Review: House of Whispers #20

In the previous issue of House of Whispers #19, the action mainly evolved around Papa Midnite and the immortal Aesop, as they take a deadly journey into the underworld assisted by Midnite“s long-deceased sister. Midnite“s immortality began, when his family cursed him with immortality until white supremacy was over. Which makes him more of a victim than the other way around. Erzulie, the Loa of Love and Beauty, and her ex-husbands, on a quest to save the spirit of their last partner ”“ the deceased Agwe.Â In the meantime, there are indications of a new villain loa, possibly one more powerful even than all the other loa.

In the previous issue of House of Whispers #20, It tells the story of Joseph black Joe Johnson colonial marine loyal and servant of the British Crown turn beggar on the streets of London eventually dies and is buried in an unmarked grave. The spirit of Joan Johnson awakens on a ship driven by Agwe (1^st appearance?) Â who is a loa who rules over the sea, fish, and aquatic plants, as well as the patron loa of fishermen and sailors in Vodou, Agwe drive the ship Immamou, Â that collect souls of the dead who had Â lived enslaved. The main destination of the ship is to transit through the Seven gates of the underworld to let those dead spirits greet their ancestors.

For those readers that were intrigued by the House of whispers number 19 this is not the direction that you may have been expecting it to go. But at the very least at least House of whispers #20 is a lot more streamlined and the narrative goes in one direction. It just goes so far to demonstrate the flexibility of the Sandman Universe to have one foot in historical context and one in mythology. Also, it being one of the few comics that focuses on African mythology since American Gods must be applauded

This may be the one issue that anybody can pick up and kind of get the idea of what’s going on. This particular issue of House of whispers might do well as being an addon to some of the public-school libraries it is definitely a must read 4 some children to give context to the American Revolutionary War. On the other hand Â I’m getting nervous for how DC’s House Whispers is going to end up as there is only two more issues the Sandman universe is getting smaller in June according to June solicitations and House Whispers #22 with the final issue of the blacklist series according to the previews.

Rating: 5 out of 5

(W) Nalo Hopkinson, Dan Watters;
(A) Dominike “Domo”“ Stanton
(C) Â Zac Atkinson

Comic book to keep an eye on; Papa Midnite: 1^st Appearance Hellblazer #1