Interview: His Curse! Our Nightmares! Meet The Dream Master!

In the following interview, writer Jonathan Hedrick tells us more about who The Dream Master is, what to expect from this new series, and more. 

The Dream Master is a very otherworldly story. Can you set the stage for new readers?

Imagine waking up from a nightmare in which you almost died. In The Dream Master, it’s true. You could have been killed but he saved your life, and you don’t remember it. This is the curse of our unsung hero, the Dream Master.

Does the entirety of the story take place outside of consciousness?

About 99% of it does. That’s what is so fun about this series! We get to go to one extreme setting to the next. The reader could be surprised at any page turn to find that we’re now in an entirely different locale.

What can you tell us about The Dream Master? Visually, he reminds me a bit of Rorschach. Why do we follow him through this story?

Yes, that fedora does give him a similar look to Rorschach. But as a lifelong fan of Watchmen, I can tell you, that this is where their similarities end. Dream Master is not quite like an anti-hero. He knows he has a purpose, and he must fulfill it. However, he doesn’t remember anything from his past and the more he uses his powers, the less he can recall. So, readers will learn more about him at the same time as Dream Master is learning about himself. It really is a journey for everyone!

What kind of walking nightmares does The Dream Master encounter?

We’ve put Dream Master into a lot of insane situations! Graveyards with freakish wolves, haunted carnivals run by demonic clowns, and deep in the ocean among undead sharks. No setting is off limits. This is probably the most fun part of the story for me to write.

Is this as much a fantasy tale as it is a horror story?

I think it’s appropriate to call it a “horror fantasy.” When fleshing out the details of my original outline, I was heavily influenced by Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. I think fans of that book series will see more comparisons with Dream Master than with something like Sandman.

You’re working with artist Luigi Barricelli on this project. What made Luigi the right collaborator for this?

Having Luigi as the artist on this series is a dream come true! No pun intended. He is perfect for a title like Dream Master because he loves drawing creepy and morbid things. Also, he doesn’t waste a square centimeter of space. The detail on every page is beyond belief!

Looking forward, what can readers expect from The Dream Master?

Readers should anticipate every issue feeling like a dream or nightmare. It’s going to be chaotic but with a sense of purpose. As farfetched as this story is, there are still rules that the characters must follow. There’s no cheap escapes in this title.

In terms of audience, who is The Dream Master for?

I’d recommend this comic book to fans of Hellraiser, Swamp Thing, and other obscure horror and horror-adjacent genres. I hope people who take the time to read it find that it isn’t a carbon copy of the more common titles on the shelf at their local comic shop.