Review- DREAMS OF THE RAREBIT FIEND

DREAMS OF THE RAREBIT FIEND (Dover, 2013 Printing; Softcover)

Collects sixty Dreams Of The Rarebit Fiend strips which were originally published in the New York Telegram 10/07/1904- 8/31/1905

Writer and Artist: Winsor McCay

This is the 2013 printing of the 1973 facsimile edition of the original 1905 hardcover. As of this writing one could get a 1905 original for a mere $10,000 on eBay. Or you can do what I did and buy the 2013 reprint which is still floating around out there for under 20 bucks.

As in the 1905 hardcover and 1973 facsimile edition, the strips are reprinted here in black and white. They are shrunk down from their original publication size, although the Dover editions are 10% larger than the 1905 hardcover. Like the 1973 edition, this 2013 printing omits the final strip due to its unfavorable portrayal of minorities.

Rarebit is apparently some sort of toasted cheese snack, and these unfortunate folks ate them before bed. Apparently this Welsh rarebit gives folks nightmares which probe their innermost fears and desires. This predates McCay's signature strip, Little Nemo In Slumberland but treads the same boards: the realm of dreams. Unlike Nemo, this is not a fun, surreal read, but a bizarre probing of anxieties.

The OCD zone- This is the part where I go into tactile sensations and materials used in physical media. Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or women who are pregnant should exit my blog at their earliest convenience, as their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond this point.

This book is wider than a standard graphic novel.

Linework restoration: I don't have any source material to compare.

Paper stock: Matte stock.

Binding: Perfect bound.

Cardstock cover notes: Laminated cardstock cover.