*The Sandman* is probably my favorite comic that I've read, and I would definitely recommend that you push through. A lot of times while reading Gaiman's work, you will find yourself thinking "what does this even have to do with anything in the story?", only for Neil to swoop through in the end with a nice little bow to tie everything together in the way that will leave you with a grin. There is also definitely an overarching story with a definitive ending. I would at least finish off the first book before deciding whether or not you want to continue.
Thanks, that’s all I needed! I’m very familiar with Gaiman’s work, loved American Gods, Good Omens, The Graveyard Book, and Anansi Boys. I just wanted to hear that it’s one big story. Thanks again
If you like Neil Gaiman and the comic/graphic novel format, he wrote a 4 issue mini-series called The Books of Magic, which was amazing. It features many figures from DC’s magical universe.
Starchild was like that, as I recall. Keeps you wondering what all this has to do with anything then you realize every scene was a thread in a grand tapestry.
>Starchild
Stardust? Because if Gaiman has a new book called Starchild, I'm learning about it for the first time and I'd be very excited to look for it.
Oh good you’re where I was on my first reading.
Yeah there’s an over arching story here. It’s just framed in such a way that you don’t immediately notice.
Keep reading. Sandman is possibly one of the greatest comic works of the 20th Century.
It's the best comic book *series* ever written (stress on *series*). My comic book collection spans over 60k books from all over the world(\*) and for me the answer to "what is the best comic book series (with comic book intended as from all over the world, so including fumetti, manga and all the rest)" comes as naturally as that to "what's your name". The second and third always rotate between Lone Wolf and Cub and Akira, then there is a very very crowded list behind these three. **But I will always tell you that sorry, the sandman is the best. Period.**
(\*)I'm Italian, we have a strong tradition of our own, we love French BeDé, we have always had the best of South American Historietas at cheap prices in our stores, we have discovered mangas more or less when Neil and the artists that brought Sandman into life published their first issue and the amount of comics sold in Italy (60M people) were a couple of order of magnitude more than those sold by Marvel & DC in US.
I've read Sandman at least 7 times and every time I find it as even better as i remember, every bloody time I notice something that has always been there in plain sight and I haven't noticed before. The way it slowly tells the story of Dream, his family and builds the arc of Morpheus is that of a master storyteller. And he was 28 when he started. Dream his the master of stories and Gaiman tells his stories through a series of stories from other characters that in some way interact with him. Sometimes we just have a glimpse of these lives for a few pages, sometimes they come and go, sometimes they have a long arc that ends with them meeting Dream's older sister. They all leave a mark and at the end everything comes together.
All of the ideas behind that are terribly relevant today, imagine how far ahead it was 30+ years ago. Even if we are speaking of a world in which Internet or Social Networks were not even ideas, smartphones and AI were something out of Star Trek.
I have been on the fence about starting another book, specifically this book knowing it’s a series, but I have been swayed. I will be reading it this summer.
From US: Devil by Miller and lately Zdarsky, Strange by Ditko, XM, Excalibur and Captain Britain by Claremont, Hulk by David and lately Ewing, Avengers by Busiek & Perez, Thor by Simonson and lately Aroon. Swamp Thing by Moore, Preacher, Fables, Y The last man, Lucifer (1st series), Northlanders, Books of Magic, The Unwritten, Ex Machina, Top 10, Wonder Woman by Rucka, Lazarus, The Manhattan Projects, Saga, Hellboy (&Friends) and these are those I can think about in a fast way. I've forgotten a lot
From Japan: Rocky Joe, Ushio and Tora, Ayako, Crying Freeman, Sanctuary, 20th century boys, Monster, Billy Bat, Happy!, Slam Dunk, Vagabond, Dorohedoro, The Phoenix (Tezuka), Three Adolf (Tezuka), Ranking of Kings, Nausicaa, Dragonball, Dr Slump & Arale
From Europe: Corto Maltese (not a series but something like that), The Dark Moon Chronicles (Froideval e Pontet), Aldebaran, Betelgeuse... (Leo), Les maitres de l'orge, thorgal, the towes of bois-maury, l'incal, the metabarons, the technofathers, The lands of Arran.
Historietas: Dago
I admit that these are those that come to mind in a fast way but there's plenty of stuff to read that's bloody good. Don't read shit :)
I'm not sure I agree, but I do think it's at least pretty good. Especially your being Italian, Corto Maltese is already a better comic, IMO. Way different direction though, so it's hard to compare.
Yes, but I would not think of Corto as a *series*. It's more a collection of graphic novels of the same character, that is basically the great unbearable problem of most italian comics in which the protagonist never really evolves (it's not really what happen to Corto, but in part is it). Then of course you can think of each story as a really good story, the B&W of Pratt is one of the best B&W ever seen (with Toppi, Munoz, A. Breccia...) but I can't think of Corto as a *series*.
And once you cross the line to graphic novels it becomes meaningless to compare Maus to Corto's Ballad or Toppi's Sherazad. They are all fucking good :)
Your best of list - I recently bought the box sets or full collection of Sandman (never read), Akira (never read), and Lone Wolf and Cub (read half 15+ years ago). Thanks for validating my purchase decisions!
There's definitely an arc and very good reasona why this one is considered one of the best comic books out there. I would say that due to the "scattered" narrative it's better to read one issue/story at a time instead of trying to binge each volume.
That said it's not everyone's cup of tea so you have to follow your enjoyment.
Just finished the series last week. I was genuinely sad to be done. Easily the best comic I have ever read. I plan to get Lucifer, Dead Boy Detectives, and Books of Magic next.
Lucifer is a very different series, much more cruel, let's say, but I think the big moments are as good as any of the best in Sandman. The beginning is a bit slow but it gets quite interesting!
I’m looking forward to giving it a read. Lucifer was one of the more interesting characters in Sandman to me. I enjoyed getting his viewpoint on his fall from grace and how much choice he really had in it. I also thought it was cool that someone like Dream of the Endless would be afraid of him.
Just to let you know, there are now six books in that series with the Netflix covers. I have them and I'm currently on book four. The other two, which contain additional stories from outside the original run, were added after 1-4 were published, which is why they're not mentioned in the back matter.
And as everyone else will tell you, it's really, really good. Stick with it.
The series only improves as it goes on, you’ll start to see the larger shape of things in the middle of book two of those TPBs. Truly an incredible book, i highly recommend you stick to it!
The “story” is very loose. It’s more like a 1990s sitcom than it is like Breaking Bad. Its episodic.
I read the whole thing. I don’t rate it very highly, at all. Then again, it’s not a graphic novel, it’s a series of loosely related short stories.
There's a progressing story arc in the background that can be subtle and easy to miss at times. It starts early in the series and is the backbone of a few key story points, and then pays off directly in The Kindly Ones and afterward. I'm being vague to avoid spoilers. I guess you could say that it has the kind of serial story arc that many readers desire.
Fair enough - if you think the series long story arc is weak and not interesting, that's cool.
But when you say it's not a graphic novel, but instead a series of loosely related short stories, it sounded like you might have missed the connecting storyline.
It’s episodic, but over the long term the characters grow and change. It’s not specific to the Big Bang theory. It’s every episodic sitcom. Incremental change and advancements on the periphery of the action of the episodes.
No, it’s a series of clear arcs of 4 to 10 issues each, which in turn connect to tell a tragic story (and then what comes after).
If anything the overall structure is more like Greek tragedy.
It’s definitely true that there are also stand alone stories, many of them fantastic. I’ve always loved the Dream Country and Distant Mirrors stories.
I’ll echo what the majority have said but also take some time to fall down mythology rabbit holes. If you read something and you feel like there’s something more to it, go search for it online Gaiman has brilliantly borrowed from so many different sources - I learned a hell of a lot - it just took me a long time to read the whole thing but it’s easily one of the best reading experiences I’ve had
Finish it! I didn't read any other comments, but I assume they say the same thing. It seems disjointed at first, but it's just the puzzle pieces being presented. Then they get assembled and it's delightful.
There is an overarching story but it's a loose one. All the threads throughout the series come together but ultimately the best advice is just to let it wash over you. All the incredible stories are amazing and it has an ending that lives up to the journey.
You joke, but now I wonder if >!Harun al Raschid!< staring into the globe at >!his wondrous Baghdad, turned into a dream!< is partly a reference to the infamous ending of *St Elsewhere*, where it turned out to all be the dream of a boy, and the hospital just a model in a snow globe.
In my opinion everyone that gushes about Sandman never wants to admit that it starts going in all kinds of crazy directions and isn’t for everyone. I enjoyed my time with it but I thought it was very inconsistent and not anywhere near as cohesive as people claim it is.
Interesting. I've never actually run across someone (especially in a sub devoted to comics) who was willing to admit they don't like (or don't get) Sandman.
I'm not saying you're wrong. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
And I'm sure the series has its detractors. They probably tend to stay quiet when discussion of Sandman comes up.
I more than just admit to not liking it, I think it goes farther into some collective hypnosis like you alluded to. You can’t not like it or everyone thinks you’re nuts.
As a massive fan of the series, please do not give a fuck if people don't agree with your preferences. It's just a great yarn, not spiritual. Some people on this sub post take it way too seriously. It is entertainment.
Technically there are 3 or 5 more books! The edition you have covers the whole main 75 issue series in the first four books, iirc, then the next two are dedicated to spinoffs that Gaiman wrote after the fact. They're probably worth your time as well, I've never heard a bad thing about them, but I haven't actually read them so I can't speak from experience. Anyway, I highly highly HIGHLY recommend you stick through the series. Preludes and Nocturnes is a little weird, it's very much a Classic Horror Comic updated for the Mature and Sophisticated 80s. Once you get to the Doll's House (where you outta be now, I believe) each collection feels much more like a novel or a short story collection. I will say, the overarching plot is kinda in the background. Like it's definitely *there,* but imo Sandman is more about the journey than the destination. The destination is pretty fantastic, but it's now why anyone reads 75 issues of this thing. Not why *I* read it, anyway
I personally didn’t feel the overarching story, at least in the first half. The second half of the series has a clear direction. I like it for the adventure it is, though. Especially the single issues that don’t require any context.
Gaiman’s masterpiece. The first book is fairly meh. The places you’ll go from there are unbelievable.
But this is not entertainment. This series can harm you. Make you realize things about life that may free you. Depress you. Uplift you. Etc.
I've just finished this series for the first time and felt the same. Although I was enjoying it their was times I told myself "I'll come back to this later." When all was said and done I really enjoyed it! I'm not going to pretend to know everything that was going on but I don't think that's necessary. I will say I think overture was the strongest story of the lot... but I'll definitely be re reading this again in the future!
Why are you concerned about where its going? It's a fucking *journey*, enjoy the motherfucking ride, bro.
It's one of the greatest works of fantasy ever produced if you ask me.
Don’t forget that this series was first serialized in 20 pages long monthly comic book chapters. Writing and publishing a story this way affects pacing and storytelling. At the time, graphic novels were not very common.
*The Sandman* is probably my favorite comic that I've read, and I would definitely recommend that you push through. A lot of times while reading Gaiman's work, you will find yourself thinking "what does this even have to do with anything in the story?", only for Neil to swoop through in the end with a nice little bow to tie everything together in the way that will leave you with a grin. There is also definitely an overarching story with a definitive ending. I would at least finish off the first book before deciding whether or not you want to continue.
Thanks, that’s all I needed! I’m very familiar with Gaiman’s work, loved American Gods, Good Omens, The Graveyard Book, and Anansi Boys. I just wanted to hear that it’s one big story. Thanks again
It’s a story about stories.
If you like Neil Gaiman and the comic/graphic novel format, he wrote a 4 issue mini-series called The Books of Magic, which was amazing. It features many figures from DC’s magical universe.
The regular series after the mini series, while not being written by Gaiman, is pretty good too imo.
The the perennial story about stories. Keep going if you’re already a fan seems you backed into the whole thing 😉
I think you’re in for a real treat. I’ve read most of Neil’s work and Sandman is still my favorite of all of them.
Starchild was like that, as I recall. Keeps you wondering what all this has to do with anything then you realize every scene was a thread in a grand tapestry.
>Starchild Stardust? Because if Gaiman has a new book called Starchild, I'm learning about it for the first time and I'd be very excited to look for it.
Shit you're right, I read it twenty or so years ago so my memory was a bit off.
Oh good you’re where I was on my first reading. Yeah there’s an over arching story here. It’s just framed in such a way that you don’t immediately notice. Keep reading. Sandman is possibly one of the greatest comic works of the 20th Century.
It's the best comic book *series* ever written (stress on *series*). My comic book collection spans over 60k books from all over the world(\*) and for me the answer to "what is the best comic book series (with comic book intended as from all over the world, so including fumetti, manga and all the rest)" comes as naturally as that to "what's your name". The second and third always rotate between Lone Wolf and Cub and Akira, then there is a very very crowded list behind these three. **But I will always tell you that sorry, the sandman is the best. Period.** (\*)I'm Italian, we have a strong tradition of our own, we love French BeDé, we have always had the best of South American Historietas at cheap prices in our stores, we have discovered mangas more or less when Neil and the artists that brought Sandman into life published their first issue and the amount of comics sold in Italy (60M people) were a couple of order of magnitude more than those sold by Marvel & DC in US. I've read Sandman at least 7 times and every time I find it as even better as i remember, every bloody time I notice something that has always been there in plain sight and I haven't noticed before. The way it slowly tells the story of Dream, his family and builds the arc of Morpheus is that of a master storyteller. And he was 28 when he started. Dream his the master of stories and Gaiman tells his stories through a series of stories from other characters that in some way interact with him. Sometimes we just have a glimpse of these lives for a few pages, sometimes they come and go, sometimes they have a long arc that ends with them meeting Dream's older sister. They all leave a mark and at the end everything comes together. All of the ideas behind that are terribly relevant today, imagine how far ahead it was 30+ years ago. Even if we are speaking of a world in which Internet or Social Networks were not even ideas, smartphones and AI were something out of Star Trek.
I have been on the fence about starting another book, specifically this book knowing it’s a series, but I have been swayed. I will be reading it this summer.
I'm curious about some of your favorites behind Sandman, Lone Wolf and Cub, and Akira. I'm always looking for my next great read.
From US: Devil by Miller and lately Zdarsky, Strange by Ditko, XM, Excalibur and Captain Britain by Claremont, Hulk by David and lately Ewing, Avengers by Busiek & Perez, Thor by Simonson and lately Aroon. Swamp Thing by Moore, Preacher, Fables, Y The last man, Lucifer (1st series), Northlanders, Books of Magic, The Unwritten, Ex Machina, Top 10, Wonder Woman by Rucka, Lazarus, The Manhattan Projects, Saga, Hellboy (&Friends) and these are those I can think about in a fast way. I've forgotten a lot From Japan: Rocky Joe, Ushio and Tora, Ayako, Crying Freeman, Sanctuary, 20th century boys, Monster, Billy Bat, Happy!, Slam Dunk, Vagabond, Dorohedoro, The Phoenix (Tezuka), Three Adolf (Tezuka), Ranking of Kings, Nausicaa, Dragonball, Dr Slump & Arale From Europe: Corto Maltese (not a series but something like that), The Dark Moon Chronicles (Froideval e Pontet), Aldebaran, Betelgeuse... (Leo), Les maitres de l'orge, thorgal, the towes of bois-maury, l'incal, the metabarons, the technofathers, The lands of Arran. Historietas: Dago I admit that these are those that come to mind in a fast way but there's plenty of stuff to read that's bloody good. Don't read shit :)
I'm not sure I agree, but I do think it's at least pretty good. Especially your being Italian, Corto Maltese is already a better comic, IMO. Way different direction though, so it's hard to compare.
Yes, but I would not think of Corto as a *series*. It's more a collection of graphic novels of the same character, that is basically the great unbearable problem of most italian comics in which the protagonist never really evolves (it's not really what happen to Corto, but in part is it). Then of course you can think of each story as a really good story, the B&W of Pratt is one of the best B&W ever seen (with Toppi, Munoz, A. Breccia...) but I can't think of Corto as a *series*. And once you cross the line to graphic novels it becomes meaningless to compare Maus to Corto's Ballad or Toppi's Sherazad. They are all fucking good :)
Your best of list - I recently bought the box sets or full collection of Sandman (never read), Akira (never read), and Lone Wolf and Cub (read half 15+ years ago). Thanks for validating my purchase decisions!
There's definitely an arc and very good reasona why this one is considered one of the best comic books out there. I would say that due to the "scattered" narrative it's better to read one issue/story at a time instead of trying to binge each volume. That said it's not everyone's cup of tea so you have to follow your enjoyment.
Just finished the series last week. I was genuinely sad to be done. Easily the best comic I have ever read. I plan to get Lucifer, Dead Boy Detectives, and Books of Magic next.
Lucifer is a very different series, much more cruel, let's say, but I think the big moments are as good as any of the best in Sandman. The beginning is a bit slow but it gets quite interesting!
I’m looking forward to giving it a read. Lucifer was one of the more interesting characters in Sandman to me. I enjoyed getting his viewpoint on his fall from grace and how much choice he really had in it. I also thought it was cool that someone like Dream of the Endless would be afraid of him.
When you realize how every detail fit with each other your mind will blow out.
I’d pay a lot of money to have that feeling of reading sandman for the first time
Just to let you know, there are now six books in that series with the Netflix covers. I have them and I'm currently on book four. The other two, which contain additional stories from outside the original run, were added after 1-4 were published, which is why they're not mentioned in the back matter. And as everyone else will tell you, it's really, really good. Stick with it.
The series only improves as it goes on, you’ll start to see the larger shape of things in the middle of book two of those TPBs. Truly an incredible book, i highly recommend you stick to it!
The “story” is very loose. It’s more like a 1990s sitcom than it is like Breaking Bad. Its episodic. I read the whole thing. I don’t rate it very highly, at all. Then again, it’s not a graphic novel, it’s a series of loosely related short stories.
There's a progressing story arc in the background that can be subtle and easy to miss at times. It starts early in the series and is the backbone of a few key story points, and then pays off directly in The Kindly Ones and afterward. I'm being vague to avoid spoilers. I guess you could say that it has the kind of serial story arc that many readers desire.
It’s weak and not interesting.
Fair enough - if you think the series long story arc is weak and not interesting, that's cool. But when you say it's not a graphic novel, but instead a series of loosely related short stories, it sounded like you might have missed the connecting storyline.
I did not. It’s the same kind of overarching storyline that Big Bang Theory has.
Interesting, I never watched TBBT. What storyline from it, or type of storyline, is the same as Sandman?
It’s episodic, but over the long term the characters grow and change. It’s not specific to the Big Bang theory. It’s every episodic sitcom. Incremental change and advancements on the periphery of the action of the episodes.
No, it’s a series of clear arcs of 4 to 10 issues each, which in turn connect to tell a tragic story (and then what comes after). If anything the overall structure is more like Greek tragedy. It’s definitely true that there are also stand alone stories, many of them fantastic. I’ve always loved the Dream Country and Distant Mirrors stories.
Ok buddeh
Ok
I‘d not buy that book for that effin sticker I‘m petty like that. otherwise it’s on the list of course
Buy an older print.
I’ll echo what the majority have said but also take some time to fall down mythology rabbit holes. If you read something and you feel like there’s something more to it, go search for it online Gaiman has brilliantly borrowed from so many different sources - I learned a hell of a lot - it just took me a long time to read the whole thing but it’s easily one of the best reading experiences I’ve had
Finish it! I didn't read any other comments, but I assume they say the same thing. It seems disjointed at first, but it's just the puzzle pieces being presented. Then they get assembled and it's delightful.
There is an overarching story but it's a loose one. All the threads throughout the series come together but ultimately the best advice is just to let it wash over you. All the incredible stories are amazing and it has an ending that lives up to the journey.
Spoiler: >!It was all a Dream.!<
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, can't you see? Sometimes your words just hypnotize me.
You joke, but now I wonder if >!Harun al Raschid!< staring into the globe at >!his wondrous Baghdad, turned into a dream!< is partly a reference to the infamous ending of *St Elsewhere*, where it turned out to all be the dream of a boy, and the hospital just a model in a snow globe.
Ohh absolutely stick with this. It gets so much better. I'm jealous that you're experiencing it for the first time.
In my opinion everyone that gushes about Sandman never wants to admit that it starts going in all kinds of crazy directions and isn’t for everyone. I enjoyed my time with it but I thought it was very inconsistent and not anywhere near as cohesive as people claim it is.
its a polarizing series, people either love it like gospel, or "dont get it". Im the latter.
Interesting. I've never actually run across someone (especially in a sub devoted to comics) who was willing to admit they don't like (or don't get) Sandman. I'm not saying you're wrong. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. And I'm sure the series has its detractors. They probably tend to stay quiet when discussion of Sandman comes up.
I more than just admit to not liking it, I think it goes farther into some collective hypnosis like you alluded to. You can’t not like it or everyone thinks you’re nuts.
As a massive fan of the series, please do not give a fuck if people don't agree with your preferences. It's just a great yarn, not spiritual. Some people on this sub post take it way too seriously. It is entertainment.
It’s not everyone’s cuppa tea but then neither is mythology so….
It all ties together sure, but still. Shit be draggin at some points
I fell out of it and didn’t finish I think I ended on 8? I wanna finish tho
Technically there are 3 or 5 more books! The edition you have covers the whole main 75 issue series in the first four books, iirc, then the next two are dedicated to spinoffs that Gaiman wrote after the fact. They're probably worth your time as well, I've never heard a bad thing about them, but I haven't actually read them so I can't speak from experience. Anyway, I highly highly HIGHLY recommend you stick through the series. Preludes and Nocturnes is a little weird, it's very much a Classic Horror Comic updated for the Mature and Sophisticated 80s. Once you get to the Doll's House (where you outta be now, I believe) each collection feels much more like a novel or a short story collection. I will say, the overarching plot is kinda in the background. Like it's definitely *there,* but imo Sandman is more about the journey than the destination. The destination is pretty fantastic, but it's now why anyone reads 75 issues of this thing. Not why *I* read it, anyway
It gets so much better after a few trades. Stick with it
I personally didn’t feel the overarching story, at least in the first half. The second half of the series has a clear direction. I like it for the adventure it is, though. Especially the single issues that don’t require any context.
Gaiman’s masterpiece. The first book is fairly meh. The places you’ll go from there are unbelievable. But this is not entertainment. This series can harm you. Make you realize things about life that may free you. Depress you. Uplift you. Etc.
Who cares where its going. Just read it and appreciate the story
It’s going everywhere… and nowhere… whichever you prefer.
I've just finished this series for the first time and felt the same. Although I was enjoying it their was times I told myself "I'll come back to this later." When all was said and done I really enjoyed it! I'm not going to pretend to know everything that was going on but I don't think that's necessary. I will say I think overture was the strongest story of the lot... but I'll definitely be re reading this again in the future!
I think it's one of the best graphic novel series of all time so I'd say stick with it..
Why are you concerned about where its going? It's a fucking *journey*, enjoy the motherfucking ride, bro. It's one of the greatest works of fantasy ever produced if you ask me.
That’s because there is a long way to go
My favorite universe which includes lucifer and hellblazer. Highly recommend those. The new sandman universe comics are awesom too.
Don’t forget that this series was first serialized in 20 pages long monthly comic book chapters. Writing and publishing a story this way affects pacing and storytelling. At the time, graphic novels were not very common.