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The Sandman Omnibus
The Sandman Omnibus Vol. 2
The Sandman is the universally lauded masterwork following Morpheus, Lord of the Dreaming--a vast hallucinatory landscape housing all the dreams of any and everyone who's ever existed. Regardless of cultures or historical eras, all dreamers visit Morpheus' realm--be they gods, demons, muses, mythical creatures, or simply humans who teach Morpheus some surprising lessons.
In this epic tale, Delirium, youngest of the Endless, prevails upon the Sandman to help her find their errant brother, Destruction. But their quest will lead to a painful reunion between Morpheus and his son, Orpheus. Then, the Sandman and others are trapped in a mysterious inn while a tempest rages - and all they can do to while away the time is tell the stories of their lives. And when a young woman's baby is stolen, she turns to The Kindly Ones for vengeance - only to set off a series of events that will lead the Sandman to his ultimate fate, and the baby to find a destiny no one could have foretold.
This massive hardcover tome, over 1000 pages, collects the final 38 issues of Neil Gaiman's groundbreaking series.
Collects THE SANDMAN #38-75 plus stories from VERTIGO JAM #1 and VERTIGO: WINTER'S EDGE #3.
In this epic tale, Delirium, youngest of the Endless, prevails upon the Sandman to help her find their errant brother, Destruction. But their quest will lead to a painful reunion between Morpheus and his son, Orpheus. Then, the Sandman and others are trapped in a mysterious inn while a tempest rages - and all they can do to while away the time is tell the stories of their lives. And when a young woman's baby is stolen, she turns to The Kindly Ones for vengeance - only to set off a series of events that will lead the Sandman to his ultimate fate, and the baby to find a destiny no one could have foretold.
This massive hardcover tome, over 1000 pages, collects the final 38 issues of Neil Gaiman's groundbreaking series.
Collects THE SANDMAN #38-75 plus stories from VERTIGO JAM #1 and VERTIGO: WINTER'S EDGE #3.
1040 pages, Hardcover
First published November 12, 2013
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1906 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
August 13, 2019
Our internet was down for 24 hours so I decided to chew through this massive omnibus I bought discounted on Prime day as a birthday present to myself. I read the individual trades years ago but it's been a long, long time. I'm pleased to say it holds up.
I didn't review this as I went so I'll just touch on some things. I don't revere Neil Gaiman like I once did. Once you read some Ray Bradbury, Peter S. Beagle, and P.G. Wodehouse, you see where he draws a lot of his voice from and even some of his subject matter. That being said, Gaiman crafted something magical with The Sandman.
In this volume, Dream goes looking for a missing sibling and draws the ire of one Lyta Hall. There is also the tale of the Inn at World's End, where a lot of dreamers were stranded during a storm in the dreaming. A lot of other stuff happens too but this is a 1000 page kitten squisher of a tome.
Much like the last volume, this one just got better with age. I'm going to trot out my favorite Gene Wolfe quote now: "My definition of good literature is that which can be read by an educated reader, and reread with increased pleasure." Sandman is definitely that. I've read (and reviewed) a couple thousand books since the last time I read through this saga and I picked up so many more references this time around. I have to think Gene Wolfe's executioners guild in Book of the New Sun had to play a big part in inspiring the Necropolis, for instance.
I love how Gaiman pulled in a lot of characters that hadn't gotten much attention in recent years, like Prez, and built whole issues around them. While The Sandman was primarily about the nature of stories for most of its run, it was also a love letter to some forgotten DC characters.
Gaiman's worldbuilding is ingenious in that he only hints at things rather than beating you over the head with them. I feel like there could easily be a hundred more issues of The Sandman built just around the hints he lays down, like the construction of Dream's helm and the gates of Dreaming.
Since my last reading, I'd forgotten great whacks of this but there are clues to the ending scattered in earlier tales. I also didn't care for the ending the first time since it wasn't the great Smackdown between Morpheus and the Furies I was envisioning but it was the only way to stop the Furies and save The Dreaming. I'm glad the book actually ended rather than sliding into mediocrity and cancellation like so many others. It's a good stopping point but hopeful enough that you won't mind coming back to it in another decade or so, which I intend on doing.
Still one of the best. Five out of five stars.
I didn't review this as I went so I'll just touch on some things. I don't revere Neil Gaiman like I once did. Once you read some Ray Bradbury, Peter S. Beagle, and P.G. Wodehouse, you see where he draws a lot of his voice from and even some of his subject matter. That being said, Gaiman crafted something magical with The Sandman.
In this volume, Dream goes looking for a missing sibling and draws the ire of one Lyta Hall. There is also the tale of the Inn at World's End, where a lot of dreamers were stranded during a storm in the dreaming. A lot of other stuff happens too but this is a 1000 page kitten squisher of a tome.
Much like the last volume, this one just got better with age. I'm going to trot out my favorite Gene Wolfe quote now: "My definition of good literature is that which can be read by an educated reader, and reread with increased pleasure." Sandman is definitely that. I've read (and reviewed) a couple thousand books since the last time I read through this saga and I picked up so many more references this time around. I have to think Gene Wolfe's executioners guild in Book of the New Sun had to play a big part in inspiring the Necropolis, for instance.
I love how Gaiman pulled in a lot of characters that hadn't gotten much attention in recent years, like Prez, and built whole issues around them. While The Sandman was primarily about the nature of stories for most of its run, it was also a love letter to some forgotten DC characters.
Gaiman's worldbuilding is ingenious in that he only hints at things rather than beating you over the head with them. I feel like there could easily be a hundred more issues of The Sandman built just around the hints he lays down, like the construction of Dream's helm and the gates of Dreaming.
Since my last reading, I'd forgotten great whacks of this but there are clues to the ending scattered in earlier tales. I also didn't care for the ending the first time since it wasn't the great Smackdown between Morpheus and the Furies I was envisioning but it was the only way to stop the Furies and save The Dreaming. I'm glad the book actually ended rather than sliding into mediocrity and cancellation like so many others. It's a good stopping point but hopeful enough that you won't mind coming back to it in another decade or so, which I intend on doing.
Still one of the best. Five out of five stars.
May 30, 2017
first of all, the omnibus edition (leather cover) is a unique and spectacular one. 1000+ pages of Sandman, illustration paper and great coloring! It consists of the issues 38 - 75 plus some other stories and a final Sandman story, based on Neil Gaiman himself, his inspiration and his comings across Lord Morfeus (too lovely!)
As for the story itself... well... it's Sandman... it's Gaiman's most considerable work (hm... I don't really know, I love everything he has written...), where it all started! Stories where Greek and Norse Mythology are linked together with the Eternals and Queen Titania from Shakspeare. The most rational thing is the most irrational seen, rules are more ancient than time itself and must be obeyed, whereas deep feelings are the truest emotion anyone might feel.
Take your seats and embrace the Lord of Dream!
As for the story itself... well... it's Sandman... it's Gaiman's most considerable work (hm... I don't really know, I love everything he has written...), where it all started! Stories where Greek and Norse Mythology are linked together with the Eternals and Queen Titania from Shakspeare. The most rational thing is the most irrational seen, rules are more ancient than time itself and must be obeyed, whereas deep feelings are the truest emotion anyone might feel.
Take your seats and embrace the Lord of Dream!
August 4, 2016
I must admit, that was a challenging read.
The Sandman doesn't always capture your attention, but often sends you into day dreaming, how ironic, forcing me to reread pages to get my head around the fantastical story telling.
You can't argue that this is fantastic writing, but it should possibly have been a written novel instead. The artwork chops and changes as much as the story telling does and that in itself makes for a difficult read. I do wish that the sandman had been given a deserving illustrator, though I suppose at the time vertigo was not on par with DC and did not get the credit it deserved. The book itself is beautiful, printed strangely on black paper, possibly to match Morpheus, again let down by DC terrible binding.
This story really does make you dream fantastic things, it makes you remember yourself as you were when you were but a child or a teenager. There are so many characters that pop up, which have been created in literature or history, which turn on switches in your mind, memories or dreams you had forgotten and for that reason I am glad to have had the pleasure of reading this beautiful story.
In all, it is one epic dream, immortalised onto paper.
"Sweet dreams are made of this, who am I to disagree?"
The Sandman doesn't always capture your attention, but often sends you into day dreaming, how ironic, forcing me to reread pages to get my head around the fantastical story telling.
You can't argue that this is fantastic writing, but it should possibly have been a written novel instead. The artwork chops and changes as much as the story telling does and that in itself makes for a difficult read. I do wish that the sandman had been given a deserving illustrator, though I suppose at the time vertigo was not on par with DC and did not get the credit it deserved. The book itself is beautiful, printed strangely on black paper, possibly to match Morpheus, again let down by DC terrible binding.
This story really does make you dream fantastic things, it makes you remember yourself as you were when you were but a child or a teenager. There are so many characters that pop up, which have been created in literature or history, which turn on switches in your mind, memories or dreams you had forgotten and for that reason I am glad to have had the pleasure of reading this beautiful story.
In all, it is one epic dream, immortalised onto paper.
"Sweet dreams are made of this, who am I to disagree?"
February 27, 2017
This volume, like the first one, defies simple description.
First of all, it's a work by Neil Gaiman, so the story-telling is rich and complex. He makes highly creative use of various mythologies, religious and metaphysical concepts, literary traditions and even pop culture. The Sandman has a "cast of thousands," comprised of immortals, gods and goddesses, angels and demons, ghosts, superheroes, villains, faery-folk, regular humans, children and animals. Even the minor characters are interesting and they can pop up at unexpected moments. The individual issues can be humorous, thought-provoking, tender, sad, or violent. And as usual, Gaiman includes an account of the genesis of the story, which is always interesting.
Second of all, the artwork is superb. Gaiman collaborates with a group of very talented artists, who have different styles. So great attention is given to visual details, from panoramic views of otherworldly realms down to the fonts and background colours used in the speech bubbles.
Immersing oneself in this is an unforgettable experience. Wrenching oneself back to the real world is like waking up from a strange and vivid dream.
First of all, it's a work by Neil Gaiman, so the story-telling is rich and complex. He makes highly creative use of various mythologies, religious and metaphysical concepts, literary traditions and even pop culture. The Sandman has a "cast of thousands," comprised of immortals, gods and goddesses, angels and demons, ghosts, superheroes, villains, faery-folk, regular humans, children and animals. Even the minor characters are interesting and they can pop up at unexpected moments. The individual issues can be humorous, thought-provoking, tender, sad, or violent. And as usual, Gaiman includes an account of the genesis of the story, which is always interesting.
Second of all, the artwork is superb. Gaiman collaborates with a group of very talented artists, who have different styles. So great attention is given to visual details, from panoramic views of otherworldly realms down to the fonts and background colours used in the speech bubbles.
Immersing oneself in this is an unforgettable experience. Wrenching oneself back to the real world is like waking up from a strange and vivid dream.
April 3, 2016
“I walk across the dreaming sands under the pale moon: through the dreams of countries and cities, past dreams of places long gone and times beyond recall.”
Finishing this gigantic book filled with vivid drawings and lyrical words, hidden in speech balloons and colorful chaos, has left me empty. Gaiman always has that effect on me, and while I mainly consider myself a reader of prose, the addition of pictures and comic book heroes doesn't change anything. Gaiman's words are magical; the medium doesn't matter. The stories does.
Even if this second half of the Sandman-comics weren't exactly what I had expected. The atmosphere shifted. The melancholy increased. And while the violence wasn't as bloody and eye gorging as in the first Sandman-comics, it was still there. Only transformed as emotional turmoil; internal pain.
Morpheus has changed. Everybody notices – even himself, while he certainly doesn't admit it. He isn't as coldhearted or godly as he was before. He suddenly cares about mortals, unnecessary bloodspilling, his forsaken son and his wideeyed sister. He goes on a quest to find his brother, even though he has no real interest in finding him at all. He comes to aid a lonesome fairy while knowing he has signed his own death warrant. He is changed. And when the stories end he is an entirely different person.
“Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love.”
I loved these stories. Stories about women who wanted to be sailors, fairies who wanted to win glory and storytellers that bargain with demons in order to open doors into their own minds. I loved Morpheus' decay and the complete absence from his siblings; the strained family ties proven by a long-lost brothers unwillingness to be found.
Perhaps the stories sometimes became a bit too mystical for my taste: but even then, the imagery won me over. The artwork for the Sandman-comics are always changing; different artists awaken their own versions of Dream, Death, Despair, Delirium and Desire. Sometimes Morpheus looks like a young man; other times he looks like an elderly. His ever changing appearances reminds the reader, that he is an idea, not a humanbeing. He is never constant, for he is only a dream.
And that is what it all comes down to; dreams. The stories we create while we are asleep; unconscious and completely unaware of the wonderlands that grow in our minds. The stories and the versions of our self we present to strangers – drawn from that hazy place in our minds that contain our imagination and our own perception of reality.
Ultimately, Gaiman writes about a god of dreams. A talespinner, a dreamweaver, a nightmare maker and a glimmer of hope. Because there's hope in dreams. And there always should be.
“I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend...I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don't last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend...”
Finishing this gigantic book filled with vivid drawings and lyrical words, hidden in speech balloons and colorful chaos, has left me empty. Gaiman always has that effect on me, and while I mainly consider myself a reader of prose, the addition of pictures and comic book heroes doesn't change anything. Gaiman's words are magical; the medium doesn't matter. The stories does.
Even if this second half of the Sandman-comics weren't exactly what I had expected. The atmosphere shifted. The melancholy increased. And while the violence wasn't as bloody and eye gorging as in the first Sandman-comics, it was still there. Only transformed as emotional turmoil; internal pain.
Morpheus has changed. Everybody notices – even himself, while he certainly doesn't admit it. He isn't as coldhearted or godly as he was before. He suddenly cares about mortals, unnecessary bloodspilling, his forsaken son and his wideeyed sister. He goes on a quest to find his brother, even though he has no real interest in finding him at all. He comes to aid a lonesome fairy while knowing he has signed his own death warrant. He is changed. And when the stories end he is an entirely different person.
“Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love.”
I loved these stories. Stories about women who wanted to be sailors, fairies who wanted to win glory and storytellers that bargain with demons in order to open doors into their own minds. I loved Morpheus' decay and the complete absence from his siblings; the strained family ties proven by a long-lost brothers unwillingness to be found.
Perhaps the stories sometimes became a bit too mystical for my taste: but even then, the imagery won me over. The artwork for the Sandman-comics are always changing; different artists awaken their own versions of Dream, Death, Despair, Delirium and Desire. Sometimes Morpheus looks like a young man; other times he looks like an elderly. His ever changing appearances reminds the reader, that he is an idea, not a humanbeing. He is never constant, for he is only a dream.
And that is what it all comes down to; dreams. The stories we create while we are asleep; unconscious and completely unaware of the wonderlands that grow in our minds. The stories and the versions of our self we present to strangers – drawn from that hazy place in our minds that contain our imagination and our own perception of reality.
Ultimately, Gaiman writes about a god of dreams. A talespinner, a dreamweaver, a nightmare maker and a glimmer of hope. Because there's hope in dreams. And there always should be.
“I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend...I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don't last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend...”
May 17, 2023
I NEVER THOUGHT I'D FINISH IT BUT IT WAS SO GOOD
July 19, 2015
An amazing story about stories and the power of dreams that fuel these stories. The Sandman is not you regular comic book... actually, I have a little trouble thinking about it as a comic book. The Sandman is a novel disguised as a comic book. Only a couple of times Gaiman makes use of the advantages the medium offers. Most arcs consist of people telling other people stories about people who tell other people stories and so on and so on. And these stories are, 99% of the time, simply amazing, deeply rooted in long lost narratives and folk tales that were squashed by the modern age and different religions.
These stories are so good they'll just make you forget about the art being all over the place, going from a cartoony penciller to a hyper realistic one just like that. They are so good you'll forget you're supposed to be reading a comic book, where the graphical aspect should be as important as the lyrical. Most of the time you'll be staring at talking heads telling stories about people who told stories, with no action whatsoever. That's the recipe for a really bad comic book, but also a true testament to Gaiman's skills. His stories are so good and intelligent that, when you finish it, The Sandman will definitely count among one of your favorite "comic books" ever.
These stories are so good they'll just make you forget about the art being all over the place, going from a cartoony penciller to a hyper realistic one just like that. They are so good you'll forget you're supposed to be reading a comic book, where the graphical aspect should be as important as the lyrical. Most of the time you'll be staring at talking heads telling stories about people who told stories, with no action whatsoever. That's the recipe for a really bad comic book, but also a true testament to Gaiman's skills. His stories are so good and intelligent that, when you finish it, The Sandman will definitely count among one of your favorite "comic books" ever.
July 5, 2016
It's hard to find comics in which the writing and the art are equally stunning. The Sandman is magnificent, every image and every word of it.
July 5, 2017
So so so good... thanks Neil for creating something so fantastic... what a ride!
October 2, 2020
The back half of this remarkable series completes a masterpiece of grief, regret, loneliness, loss, reality and fantasy, obligations to duty and the freedom of walking away, beginnings, endings, and more with a combination of language and stunning imagery resulting in a work that is as valid and compelling as any doorstopping novel.
April 9, 2016
Wow just wow Neil Gaiman is fucking amazing! The last Sandman story just shows how good his brain/mind is <3
December 12, 2021
Di nuovo: da quello che mi è piaciuto di meno al mio preferito.
Vertigo Jam #1: The Castle. Breve reintroduzione dei personaggi; se ne può fare a meno.
Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #1: The Flowers of Romance. Ai satiri del castello piace fare solo quello.
Vertigo Preview #1: Fear of Falling. Simpatico intermezzo.
#46 Brief Lives: Chapter Six. Giusto per allungare un attimo il brodo.
#47 Brief Lives: Chapter Seven. Un po’ anticlimatico.
Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #3: How They Met Themselves. Breve ma toccante.
#40 Convergence: The Parliament of Rooks. Uno spin-off su Sogno e Morte da bambini lo leggerei volentieri.
#39 Convergence: Soft Places. Marco Polo, sogni, illusioni (titoli in italiano, peccato il refuso su “Maffeo”).
#51 A Tale of Two Cities. Ok. Sembra che manchi un pezzo, ma ok.
#71 The Wake: Chapter Two. Preparativi.
#53 Hob’s Leviathan. Finale a sorpresa, la parte più interessante del capitolo.
#64 The Kindly Ones: Part Eight. Moscio; finale ingiusto come pochi.
#52 Cluracan’s Tale. Qualcuno ha detto Chiesa?
#44 Brief Lives: Chapter Four. Ciao, Ruby, non sarai dimenticata.
#49 Brief Lives: Chapter Nine. Finale stanco, in tutti i sensi.
#56 World’s End. Come i ricordi di un sogno che spariscono al risveglio.
#61 The Kindly Ones: Part Five. Capitolo di transizione. Onesto.
#66 The Kindly Ones: Part Ten. La stupidità di Thor dovrebbe essere proverbiale.
#72 The Wake: Chapter Three. Non così intenso come mi sarei aspettato.
#70 The Wake: Chapter One. Tristone.
#41 Brief Lives: Chapter One. Prologo di una nuova saga; conosciamo un po’ meglio Delirio.
#62 The Kindly Ones: Part Six. Deviazione inaspettata ma piacevole, se piacevole può essere il termine adatto.
#50 Distant Mirrors: Ramadan. Storia interessante, grafica spettacolare, font pessimo.
#42 Brief Lives: Chapter Two. Sogno accetta l’invito di Delirio; molto promettente.
#43 Brief Lives: Chapter Three. Anche uno spin-off su Delirio non sarebbe male.
#63 The Kindly Ones: Part Seven. O-oh, arrivano i guai.
#65 The Kindly Ones: Part Nine. Panico, non promette un finale allegro.
#73 The Wake: An Epilogue. Chiusura adeguata, premessa troppo lunga.
#74 Exiles. Tutto cambia e niente cambia.
Dust Covers: The Last Sandman Story. Viaggio nella mente di Gaiman: ma non lo è sempre?
#75 The Tempest. Ultimo tassello mancante per chiudere il cerchio (e chi se lo ricordava più?).
#54 The Golden Boy. Uno dei momenti più alti di “The Sandman”.
#68 The Kindly Ones: Part Twelve. Matthew il più sottovalutato.
#67 The Kindly Ones: Part Eleven. Quante volte vuole ancora spezzarmi il cuoricino? Quante?
#55 Cerements. Affascinate e inquietante allo stesso tempo: un po’ il riassunto di quest’opera.
#45 Brief Lives: Chapter Five. Adoro tutto.
#57 The Kindly Ones: Part One. Inizio promettente.
#58 The Kindly Ones: Part Two. Mi sembra già la saga migliore di sempre.
#59 The Kindly Ones: Part Three. Tristezza e meraviglia insieme.
#69 The Kindly Ones: Part Thirteen. ☹️
#48 Brief Lives: Chapter Eight. Barnabas il cane è quello che ne esce meglio.
#60 The Kindly Ones: Part Four. La parte di Lyta, Gesù, la parte di Lyta.
#38 Convergence: The Hunt. Il rapporto nonno/nipote vale tutto il capitolo.
Vertigo Jam #1: The Castle. Breve reintroduzione dei personaggi; se ne può fare a meno.
Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #1: The Flowers of Romance. Ai satiri del castello piace fare solo quello.
Vertigo Preview #1: Fear of Falling. Simpatico intermezzo.
#46 Brief Lives: Chapter Six. Giusto per allungare un attimo il brodo.
#47 Brief Lives: Chapter Seven. Un po’ anticlimatico.
Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #3: How They Met Themselves. Breve ma toccante.
#40 Convergence: The Parliament of Rooks. Uno spin-off su Sogno e Morte da bambini lo leggerei volentieri.
#39 Convergence: Soft Places. Marco Polo, sogni, illusioni (titoli in italiano, peccato il refuso su “Maffeo”).
#51 A Tale of Two Cities. Ok. Sembra che manchi un pezzo, ma ok.
#71 The Wake: Chapter Two. Preparativi.
#53 Hob’s Leviathan. Finale a sorpresa, la parte più interessante del capitolo.
#64 The Kindly Ones: Part Eight. Moscio; finale ingiusto come pochi.
#52 Cluracan’s Tale. Qualcuno ha detto Chiesa?
#44 Brief Lives: Chapter Four. Ciao, Ruby, non sarai dimenticata.
#49 Brief Lives: Chapter Nine. Finale stanco, in tutti i sensi.
#56 World’s End. Come i ricordi di un sogno che spariscono al risveglio.
#61 The Kindly Ones: Part Five. Capitolo di transizione. Onesto.
#66 The Kindly Ones: Part Ten. La stupidità di Thor dovrebbe essere proverbiale.
#72 The Wake: Chapter Three. Non così intenso come mi sarei aspettato.
#70 The Wake: Chapter One. Tristone.
#41 Brief Lives: Chapter One. Prologo di una nuova saga; conosciamo un po’ meglio Delirio.
#62 The Kindly Ones: Part Six. Deviazione inaspettata ma piacevole, se piacevole può essere il termine adatto.
#50 Distant Mirrors: Ramadan. Storia interessante, grafica spettacolare, font pessimo.
#42 Brief Lives: Chapter Two. Sogno accetta l’invito di Delirio; molto promettente.
#43 Brief Lives: Chapter Three. Anche uno spin-off su Delirio non sarebbe male.
#63 The Kindly Ones: Part Seven. O-oh, arrivano i guai.
#65 The Kindly Ones: Part Nine. Panico, non promette un finale allegro.
#73 The Wake: An Epilogue. Chiusura adeguata, premessa troppo lunga.
#74 Exiles. Tutto cambia e niente cambia.
Dust Covers: The Last Sandman Story. Viaggio nella mente di Gaiman: ma non lo è sempre?
#75 The Tempest. Ultimo tassello mancante per chiudere il cerchio (e chi se lo ricordava più?).
#54 The Golden Boy. Uno dei momenti più alti di “The Sandman”.
#68 The Kindly Ones: Part Twelve. Matthew il più sottovalutato.
#67 The Kindly Ones: Part Eleven. Quante volte vuole ancora spezzarmi il cuoricino? Quante?
#55 Cerements. Affascinate e inquietante allo stesso tempo: un po’ il riassunto di quest’opera.
#45 Brief Lives: Chapter Five. Adoro tutto.
#57 The Kindly Ones: Part One. Inizio promettente.
#58 The Kindly Ones: Part Two. Mi sembra già la saga migliore di sempre.
#59 The Kindly Ones: Part Three. Tristezza e meraviglia insieme.
#69 The Kindly Ones: Part Thirteen. ☹️
#48 Brief Lives: Chapter Eight. Barnabas il cane è quello che ne esce meglio.
#60 The Kindly Ones: Part Four. La parte di Lyta, Gesù, la parte di Lyta.
#38 Convergence: The Hunt. Il rapporto nonno/nipote vale tutto il capitolo.
June 28, 2022
(Zero spoiler review for the series as a whole) 4.25/5
Having devoured the entire 5 deluxe editions over the last few weeks (and done reviews for each individual edition). I've given it a few days to let my final thoughts marinate before I wanted to write a quick little complete review to cement my feelings on this series and help bring a sense of conclusion and closure to this much heralded series.
I had held off on reading this series for around a year or so, because I don't like to burn through all of the best reads all at once. It would be a fairly dispiriting endeavour if your reading followed a continual downward spiral until you were left with nothing but the dregs at the bottom of the barrel. That said, sometimes you just have to go for gold and creak out the big guns. So now that its all over, what do I really think about Sandman? Well, it was really good, but I don't think I hyper loved it as much as others. Here's why:
Morpheus, the Endless and the Dreaming were some of the most memorable, most well fleshed out characters I've had the pleasure of reading in comics thus far. Where this series stumbled, and occasionally fell flat on its face, was when Gaiman drifted too far from this world, instead indulging his love for historical fiction and fairy tales. The man can write some, regardless of what he's doing. But too often, his overly long, somewhat pretentious, bland and boring stories got in the way of what could have been a flawless, much more concise story if you cut out a good dozen or so issues. Don't get me wrong, some of the stand alone stories were great, but there were always one or two each Deluxe edition that were bloated, went nowhere, didn't really tie in to any of the larger mythos in any meaningful or necessary way, and basically, sucked the momentum out of the experience.
That's really my greatest criticism with this series, and was enough to rob it of a whole point, taking it from a five to a four. That and some of the art wasn't always as good as I would have liked. You really get quiet an assortment here, and not all of it as good as others.
When Sandman is on point, which it usually is, it is some amazing storytelling, and some truly memorable and magnificent comics. When its not, it really got on my tits far more than I would have liked.
So yes, of course you should read Sandman. Everyone should, whether you read comics or not. I went in with pretty high hopes. It mostly met them, sometimes fell well short. Still bloody great though. Just don't watch the Netflix show. I'm calling it early, its gonna be shite. 4.25/5
OmniBen.
Having devoured the entire 5 deluxe editions over the last few weeks (and done reviews for each individual edition). I've given it a few days to let my final thoughts marinate before I wanted to write a quick little complete review to cement my feelings on this series and help bring a sense of conclusion and closure to this much heralded series.
I had held off on reading this series for around a year or so, because I don't like to burn through all of the best reads all at once. It would be a fairly dispiriting endeavour if your reading followed a continual downward spiral until you were left with nothing but the dregs at the bottom of the barrel. That said, sometimes you just have to go for gold and creak out the big guns. So now that its all over, what do I really think about Sandman? Well, it was really good, but I don't think I hyper loved it as much as others. Here's why:
Morpheus, the Endless and the Dreaming were some of the most memorable, most well fleshed out characters I've had the pleasure of reading in comics thus far. Where this series stumbled, and occasionally fell flat on its face, was when Gaiman drifted too far from this world, instead indulging his love for historical fiction and fairy tales. The man can write some, regardless of what he's doing. But too often, his overly long, somewhat pretentious, bland and boring stories got in the way of what could have been a flawless, much more concise story if you cut out a good dozen or so issues. Don't get me wrong, some of the stand alone stories were great, but there were always one or two each Deluxe edition that were bloated, went nowhere, didn't really tie in to any of the larger mythos in any meaningful or necessary way, and basically, sucked the momentum out of the experience.
That's really my greatest criticism with this series, and was enough to rob it of a whole point, taking it from a five to a four. That and some of the art wasn't always as good as I would have liked. You really get quiet an assortment here, and not all of it as good as others.
When Sandman is on point, which it usually is, it is some amazing storytelling, and some truly memorable and magnificent comics. When its not, it really got on my tits far more than I would have liked.
So yes, of course you should read Sandman. Everyone should, whether you read comics or not. I went in with pretty high hopes. It mostly met them, sometimes fell well short. Still bloody great though. Just don't watch the Netflix show. I'm calling it early, its gonna be shite. 4.25/5
OmniBen.
July 28, 2021
This second omnibus closes out the main run of Neil Gaiman's fantastic series. As always, the art is amazing and shows off the talent of some of the industry's best talents of sequential art. Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, seems less present in these last 38 issues than he was in the first volume. But it just could be me misremembering. But yet, the story still revolves either around him or even one of his family members. Speaking of which, Delirium seems to get some very nice character development here with her quirky yet charming personality. Morpheus can really come across as very aloof at times, and I'm sure it is on purpose, but perhaps it's too much so.
The Kindly Ones arc which spans over 12 issues wraps up many loose ends and dangling threads that had been laid out earlier in the series. And frankly, I thought it was going nowhere until Gaiman started tying things together.
I know there is a third volume, but those are spinoff and side stories. Yet, I'm sure to read that soon at some point. I just need some time to fully digest this volume and the entire series like a fine meal with a glass of wine.
The Kindly Ones arc which spans over 12 issues wraps up many loose ends and dangling threads that had been laid out earlier in the series. And frankly, I thought it was going nowhere until Gaiman started tying things together.
I know there is a third volume, but those are spinoff and side stories. Yet, I'm sure to read that soon at some point. I just need some time to fully digest this volume and the entire series like a fine meal with a glass of wine.
October 4, 2023
Overall this second tome feels more forced, less “dreamy” than the first. There are too many characters that lack development to be fully engaging, and somehow the stakes are not clear until too far into the narrative, by the time I understood what it was about I had forgotten most of the setup…
The end is fantastic, and Neil Gaiman finds his stride again on the last stretch, but given the book is over 1000 pages long, only having a satisfying 100-200 pages at the end is too low a ratio for my taste.
The problem with the narrative, at least in my opinion, is that too often the stakes are either unclear, or devalued in a gloomy pool of “nothing matters”. If nothing matters, why should I care?
Still, reading the Sandman was a great ride, I might revisit the first volume in the future, if I ever go back to this one, I will likely skip large sections…
The end is fantastic, and Neil Gaiman finds his stride again on the last stretch, but given the book is over 1000 pages long, only having a satisfying 100-200 pages at the end is too low a ratio for my taste.
The problem with the narrative, at least in my opinion, is that too often the stakes are either unclear, or devalued in a gloomy pool of “nothing matters”. If nothing matters, why should I care?
Still, reading the Sandman was a great ride, I might revisit the first volume in the future, if I ever go back to this one, I will likely skip large sections…
June 8, 2018
Sandman is, and I think always will be, one of my absolute favourite graphic novels. There is something so enchanting about the Endless, that family of human states personified, and Dream is endlessly (see what I did there?) charming. I have always admired that Dream had such a strong personality, such a strong character, for a being who spoke little, existed as fleeting encounters with people both mortal and immortal, who was only ever a sketchy shadow. I always got such a strong feel for Morpheus, for who he was. And I love Neil Gaiman's writing, the macabre fantastical nature of it. This second collected volume wraps up Dream's story in a powerful, poignant manner that left me in tears. I'll see you in my dreams, Lord Shaper.
March 7, 2018
This was my first graphic novel. I did not think I could relate to a graphic novel/comic like a traditional novel, but that was wrong. As a huge fan of old and new mythology and big admirer of Gaiman's writing, I was totally engulfed in these stories and the art. I am not a big horror fan, though, and found some parts to be too intense. It took me awhile to read. I want to get a tattoo reading, "Everything changes, but nothing is truly lost" because that is a wise thing to remember.
April 11, 2024
Now I need to save up to buy the 3rd volume.
So freaking beautiful.
So freaking beautiful.
November 6, 2023
Quizá no tan redondo como el volumen 1 pero aún así, fabuloso, evocador e inolvidable.
November 18, 2014
The second book which contains the tales of Lord Morpheus the shaper the dreamer the endless. It is a continuation from Book 1, so if you skip Book 1 you probably won't have any idea what is going on.
My review is going to be the same for Book 1 the main story line is intense the side stories tries to built up the momentum but fails most of the time. The author probably wants you to feel lost like Delirium. It is a very pricey book but is well made same as Book 1, great binding but lacks the dust jacket cover. Carrying this around makes me feel like Destiny. The thickness of the book would probably protect you from a bullet.
The art is also similar to the first book. If you dig it you'll love this. I find it extremely annoying when there is the italic handwritten script type fonts is difficult to read and understand.
The ending is *SPOILER truly makes you feel like Despair. I would probably pick up this type of genre again if it revolves around Death, Desire or Destruction simply because they have so much potential.
My review is going to be the same for Book 1 the main story line is intense the side stories tries to built up the momentum but fails most of the time. The author probably wants you to feel lost like Delirium. It is a very pricey book but is well made same as Book 1, great binding but lacks the dust jacket cover. Carrying this around makes me feel like Destiny. The thickness of the book would probably protect you from a bullet.
The art is also similar to the first book. If you dig it you'll love this. I find it extremely annoying when there is the italic handwritten script type fonts is difficult to read and understand.
The ending is *SPOILER truly makes you feel like Despair. I would probably pick up this type of genre again if it revolves around Death, Desire or Destruction simply because they have so much potential.
November 29, 2014
The second omnibus continues to be as original and captivating as the first. The stories are unique and never feel in anyway to be repetitive. When it comes time for a television or book series to come to an end I always have my torch and pitchfork ready because I am rarely satisfied (*cough* DEXTER *cough*). I was pleasantly surprised, however, with the ending to the Sandman series. It intricately wove all previous story arcs in to the ending which gave me closure that I rarely get when a beloved series ends. The series pulled a Costanza and left on a high note, which I can totally respect. This is a series which was entertaining from the first issue to the last and I would highly recommend to absolutely everyone!
October 20, 2020
Not many people could get away with making Shakespeare a key character in their own fictional world but Gaiman does. one of the best things I've ever read. still.
November 10, 2018
There is no box the Sandman fits in. Whatever else it is, Gaiman has created something quite unique in the world of storytelling. Through it he revels in the things he loves - stories, dreams, mythology. The form he chooses is fascinating, avoiding conventional narrative (although the individual stories in the Sandman echo the norms of storytelling throughout the ages and across genres). Volume 2 takes off with a splattering of short stories - a wolf-man, a seducing satyr, Marco Polo lost in the desert. Then it returns to Dream and his misfit staff - Kain and Abel, Mathew the crow (perhaps the most human voice in Sandman), Lucien the librarian, Nuala the elf who loves him unrequitedly, Mervyn with an inexplicable pumpkin head. It's weird and seemingly lacking in any central thrust or character resolution. The short tales introduce characters who then never appear again, although the individual story might contain a bit of magic in itself. Yet somehow The Sandman builds to its finale, somehow Gaiman links it all together with dreamlike fragility.
Like part 1, the seven D entities are central - it is Delirium who steps onto centre stage to provide the most enduring story arcs. Destruction has left them many years ago and his fragmented younger sister wants to find him again, her character imbued with a welcome sad childishness. She enlists Dream who is pining his own losses. It allows Gaiman to turn Dream into the mopping, self-tragic anti-hero he wants him to be, passive and pseudo-romantic, like Robert Smith's song personas in Spiderweb or Pictures of You. Dream is so pathetic and passive, a character without motive in a story without beginnings, middles and ends. But he comes alive through his gestures, his folded arms, his impassive expressions. His calm betrays an entity that is screaming inside with discontentment. Destruction, who has abandoned his responsibilities, provides the active foil, the way out. Dream cannot embrace his brother. His only act is giving his sister Delirium the companionship she needs (delirious dreams) and the merciful ending he gives to Orpheus.
That choice sparks the longest story arc of The Sandman, and also one of the most bizarre. The Kindly Ones is a revenge narrative centred on the machinations of various secretive deities eager to give Dream some pain - again, motives are vague, culprits are never clear. Loki, Puck and Desire form a devilish trio and kidnap little Daniel, creating an unlikely chain of events that sets the Furies on the trail of Dream himself. The violent unraveling of Dream's domain is surreal and figurative - nothing Dream creates dies - they are the Eternal after all. Again Dream plays the passive tragic hero, waiting for his doom. Nuala plays the tragic heroine who unintentionally trips him up and lets the Furies in. There are some beautiful scenes, particular Dream and Death stood together at the end, all rain and wind and Gothic trappings. But not much makes sense. Without any clarity of motivation it's hard to build the emotion. What Gaiman does suceed in is the evocation of the feeling that dreaming gives you, the randomness, the frights and unease, the occasional beauty, the fractured memories.
The Sandman ends with a gorgeously drawn story called The Wake, perhaps the most sumptuously illustrated of the entire project. Gaiman refuses endings and satisfactions - it is one endless, rolling enternity of stories and Dream's Wake is as much a beginning as an end. Yet the echoes of earlier glimpses provides a quiet, spooky magic, particularly linking well with the great short stories told in the middle part of Volume 2 and the End of the World inn - some of the best artwork in the series can be found here; the beautiful and colourful Ramadan, the sparse and hypnotic Tale of Two Cities about the dream of a city itself, and Hob's Leviathan with one surprising double spread that leaps out at you. The Sandman ends with similar, fragmented anti-fanfare, but their is a calm, controlled contentment in some of the stories of imortality (both of people and of stories). It is fitting that it ends with The Tempest, with Shakespeare's contract with Dream, because, despite many other influences, it is perhaps Shakespeare's melodrama that Gaiman aspires to the most, Dream longing to be one of the Bard's great tragic, pathetic heroes.
Enjoy it or not, The Sandman is really something else and earns its place as one of the seminal works of comic fiction. I'd argue it has another place in the cannon of human literature, in the consciousness of stories. It's not perfect, such an endeavour could not be, and it's frustrating to read at times, losing out on true character development and human emotions in the jumble of stylistic tricks, mythical allusions and omnipotent, symbolic entities who's existence as a single character is always in doubt. Taken for what it is, The Sandman can be a mesmeric thing to read, if you let yourself get swept along and let your imagination fill in the cracks as you like. 8
Like part 1, the seven D entities are central - it is Delirium who steps onto centre stage to provide the most enduring story arcs. Destruction has left them many years ago and his fragmented younger sister wants to find him again, her character imbued with a welcome sad childishness. She enlists Dream who is pining his own losses. It allows Gaiman to turn Dream into the mopping, self-tragic anti-hero he wants him to be, passive and pseudo-romantic, like Robert Smith's song personas in Spiderweb or Pictures of You. Dream is so pathetic and passive, a character without motive in a story without beginnings, middles and ends. But he comes alive through his gestures, his folded arms, his impassive expressions. His calm betrays an entity that is screaming inside with discontentment. Destruction, who has abandoned his responsibilities, provides the active foil, the way out. Dream cannot embrace his brother. His only act is giving his sister Delirium the companionship she needs (delirious dreams) and the merciful ending he gives to Orpheus.
That choice sparks the longest story arc of The Sandman, and also one of the most bizarre. The Kindly Ones is a revenge narrative centred on the machinations of various secretive deities eager to give Dream some pain - again, motives are vague, culprits are never clear. Loki, Puck and Desire form a devilish trio and kidnap little Daniel, creating an unlikely chain of events that sets the Furies on the trail of Dream himself. The violent unraveling of Dream's domain is surreal and figurative - nothing Dream creates dies - they are the Eternal after all. Again Dream plays the passive tragic hero, waiting for his doom. Nuala plays the tragic heroine who unintentionally trips him up and lets the Furies in. There are some beautiful scenes, particular Dream and Death stood together at the end, all rain and wind and Gothic trappings. But not much makes sense. Without any clarity of motivation it's hard to build the emotion. What Gaiman does suceed in is the evocation of the feeling that dreaming gives you, the randomness, the frights and unease, the occasional beauty, the fractured memories.
The Sandman ends with a gorgeously drawn story called The Wake, perhaps the most sumptuously illustrated of the entire project. Gaiman refuses endings and satisfactions - it is one endless, rolling enternity of stories and Dream's Wake is as much a beginning as an end. Yet the echoes of earlier glimpses provides a quiet, spooky magic, particularly linking well with the great short stories told in the middle part of Volume 2 and the End of the World inn - some of the best artwork in the series can be found here; the beautiful and colourful Ramadan, the sparse and hypnotic Tale of Two Cities about the dream of a city itself, and Hob's Leviathan with one surprising double spread that leaps out at you. The Sandman ends with similar, fragmented anti-fanfare, but their is a calm, controlled contentment in some of the stories of imortality (both of people and of stories). It is fitting that it ends with The Tempest, with Shakespeare's contract with Dream, because, despite many other influences, it is perhaps Shakespeare's melodrama that Gaiman aspires to the most, Dream longing to be one of the Bard's great tragic, pathetic heroes.
Enjoy it or not, The Sandman is really something else and earns its place as one of the seminal works of comic fiction. I'd argue it has another place in the cannon of human literature, in the consciousness of stories. It's not perfect, such an endeavour could not be, and it's frustrating to read at times, losing out on true character development and human emotions in the jumble of stylistic tricks, mythical allusions and omnipotent, symbolic entities who's existence as a single character is always in doubt. Taken for what it is, The Sandman can be a mesmeric thing to read, if you let yourself get swept along and let your imagination fill in the cracks as you like. 8
December 11, 2018
COUCH FACTOR (1-5): 🛋️🛋️🛋️🛋️🛋️
Wow! At over 2000 pages, The Sandman delivers some sweet dreams.
As a fan of Neal Gaiman, I love being thrown into his worlds, drifting through page after page, getting to know the characters and the scenes. Witnessing how each artist carries on the vision of the Sandman book after book, panel after panel, really helped me to appreciate the form of the graphic novel. Gaiman's tale weaves through comic after comic, connecting storylines and characters into one seamless epic omnibus. I wouldn't have wanted to read it any other way.
Near the end of Volume II, after 2000 pages, Gaiman drops a wee bit of wisdom about mortal life from the immortal characters of Sandman. He writes, "Sometimes I suspect that we build our traps ourselves, then we back into them, pretending amazement the while."
How many times in our own lives have we looked at our current situation and said to ourselves, "I should have seen that coming." This is the point that Gaiman is making. We make choices in life, often in the moment, but fail to see the path we have embarked upon. A little reflection could go a long way to keeping our legs out of the snare.
A difficult but essential task to be sure. But we can't feign being caught in a trap simply when our choices make living difficult. Anything worth having will be a little unnerving. In this case, we must "embrace the suck" or "enjoy the long hard slog" to the other side. Could it be that we are folding before the reward? I think of the Navy Seals that quit on the final day, hours before training is completed. Or the writer who puts down the pen after just a few rejection letters. Or the scientist that gives up after just a couple of failed experiments.
But the traps, we can see the traps coming. Life is full of them. If we avoid as many as we can, we will have enough energy to set ourselves free and keep moving forward. What we can't do is panic.
We must remain calm and let the world keep moving forward and think about "how much trouble one can get oneself out of, if one simply assumes that everything will, somehow or other, workout for the best."
I am not saying, "do nothing." But act with purpose instead of reaction. In a world filled with instant gratification and instant communication, we must not be too hasty in our choice of actions. Sometimes the first reaction is the best but sometimes it is not. Through experience, we can learn what is the best action, but if the world is new, we must take a moment to see our surroundings, to find what is real and what is not, to understand who is on our side and who is indifferent to our plight, to reflect on the past and foretell the future.
Sandman brings dreams, for dreams give hope, and hope fills us with possibilities.
Wow! At over 2000 pages, The Sandman delivers some sweet dreams.
As a fan of Neal Gaiman, I love being thrown into his worlds, drifting through page after page, getting to know the characters and the scenes. Witnessing how each artist carries on the vision of the Sandman book after book, panel after panel, really helped me to appreciate the form of the graphic novel. Gaiman's tale weaves through comic after comic, connecting storylines and characters into one seamless epic omnibus. I wouldn't have wanted to read it any other way.
Near the end of Volume II, after 2000 pages, Gaiman drops a wee bit of wisdom about mortal life from the immortal characters of Sandman. He writes, "Sometimes I suspect that we build our traps ourselves, then we back into them, pretending amazement the while."
How many times in our own lives have we looked at our current situation and said to ourselves, "I should have seen that coming." This is the point that Gaiman is making. We make choices in life, often in the moment, but fail to see the path we have embarked upon. A little reflection could go a long way to keeping our legs out of the snare.
A difficult but essential task to be sure. But we can't feign being caught in a trap simply when our choices make living difficult. Anything worth having will be a little unnerving. In this case, we must "embrace the suck" or "enjoy the long hard slog" to the other side. Could it be that we are folding before the reward? I think of the Navy Seals that quit on the final day, hours before training is completed. Or the writer who puts down the pen after just a few rejection letters. Or the scientist that gives up after just a couple of failed experiments.
But the traps, we can see the traps coming. Life is full of them. If we avoid as many as we can, we will have enough energy to set ourselves free and keep moving forward. What we can't do is panic.
We must remain calm and let the world keep moving forward and think about "how much trouble one can get oneself out of, if one simply assumes that everything will, somehow or other, workout for the best."
I am not saying, "do nothing." But act with purpose instead of reaction. In a world filled with instant gratification and instant communication, we must not be too hasty in our choice of actions. Sometimes the first reaction is the best but sometimes it is not. Through experience, we can learn what is the best action, but if the world is new, we must take a moment to see our surroundings, to find what is real and what is not, to understand who is on our side and who is indifferent to our plight, to reflect on the past and foretell the future.
Sandman brings dreams, for dreams give hope, and hope fills us with possibilities.
July 6, 2021
It is odd to be finished with this second Omnibus because I have been reading... No consuming this series for so long... Neil's writing had comforted me these past few years. His words have saved me from hopelessness. His words have guided me through the grief that comes with loosing those who taught me about the world and who showed me how close families can be. I've put off completing this Omnibus for months now because I didn't want to leave the world of Morpheus. I know now that I'll never truly leave. Every morning when I wake up with sleep in my eyes (for that is what I grew up calling the grit in my eyes) I'll know I was in the realm of Dreams. Death has followed me the past four years. The loved ones I lost all from my grandparents generation. Men and women who lived through the Great Depression, fought in WW2, Vietnam, and the Cold War. Women who raised good children and taught others. World travelers who shared their culture with me and I adopted it as my own. The Sandman series has been the comfort I've needed as Death guides these wonderful men and women on to the afterlife and Heaven. I will save the third Omnibus to read even slower than the first and second so I can continue to explore the world Neil created as more from my grandparents generation move onto the next life. This may not be the review you're looking for but know the words in The Sandman series have power and can over guidance to those who seek it and to those who don't. Enjoy the series at your own risk. Neil if you ever find this review, thank you for your words. They matter to me and have done a world of good for me.
September 29, 2019
Neil Gaiman is a master story teller weaving a web of fiction and destiny with the King of Dreams. The Sandman seems like Gaiman's ultimate story in which we see the rise and fall of a beloved hero and the redemption of balance/homeostasis in the universe. It resonates so many themes and is relatable across so many times and backgrounds that I consider this graphic novel to be something that everyone might enjoy reading. It took me awhile to finish this Vol, because I kept setting it down. I think a part of me saw the foreshadowing of the end and just wasn't ready to finish it. That being said there are some truly beautiful scenes in the second half the comic series. I was, however, disappointed in the "teen titan" look of "The Kindly Ones" series. It seemed to cheapen the appearance of the story without taking away the depth that Gaiman does such a good job of capturing. Would that the illustrations had been consistent, this would be nearly perfect as a fun work of fiction which resonates like fables with morals that are meaningful and modern.
I don't know if I can believe in the the Aspects, but there is a part of me that wishes desperately that the Sandman was governing the realm of Dreams, and that Death can to all with loving open arms as a pleasant Goth Girl.
I don't know if I can believe in the the Aspects, but there is a part of me that wishes desperately that the Sandman was governing the realm of Dreams, and that Death can to all with loving open arms as a pleasant Goth Girl.
June 2, 2018
1 star, I put a book down. 2 stars, I wouldn't read again and won't pick up a sequel. 3 stars, I won't read again, but maybe the sequel would move forward. 4 stars, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to a friend. 5 stars, I'll reread it, recommend it, and try to get my son to experience some of the joy this book gave to me.
My son purchased these two Omnibuses with his own money based on our love of Neil Gaiman and recommendations from us and his godparents.
Read these years ago when they were edgy for comics and art styles and odd stories contributed to the edge. Innocent readers will find these dramatic, tense, and perhaps shocking enough to expand a comic reader's horizons. For those more experienced comic readers, they are just good comics, even if they aren't so edgy anymore.
My son purchased these two Omnibuses with his own money based on our love of Neil Gaiman and recommendations from us and his godparents.
Read these years ago when they were edgy for comics and art styles and odd stories contributed to the edge. Innocent readers will find these dramatic, tense, and perhaps shocking enough to expand a comic reader's horizons. For those more experienced comic readers, they are just good comics, even if they aren't so edgy anymore.
February 28, 2021
This second volume of the omnibus wraps up the main Sandman story. This set of stories focuses less on Dream, and more on the mortals who visit and change, or are changed by, the Dreaming. Dream spends much of his time here righting old wrongs and we also finally get an answer to what happened to his brother Endless, Destruction. To be completely honest this is more like 4.5 half stars, rounded up-- I felt like we spent just a little too much time in the waking world compared to the earlier part of the series. However, the "Fables & Reflections" standalone series was one of my favorite parts of the series as a whole. I think this ended in a great place, and I admire Gaiman for always knowing when to end a story gracefully. Still, there's a whole third volume with the Sandman prequel and several one-shot spinoff authored by Gaiman to enjoy even though Dream's story is at an end.
September 15, 2017
It's difficult to think of Sandman as "just" a comic book. The storyline is so perfectly crafted, it's impossible not to feel depressed when you reach the end. I have the impression that all the 75 numbers of the ongoing series were just about the death of Morpheus. About its origins, its preludes, how it was crafted by destiny (magistrally coined as the Kindly Ones) and how it came to be. And, in the end, all you have is a Wake, for the Endless who is not more, but still, in an aspect, is.
A wonderful second part to the story of the Dreamlord. As I was reaching the end, I was hoping there'll be someday a new ongoing series. Now, I hope it not, as the story came full circle.
There's nothing else to add to the story of the Lord Shaper. Simply, a masterpiece
A wonderful second part to the story of the Dreamlord. As I was reaching the end, I was hoping there'll be someday a new ongoing series. Now, I hope it not, as the story came full circle.
There's nothing else to add to the story of the Lord Shaper. Simply, a masterpiece
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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