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Matt Lazorwitz
Jul 7, 2004, 04:51 pm
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/headshots/dc/dream1.jpg" align=left alt="Dream I"></a>Real Name: Dream
Aliases: Morpheus, Lord Shaper, Sandman, L'Zoril, Prince of Stories, Oneiros
First Appearance: Sandman (Vol. 2) #1
Last Appearance: Sandman (Vol. 2)# 69
Know Relatives: Death (sister), Destiny (brother), Desire (brother/sister), Despair (sister), Destruction (brother), Delirium (sister), Orpheus (son, deceased)
Group Affiliation: Endless
Known Allies: Lucien, Fiddler's Green, Matthew the Raven, Cain & Abel, Merv Pumpkinhead, Eve, Corinthian
Major Enemies: The Erinyes, Lucifer Morningstar, Dr. Destiny, Roderick Burgess
Eyes: Variable, usually black
Hair: Variable, usually black

When the universe began there were the Endless, seven beings that were more ideas wrapped in flesh then beings. The third born was Dream, the Prince of Stories, who is the embodiment of dreams and tales of all kinds.

The history of Dream can be traced through the history of his many love affairs. Near the dawn of time, Dream fell in love with an Oan named Killalla, whose affection was turned to him by his sibling, Desire. But at a meeting of the Endless, the stars personified, and other cosmic forces, Desire thought it would be amusing to have Killalla fall in love with the personified Oa. This amusement was something the proud Dream would never forgive Desire, and the rift between the two of them would grow over the eons.

Dream fell in love with the princess Nada from a distance, and came to her to take her as his lover. She could not leave her people behind, and spurned Dream. Angered, Dream cast her into Hell, forever to pay the price for denying him.

During the time of the Greek Gods, Dream began a relationship with Calliope the Greek Muse. The two of them had a child, Orpheus, the great musician. At Orpheus's wedding, his new wife, Euridyce, was bitten by a snake and died. He came to his father, who coldly told him to mourn and move on. After petitioning his aunt, Death, Orpheus failed to retrieve Euridyce from the Underworld, and was torn apart by the Bacchae. Morpheus took his still living head, and placed it in a temple for safe keeping, but swore he would never speak to his disobedient son again.

Over the next few centuries, Dream, who now was more commonly addressed as Morpheus, had a few notable encounters with mortals. One day, Death brought him to a pub, trying to get him to see more of humanity. There was a man there, saying he would never die, because he didn't believe in it. Dream had Death grant him that boon, and so Dream and Hob Gadling would meet once a century at that pub. At one of these meetings, Dream encountered William Shakespeare, with whom he struck a bargain: Morpheus would grant him the ability to write plays that would inspire dreams for all time, on the condition Shakespeare would write two plays for him.

In 1916, while returning from a battle, Dream was imprisoned. A sorcerer named Roderick Burgess was attempting to imprison Death, and thus attain immortality, but accidentally caught Dream instead. Dream was imprisoned for seventy years, and escaped to find his kingdom in ruins, and many of the dreams had fled. Dream had to reacquire his chief tools: his helmet, his bag of sand, and his ruby. To do this he needed the aid of John Constantine, had to brave Hell itself, and was tossed into a pitched battle with Dr. Destiny, one of the Justice Leagues old nemeses. After taking all that was his back, he set about putting his kingdom in order.

Dream had to recapture some rogue dreams, including the Corinthian, the dark mirror of humanity, and Fiddler's Green, a dream land made flesh. And he was called to a meeting of the Endless, where he was taunted by Desire and lectured by Death, and decided to go into Hell to retrieve poor Nada. He had wronged Lucifer Morningstar, ruler of Hell, during his quest for his power items, and feared a dread battle. Instead he found Lucifer having closed Hell and cast out all the damned souls and demons. Giving the one key to Dream, Lucifer left. A group of gods, demons, and representatives of ethereal powers arrived in the Dreaming, demanding the key, which was eventually given to two angels, who reopened Hell, and Dream escaped without a war in the Dreaming. Left behind in the Dreaming was a fairy named Nuala, who came to be one of the servants of Dream.

While retrieving one of the lost Dreamstones, Dream encountered the last of the Thessalian witches, known by many names, and they began a brief, but passionate love affair. Thessaly left him, and Dream began to brood until his youngest sister, Delirium, came to him. She was looking for their brother, Destruction, who had left his duty and realm long before. Dream decided to help her, but it was revealed, after consultation with the eldest of the Endless, Destiny, that the only one who could help them find them was an oracle who was "of the Endless." And the only one who fit that description was Orpheus, who Dream had not spoken to since the day he brought his still living but severed head to the temple. Dream swallowed his pride and visited his son, who told him what he needed but demanded a boon in return. Dream and Delirium visited with Destruction, who pled with Dream to leave his duty. Dream refused, and after giving a gift to Delirium, Destruction left again. And Dream returned to the isle he'd left his sons head, and gave him the one gift only a member of the Endless could: his own death. Haunted by this act, Dream returned to his castle.

During his retaking of his kingdom, Dream encountered Lyta Hall, a woman who had been taken into the Dreaming while pregnant. Dream had told her that one day he would take her son, Daniel. And one night, while she was out, Daniel had apparently been murdered. Blaming Dream, Lyta went to the mythic Erinyes, the Furies, to exact revenge. It was revealed that only one who had spilled family blood would be a target of the Furies. Since Dream had killed Orpheus, Lyta became the avatar of the Erinyes, and they began ravaging the Dreaming.

Dream had sent one of his most trusted servants, Matthew the Raven, as well as a newly recreated Corinthian, to find Daniel, but many Dreams were killed. And by the time they returned with Daniel, who had been kidnapped by the tricksters Puck and Loki, it was too late to still the Furies. The only thing keeping them at bay was Dream's continued presence in the Dreaming. But unbeknownst to her, the fairy Nuala, freed b y Dream, would bring about his undoing. She summoned to him to the realm of the Fairies, hoping to protect him, but instead separated him from the Dreaming. Dream returned to his realm, weakened, and prepared for one final battle with the Furies.

Dream passed the Emerald Dreamstone onto Daniel, and clothed himself for battle. As Dream stood before the Furies, his sister Death appeared. The Furies moved back, and Death and Dream talked. Knowing the only way to stop the Furies and the resurrect all those who had died was for him to sacrifice himself, Dream took the hand of his sister, and the aspect of Dream that he represented passed into the shadow lands. But as the Endless cannot truly die, a new aspect was created to represent Dream, and it was born from Daniel. Dream had died, but Dream was born anew.

The members of the Endless are more powerful beyond measure. Dream could do nearly anything, from creating dreams, to placing curses on mortals, to instant transportation. His powers were never truly gauged, but he could place much of his power in one item, like the ruby that he had for eons.


APPEARANCES:
Books of Magic #3
Death: At Death's Door GN
Dreaming #25
Green Arrow (3rd series) #9
Hellblazer #19
Little Endless Storybook
Sandman (2nd series) #1-19, 21-32, 35-40, 42-52, 54-55, 57-61, 63-69, 73-75
Sandman Special
Sandman: Dream Hunters GN
Sandman: Endless Nights GN
Sandman Midnight Theatre
Sandman Mystery Theatre #1, 22, 41
Sandman Presents: Love Street #2
Swamp Thing (2nd series) #84
Vertigo Jam #1
Vertigo Preview #1

raul grau
Jul 8, 2004, 03:52 am
Very good job on the clearly greatest of the Sandmen, Matt. My only possible complaint is that my favorite Gaiman character, Hob Gadling, did not make it to the ally level. If only he could have occasionally saved humankind or something, then he would have definitely earned a spot on the list. :)

Quick question though- do you think that the two different Despairs (the former deceased one and the current one) should be counted as separate sisters?

- Raul

Matt Lazorwitz
Jul 8, 2004, 10:58 am
As a fellow big fan of Hob, I wanted to do more with him. I'm hoping to do a bio for him and doi him justice soon.

I've been thinking about the two Despairs, and I'm not sure. If Morpheus and Daniel get seperate entries, I guess they should, but the first Despair would probably have to wait unitl there was more on her.

dreamer
Dec 27, 2004, 02:45 pm
hi there..

thanks for putting up the bio for the product of one of the grandest works in american comics. i node before you..

i've discovered this bio trough the first page newly created threads. that was a link for the bio under oracle files/vertigo; which only supported a link towards here... why wouldn't you move this bio to that thread instead of creating a new one with a link?

anyways, i was just wondering.. about the issue of nada.. i thought about her was like, she knew that a mere human and a higher being, let alone a member of endless could never be together and be happy. it was a part of wisdom that she refused him (numerous times) and tried to avoid a great disaster for both of them; rather than choosing her tribe instead. what do you think?


:spectre:

Abbatoir
Dec 27, 2004, 07:42 pm
I absolutely hate this guy.

I've read half the Sandman in libraries and while it's cool, it's over rated (though I love Calliope) but onto Dream.

I read Season of Mists when he frees Nada and I was fine with him imprisoning her, though it was very cruel. Then I read Preludes and Nocturnes. There's a scene when he's in Hell and she sees him. She asks him to release her but he says no, he hasn't forgiven her yet. What a fiend.

Jon Hancock
Dec 27, 2004, 08:59 pm
There's only a link because Morpheus is in the main DCU. He's just printed in Vertigo titles as well. Guys like Jesse Custer would have a bio only in the Vertigo thread.

TheGreatFlood
May 23, 2005, 09:15 pm
One correction: I do not believe that Nada was an "African princess" as stated. I believe she is an Australian aboriginal. "The Dreaming" is a motif in that culture, and the native artwork depicted seems more like that than African.

Other than that, nice job on encapsulating the greatest comic series ever written.

tormented_spawn
May 24, 2005, 02:44 am
I've read half the Sandman in libraries and while it's cool, it's over rated (though I love Calliope) but onto Dream.
Overrated? What? I say what?

About Calliope, tee hee, you probably wished you had her locked in your basement. :giggle:

I read Season of Mists when he frees Nada and I was fine with him imprisoning her, though it was very cruel. Then I read Preludes and Nocturnes. There's a scene when he's in Hell and she sees him. She asks him to release her but he says no, he hasn't forgiven her yet. What a fiend.
Not the warmest fella, Sandman is.

Kudos to the bio, you lot. :cheers: One of the best reads I had is this series.

Abbatoir
May 24, 2005, 12:22 pm
Overrated? What? I say what?

Hurrah, a zealot. I like it, but it's all about cerebalistic nonsense. It's pretty much Dream being miserable and getting into weird situations. But it's well written at any rate.

About Calliope, tee hee, you probably wished you had her locked in your basement. :giggle:

Pretty much. But the story put me off the idea a bit. Slavery is not a good thing.

Not the warmest fella, Sandman is.

No, he's absolutely fiendish. Why is this guy in charge of Dreams? He might as well be in charge of death camps.

Erika Santiago
May 24, 2005, 01:31 pm
This was an exceptionally well written bio, Matt. :cheers: Just a small correction:

But at a meeting of the Endless, the stars personified, and other cosmic forces, Desire thought it would be amusing to have Killalla fall in love with the personified Oa.

Desire caused Killalla to fall in love with Sto-Oa, the personification of the sun of Oa, not Oa itself. Also, IIRC, Nada and her people called Morpheus Kai'ckul, and he was known as Murphy to the creatures in Barbie's skerry. Would those count as aliases?

tormented_spawn
May 25, 2005, 11:15 am
Hurrah, a zealot.
Hey, just because a Sandman trade goes diving off a cliff doesn't mean I'll follow... well, depends is it a Special Edition trade with Gaiman's signature on it?

No, he's absolutely fiendish. Why is this guy in charge of Dreams? He might as well be in charge of death camps.
I guess the powers to be at DC. I'll be glad if the guy in the first trade, who took off with his whatumacallit ruby wasn't in charge of Dreams.

Which trades did you read? Cause the second half of Sandman, shows Dream having a bit more compassion.

Abbatoir
May 25, 2005, 12:38 pm
I'll be glad if the guy in the first trade, who took off with his whatumacallit ruby wasn't in charge of Dreams.

Destiny was a lunatic but not evil. The job requires someone of sound mind but I just don't like the idea of a creature as ruthless as Morpheus being in charge of ours dreams...

Which trades did you read? Cause the second half of Sandman, shows Dream having a bit more compassion.

I've read Preludes and Nocturnes, Dream Country, Season of Mists, A Game of You and The Wake.

Erika Santiago
May 25, 2005, 02:02 pm
Destiny was a lunatic but not evil. The job requires someone of sound mind but I just don't like the idea of a creature as ruthless as Morpheus being in charge of ours dreams...


This is a really interesting discussion, but I think it might be more appropriately placed in the Sandman (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?t=20346&page=1&pp=20) thread. I'll post my response to you in there, Abbatoir. :)

Saturn Girl
Jul 11, 2005, 01:26 pm
But this guy wouldn't be the original Sandman. That man was Wesly Dobbs. He debutted way back in the Golden Age and was a a member of the JSA.

Abbatoir
Jul 11, 2005, 01:43 pm
But Dream was born with the universe. Therefore he came first.

Matt Lazorwitz
Jul 11, 2005, 01:52 pm
But this guy wouldn't be the original Sandman. That man was Wesly Dobbs. He debutted way back in the Golden Age and was a a member of the JSA.

Wesley Dodds may have debuted first in our world, but the chronology numbers we use are according to their birth and appearance in the universe. Hence Morpheus, born shortly after the dawn of time, is Sandman I

Jon Hancock
Jul 12, 2005, 05:38 pm
Actually Morpheus was the first to appear. He appeared in many different horror serials.

Matt Lazorwitz
Jul 12, 2005, 06:38 pm
Actually Morpheus was the first to appear. He appeared in many different horror serials.

No, he didn't. Morpheus is pure Gaiman. Cain, Abel, Eve, Destiny, and Lucien were horror hosts. Morpheus/Dream was introduced in Sandman #1

Jon Hancock
Jul 12, 2005, 06:40 pm
The character of Dream though is a concept from before Gaiman. It was discussed when we originally numbered the Sandmen. Dodds named himself after Morpheus essentially and that character has been in comics before Dodds. Not necessarily DC's or the Vertigo version but that character nonetheless.