Shall Neither Sleep Nor Slumber

How can you sleep with all that noise? For some people it’s not the world outside, but their own psyche that messes up the R.E.M. And if there’s something wrong creeping in your head you can’t call those guys since they deal with a different type of nightly terror. Enter Dream Eater, aka Stetson star of the new comic from Image Comics titled Slumber.

Slumber # 1

Image Comics

Writer: Tyler Burton Smith
Illustrator: Vanessa Cardinali
Colorist: Simon Robins
Letterer + Designer: Steve Wands

While often used, the “sleep at the wheel” idiom rarely is limited to car rides. Moving through life like a zombie – lost in thought, isn’t just unfortunate but it can have some serious consequences. This seems to be the premise that brings Detective Finch. He arrives at a murder scene sporting boxers, slippers and housecoat. From this early moment you can tell this is an issue, and probably a series, that has some issues to work out. The murder scene reminded me of a scene from SAW or Se7en. These real world scenes keep the book grounded and show Vanessa Cardinali and Simon Robins’ range considering how warped reality becomes a few pages later, spiraling though scenes reminiscent of Gravity Falls and Adventure Time.

Our introduction to Stetson shows how seriously she takes her job. Though I can’t call it by the book given how many rules Larry, her undead porter/assistant, indicates she breaks while helping her first client. Listed as a Dream Detective, I would say she is more of a Boogie Hunter. Part therapist, part terminator – offering her clientele a better night sleep than any mattress company or pill maker. But don’t worry about the practical application of her profession, like the how the mind doors, similar to those in Psyconauts work, because you’re gonna be hooked by the practically hysterical way Stetson accomplishes it. Things take a tense tone however when a clue about something from her past shows up. Who is this “Shadow Walker”, and how does this connect to Finch’s case?

This comic allows the artists the ability to capture two distinctly different worlds/realities. As Stetson and her colleague enter the dream-zone the art style shifts from something sensible to the surreal. The art style mimics the abandon with which Stetson begins to ring the alarm to get answers on where the “Shadow Walker” is. Like a rogue cop, she takes down nightmare after nightmare looking for answers. I image this montage with Heart’s classic playing, the idea Stetson spitting shells as Spider Turkeys as “These Dreams” swells in the background.

Like a dream, Smith keeps some details obscure and open to interpretation. I found this both endearing and frustrating, also like a dream I might add. I’m certain we will find out a few more details about how Stetson came to her position, not to mention who she works for?

Science points to the many health benefits of a good night sleep. In Slumber # 1, Smith’s story, coupled with the artistic insanity from Cardinali and Robbins takes a simple therapy session and makes it more enjoyable for the reader, and perhaps Stetson. The job may be a “healthy” distraction for the detective, who seems to be living in a nightmare. One that is eating away at the “Dream Eater”.

Score: 8.2