Bacchante # 16 (illustrated by Lukas Ketner)

Happy Halloween!!!

I wanted to post something scary for my favorite holiday and this character seems appropriate. Not only are the Bacchante some of the scariest characters in the Sandman universe, but this particular portrait is pretty terrifying.

Here is another of the Bacchante, this time drawn by Lukas Ketner.

These characters appear in both Greek and Roman mythology and play a very important role within The Sandman Universe.

Roman and Greek mythology, The Bacchante are the female followers of Bacchus (or Dionysus), the god of wine and intoxication. They are often seen as crazy or wild and living in the forests. They are capable of tearing animals and sometimes people into pieces with their bare hands, as we see in The Song Of Orpheus. Orpheus encounters the Bacchante after returning from Hades, having failed to rescue his beloved wife, Eurydice. He is profoundly grief-stricken and in mourning, after losing his one true love. He chooses not to flee from the Bacchante, even though his mother Calliope warned him of their arrival.

The Bacchante arrive, wild and drunk, and they eventually kill Orpheus, eat his body and throw his head into the river.

This woman of the Bacchante appears in The Sandman Special # 1, on page 46 in panel 5.

Lukas has a profound ability to make even the most frightening characters imaginable more frightening. This character is scary!!! I love the details that Lukas added to this portrait. There are leaves and twigs in her hair and it’s easy to see her bone structure based on her open mouthed expression. This really helps add to her a wild appearance.

Have a safe and fantastic Halloween!!!

People Made Of Thin Twigs (illustrated by Max Rugers)

Dream, like any king, has responsibilities of his realm. In an afternoon he walked through the hallways of his castle and spoke to his staff. Afterwards he spoke to the Dream Ghosts Who Left Glowing Footprints As The Only Evidence Of Their Passage and the People Made Of Thin Twigs.

This is one of the People Made Of Thin Twigs.

He appears in Sandman # 64, page 5, Panel 3.

This is a fantastic portrait from Max. Not only is the details of this character intense, but Max also attached pieces of real dried vegetation on this character. I’m not sure if it is easily visible in this scan, but the physical portrait is glorious to look at…with the texture and detailed like work and the structure of this portrait!

Here is one of the People Made Of Twigs…

Actor # 5 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

This is another actor who is performing in “The Typhoid Mary Blues,” which was written and directed by Todd Faber.

He was on stage when Janet was about to tell the cast that the play was cancelled, but Todd, reinvigorated after a particularly special dream, returned to the theater ready to move forward with his play.

He appears on the page 10 of “Fear Of Falling” in the first panel.

I like how Anna captured a bit of arrogance and confidence in this character. His high cheekbones are striking.

Actor # 4 (illustrated by Lukas Ketner)

This man is another actor performing in Typhoid Mary Blues written and directed by Todd Faber.

He is onstage as Janet begins to tell the cast that Todd has decided to quit the performance. Just as Janet is about to reveal the bad news, Todd appears re-invigorated and ready to make this play a success.

He can be seen on the final page of “Fear Of Falling” in the first panel. This story originally appeared in Vertigo Preview and was later collected in The Kindly Ones and Absolute Sandman.

Lukas did a great job with this character. He is barely noticeable in the published comic, but Lukas gave him a personality that feels very real and appropriate to this character. I like the addition of the turtle neck and the script. Little things like that add a lot of feeling into the portrait, which I really appreciate.

Actor # 3 (illustrated by John Carmine)

In Fear Of Falling, Todd Faber is directing a play and this man is one of the actors who appears in “The Typhoid Mary Blues.”

He appears in page 10 of “Fear Of Falling,” which was originally published in Vertigo Preview # 1. He is in the first panel and is third from the left.

I like how John approached this character. From the published comic, this particular actor has a “snooty” body posture and it seems that John felt the same thing when looking at this character. This character definitely seems to have a bit of a pretentious quality about him and definitely seems to think highly of himself. This is another fantastic portrait from John.

Actor # 2 (illustrated by Max Rugers)

This man is another one of the actors appearing in “The Typhoid Mary Blues” written and directed by Todd Faber..

He appears on the final page of “Fear Of Falling” in the first panel. He is the second from the left.

Max did a great job with this character. He’s barely more than a background character, but Max gave him personality and made him a real person. Also, I really like Max’s use of yellow. It’s not very often that yellow really seems appropriate within the Sandman universe, but I really like it here!!!

Actor # 1 (illustrated by Lars Brown)

“Fear Of Falling,” is a short story, which originally appeared in in Vertigo Preview and was later collected in The Kindly Ones.

This story tells of a man named Todd Faber, who is the writer and director of a play that is in the midst of rehearsals called “The Typhoid Mary Blues.” He is afraid that his play will fail.

This man is one of the actors appearing in the play. He can be seen on the final page of “Fear Of Falling” in the first panel. He is the on the left.

I like Lars’ portrait for the character. He has a great enthusiastic expression on his face and it’s a nice change from the somewhat somber characters we usually find in the Sandman universe.

Bacchante # 4 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

As Orpheus mourns the death of this wife Eurydice, Calliope, his mother, visits him and warns him that the Bacchante are near and that he should flee. Orpheus ignores his mother’s warning and finds himself face to face with a group of wild women.

This young girl is one of the Bacchante.

She appears in Sandman Special # 1, on page 43 in panel 6.

I asked Anna to draw this character because I like how she draws children and this is no exception. Anna’s approach to this character is certainly not as dark and disturbing as the Bacchante is the published comic. It is hard to imagine this young girl growing up to be one of the feared and dreadful Bacchante.

Here is Bacchante # 4…

French Citizen # 10 (illustrated by Lukas Ketner)

In the Fables And Reflections story “Thermidor,” Johanna Constantine is put in jail because she is suspected by St. Just and Robespierre as having the head of Orpheus, which they hoped to destroy any link to mythology in an age of reason and the existence of Orpheus posed a threat to his idealogy of “pure reason.”

While in prison, she was able to look out over the courtyard where several French Citizens gathered to watch the corpse puppet show.

This is one of the French Citizens watching the puppet show.

She can be seen in Sandman # 29, on page 12, panel 3.

This is a fantastic portrait from Lukas. I really like this portrait because he gives us a very distinct interpretation of this character and her personality. I like the shape of her face and her long nose. The scowl on her face adds a bit of contempt to the corpses that are on the stage. At the same time she has very sad eyes. Overall I find this portrait very fascinating and I love it.

Mr. Taxi Driver (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

Didi and Sexton take a taxi ride into the city and are fortunate enough to ride with this driver.

When they get into the taxi they don’t know where they are going and, as Didi points out, “certain destinations are inevitable.”

They eventually make their way to The Undercut, where they watch Foxglove perform her first concert.

Along the way Didi and Sexton talk to the taxi driver. He was from another country (possibly Romania, but definitely an eastern European country) and his brother urged him to come to America. Once he arrived he helped him get a job as a taxi driver.

When they arrive at The Undercut, the taxi driver tells Didi that the ride was a present, but makes Sexton give him a tip.

Mr. Taxi Driver appears in Death: The High Cost Of Living # 2, on pages 5 and 7.

This is a great portrait from Anna. I like the personality she put into this character. He seems like a genuinely likable person and that reflects his personality in the published comic. Anna seems to have an ability to really draw gentle caring eyes and I like that.

Protestor # 8 (illustrated by Max Rugers)

Prez Rickard was an incredibly popular president and when his second term was nearing its end, many supporters began protesting the fact that Prez would soon be leaving office. These protestors proposed that the law be changed to permit Prez to run a third term.

This man is one of the people protesting in front of the White House.

He appears in Sandman # 54, on page 16 in panel 1.

This character looks incredibly happy and is a contrast to a lot of Max’s portraits, which are generally darker and more serious. I like this man’s expression and his sheer joy. I also like that Max chose to include hints of this man’s protest sign in the background. The blues really highlight the character and make him stand out.

Undercut Patron # 5 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

In Death: The High Cost Of Living, Death and Sexton wander around New York and find themselves at a club called The Undercut where Foxglove performs her first concert.

This man is one of the people who is attending the concert.

He appears in Death: The High Cost Of Living # 2 on page 8 in panel 2. He is waiting in line to get into the club.

This is a great portrait from Anna. I really like how happy this character looks. He seems like a very likable character in the published comic (I think it’s the hat) and Anna was able to highlight his friendliness and likeability in her portrait.

Roman Citizen # 4 (illustrated by Ibrahim Moustafa)

In Fables And Reflections, we have the story of Augustus Caesar and Lycius who spend the day on the steps of a temple near the market place as prompted by a dream that Caesar had, in which he was told to spend the day as a man, not as an emperor.

This Roman Citizen was one of the men in the market place. He was purchasing food from one of the market vendors.

He appears in Sandman # 30, on page 7, panel 1.

I really like this portrait from Ibrahim. The shading of his robes is perfect and I really like the details in his beard. His face is pretty expressive and I love the lines in his cheeks. This is a fantastic portrait from Ibrahim.

Fundamentalist # 3 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

As John Dee takes control of the Dream ruby, causing chaos throughout the world. a group of Fundamentalists, in New York City, kneel in the streets and beg God to not forsake them during the end of the world.

They felt that the chaos was the result of Armageddon and that they were not taken by the rapture, but were instead left on earth.

This Fundamentalist appears in Sandman # 7, on page 2, in panel 3.

Anna did a great job with this portrait. I like that she included some of the signs held by the other Fundamentalists. His facial expression is calm and yet there is a definite sense of devotion in his features.

Onmyoji’s Demon Servant # 1 (illustrated by Max Rugers)

In Dream Hunters, the Onmyoji plots to kill the Monk who lives in the small mountain temple.

One night, while the Fox was out hunting she came across some demons quietly talking in the forest. The Fox lay on the ground and played dead in order to hear the plans these demons recounted.

: They spoke of the Onmyoji’s plans to send the Monk three nights of evil dreams and on the third night he would lose his connection to reality and die from lack of food and water.

This demon appears in Dream Hunters on page 22-24.

This is one of my favorite portraits from Max. He took the concept of Amano’s demon and made it his own. This demon is beautifully drawn and is mysterious and sexy and wonderful. I love this portrait and Max’s approach to this demon.

Greek Citizen # 24 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

At the wedding of Orpheus and Eurydice, there is music and dancing and gaiety before tragedy strikes the newly married couple.

This Greek citizen attended the wedding and is dancing with a group of people during the reception.

She appears in The Sandman Special # 1, on page 7, in panel 5.

This is one of the happiest characters Anna has drawn for the series and it definitely matches the mood of the moment in the comic. Everyone is having a great time and it’s reflected in this woman’s face. I like that Anna also gave this woman tall poofy hair. In the published comic this woman has tall hair and that attention to detail is one of the things I really like about Anna’s portraits.

Man # 79 (illustrated by Lukas Ketner)

As Hazel dreams, she finds herself on a train going across a country that she doesn’t know. M

This man is one of the passengers on the train and is sitting next to Hazel.

He appears in Sandman # 33, on page 14 in panel 2.

Once again Lukas did a fantastic job with this portrait. I love the detail that Lukas puts into this character. The line work and shading around his face adds a depth to the character that I really appreciate and enjoy.

Citizen Of Barbie’s World # 43 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

Once Barbie smashes the Porpentine against the Heirogram on the Isle Of Thorns, Dream arrived to fulfil his obligations to uncreate her world and welcome the citizens of Barbie’s world back into the dark folds of his cloak.

This character is one of the last citizens of Barbie’s world to enter into Dream’s robes.

He appears in Sandman # 36, page 34, panel 3. Anna drew the perfect likeness to the original of this character. The added color and excitement on the character’s face make Barbie’s world an even more interesting place.

Cult Member # 1 (illustrated by Ibrahim Moustafa)

Roderick Burgess and his Order Of Ancient Mysteries performed a ritual in an attempt to capture Death. Instead they captured the king of Dreams.

This man is one of the members of The Order Of Ancient Mysteries.

He appears in Sandman # 1, on page 5, in panel 1.

Ibrahim did a wonderful job with this portrait. I like the use of the purples and blacks to add to the atmosphere of this portrait and to this character. I really like that his eyes are not hidden, but are still in dark and downcast.

Resident Of The Dreaming # 2 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

In The Doll’s House, Lucien walks throughout The Dreaming taking a census of all the residents.

Lucien passes this resident as he crosses a bridge over a swimming pool in one of the many rooms of Morpheus’ palace.

She appears in Sandman # 10, on page 10, in panel 3.

Anna did a beautiful job capturing the peacefulness and serenity of the resident. Her use of the color green and the pink of her eyes bring a calm and thoughtful feeling to the character.

Sailor On The Sea Witch # 1 (illustrated by Max Rugers)

Jim, one of the patrons of Worlds’ End recounts the story of his life and of one particular voyage on The Sea Witch.

Jim tells the story of meeting a gentleman named Robert Gadling who was a passenger on the Sea Witch and was going back to England. On their journey they encountered a ferocious storm and after it passed the sea was eerily calm with no wind to propel them. The crew spent the day repairing things that the wind had damaged the previous day and each of the sailors performed their own superstitious rituals hoping to call the wind to guide them once again.

One of the sailors noticed a large school of fish racing toward them on the horizon.

This man is one of the sailors who is on deck and sees the school of fish and helps catch them.

He appears in Sandman # 53, page 16, panel 5.

I really like this portrait from Max. His red hair definitely stands out and is very vibrant in contrast to the rest of this portrait. I think that the one thing that I really like about this portrait is that the character appears to be staring out at the sea. His expression seems to be about contemplation and admiration of the sea.

Dreamer # 45 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

The Storyteller cat tells a tale of how cats once ruled the earth, but it was through dreams and dreaming that man eventually became dominant.

This is one of the Dreamers who heard the calling of the Golden Haired Man and helped dream of the change.

He appears in Sandman # 18, on page 18, in panel 2.

I think that the Dreamers are some of the most difficult characters to draw in The Sandman series. A lot of them are nothing more than floating heads in blackness and they lack personality. It’s always interesting and exciting to see how each artist approaches one of the Dreamers and Anna did a great job with this character. I really like his vibrant red hair…

Citizen Of Barbie’s World # 6 (illustrated by Lukas Ketner)

When Barbie is marched through town after being captured by the Black Guard, this character is one of the many characters watching in defeat as she is led to the house of The Cuckoo.

This character appears in Sandman # 35 on page 24 in panel 2.

In the published comic, this character is a very vague shape with big eyes and possibly a beak. Lukas saw the same thing I did in this character and made him look like a giant owl. This portrait is in contrast to Lukas’ other portraits with hyper detail. I like the simplicity of it. It’s a very adorable owl creature. I also like that Lukas used only the characters eyes to show us that this creature is concerned for Barbie. He really captured that emotion perfectly.

Island Spirit # 1 (illustrated by Anna Hybsier)

As William Shakespeare writes The Tempest, his final play for Dream and the final play of his career, he writes about imprisonment.

He writes a speech in which Prospero recounts the imprisonment of Ariel.

“Refusing her grand hests, she did confine thee,
by help of her more potent ministers
and in her most unmitigable rage,
into a cloven pine,
within which rift
imprisoned though didst painfully remain
a dozen years."

This imprisonment mirrors that of Morpheus at the hands of Roderick Burgess, more than 400 years later.

This Island Spirit is one of the “more potent Ministers” mentioned in the play and appears in Sandman # 75, on page 17, in panel 1.

This is a wonderful portrait from Anna. I love the colors she used in this drawing. It feels very natural and gives this Island Spirit a strange sense of the super natural. I really like this creature’s hair. Anna’s line work flows smoothly, which really makes things feel natural and the effect is really beautiful.

Here is Island Spirit # 1…

John Belushi (illustrated by Russel Roehling)

John Belushi is an American actor known for his roles on Saturday Night Live, Animal House and The Blues Brothers.

He died on March 5th, 1982 of an overdose.

John Belushi appears in Sandman # 54.

In this issue, Prez, after he is President Of The United States, hosts an episode of Saturday Night Live and is in several skits, including some with John Belushi.

He even credits Prez for being one of the most inspirational people in his life. He says “I suppose Prez showed me you don’t need to be fucked up to work at your peek. I mean, here’s this guy working eighteen hours a day, fate of the free world depends on him and he’s clean, y’know?”

It’s nice to think that in this alternate America John Belushi is still alive entertaining people.

He appears in Sandman # 54, on page 10.

Once again Russel did a fantastic job with this portrait. I love the detail he put into this portrait. He did a great job capturing the likeness of John Belushi and the background is over the top detailed. I really like this portrait from Russel!!!