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Dream Thief #1
Dream Thief Volume 1
After John Lincoln steals an Aboriginal mask from a museum, vengeful spirits possess his body and mind while he sleeps! As the Dream Thief, he accrues the memories and skills of murder victims and fights to stay awake, before he kills again! Jai Nitz and Greg Smallwood craft a stylish drama of supernatural revenge! Collects the five-issue miniseries.
* Featuring bonus art by Alex Ross, Ryan Sook, Kevin Nowlan, Michael Golden, R. M. Guerra, Dan Brereton, and a host of others!
* Jai Nitz and Greg Smallwood’s breakout hit series collected!
* Featuring bonus art by Alex Ross, Ryan Sook, Kevin Nowlan, Michael Golden, R. M. Guerra, Dan Brereton, and a host of others!
* Jai Nitz and Greg Smallwood’s breakout hit series collected!
152 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2013
About the author
Jai Nitz
216 books6 followersJai Nitz is an American comic book writer who has written for Marvel, DC, Image, Disney, Dynamite, and other publishers. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1998 with a degree in film studies. He won the prestigious Xeric Foundation grant in 2003 for his self-published anthology, Paper Museum. He won the Bram Stoker Award in 2004 for excellence in illustrated narrative for Heaven’s Devils from Image Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
November 5, 2014
Remember that wacky movie, The Mask, starring Jim Carrey. Carrey would put on the mask and gain all sorts of loony powers. Hilarious hijinks ensued.
Well, this is nothing like that movie. Except for a mask…
Meet John Lincoln: pot head, lay about. He sleeps until noon, cheats on his girlfriend and generally has no direction in life until, at a museum gala, he decides to steal an Aboriginal mask for kicks. Now whenever he sleeps, a ghost of someone who’s been murdered takes control of John and exacts vengeance on the people who killed them.
John also gets a bonus. He has the memories of the victim, plus any abilities they might have had, so if the victim was a porn star who also had advanced military training, it’s, um, a bigger bonus. If the victim was an expert in the martial arts, John gets those abilities too. The abilities stack, so he gets to keep them in perpetuity. All as a result of wearing the mask.
The problem is that when he wakes up, he could be almost anywhere – in the trunk of a car, splattered in blood and surrounded by dead bodies, out in the middle of a swamp...
The plot can get a little murky at times, but this is definitely recommended for those who like noir and/or the supernatural.
Props for the Alex Ross cover.
Well, this is nothing like that movie. Except for a mask…
Meet John Lincoln: pot head, lay about. He sleeps until noon, cheats on his girlfriend and generally has no direction in life until, at a museum gala, he decides to steal an Aboriginal mask for kicks. Now whenever he sleeps, a ghost of someone who’s been murdered takes control of John and exacts vengeance on the people who killed them.
John also gets a bonus. He has the memories of the victim, plus any abilities they might have had, so if the victim was a porn star who also had advanced military training, it’s, um, a bigger bonus. If the victim was an expert in the martial arts, John gets those abilities too. The abilities stack, so he gets to keep them in perpetuity. All as a result of wearing the mask.
The problem is that when he wakes up, he could be almost anywhere – in the trunk of a car, splattered in blood and surrounded by dead bodies, out in the middle of a swamp...
The plot can get a little murky at times, but this is definitely recommended for those who like noir and/or the supernatural.
Props for the Alex Ross cover.
July 23, 2015
Minor spoilers ahead but that’s only for people who are going to read this. In addition to those readers I’d say DON’T read this crap, spare yourselves the misery!
Dream Thief reads like anything but a dream. It’s a sloppily written, confusing execution of a potentially decent concept and an utterly boring comic to read as a result.
John Lincoln is Mr Douchebag. He’s supported by a girlfriend he cheats on regularly so he can pursue his non-existent careers as a stage magician and/or director! One night, when sponging off his more successful friend and attending a museum party, he gets stoned and decides to steal an Aboriginal mask. He somehow gets away with this - and that’s when things get complicated.
When he goes to sleep, the mask allows for vengeful spirits to take possession of his body and enact vengeance on whoever wronged them in life. When he awakens, John has all the spirit’s memories/abilities and is usually greeted with a bloody mess. Quite how an Aboriginal mask would do this is up for grabs and how any of that makes him a “dream thief” is anyone’s guess.
The central plot, and I use the term loosely because it’s barely touched upon, is John’s girlfriend is killed - by him. But actually by a spirit who possessed him? I can’t fully recall because, my word, Jai Nitz is a terrible writer! You would think John would spend his time trying to find his girlfriend’s killer when he’s awake and in control of his body, but no - he goes along with whatever plan the vengeful spirit’s got in mind for him, even when he’s conscious!
I’m baffled why he would even care about her - his behaviour since page one has been that he’s just using his girlfriend. He clearly doesn’t love her, she’s just useful to have around because it means he doesn’t have to get a job! It’s certainly not a convincing motive to the reader!
And, wow, he takes to this strange new life very quickly! He instantly knows how everything works - maybe tell the reader so they’re not kept in the dark? - even though nobody explains it all to him. And he just decides he’ll roll the dice - wherever he winds up, doing whatever, is what he’s going to do! Avenge my dead girlfriend? Nah, I think I’ll do this thing I just found out about instead!
How does this work - does John have to be in proximity of a ghost to be possessed? Because when he awakens one time, he can see a ghost who calls out to him but he turns away. Can he be possessed by more than one ghost at a time?
Quite how Nitz managed to get Grant Morrison, Mark Waid and Jonathan Hickman to blurb his book is confounding - he must have dirt on them because this isn’t even half as good as any of those writers’ worst comics!
The Alex Ross cover is cool, and it’s really surprising that this is artist Greg Smallwood’s first published work because the art is very strong. It’s easy to see why Marvel snapped him up and paired him with Brian Wood for Moon Knight.
Other than the art, Dream Thief Volume 1 is totally meritless. Shockingly inept writing makes this tedium almost totally unreadable - avoid, avoid, avoid!
Dream Thief reads like anything but a dream. It’s a sloppily written, confusing execution of a potentially decent concept and an utterly boring comic to read as a result.
John Lincoln is Mr Douchebag. He’s supported by a girlfriend he cheats on regularly so he can pursue his non-existent careers as a stage magician and/or director! One night, when sponging off his more successful friend and attending a museum party, he gets stoned and decides to steal an Aboriginal mask. He somehow gets away with this - and that’s when things get complicated.
When he goes to sleep, the mask allows for vengeful spirits to take possession of his body and enact vengeance on whoever wronged them in life. When he awakens, John has all the spirit’s memories/abilities and is usually greeted with a bloody mess. Quite how an Aboriginal mask would do this is up for grabs and how any of that makes him a “dream thief” is anyone’s guess.
The central plot, and I use the term loosely because it’s barely touched upon, is John’s girlfriend is killed - by him. But actually by a spirit who possessed him? I can’t fully recall because, my word, Jai Nitz is a terrible writer! You would think John would spend his time trying to find his girlfriend’s killer when he’s awake and in control of his body, but no - he goes along with whatever plan the vengeful spirit’s got in mind for him, even when he’s conscious!
I’m baffled why he would even care about her - his behaviour since page one has been that he’s just using his girlfriend. He clearly doesn’t love her, she’s just useful to have around because it means he doesn’t have to get a job! It’s certainly not a convincing motive to the reader!
And, wow, he takes to this strange new life very quickly! He instantly knows how everything works - maybe tell the reader so they’re not kept in the dark? - even though nobody explains it all to him. And he just decides he’ll roll the dice - wherever he winds up, doing whatever, is what he’s going to do! Avenge my dead girlfriend? Nah, I think I’ll do this thing I just found out about instead!
How does this work - does John have to be in proximity of a ghost to be possessed? Because when he awakens one time, he can see a ghost who calls out to him but he turns away. Can he be possessed by more than one ghost at a time?
Quite how Nitz managed to get Grant Morrison, Mark Waid and Jonathan Hickman to blurb his book is confounding - he must have dirt on them because this isn’t even half as good as any of those writers’ worst comics!
The Alex Ross cover is cool, and it’s really surprising that this is artist Greg Smallwood’s first published work because the art is very strong. It’s easy to see why Marvel snapped him up and paired him with Brian Wood for Moon Knight.
Other than the art, Dream Thief Volume 1 is totally meritless. Shockingly inept writing makes this tedium almost totally unreadable - avoid, avoid, avoid!
December 31, 2014
When Grant Morrison, Mark Waid, and the AV club all have blurbs on the back of a graphic novel, it's hard to think that I can really add any sort of significant praise.
That said, I enjoyed this book to a ridiculous degree.
No superheroes (It feels odd to keep saying that in these reviews of graphic novels, but it bears repeating, as 80% of all comics are superhero themed.) Just a cool concept well executed. Good characters. Interesting moral ambiguity.
I can't wait to read more of it. Highly recommended.
That said, I enjoyed this book to a ridiculous degree.
No superheroes (It feels odd to keep saying that in these reviews of graphic novels, but it bears repeating, as 80% of all comics are superhero themed.) Just a cool concept well executed. Good characters. Interesting moral ambiguity.
I can't wait to read more of it. Highly recommended.
October 13, 2015
Vaguely intriguing twist on the superhero genre, but characterization and storytelling are just too stagy and clunky and generic for the whole thing to actually work.
December 17, 2018
I’m torn on this book.
The way it concludes on basically no resolution of this is really disappointing.
That the main character doesn’t seem to have any , is really odd.
Frankly, this book doesn’t really have any .
I struggled with whether this book deserves three or four stars. After trying to decide if the idea was original enough to give it a four rating, I just decided that the art took it over the edge for a four rating.
I’m glad I read this, just for the change in story telling. I don’t think I would have reached for this had it not been on a reading challenge list.
Edit: On second thought, I think the art just gets us to a three star rating. I'm just not able to bring myself to like this book enough for four stars.
The way it concludes on basically no resolution of this is really disappointing.
That the main character doesn’t seem to have any , is really odd.
Frankly, this book doesn’t really have any .
I struggled with whether this book deserves three or four stars. After trying to decide if the idea was original enough to give it a four rating, I just decided that the art took it over the edge for a four rating.
I’m glad I read this, just for the change in story telling. I don’t think I would have reached for this had it not been on a reading challenge list.
Edit: On second thought, I think the art just gets us to a three star rating. I'm just not able to bring myself to like this book enough for four stars.
July 24, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
The Dream Thief is an extremely well written and thought provoking novel with a tightly constructed plot that rewards upon rereading. What appears to be a random set of events throughout this book turn out to be intricately connected in a web of intrigue all leading back to the main character's father. It's one of those stories that is uniquely suitable to, and improves upon, the graphic novel format. It is also extremely violent and a very adult title.
John Lincoln is a slacker - a NEET with a traumatized girlfriend, a drug habit, and one good friend to his name. But that all changes the night he steals an aboriginal mask from a museum - and wakes up without any memory of why he did so and his girlfriend's body on the floor. Thus starts a terrifying week of falling asleep only to wake up to crimes committed while he was possessed by a vengeful ghost - whose memories and abilities/talents he retains each time. Worse, as he starts putting the pieces together, he realizes that all the murders - from male prostitute, to judge, to lawyer, and more across the South East are all interconnected. He gives his ghosts their vengeance and they give him clues to solving an extraordinary family mystery. And the story is leading back to his father, a man he hasn't seen for most of his life. The same father who sends him a note from jail suggesting he knows what is going on with John's life.
At first, I was intrigued by the first chapter and worried this would be another shallow reality noir with a supernatural twist (e.g., violence porn). But then with each possession, the overall picture became more detailed and their interconnectivity became fascinating. In the beginning I really disliked the anti hero John Lincoln character and his selfish callousness. And then the plot kicked in and the mask's personalities, each with their own unique history, took center stage. The supernatural element is really only touched upon and most of the story is about understanding the circumstances of the ghosts and John realizing the big picture is much greater than he thought.
This is a story I will definitely continue to follow. The first book was packed full of enough ideas and intrigue that I was riveted for hours as I read through - and then reread against to catch up on what I missed the first time around. If you only see this as a set of random revenge killings, you need to reread again and get the big picture that they are all connected.
Note that this is a very violent, very adult graphic novel exploring issues of morality, crime, responsibility, and more.
Received as an ARC from the publisher.
February 10, 2018
I know the comparison might be far-fetched, but half-way through the story it felt like I was reading Brubaker. The supernatural element is a welcome addition to a more lightweight story tha you may find in Brubaker's writings, but it's no less enjoyable. Everything is presented in first person which makes the whole experience feel more personal. The best parts have the main character use his skills in a slow-paced, detailed manner where we see his every thought.
John Lincoln is a dead-beat. He cheats on his girlfriend and is covered by his best friend Reggie Harrison, another bad boy. The story revolves around John stealing an Aboriginal mask that gives him visions from dead people. His girlfriend killed a garage mechanic because she thought he broke into her house. In reality he didn't do it, so John then killed his girlfriend as punishment. All of these details come back to him in waves after waking up confused and with no initial recollection of the events. Each vendetta gives John a deeper understanding of what is happening to him. And he may not be the only one.
John Lincoln is a dead-beat. He cheats on his girlfriend and is covered by his best friend Reggie Harrison, another bad boy. The story revolves around John stealing an Aboriginal mask that gives him visions from dead people. His girlfriend killed a garage mechanic because she thought he broke into her house. In reality he didn't do it, so John then killed his girlfriend as punishment. All of these details come back to him in waves after waking up confused and with no initial recollection of the events. Each vendetta gives John a deeper understanding of what is happening to him. And he may not be the only one.
February 16, 2019
I barely made it through the first issue of this. Every character was terrible, doing horrible things for the most selfish of reasons, and the idea of spending multiple issues with them was not pleasant at all. And then the plot started, and it actually seemed to make things worse. Our protagonist (definitely not a hero) steals an aboriginal mask, and now, whenever he wakes up, he's in a new place, often surrounded by dead bodies.
I was intrigued by the title, but it doesn't really represent the story very well. This is more like a a grimdark version of the TV version of I, Zombie, where John inherits the skills and memories of a recently deceased person. He attains at least partial vengeance for them while unconscious, and then wakes up and has to escape/clean up the rest of the mess. This volume gets gay military porn star, poker player, and black legal student as victims, which lead to some very weird places.
There's an aboriginal mask and some tidbits of a larger story behind the why of this, but the focus is more on the discrete events, and somehow that focus makes the characters more bearable. They aren't ever really better characters, it's just that this new life kind of distracts them from their bad behavior in the first issue. It's a novel enough conceit played out in an interesting fashion, with well done art. All that is enough for me to be willing to continue to the next volume. So if you do try it and hate the first issue, push through - it might grow on you.
I was intrigued by the title, but it doesn't really represent the story very well. This is more like a a grimdark version of the TV version of I, Zombie, where John inherits the skills and memories of a recently deceased person. He attains at least partial vengeance for them while unconscious, and then wakes up and has to escape/clean up the rest of the mess. This volume gets gay military porn star, poker player, and black legal student as victims, which lead to some very weird places.
There's an aboriginal mask and some tidbits of a larger story behind the why of this, but the focus is more on the discrete events, and somehow that focus makes the characters more bearable. They aren't ever really better characters, it's just that this new life kind of distracts them from their bad behavior in the first issue. It's a novel enough conceit played out in an interesting fashion, with well done art. All that is enough for me to be willing to continue to the next volume. So if you do try it and hate the first issue, push through - it might grow on you.
September 16, 2018
Dream Thief es exactamente la razón por la que leo cómic indies americanos, aunque Dark Horse es cada vez menos independiente, pero sigue ofreciendo historias originales como Dream Thief; una combinación extraña de El Cuervo y Pulp Fiction. Quizás me recuerda a Tarantino, no por los diálogos extraños ni por los sucesos aleatorios ni las auto-referencias, sino por la amoralidad de los personajes; algo que hecho muchísimo de menos en el entretenimiento actual. (Prefiero que odien a mis personajes a que sean tópicos andantes).
El protagonista es un tipo atrapado por una maldición que básicamente lo convierte en el huesped temporal de espíritus vengativos que quieren ajustar cuentas pendientes con sus asesinos, pero no solo eso, también le proporcionan sus recuerdos y habilidades, las cuales se van almacenando en su cuerpo, transformándolo poco a poco en un superhéroe oscuro.
Se agradece también la variedad de trasfondos de los espíritus y sus motivaciones, y como el cómic aporta diversidad de personajes e incluso sexualidades, sin hacer como el 90% de DC y Marvel, o sea, sin forzar su política de identidades aunque no tenga ningún sentido y destroce la historia o el personaje. En tiempos donde casi nada se libra de un adoctrinamiento político de izquierdas que haría temblar a George Orwell, se agradecen productos como Dream Thief.
El protagonista es un tipo atrapado por una maldición que básicamente lo convierte en el huesped temporal de espíritus vengativos que quieren ajustar cuentas pendientes con sus asesinos, pero no solo eso, también le proporcionan sus recuerdos y habilidades, las cuales se van almacenando en su cuerpo, transformándolo poco a poco en un superhéroe oscuro.
Se agradece también la variedad de trasfondos de los espíritus y sus motivaciones, y como el cómic aporta diversidad de personajes e incluso sexualidades, sin hacer como el 90% de DC y Marvel, o sea, sin forzar su política de identidades aunque no tenga ningún sentido y destroce la historia o el personaje. En tiempos donde casi nada se libra de un adoctrinamiento político de izquierdas que haría temblar a George Orwell, se agradecen productos como Dream Thief.
July 18, 2017
Got this because of artist Greg Smallwood, who just helped Jeff Lemire complete a genius run on Moon Knight. Apparently Dream Thief was Smallwood's first professional work, and yeah, it was only a few years ago, but the same quality is already there.
The story itself takes a while to come together. By the fourth chapter Jai Nitz has totally nailed the concept and figured out how awesome it really is. Then the volume is pretty much over and it's a cliffhanger because Nitz saves the explanation for the concept for later. It's just as well. If the early chapters kind of throw the reader into the deep end, it's almost, well...dream logic, and it does, as I said, get better.
And the art is killer, of course.
The story itself takes a while to come together. By the fourth chapter Jai Nitz has totally nailed the concept and figured out how awesome it really is. Then the volume is pretty much over and it's a cliffhanger because Nitz saves the explanation for the concept for later. It's just as well. If the early chapters kind of throw the reader into the deep end, it's almost, well...dream logic, and it does, as I said, get better.
And the art is killer, of course.
November 21, 2018
Hm. I was initially put off from reading this due to the cover art (sorry but I hate it). Luckily the inside art is much different, but I got almost no enjoyment out of reading this - I hate feeling like I have to push myself through a book, especially a comic - this is meant to be fun!
The concept is interesting - guy steals an aboriginal mask, now when he goes to sleep he wakes up with someone's ghost inside him and he's usually killed someone. Sounds crazy, right?
The story felt disjointed and mostly I was just left feeling apathetic towards the whole thing. It only got interesting in the last 5 pages or so, so maybe I will give Volume 2 a shot when I'm feeling particularly brave.
The concept is interesting - guy steals an aboriginal mask, now when he goes to sleep he wakes up with someone's ghost inside him and he's usually killed someone. Sounds crazy, right?
The story felt disjointed and mostly I was just left feeling apathetic towards the whole thing. It only got interesting in the last 5 pages or so, so maybe I will give Volume 2 a shot when I'm feeling particularly brave.
August 13, 2023
I was so pleasantly surprised by this. Jai Nitz and Greg Smallwood tell the story of a less than good guy who wakes up in the worst situations with no memory of how he got there. What he does have though is someone else's thoughts, memories, and skills. The action gets wild with multiple twists and turns. Its violent and dark and entertaining. The art by Greg Smallwood is really good. I loved his work here. It gave me Sean Phillips, Criminal vibes. Overall, I expected next to nothing here and really enjoyed this.
February 8, 2014
This review is courtesy of an Advance Review Copy through the good folks at NetGalley.
Mild spoilers within.
Let's look at Dream Thief, a.k.a. "An Object Lesson in How the Final Page Can Completely Change Your Opinion of a Story" (though for clarity's sake I'll stick to calling it Dream Thief).
The story probably wins the award for "Biggest Swan-Dive Into The Plot" since it starts fairly calmly paced then accelerates with the speed of a Fast and Furious character in a souped-up Maserati. Our protagonist, John Lincoln, is gradually introduced in the first issue as a bit of a slacker in a relationship with a young woman, named Claire, who's getting over the trauma of a home invasion. John's sister is a cop, his best friend is some kind of football financier, and the first issue culminates in John murdering his girlfriend at the behest of an Australian Aboriginal mask that channels particular ghosts and turns him into a badass.
Wait, what?
Yeah, the shift from character introduction to full-bore, hi-octane plot is pretty jarring, but after it gets going you may feel the need to check your seatbelt or update your will since you could end up splattered on the roadside at a moment's notice. That's just a roundabout way of saying the plot is batshit crazy and ultra-super-mega-oh-my-God fast.
At least, it is in the beginning.
As it progresses, Dream Thief gives the impression of being a more anthology-focused story with book-ends to John's personal story at either end. Each of the middle issues feel reasonably standalone and present a different ghost inhabiting John's body, providing him with vengeance to exact on their killers and sleighters. The problem with this is that the character-heavy focus on John at the beginning and end of the book only works if that character is present for his arc, and since the centre portions of the book are standalone - and don't feature an awful lot of John as a character so much as a conduit for the ghosts and the plot - it undercuts the emotional payoff at the volume's conclusion.
Artwork by Greg Smallwood is subtle yet punchy. There's great use of shading and the colours definitely pop, and it utilises a kind of grungy, dark filter at times that evokes the illustrations of Sean Phillips and Michael Lark with a slightly noir undertone. Facial expressions are nicely done (with the standout being John's sister's WTF face during a moment in a hospital at the book's conclusion), so great work there. It's simple yet elegant, and doesn't divert attention from the dialogue.
I feel like Dream Thief is a bit of a Great Concept, Poor Execution nominee - or, rather, Great Concept, Not Enough Room For Execution. 5 issues is a little brevitous for a book with high-concept ideas to play with, so a bit more room to grow would've been nice to see the story expand and have the concept of John being a human ouija board played around with a little. I almost feel like this is the equivalent of a television pilot; perhaps writer Jai Nitz pitched this to see if readers enjoyed the idea, thus leading to a larger ongoing series or something. I can understand not wanting to commit to a massive high-idea story right off the bat, and Dream Thief does deal with a lot of concepts that'd alienate a lot of casual readers and bring in the more involved, deeper-meaning crowd for better or worse. Personally, I think we could do with more cerebral content in comics these days, so Dream Thief is definitely a great step in that direction.
There are two things that prevent this volume from leaping to my shortlist for Book of the Year. The first is that the plot in the middle portion stops and starts a little, especially during a chapter where John avenges a lawyer murdered at the hands of the KKK. I feel like the book couldn't decide if it was going to go full-throttle or slow and character-y, so it made several moments a little jarring. The chapter afterwards, largely dealing with a poker game and a half-drowned priest, suffers a similar problem.
The second issue is the ending is way too rushed. A sixth issue to spread out the conclusion would've helped the book immeasurably, since it's intended as the culmination of John's arc and an ending to the plot threads set up with the death of his girlfriend at the novel's beginning. It's not an entirely dissatisfying ending, but it does barrel along with some convenient corner-cutting to deliver John to his final confrontation and subsequent aftermath. If the story had ended there, as is, I'd've reacted harsher to it; there is so much presented within as ideas that cry out for further exploration, John's arc feels like it's only just begun (despite the one in this book having its own conclusion) and there's far too much potential on display for Nitz and crew to simply call wrap-up on the whole affair.
Then, we get to the epilogue on the final page of the book, and I'm able to breathe a sigh of relief. Dream Thief will undoubtedly return.
As a first instalment to the narrative, the book works well enough. As I said the pacing can get a little jittery but is still pretty engrossing, and if this is indeed the launching point for something bigger then bring it on, I say.
STORY: 3.5/5
ARTWORK: 4/5
DIALOGUE: 3/5
OVERALL: 11.5/15
Mild spoilers within.
Let's look at Dream Thief, a.k.a. "An Object Lesson in How the Final Page Can Completely Change Your Opinion of a Story" (though for clarity's sake I'll stick to calling it Dream Thief).
The story probably wins the award for "Biggest Swan-Dive Into The Plot" since it starts fairly calmly paced then accelerates with the speed of a Fast and Furious character in a souped-up Maserati. Our protagonist, John Lincoln, is gradually introduced in the first issue as a bit of a slacker in a relationship with a young woman, named Claire, who's getting over the trauma of a home invasion. John's sister is a cop, his best friend is some kind of football financier, and the first issue culminates in John murdering his girlfriend at the behest of an Australian Aboriginal mask that channels particular ghosts and turns him into a badass.
Wait, what?
Yeah, the shift from character introduction to full-bore, hi-octane plot is pretty jarring, but after it gets going you may feel the need to check your seatbelt or update your will since you could end up splattered on the roadside at a moment's notice. That's just a roundabout way of saying the plot is batshit crazy and ultra-super-mega-oh-my-God fast.
At least, it is in the beginning.
As it progresses, Dream Thief gives the impression of being a more anthology-focused story with book-ends to John's personal story at either end. Each of the middle issues feel reasonably standalone and present a different ghost inhabiting John's body, providing him with vengeance to exact on their killers and sleighters. The problem with this is that the character-heavy focus on John at the beginning and end of the book only works if that character is present for his arc, and since the centre portions of the book are standalone - and don't feature an awful lot of John as a character so much as a conduit for the ghosts and the plot - it undercuts the emotional payoff at the volume's conclusion.
Artwork by Greg Smallwood is subtle yet punchy. There's great use of shading and the colours definitely pop, and it utilises a kind of grungy, dark filter at times that evokes the illustrations of Sean Phillips and Michael Lark with a slightly noir undertone. Facial expressions are nicely done (with the standout being John's sister's WTF face during a moment in a hospital at the book's conclusion), so great work there. It's simple yet elegant, and doesn't divert attention from the dialogue.
I feel like Dream Thief is a bit of a Great Concept, Poor Execution nominee - or, rather, Great Concept, Not Enough Room For Execution. 5 issues is a little brevitous for a book with high-concept ideas to play with, so a bit more room to grow would've been nice to see the story expand and have the concept of John being a human ouija board played around with a little. I almost feel like this is the equivalent of a television pilot; perhaps writer Jai Nitz pitched this to see if readers enjoyed the idea, thus leading to a larger ongoing series or something. I can understand not wanting to commit to a massive high-idea story right off the bat, and Dream Thief does deal with a lot of concepts that'd alienate a lot of casual readers and bring in the more involved, deeper-meaning crowd for better or worse. Personally, I think we could do with more cerebral content in comics these days, so Dream Thief is definitely a great step in that direction.
There are two things that prevent this volume from leaping to my shortlist for Book of the Year. The first is that the plot in the middle portion stops and starts a little, especially during a chapter where John avenges a lawyer murdered at the hands of the KKK. I feel like the book couldn't decide if it was going to go full-throttle or slow and character-y, so it made several moments a little jarring. The chapter afterwards, largely dealing with a poker game and a half-drowned priest, suffers a similar problem.
The second issue is the ending is way too rushed. A sixth issue to spread out the conclusion would've helped the book immeasurably, since it's intended as the culmination of John's arc and an ending to the plot threads set up with the death of his girlfriend at the novel's beginning. It's not an entirely dissatisfying ending, but it does barrel along with some convenient corner-cutting to deliver John to his final confrontation and subsequent aftermath. If the story had ended there, as is, I'd've reacted harsher to it; there is so much presented within as ideas that cry out for further exploration, John's arc feels like it's only just begun (despite the one in this book having its own conclusion) and there's far too much potential on display for Nitz and crew to simply call wrap-up on the whole affair.
Then, we get to the epilogue on the final page of the book, and I'm able to breathe a sigh of relief. Dream Thief will undoubtedly return.
As a first instalment to the narrative, the book works well enough. As I said the pacing can get a little jittery but is still pretty engrossing, and if this is indeed the launching point for something bigger then bring it on, I say.
STORY: 3.5/5
ARTWORK: 4/5
DIALOGUE: 3/5
OVERALL: 11.5/15
June 5, 2017
I don't usually go for murder mysteries, but this was a fun (and bloody) and fast read.
John Lincoln is a great character & the ghost stories have been interesting and cool. (Maybe I have a thing for bums who suddenly gain supernatural responsibilities?)
Hope John gets some mask/Dream Thief answers in Vol. 2.
John Lincoln is a great character & the ghost stories have been interesting and cool. (Maybe I have a thing for bums who suddenly gain supernatural responsibilities?)
Hope John gets some mask/Dream Thief answers in Vol. 2.
August 18, 2020
Read in individual issues, this is an intriguing story. Yes it may be clunky in places and probably reads better as issues rather than a graphic novel. But overall there is definitely something here.
A total slacker whilst high steals an aboriginal mask. Next minute he wakes up in rather hot water.
When John Lincoln sleeps he is possessed by vengeful ghosts, their memories and skills become his.
A total slacker whilst high steals an aboriginal mask. Next minute he wakes up in rather hot water.
When John Lincoln sleeps he is possessed by vengeful ghosts, their memories and skills become his.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2019
A fresh take on the Deadman/Captain Marvel (Shazam) style of superheroes. The story drives at a constant, hard-hitting speed and is brilliantly drawn by Smallwood. Nitz reveals elements of the mystery at just the right times to let you know he is fully in control. Can't wait to read volume 2.
December 31, 2019
Creepy and good. Also, as someone who lives in Atlanta, it was cool to recognize lots of the places!
January 1, 2015
WOW!
It's not often that I finish a new graphic novel and say that, especially one by newer writers and artists, but that's exactly how I felt upon finishing Dream Thief .
The basic premise is that unreliable stoner John Lincoln is still trying to find a way to impress his sister, successful best friend and his paranoid girlfriend. At the end of yet another binge he wakes up wearing the Aboriginal mask he'd stolen from a gallery the night before as well as a high-jacker in the form of a murder victim's angry spirit which has possessed Lincoln's body. Naturally this freaks Lincoln out, but the more it keeps happening (a new possession happens when he sleeps, gaining their abilities each time to boot) the sooner he realises that they are not only connected, but the trail goes right to his deceased father.
Lincoln is a rare character in graphic novels as he's totally believable and even though the set-up is supernatural, you're never left thinking it's fantasy. A lot of that is also to do with the highly impressive art, and I was amazed when I got to the end notes to discover that this is artist Greg Smallwood's first published job. He will be a guy to watch! At no point is anything messy or hard to decipher (which can be the case especially when viewing digitally) and each panel flows seamlessly into the next.
Must also mention that there are some gorgeous variant covers and pin ups at the end of the book with art full of both atmosphere and humour.
Volume 1 contains editions 1-5 of the comic and despite searching, I can't find any sign of further issues. Hopefully these will come to the fore soon enough as by the end of this edition I was eager to see where Lincoln's story would go next.
This book was supplied as an advance review copy ebook via NetGalley in return for an honest review and is in no way indicative of the final print copy.
It's not often that I finish a new graphic novel and say that, especially one by newer writers and artists, but that's exactly how I felt upon finishing Dream Thief .
The basic premise is that unreliable stoner John Lincoln is still trying to find a way to impress his sister, successful best friend and his paranoid girlfriend. At the end of yet another binge he wakes up wearing the Aboriginal mask he'd stolen from a gallery the night before as well as a high-jacker in the form of a murder victim's angry spirit which has possessed Lincoln's body. Naturally this freaks Lincoln out, but the more it keeps happening (a new possession happens when he sleeps, gaining their abilities each time to boot) the sooner he realises that they are not only connected, but the trail goes right to his deceased father.
Lincoln is a rare character in graphic novels as he's totally believable and even though the set-up is supernatural, you're never left thinking it's fantasy. A lot of that is also to do with the highly impressive art, and I was amazed when I got to the end notes to discover that this is artist Greg Smallwood's first published job. He will be a guy to watch! At no point is anything messy or hard to decipher (which can be the case especially when viewing digitally) and each panel flows seamlessly into the next.
Must also mention that there are some gorgeous variant covers and pin ups at the end of the book with art full of both atmosphere and humour.
Volume 1 contains editions 1-5 of the comic and despite searching, I can't find any sign of further issues. Hopefully these will come to the fore soon enough as by the end of this edition I was eager to see where Lincoln's story would go next.
This book was supplied as an advance review copy ebook via NetGalley in return for an honest review and is in no way indicative of the final print copy.
February 3, 2016
Поглядев на обложку, я ожидала нещадной фантастики-мистики с призраками, снами и героями, окутанными эктоплазмой. А получила изнаночную сторону супергеройства и зашкаливающую в своей кровавости вендетту. Главному герою по имени Джон Линкольн приходит в голову украсть из музея маску аборигенов, и теперь, как только Джон засыпает, он становится одержим душами недавно почивших, несправедливо убиенных людей, которых даже лично не знает. Каждое утро его ждет пробуждение в незнакомом месте в луже крови.
Первые пару выпусков я просто гадала, кого прикончат следующим и кто, собственно, вселится в Джона мстить своим обидчикам. А потом все закрутилось-завертелось, так что первый том я прочитала не отрываясь. Приятным бонусом к проклятию маски стало то, что одержимый ею поглощает память и навыки жертв, жаждущих мести – таким образом главный герой просыпается со знанием кунфу и приобретает другие полезные фичи.
Откровенная кровавость и вопиющая жестокость соответствуют непростой истории. В конце концов, мужик МСТИТ, он ОДЕРЖИМ, и если он кому-то в запале оторвал голову – ну, что делать. Мстя его страшна.
Второй и последующие тома (если они будут) читать вряд ли буду. Но опыт был интересный.
annikeh.net
Первые пару выпусков я просто гадала, кого прикончат следующим и кто, собственно, вселится в Джона мстить своим обидчикам. А потом все закрутилось-завертелось, так что первый том я прочитала не отрываясь. Приятным бонусом к проклятию маски стало то, что одержимый ею поглощает память и навыки жертв, жаждущих мести – таким образом главный герой просыпается со знанием кунфу и приобретает другие полезные фичи.
Откровенная кровавость и вопиющая жестокость соответствуют непростой истории. В конце концов, мужик МСТИТ, он ОДЕРЖИМ, и если он кому-то в запале оторвал голову – ну, что делать. Мстя его страшна.
Второй и последующие тома (если они будут) читать вряд ли буду. Но опыт был интересный.
annikeh.net
May 29, 2014
In 'The Dream Thief, Volume 1' a strange aboriginal mask and a series of restless dead mix with a dead end loser for interesting results. At first, I wasn't sure what I was reading, but the story really won me over.
John Lincoln is between jobs (stage magician and filmmaker). He's content to be a layabout, until one night he takes an Aboriginal mask from a museum. Now everytime he wakes up, he doesn't know where he is and there are dead people around him that he kills. He has a strange connection with the dead, even having their memories and skills. The murders take him all over the South, but could they be related? And if so, what do they have to do with John's father in prison?
It's an interesting premise. Kind of like The Mask meets The Crow. Sort of. John Lincoln is in way over his head, but seems to be able to worm his way out of things. Story by Jai Nitz is over the top and pretty intense. Art by Greg Smallwood is really good. I'm curious to know where this is going.
I was given a review copy by Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this intense graphic novel.
John Lincoln is between jobs (stage magician and filmmaker). He's content to be a layabout, until one night he takes an Aboriginal mask from a museum. Now everytime he wakes up, he doesn't know where he is and there are dead people around him that he kills. He has a strange connection with the dead, even having their memories and skills. The murders take him all over the South, but could they be related? And if so, what do they have to do with John's father in prison?
It's an interesting premise. Kind of like The Mask meets The Crow. Sort of. John Lincoln is in way over his head, but seems to be able to worm his way out of things. Story by Jai Nitz is over the top and pretty intense. Art by Greg Smallwood is really good. I'm curious to know where this is going.
I was given a review copy by Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this intense graphic novel.
November 10, 2018
I rather enjoyed this book. John Lincoln steals a mask from a museum and after putting it on begins to channel the dead in their quest for vengeance. This comes with blackouts and intense experiences of the final moments of the dead. Then there are all the regular parts of his life that he has to juggle in between murdering bad guys. I thought it all came together rather well.
The book starts out fairly disorienting as John and the reader come in on the aftermath of his first victims (targets?). There is a cinematic feel to the book, especially when the it goes back to show scenes in which John has blacked out. The art is a little stiff at times (forgive me), and that is really the only drag on this book. I liked this more and more as I read further into the book. For those looking for a non-superhero comic, this is a pretty good choice. I would definitely read the next volume.
The book starts out fairly disorienting as John and the reader come in on the aftermath of his first victims (targets?). There is a cinematic feel to the book, especially when the it goes back to show scenes in which John has blacked out. The art is a little stiff at times (forgive me), and that is really the only drag on this book. I liked this more and more as I read further into the book. For those looking for a non-superhero comic, this is a pretty good choice. I would definitely read the next volume.
January 19, 2014
A comic with colorful illustrations for a bloody and forceful action packed story!
An looser, who is cheating on his girlfriend, who smokes pot and thinks only of himself, derobes an Aboriginal mask in a museum. The same night, he wakes up near his ex-girlfriend...dead body... Talk about a hero! Lol!
If the character is insufferable, selfish and untrustworthy, his masked double seeks a form of justice by murdering the wicked. The action is punctuated with bloodshed, hangings, guys buried. In short, a lot of killing methods...
Personally, I admit the repetition of pattern: I fall asleep, I wake after killing the whole earth a little bit too repetitive.
But the illustrations are superb!
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
An looser, who is cheating on his girlfriend, who smokes pot and thinks only of himself, derobes an Aboriginal mask in a museum. The same night, he wakes up near his ex-girlfriend...dead body... Talk about a hero! Lol!
If the character is insufferable, selfish and untrustworthy, his masked double seeks a form of justice by murdering the wicked. The action is punctuated with bloodshed, hangings, guys buried. In short, a lot of killing methods...
Personally, I admit the repetition of pattern: I fall asleep, I wake after killing the whole earth a little bit too repetitive.
But the illustrations are superb!
Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr...
January 28, 2014
Dream Thief by Jai Nitz is the story of John Lincoln. John's kind of a loser. He used to be a stage magician, but he wasn't very good. He tried being a documentary film maker but he sucked at that too. Now he mostly spends his time getting drunk with his friend Reggie.
That all changes when after a typical night out with Reggie John wakes up standing over the body of his long-tern girlfriend. John has no idea what happened but he does know two things: he's the one who killed Claire, and she deserved it.
Full review available on www.shutupandreadsomething.blogspot.com on 2/4/14
That all changes when after a typical night out with Reggie John wakes up standing over the body of his long-tern girlfriend. John has no idea what happened but he does know two things: he's the one who killed Claire, and she deserved it.
Full review available on www.shutupandreadsomething.blogspot.com on 2/4/14
February 24, 2014
The Dream Thief's opened slowly, introducing us to slacker John Lincoln who seems to never be able to finish something. After he and his friend Reggie steal an aborigine mask, he starts waking up next to dead bodies that he had just killed. Over the course of the book, he ends up in Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia trying to stay awake, dispose of bodies and figure out what is going on. The art work sets the eerie mood and helps tells and sells the story. Looking forward to the next volume.
September 20, 2014
Pleasantly surprised with this one, (and not just because I'm friends with the illustrator). I found the idea of avenging spirits possessing a living subject to carry out their vengeance quite interesting. Exploring ideas of justice, mercy, freedom of choice and vigilantism. The artwork is crisp and does a great job capturing the wide range of emotions the protagonist experiences as he is plunged deep into the darkness of murder victims lives.
I'm looking forward to the next volume to see where the author takes this story. I must say I have high hopes for this one.
I'm looking forward to the next volume to see where the author takes this story. I must say I have high hopes for this one.
January 11, 2014
Can you believe this is the first comic book that I have actually read? Or even opened. Or finished. Or you get the picture.
The Dream Thief made me a virgin no longer (though I still am a virgin for comic book-buying, but that's a different story and will earn that achievement next week when I go comic book shopping with a friend.)
Read my review at Book Probe Reviews.
The Dream Thief made me a virgin no longer (though I still am a virgin for comic book-buying, but that's a different story and will earn that achievement next week when I go comic book shopping with a friend.)
Read my review at Book Probe Reviews.
December 20, 2014
I’m not a big comic book reader. I may be read about one a year and only if it really catches my eye. But this was awesome! I love the premise of this story. I could seriously get into this comic book and would recommend it to my friends even if they aren’t big comic fans. It’s a quick read that you don’t have to worry about setting down and coming back to later because it kind of recaps in every chapter which is kind of nice. All in all I wouldn’t mind diving into this comic series.
May 9, 2014
Find my full review of this on my blog, The Itinerant Librarian. Simply click (or copy/paste to your favorite browser) the link below.
Review link: http://itinerantlibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/05/booknote-dream-thief-vol-1.html
Review link: http://itinerantlibrarian.blogspot.com/2014/05/booknote-dream-thief-vol-1.html
December 19, 2014
I enjoyed this fast paced graphic novel, and would like to read more of this series. It kind of reminded me of the "Dexter" books/show (Cop Sister, only kills bad guys, dead father that he still gets communication and guidance from...) My only criticism is that I got slightly lost in some places but I guess that feeling of disorientation was intended by the author?
March 11, 2014
3/3/14 Best new vigilante comic I've read since Sandman Mystery Theatre back in the 90s. THAT GOOD. Definitely looking forward to the inevitable screen adaptation. Review tk.
3/11/14 http://www.iwantmytwodollars.com/2014...
3/11/14 http://www.iwantmytwodollars.com/2014...
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