Tuesday, February 14, 2017

MARVEL 1990s: SLEEPWALKER #1

I’m working my way through Marvel Firsts: The 1990s Omnibus [$125] - all 1288 pages of it - a story at a time. I was not a big fan of Marvel during the 1990s, but I figured it was time to take another look at the characters and comics launched in what has been called “comics' most divisive decade.”

This time out, we’re looking at Sleepwalker #1 [June 1991]. I know I read this issue when it came out and probably a few more issues beyond that. However, beyond the perhaps apocryphal report that Tom DeFalco, Marvel’s editor-in-chief back then, described the series as “Sandman done right,” I have no memory of this debut issue or of any others I might have read.

Sleepwalker was created by Bob Budiansky, who wrote all but two of the character’s 33-issue run. The title character was an alien from something called the Mindscape. The dimension, which borders on the minds of all living creatures, is inhabited by many weird creatures and some of those mean to do harm to human beings. The Sleepwalkers are the guardians of the Mindscape. They defend humans from those who would attack them in their dreams. At least, that’s what I got from reading the character’s Wikipedia entry.

Bret Blevins penciled and inked the cover of this first issue and also “ To Sleep Perchance to Scream!” (22 pages). Budiansky colored the issue and it was lettered by Tom Orzechowski. So, right off the bat, we’re talking A-list talents.

SPOILERS AHEAD
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College student Rick Sheridan has a Sleepwalker in his mind. This gives him nightmares. Which he doesn’t need considering that he has a pretty full plate. He’s majoring in film studies. He pays for his apartment by being the building’s janitor. He intimidates a couple of low-life drug pushers into moving on from the building’s front steps. He also works part-time teaching English to immigrants. He  has a cute, understanding girlfriend by the name of Alyssa Conover. Right off the bat, I like this young man a lot.

In one nightmare, Rick grabs a star medallion off the alien being  who has been tormenting him. When he wakes, he’s stunned by a news report about an alien being preventing a robbery. The police sketch  artist drawing of the creature is an exact match for the alien in Rick’s dreams.

When Rick dreams, the Sleepwalker appears. When he dozes off during a fun house ride, Alyssa actually sees the creature. Frightened by these events, Rick tries to stay awake.

The two drug pushers from earlier in the story try to rob a store. The exhausted Rick is there with Alyssa. One of the creeps pistol-whips Rick, the other grabs Alyssa to use as a shield. Rick passes out. Sleepwalker rises from his unconscious form and goes after the two criminals.

Gunfire knocks the Sleepwalker down, but doesn’t stop him. He goes after the criminals, who have left Alyssa behind. The alien bends a lamppost around their car. He animates a mailbox to capture one of the crooks. The other fights back.

A crowd emerges and, not knowing the situation, attack the alien. He causes the street to rise around them, but does not harm them. He wraps another lamppost around the second crook.

Alyssa asks the alien who he is. He tells her he’s a sleepwalker. The creature disappears when Rick wakes up.

Rick and Alyssa compare notes. Rick now knows that when he is not conscious, the being he thinks is a monster comes out.

Alyssa asks him if he’s alright. He doesn’t know. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever be alright.

SPOILERS OVER
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I really enjoyed this issue. It has very likeable characters in Rick and Alyssa. It has a nice sense of building mystery. It ends on a satisfying note that makes me want to read the next issue. Based on the debut issue, if Marvel were to reprint Sleepwalker in either an “epic collection” or “omnibus,” I’d buy them.

If you’ve been keeping score on this series of reviews, we are now at 4-3 with stories I liked getting a lead over stories I didn’t like. The next installment of my “Marvel Firsts: The 1990s” series will discuss X-Force #1. Keep an eye out for it.

I’ll be back tomorrow with another installment of my rough-riding, two-fisted “Rawhide Kid Wednesday” series. See you then.

© 2017 Tony Isabella

1 comment:

  1. I'm really enjoying this series of posts. I can't wait to get your thoughts on X-Force #1. I haven't read that one since the 90's myself, but I suspect it hasn't aged well. Thanks for these! --Bill Thomas

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