him the presidency in exchange for allegiance. Prez refuses the offer, and is elected regardless.
During his successful first term, he is revisited by Smiley, who warns him not to seek a second term. Prez again disregards Smiley, and is re-elected. In Prez's second term, a deranged woman wounds Prez and kills his new fiancee to get a celebrity's (Ted Grant
Wildcat (comics)
Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
) attention (similar to John Hinckley, Jr.
John Hinckley, Jr.
John Warnock Hinckley, Jr., attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan in Washington, D.C., on March 30, 1981, as the culmination of an effort to impress teen actress Jodie Foster. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and has remained under institutional psychiatric care since...
). Smiley tempts Prez one last time, offering to restore her to him if he will serve Smiley. Prez finishes his term and retires to his hometown, declining many requests to return to public life and eventually vanishing altogether.
The man recounts "a matter of personal belief and revelation," that at the end of his life, Prez is taken by Death to heaven, where Boss Smiley warmly claims him as a good servant and offers Prez a job as a praiser. Dream arrives and takes Prez away from an angry Smiley, and Prez begins wandering between worlds to help out other Americas. Prez is ultimately a Messiah figure for the American dream; young, perfect, idealistic and brilliant, and therefore essentially fleeting and transitory. Prez's role as an ecumenical religious figure is emphasized throughout; his parallels with Jesus Christ are demonstrated through parallels with stories from the Gospels, including events similar to Jesus's discussions with the temple elders or the temptation of Christ
Temptation of Christ
The temptation of Christ is detailed in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. According to these texts, after being baptized, Jesus fasted for forty days and nights in the Judean desert. During this time, the devil appeared to Jesus and tempted him...
, and stories from other religious traditions such as Taoism are included. There are also subtle homages to Watchmen
Watchmen
Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form...
. The deranged woman who kills his new fiancee wears a smiley button. The panel which shows a zombie version of hers even has a blood spot on the smiley button identical to the one in Watchmen
Watchmen
Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form...
. Prez's backstory as a watchmaker also mirrors that of Dr. Manhattan.
(#55) "Cerements"
The fifth story is told by an apprentice from the necropolis Litharge, a city devoted to the dead; its inhabitants know countless methods of burial from manifold realms and cultures. The most complex of the stories in Worlds' End, at one point it itself features a storytelling session - thus leading to a point where five frames exist at one time (taking into account the fact that the central plot is, at the end, revealed to be a frame). Petrefax tells of his apprenticeship, and relates the stories told by other masters and apprentices at an air burial to which he is sent. One of these features Destruction, who tells of an earlier, less fastidious, necropolis; this story, and the one that follows it, are important to events in the tenth collection, The WakeThe Sandman: The Wake
The Wake is the tenth and final collection of issues in the comic book series The Sandman. Written by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Michael Zulli, Jon J...
. Petrefax's story is penciled by Shea Anton Pensa and inked by Vince Locke.
Issues collected
| Issue | Title | Writer | Penciller | Inker | Colorist | Letterer | Asst Editor | Editor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | A Tale of Two Cities | Neil Gaiman | Alec Stevens / Bryan Talbot | Alec Stevens / Mark Buckingham | Daniel Vozzo | Todd Klein | Shelly Roeberg | Karen Berger |
| 52 | Cluracan's Tale | Neil Gaiman | John Watkiss / Bryan Talbot | John Watkiss / Mark Buckingham | Daniel Vozzo | Todd Klein | Shelly Roeberg | Karen Berger |
| 53 | Hob's Leviathan | Neil Gaiman | Michael Zulli / Bryan Talbot | David Giordano / Mark Buckingham | Daniel Vozzo | Todd Klein | Shelly Roeberg | Karen Berger |
| 54 | The Golden Boy | Neil Gaiman | Michael Allred / Bryan Talbot | Michael Allred / Mark Buckingham | Daniel Vozzo | Todd Klein | Shelly Roeberg | Karen Berger |
| 55 | Cerements | Neil Gaiman | Shea Anton Pensa / Bryan Talbot | Vince Locke / Mark Buckingham | Daniel Vozzo | Todd Klein | Shelly Roeberg | Karen Berger |
| 56 | Worlds' End | Neil Gaiman | Gary Amaro / Bryan Talbot | Dick Giordano / Steve Leialoha / Tony Harris / Mark Buckingham / Bryan Talbot | Daniel Vozzo | Todd Klein | Shelly Roeberg | Karen Berger |