Original artwork, not a still
Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot.
— The Sandman · 1989
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
This is Neil Gaiman's defence of fiction placed at the centre of the series' own mythology: Dream is the lord of stories, and stories outlast the facts that produced them. Charles Vess's art makes the argument visible by turning a tragedy of fading fairies into a gift. The line is the one fans reach for when someone calls fantasy 'only' made up.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for The SandmanShow the scene
Sandman #19 is set in 1593 on a Sussex hillside, where Dream has William Shakespeare's company perform A Midsummer Night's Dream for an audience of real fairies, including Auberon, Titania and Puck. The play is the first of two Shakespeare owes Dream under their bargain. Dream explains that he called the fairies there because their time has already ended, and that through the play they will live on well beyond it. The line states the same idea from Dream's side: stories outlast facts.
Sources (1)
- DC Database: Sandman Vol 2 #19Synopsis1Reference checked
Context reviewed
