I hate middle issues of a mini-series. It always proves to be the most exciting issue and then everything else sucks or a boring issue and you just want the next one. In this half way point of The Dream Merchant it is the latter of the two. It was still good and still kept me entertained, but it was definitely the least favorite issue to come out. See that is the thing with the mid-issue is that is has to be done in order to tie in some key plot points. But let me say something positive about this issue because I still love the series; the cover art was straight ballin’. The whole series just has such a good flow with every panel. I feel the crisp air and the tension when Winslow is being chased in his dreams. I think the whole comic is set up so nice. It introduces a complex story in a simple format. The art just helps to make the visions more real to the reader.

This issue revolved around Winslow’s training. He must control himself in his dreams. If he can hide his memories and himself then the Regulators cannot find him. They cannot destroy his memories of the past world. Anne is there for support. She has the typical I am joining this group because life is boring and there has to be more than this. I like her but I find it irritating that she doesn’t really do anything. In this issue she steals a gun from a cop car, so now I am thinking she will have some fateful shot that will change the course of the plot. The Merchant is trying to help Winslow see in his dreams and also obtain large amounts of Nyquil for Winslow to consume. During, all of this the group is trying to outrun the Regulators when Winslow slips up in his dreams. What they don’t know is that the FBI and Homeland Security are on their asses too. I don’t know why Homeland Security wants to find them, but the FBI detective suspects that the Merchant is planning some terrorist plot I am assuming.

Not a whole lot of action happens. Even though they are running away from the Regulators, not much else is going on and it is pretty easy for them to get away. Winslow has to decide if he wants to fight this fight or not. He doesn’t even know this world so I get the hesitation. I really don’t know how this comic will end. With three issues left it leaves room for some different possibilities. I couldn’t see this going into a full on battle though. I think it will be a battle of mind which should play interesting in comic form. Also, the whole Homeland thing makes me believe that either the Regulators are taking different forms in order to erase our minds or that more people still hold the memory of the past world than we thought. So I will still be ticking around to see if anything I say has any validation…probably not though.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Nathan Edmondson

Artist: Konstantin Novosadov

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.50

Release Date: 7/24/13