So here's the thing...I wrote the introduction to the 30th anniversary edition of The Sandman.How absolutely *stupid* is that?It's been half a year since I got the invitation, and months since I actually finished writing the introduction, but I still can't believe it.To celebrate, I thought I'd write a review here. But rather than just my usual messy gush about how I love some story, I got permission from the publisher to re-print part of my introduction I wrote.Share and enjoy...**(What follows...

I thought it was time I added The Sandman. It fits precisely into my systematic program of reading. “Hold on!” I can hear all you folks out there saying. “ Your 'systematic program of reading'? Why you're one of the most eclectic readers I know!”I can understand why you might feel that way, but there is a little method to my madness. Although it is true that some of the books I read (progressive political analyzes, slim 20th century verse collections, cat books, classic spiritual treatises, or t...

Mr Gaiman, thank you for the dream. See what I did there? But in all fairness this is a dream. This comic is just everything I want a comic to be. It’s dark and brutal; it’s profound and sophisticated: it’s imaginative and creative. I just love everything about it. It’s superb. Let’s begin with the characters: Dream So the protagonist is a god, a very old god. And he represents one of the key elements of life itself: hope. He is everything the mind longs for. He is the reason to carry on livi...

FanTABulous preluDe! Creative Team:Writer: Neil GaimanIllustrators: Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg & Malcolm Jones IIICovers: Dave McKeanLetterer: Todd Klein A PRELUdE TO dREAM It is NEVER “only a dream”, John Constantine. Definitely there is stuff that if you read again, you’ll get it differently, but even so, you’ll get it differently if you re-read it again in a different order.I am re-reading again the first four TPBs of The Sandman since I was able to buy the rest of TPBs of the series

I need to admit something. I've never "gotten" Neil Gaiman's books. They confuse the hell out of me. I really never know where he is going with a story. *gasp* This one was some freaky ass shit. Some old guy wants to perform a ceremony to capture "Death". Yeah..okay.Anyways, he ends up capturing our guy Dream. Dream bides his time. Then he wants his domain back. Then some more freaky ass shit goes down. I see a whole lot of fangirls and boys on these books. Don't kill me yet. I hav

I'm stuck at home during a pandemic so why not revisit an old friend. Sandman was the first comic I remember reading in high school where I first thought, "Hey, maybe comics aren't just for kids!". Even though Vertigo later distanced itself from the rest of the DC universe. I love how Gaiman grounds this right in the DC universe while still making it its own thing. John Constantine who quickly become one of my favorite DC characters. Even the Justice League shows up with the main villain, Dr. De...

It was fantastic, specially the audiobook made it a lively and enchanting experience.

Re-Read 1/3/20:Just as good as the previous reads. :)Original Review:I have to say I enjoyed this much better the second time around. Both times I really got a kick out of the Crowley sidestory, and I still have no idea who or what the original sandman comic was all about, nor do I particularly care, but this reimagining is a real work of art.It's not even the art, per-se, although I did enjoy seeing Bowie as Satan. It fits him so well. It was the story. It seemed to stumble about for a short wh...

“What power would hell have if those imprisoned here would not be able to dream of heaven?” Fadi's pick for my 10 reader, 10 recommendations challenge!For personal reasons I will only do a short review of this book. I thought the book was confusing and hard to get into at first but the more I read, the easier it got to follow and understand and I enjoyed it more and more. There is always a magic to books released decades ago (1998!!) because you get a snapshot of that time period wh

"I am anti-life, the beast of judgement. I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of universes, Gods, worlds... of everything. And what will you be then, Dreamlord?""I am hope."This is my favourite quote from this book, and one of my favourite quotes in general. It's beautiful. And true, thank god, so true. I really liked this book. I've wanted to read The Sandman for a long time, and after this I'm beginning to grasp why it's become so popular. You can tell that this is a prelude to the

Since joining goodreads, I’ve been baffled by the Neil Gaiman love fest. American Gods, Neverwhere, Stardust, The Graveyard Book, they appear to be universally loved, and I’ve been skeptical of this emotion that borders on worship. These books are good and all, and I recognize their general accessibility, but I don’t personally find any of them mind blowing literature. Gaiman’s prose is no match for China Mieville’s or Iain M. Banks’ or Ursula LeGuin’s (and countless others who write speculative...

One of those graphic novels that are so famous and hyped up that it makes you want to read them. The consequence though would be that expectations tend to rocket up. I am more disappointed than entertained.I've read 2 novels of Neil Gaiman. I hated Stardust, while Ocean was a mediocre read for me. I DNF(did-not-finish) American Gods and Graveyard Book because I got bored. The Sandman was not that great for me. I think I have to conclude soon enough that I honestly don't see what's so good about

So. Much has changed, much is strange on Earth since I was ripped from my dream home. What first? I doubt I am strong enough to go up against the hordes of Hell. Not yet. To Earth then. The ruby first? Or the pouch? There are things I do not know about this "Justice League". More than mere humans, eh...? The Englishman, then, John Constantine. He has the pouch--or he knows where it is. And he is just a man. I will visit Constantine. Regain my pouch, and with the pouch I will have the power to da...

“I am hope.”A man named Roderick Burgress wants to prevent death in the world by summoning and capturing Death – but what he ends up with is Dream instead. Dream is imprisoned for 70 years and loses his tools that give him his power. Upon Dream’s release he must embark on a journey to retrieve his tools before the world falls into turmoil.I’ve been so psyched to read the Sandman series since I first heard about it on bookstagram. It’s considered by many to be the pinnacle of graphic novels - an

Dream (a.k.a. the Sandman) is mistakenly captured by a creepy cult, that had been hoping to bind Death. Attempting to make the most of their failure, the cultists try to persuade Dream to do their bidding, but he refuses to even acknowledge them. Instead, he bides his time until his captors make a mistake... 72 years later.I loved the story, especially the first chapter where the effects of Dream's imprisonment on humanity are depicted. For all that I'm not big on horror and gore, I was positive...

Why, hello. Sandman, Morpheus, Lord of Dreams. This is the first we see of Gaiman's Eternal (one of seven god-like beings).In this first volume we see how Alastair Crowley High Mage Burgess accidentally captures Dream instead of his sister Death and imprisons him for the next 70 years or so. However, you can't just remove an Eternal as they have responsibilities. Thus, the world and everyone in it suffers severely. Since Dream refuses to give Burgess what he craves, he remains a prisoner until l...

I first read this a couple of years ago, and it was one of the first graphic novels I read. Even though I love me some Gaiman, I have to admit that I didn’t love this. It seemed so incredibly dark when I first read it. Since that time, I’ve read many more graphic novels, most of which have been dark. I decided to revisit this series to see if I still found as dark as I did originally. Yes. Yes, I do.The plot of the first few issues didn’t bother me. Dream’s story and search were compelling. Wher...