(OCTOBER 1995)(collected as part of the RECKONINGS trade paperback)
* John Ney Rieber: writer * Peter Snejbjerg: artist *
* Sherilyn Van Valkenburgh: colorist *
* Richard Starkings and Comicraft : lettering *
* Neil Gaiman: consultant * Julie Rottenberg: editor *
* Greg Spalenka: cover art *
page 1, panel 1: Phlegethon is the River of Fire, one of the rivers surrounding the Underworld in Greek mythology. (submitted by Shannon Patrick
Sullivan)
Malebolge appears in Dante's "Inferno", and is the eighth circle of Hell (which fits the the diagram Tim is studying). (submitted by Shannon
Patrick Sullivan)
page 1, panel 3: "The Wood of Suicides" that Tim reads off the wall was seen by readers first hand in Sandman #4, page 6. (Contributed by Neil
Zawacki.)
page ?, panel 4: Beeville is in Texas; Beirut in Lebanon; Beitostolen in Norway; Brooklyn in New York; Buenos Aires in Argentina; there are
Cartertons in the UK and New Zealand; and there are Charlottes in Iowa, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Tenne ssee, Texas and Vermont.
Given the wartorn state of Beirut, it's perhaps not surprising that its consignment of arrivals to Hell is the greatest amongst those listed. (submitted
by Shannon Patrick Sullivan)
page ?, panel 6: A dragon is a legendary giant lizard, versions of which are present in many of the world's mythologies (the name itself is derived
from Greek mythology). Although often considered to be evil creatures, in the Far East (from which Mr. Chiang apparently hails), dragons are
actually considered to be beneficent creatures. (submitted by Shannon Patrick Sullivan)
page 10, panel 2: In myth, Belial is "the angel of darkness" and "the spirit of wickedness". He is one of the fallen angels in Milton's "Paradise
Lost", and is frequently seen as synonomous with Satan. (submitted by Shannon Patrick Sullivan)
page 16, panel 4: Amongst the creatures pictured here are a centaur, one of a race of half-man, half-horse creatures who are the offspring of Ixion
in Greek mythology and are generally perceived as wild creatures, slaves to their animal passions; a g iant; Humpty Dumpty, an egg person from
the nursery rhyme of the same name; a fairy whose dress resembles Tinkerbell's from the Walt Disney version of "Peter Pan"; a winged pig; and a
stereotypical magician. (submitted by Shannon Patrick Sullivan)
