#the sandman song or orpheus

[rey-jake-therapist]

I was reading @tickldpnk8 's excellent meta about Desire, when something they said about Dream disapproving of Destruction's relationship with Ishtar the goddess of love planted a series of questions in my mind...

First question: how their function influences the Endless' love life? Why was Destruction drawn to a goddess symbolizing Love? Why did Dream disapprove it? Why did Dream neglect Calliope after she gave birth to Orpheus and why did he really severe his connection with them both?

Was it all just..... personal?

When I read that Destruction had a romance with the goddess of Love, my first reaction was to find it.... weird. What do Destruction and Love have in commun? At first view, not much even nothing... except maybe that destruction Can happen because of deceived love?

Dream is the romantic of the family, it's Destruction himself who states it in Song of Orpheus when he tells Orpheus he's just like his father. Dreams inspire the artists and the poets, so his union with Calliope, the poet's muse, probably made sense to everyone (except her sisters, who thought in their great wisdom that Dream was an asshole 😂). But Destruction and Love? Yeah I can totally see why it raised a few eyebrows in the Endless family. I mean, we know Dream in particular disapproved the relationship but Ishtar told her friend that her romance with Destruction ended because of "his family" not just her brother in law, so my guess is that she had to deal with vehement hostility, from everyone not just Dream.

Why would be that? My headcanon's now that the Endless feared that Love would be a bad influence on Destruction, because he would be less kin to do his job right since he would start seeing things differently, about humans, the love they can have for each other and the beauty of it. And I actually suspect that his relationship with Ishtar may have had him question his function indeed, and its necessity. Maybe it's really because he knew Love (he sort of dated it!) that he walked away from the Endless family and didn't choose anyone to succeed him? He knew that love would always end up destroyed but he didn't want this responsibility anymore?

(Please notice I'm mostly talking out loud here.... these are just some random thoughts and questionings....)

Now, Dream and Calliope. In the Wake, Calliope says Dream was basically the perfect husband until she became pregnant. It's often thought that their relationship was damaged by what happened to Orpheus, but the fact is that they started drifting apart long before that. Of course as humans it's tempting to think that Dream lost interest in his wife because she became a mother and he looked at her differently: that's what men often do, right? But Dream isn't a man and Calliope is a goddess; the product of their union was Orpheus, who represented "the supreme power of poetry and music to enchant all natural things". If I look at the evolution of Dream and Calliope's marriage purely on their respective function, the fact that 1. they had separate lives even when they were in love and happy 2. They drifted apart once Orpheus was conceived, both things make perfect sense!

It's often assumed that Dream "gets tired" of his lovers once the thrills is gone aka once the seduction phase is over. But I think it's oversimplifying and again, forgetting that Dream isn't human, he doesn't think like one. My current headcanons regarding Dream and Calliope are that,

They got married first because it seemed to be the perfect union regarding their respective functions. It doesn't mean they didn't love each other, but Dream has loved others before and after Calliope... she's the only one he married, and I don't think it's a coincidence.

They didn't live at the same place, Calliope visited Dream' realm only when she wanted: doesn't it reflect perfectly what inspiration does to us? Coming and going through our dreams, being absent sometimes for months even years....

Once Orpheus was conceived, it's possible that Dream's interest in the relationship faded because... His union with Calliope had filled its purpose. Yeah, I'm aware of how bleak it sounds, but again I'm thinking strictly in terms of concepts, which Dream and Calliope are.

The fact that Dream severed his connection with both Orpheus and Calliope is of course explained within the story told in the comics, but it also can find its roots in the humans'world: the vision that humans have of art, dreams and gods HAVE changed. They don't seem as intrinsically connected as (maybe?) they used to be, at some point science took over and humans kept believing in dreams, but in gods and mythology in general? Not so much. The divorce between Dream and Calliope, I think, symbolizes this dissociation.

I can't NOT also tag @writing-for-life and @poobtato on this big subject ;)

[aunt-booty]

Today's mood

[elysiarte]

finally finished this after like 2 months

[writing-for-life]

Of all things, they had to shoot this first. I’m not well, that is all…

Welcome to desperate S2 shoot stanning until we move over to actual S2 stanning…

[7-wonders]

SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

[illumi-nati-png]

Your desolation led you into this

Vile incarnation of consummated bliss

I know you need it now to make you feel alive

- Spillways, Ghost

[alteon77]

"Oneiros"

I moved over to Procreate from Sketchbook a few months ago (still going back and forth between them), and I'm just now getting comfortable with it.

This is inspired by a panel in The Song of Orpheus from the wedding feast.

Update: I redid the background, because I wanted to? So there are two versions of this kicking around.

[girls-gays-theys]

FOUND A BUNCH OF DBD COMICS IN A RANDOM COMICS SHOP?! PLUS AN ORIGINAL SANDMAN FROM 1991?????

when I laid them down on the counter the guy that owned the shop smiled at me and went "you have excellent taste in comics" so my month is pretty much made.

[mayapapaya33]

Dead Boy Detectives/ Sandman Season 2 speculation

Sandman Season two is going to be Season of Mists and a Game of You and (presumably) The Song of Orpheus/ Thermidor. That is a LOT of story to cover in a limited amount of time, though I've been thinking about it and I think I can see how they can do it without hurting the story. Anyway. My point is, the most obvious part of the story to put on the chopping block is the Dead Boy Detectives part of SoM. Sure a cameo would be cool, but they would have to write a new storyline and rejig the whole thing. (Charles died in 1989/1990 both in the comics when the original SoM happened, and in the tv show. Now SoM is happening in 2024 or 2025 or whatever. The timeline doesn't work, Edwin and Charles have already been together for 30+ years by the time TV SoM rolls around).

They already showed us an artfully adapted backstory in the Dead Boy Detectives tv show that took all the important elements from that SoM issue anyway. Would it be awesome if Charles and Edwin showed up in Sandman 2 to try to handle the deluge of restless dead or hunt a specific demon or something? Sure. Do I think it's going to happen... No not really. Maybe though!

But what I am wondering is if they will in any way acknowledge the ramifications of SoM in Dead Boy Detectives Season 2? Because that would be absolutely fantastic. To just randomly have the apocalypse happen for like a week and then have it stop. Even if it was just one self contained episode ala 24 hours, it would be extraordinary. And they could use all of the horrific and brilliant material from the comic that got left out. All of those terrible and sad ghosts. That scene with the woman's baby and limbo, etc. (Worth it just to have a cameo of Death running around in her 80's athletic wear lmfao).

I do love in the comics the subversion of following Dream around, who really doesn't give AF about the literal Hell on Earth that's happening because it's not his job, so instead we're focusing on his inconvenient house guests. It makes me laugh every time and Neil Gaiman is a genius. Any other comics writer in that time would have spent a million issues on the horrific nightmare that was Hell on Earth, and the various slug fests involved in putting it to rights. (Which is fun too, I'm not above explosions or fist fights lol, but there's something special about this). Instead we are treated to awkward diplomacy at a dinner party with faint screams in the background lol. The one place where the story really dipped back in to show the ramifications of Lucifer's abdication was the Dead Boy issue. Speaking of which, they ARE going to have to come up with something to fill that narrative gap... hmmm. Maybe a cameo isn't that outlandish a hope...

[the-cloudy-dreamer]

Sandtober 2023, Day 21 Children

“As the hours passed the conviction grows that there is no one behind him. Alone, he is alone. He has been the butt of Hades joke” Sandman, Song of Orpheus.

———————————-

You didn’t think I would pass the opportunity to do another Orpheus related thing when this prompt is right here, right? Listen my love of Orpheus is no secret and I can’t wait to watch his story on the series! My boy deserves all the love 🖤

( And if you were wondering my go-to reference for Orpheus is Tamino Amir!)

As always thank you @orionsangel86 for all your hard work putting this event together! It’s been so much fun!

[zazarts]

I know she doesn't really use a scythe but I put it there for the ~vibes~

Also his is one of my favorite paintings I've ever made (if not my favorite)

[tickldpnk8]

Song of Orpheus Recap

Man, Song of Orpheus is hard. I started this post on July 6th. Three months ago!! It's a tragedy within a tragedy, I got emotional, and then put this book in the metaphorical freezer for a bit.

But it's also jam-packed with revelations and foreshadowing. It's a super-long issue (arc?) and I'll be covering it all in one go. So without further ado, I'll get into it.

On Orpheus’ nature

So it kicks off with a bit of foreshadowing in the form of a prophetic dream. So prophetic dreaming isn't something that started just when he became an oracle. Orpheus also seems to have no power over his dream, but once he becomes lucid enough, he is able to see his father and then visit him in the Dreaming. It's also interesting to me that he doesn't seem to be able to interpret his dream: asking Morpheus what it all meant. (And getting the brush off from his dad in the process.) Morpheus implies that he might actually know what the dream means, but won't tell his son because he is his son. (side note: this interaction totally reminded me of friends in high school who had parents who taught at our school)

Orpheus is also able to open a portal to the Dreaming with just his voice and lyre. I found this super interesting: combined with what we saw a few issues back in France, he seems to have some sort of power that manifests through song. Whether this is something his father grants him to get "home" easier or whether it's just how powerful of a musician he is, is not stated. I think it lends credence to Orpheus having some sort of demi-god-like musical power though in addition to prophetic dreams. Seems a perfect balance of traits to inherit from both of his parents.

On grief:

This is a repeating refrain throughout this issue: People die, you grieve and you move on. Aristeas expresses this sentiment in the opening pages of Chapter 1.

And Morpheus repeats the same sentiment to Orpheus in Chapter 2 after Euridice dies. As I was writing this section of this post, we were having a conversation on Grief and how it relates to Morpheus' own character. The linked thread is a slight tangent, but I do feel like this refrain just continues to echo throughout the series and between the characters.

On the Endless:

We also learn a ton about Morpheus' siblings in this issue. Especially as they are all introduced to Euridice. For example:

Apparently, Delirium almost got married at one point. I don't see this panel talked about a lot during discussions of her character. And I have to wonder, is this why Del changed? Is it why Delight was sad as @onehundredandeleventropicalfish pointed out that subtle lettering detail from Overture? She's always pictured so young as Delight that I can't really picture her marrying at that stage...and yet...

Meanwhile, we are finally introduced to the missing Endless: And I love that when we finally get a name, it's in Greek and his face is covered. Ha! Way to draw out the mystery a bit more. I love that he refers to Orpheus as his favorite nephew...but it begs the question how many nephews does he have??

But also what just happened here? Did Destruction simply open a portal to his sister’s house? Or did he literally kill Orpheus to grant him the audience he sought??

This panel never ceases to get me in the feels: how the family portrait is bisected by the gutter space right where Death should be. But this section of the story also makes me wonder how Death experiences Time...she decorates her apartment in a very modern way with things that haven't been invented yet...are they leftovers from a pre-Overture existence? Does time not pass linearly for her? Or do the Endless simply know what is coming and exist outside of time when they don't want to?

Whatever the case may be, Orpheus isn't able to adjust. So he's a normal human on that front, and we would likewise have a hard time perceiving their realms.

On Morpheus

Here we get that famous line that Morpheus doesn't dance. Not even with his wife and not even at his son's wedding. But also wtf is he wearing and what is that pinned to??

On Morpheus and Relationships

Here we have a conversation between Orpheus and his mother about Morpheus. And it's a bit heartbreaking because you can see how Morpheus is too rigid in his ways/thinking to keep relationships going: Orpheus alleges that his father won't forget or forgive a slight. While Calliope states that Morpheus doesn't really share any part of himself and isn't willing or perhaps able to change. So here we have Morpheus' fatal flaws spelled out for the Reader in this flashback issue.

And the sad thing for me is that by this point of the story, we're seeing that Morpheus is already changing. But the more frustrating point in this panel is that we can see how Orpheus is a chip off the old block...Orpheus is the one who renounced his father, yet it's not apparent that he's tried to reach out and make amends. argh

Yet after Orpheus' death, I do think Morpheus takes things too far as a parent (especially for us modern folks). I'm still hoping to write a meta on him and parenthood, but want to get through Brief Lives before I do. Orpheus asks for his help to die, but Morpheus states that Orpheus' life is his own...and his death too. Effectively upholding the disownment that Orpheus kicked off by stating he was "no longer [his] son" before seeking out his aunt. Morpheus was never going to be the first one to crack on this: he's too by the rules. And the rules state that his son has renounced him.

On Foreshadowing:

It’s also here that we get the first hint about the Thessalian witches...and Thessaly, who will do basically what it says: mutilate a man's face and pull down the moon in the next arc.

And then there's this... Orpheus is the one who has made the Furies cry. Orpheus is the one they will never forgive. And that comes true within this arc with his death at the hands of the Baccanae. But is it concluded? I also just can't help thinking that the son from the union they didn't approve of will give them the means to take revenge upon his father.

[azi-sings-calliope]

I am going to be So Normal about Sandman S2 coming out. Also the set photos prompted me to draw this. Oof. Hope you enjoy!

Edit: wasn't too happy with the colouring, so changed it up a bit

[writing-for-life]

You know how wrecked I will be when we see this in S2? No, I’m already wrecked because we already got a glimpse of it

And the worst, for me, is that they shot these scenes on a beach instead of on a set that is the Dreaming. Because, apart from practical considerations (production costs/CGI etc), how much more wrecking (I know, it's the word in this context) is it to (hopefully) have those scenes mirrored, and both of them walking away from each other in what will visually look so alike?

Sidenote: Can we have the buckled boots please?

Also, and it always pains me to say this: I wish someone else than Bryan Talbot would have done the art for this, although a lot of why it grates on me also has to do with the inking. But if I wasn’t so in love with the story, the art would have nearly destroyed this one for me (need I mention Calliope? 🙈).

[b-plot-butch]

mel. mel. what does this mean

[greekmythcomix]

Listening to The Sandman Act 3, and meeting Orpheus’ new friend Aristaeus, and wondering where I’ve heard that name before, then remembering when I’ve heard that name before and saying “Oh NO” out loud