Books of Magic #5 // Review
As Timothy continues on his search for answers and some form of guidance, Kat Howard and Tom Fowler send him into the realm of the Sandman himself, The Dreaming. The duo continue to developing the adolescent wizard into something familiar yet still completely all their own with this new rendition of the young Merlin. This heartwarming title continues to be a continual love letter to Neil Gaiman’s legacy and fans alike.
Searc hing high and low for any sort of help with the new magical challenges he faces, Timothy Hunter sets off for the Dreaming in hopes of gaining some form of insight from a being of great power. As Tim is lead on a seemingly pointless journey, dark forces continue to work behind the scenes taking a hostage close to his heart. With Timothy relaxing in the Dreaming listening to stories, time has gone by at a staggering rate in the physical realm. The teenage magician has been gone for days and must venture back home unknowing of what he faces next.
Kat Howard continues to develop Timothy into a more confident wizard as he takes upon this journey of magical enlightenment. Using the past as a loose template but continuing to forge her own path, Howard delivers a much welcomed nostalgic unfamiliarity to the series. Almost as if an old beloved show got rebooted in modern day but with more money behind the production, this series brings the heart back to the title. Her love and affinity for the character and this universe shines through with every chapter as Kat Howard brings something truly magical into Tim Hunter’s nearly forgotten existence.
Tom Fowler completely engulfs the page with magnificent pencil work, displaying an unmatched rendition of The Dreaming. Fowler’s unmistakable style continues to be synonymous with this title and standing head and shoulders above his predecessors. The higher level of detail sets this series apart from its counterparts and truly delivers the heart readers have been missing in its absence. The absolutely brilliant colorwork of Jordan Boyd, continues to elevate the pencil work into a quintessential atmosphere that has become synonymous with the series.
Although billed as the first meet up between Timothy and Daniel, the current Sandman, this chapter still finds its charm sans the Lord of Dreams. Howard and Fowler continue to produce a heartwarming title for this imprint and to store shelves as a whole. With horror waiting around every corner, Timothy is in for a rude awakening after being on an impromptu vacation in The Dreaming.
