"Little Nemo in Slumberland" dated September 28, 1924:
Transcript of Tweets by @LittleNemo1905 (AUGUST 26, 2021):
Very little formal play happening here; we've returned to a more traditional panel layout with a higher panel density than we've been seeing, which is of note. - 1/20
The most important element of this strip is the arrival of "the Sandman"… a being that even Flip seems fearful of because of his power. - 2/20
We're warned by Flip that only a glancing look by the Sandman will put you into a deep sleep and we even become witness to it in panels 6 through 9. - 3/20
Though they try to escape the Sandman, it doesn't go according to plan… as the boys try to hide from him, somehow he trips over Impie. - 4/20
The closure here isn't very clear… It might be that he simply backs up and trips, but that smile on Impie's face in panel 4 could suggest mischief… - 5/20
Does Impie trip him intentionally? It's possible? Then again, maybe he's just smiling because he's having fun hiding from the Sandman with his friends? - 6/20
I think that the first reading is most probable, but I like the second one personally… - 7/20
Now, as soon as the Sandman gets up he catches Impie who immediately falls asleep. Flip follows soon after in panel 8. - 8/20
Both of them begin dreaming very quickly, Impie of a goat and Flip of coal. What is the meaning behind these dreams? It feels as though the dreams are connected to socio-economic lifestyles… - 9/20
Impie dreaming of a goat seems to indicate his connection to an agrarian lifestyle, while Flip's dream might signal him as a working class manual labourer. - 10/20
Whether these indicate desires on the parts of our characters (is this what they *Dream* for themselves?), or simply a stereotypical expectation for them seems up for interpretation. - 11/20
I do think that given the history of racism/ethnic othering that we've seen, it's likely that these suggestions are linked in large part to societal -isms at the time. - 12/20
Now, the Sandman himself is an odd addition to Slumberland. I mean… he seems as though he would be a pretty good ally, not someone to run from. - 13/20
In the earliest adventures of Nemo, keeping him asleep was always a top priority because he would always wake before the fun would happen. Indeed, he used to wish that he could just go back to sleep after waking… - 14/20
Yet, here he is… running away from a being who could keep him asleep… what gives? - 15/20
In part, I think his handling is strange. It's very inception-y… dream characters falling asleep within a dream and dreaming themselves… - 16/20
It's so strange that someone who could be of such value to "Slumberland" be feared… I mean, we also haven't seen Nemo this frightened in a very long time… as he's being chased, he calls for his mother! - 17/20
Finally, I think it's worth noting that, besides the Sandman, we have another first appearance (though no one gives him even the slightest mention)… Fido! - 18/20
This is my reading of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" #430. What's yours? - 20/20