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The Sandman (Single Issues)
The Sandman #75: The Tempest
In this final tale of the Sandman, Morpheus collects the last part of the debt owed to him by William Shakespeare. With dramatic interludes on a mysterious island, along with monsters, sprites, gods, maidens, apparitions and certain observations on English weather, this extra-sized tale brings a close to the world of THE SANDMAN.
William Shakespeare is having trouble finishing his current play. He is writing "The Tempest" in fulfillment of a bargain he made near the beginning of his career with Dream. Before he retires from writing, he must write one more play for Dream. He visits Dream's realm and they reflect upon their lives and positions in the world.
William Shakespeare is having trouble finishing his current play. He is writing "The Tempest" in fulfillment of a bargain he made near the beginning of his career with Dream. Before he retires from writing, he must write one more play for Dream. He visits Dream's realm and they reflect upon their lives and positions in the world.
40 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 20, 2017
Kind of a sustained "meh" as the finisher? It wasn't bad. I liked the bit about words as tools rather than art (though that's kind of belied by the important convoy he had with Dream near the end. Either way, I'm so sad it's done. It's rare to find something I think is as good as sandman is overall.
September 17, 2014
Do you remember how we all thought the last episode of Seinfeld would be amazing and it was just ordinary? Well the last episode of Sandman was much, much worse.
January 19, 2017
why did i give almost all issues of the sand man 5 stars ?
we are not talking about super hero comics here we are talking about someone who is truly talented at writing literature
there is meaning behind his stories
and the ending was perfect
ending the deal between Morpheus and Shakespeare
using a finished play many hundreds of years ago
its like he had all this in mind from the very beginning
he wanted to make a story in which the main character will die and will not leave his kingdom or his duties unlike what happened in the tempest by the late great William Shakespeare
if all what you read is super hero comics then don't bother trying to enjoy the sandman you will be dazzled by the fantasy and the world that gaiman built but trust me you wont enjoy all the literature in the stories
we are not talking about super hero comics here we are talking about someone who is truly talented at writing literature
there is meaning behind his stories
and the ending was perfect
ending the deal between Morpheus and Shakespeare
using a finished play many hundreds of years ago
its like he had all this in mind from the very beginning
he wanted to make a story in which the main character will die and will not leave his kingdom or his duties unlike what happened in the tempest by the late great William Shakespeare
if all what you read is super hero comics then don't bother trying to enjoy the sandman you will be dazzled by the fantasy and the world that gaiman built but trust me you wont enjoy all the literature in the stories
March 21, 2022
I'm happy to finish this original series of Sandman comics right before the television series starts tomorrow on Netflix. It's remarkable timing, given I didn't read the comics on a schedule.
"Life is no play. We meet people once, and never see them again. There is no shape to events, no point at which we turn to the audience for their praise. No time at which we step behind the stage, to see the actors changing their wigs, and painting their faces, and muttering their lines."
Neil Gaiman has a pattern to what he writes. He rides a line of greatness and self-confidence/cringe that I'm afraid I'll get sick of, but never do -- even if someday I figure out how the magic works enough to do it myself, I'll still come back and re-read, re-watch, and re-feel what he's made.
"Life is no play. We meet people once, and never see them again. There is no shape to events, no point at which we turn to the audience for their praise. No time at which we step behind the stage, to see the actors changing their wigs, and painting their faces, and muttering their lines."
Neil Gaiman has a pattern to what he writes. He rides a line of greatness and self-confidence/cringe that I'm afraid I'll get sick of, but never do -- even if someday I figure out how the magic works enough to do it myself, I'll still come back and re-read, re-watch, and re-feel what he's made.
August 14, 2019
The last issue of Sandman is not probably the best out of the whole series but a definite one that gives a little bit of insight on one of the greatest comic books characters ever created.
I will miss Sandman, as this was definitely one of the best pieces of literature for any fantasy and comic book fan (and not only!).
An absolute pleasure and delight to be reading this great work from Neil Gaiman. I wholeheartedly recommend it for everyone to read. Trust me, you won't be dissapointed. :)
I will miss Sandman, as this was definitely one of the best pieces of literature for any fantasy and comic book fan (and not only!).
An absolute pleasure and delight to be reading this great work from Neil Gaiman. I wholeheartedly recommend it for everyone to read. Trust me, you won't be dissapointed. :)
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October 14, 2022i binge read this run and i think it should've ended on that issue where dream (daniel) greeted his siblings. the last ones are not interesting in the slightest that i got a headache from trying to read them. gonna come back to this issue another time bcs i swear i would vomit if i try to make sense of the words any longer
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2019
A meditative, symbolic ending to the Sandman series. I understand why some people take issue with this as a note on which to end such a fantastic symphony that has been the entire Sandman series, but I personally felt it was a very typically Gaimanesque finish, and I loved it.
April 2, 2020
Gaimans Shakespeare-Beschäftigung passt zwar durch Sprache, Feen und Träume einigermaßen in das Sandman-Universum, wirklich bereichert hat es das aber nicht. Vielleicht wäre es besser hintergründige Inspiration geblieben.
September 1, 2020
Shakespeare "I ... followed a dream. I did as I saw best, at the time."
"What win I, if I gain the thing i seek? A dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy. Who buys a minute's mirth to wail a week? Or sells eternity to get a toy?"
"We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with sleep."
Dream commissioned Shakespeare for two plays, this, The Tempest is the second of the 2. The story was a little more convoluted than normal, and the dialogue changes between old and modern day English made some pages seem jarring, since Old English does not flow off ye tongue or process in ye olde brain as easily or quickly as normal English. Another contributing factor was how the art / style would change between pages, vacillating between author dream state (watercolory feel) and reality state (small pen strokes, convultued inking).
Between the reader being not used to Olde English language and the scizophrenic like art style switches it made this particular issue hard to read and came off as less enjoyable than other ones. This is a pity as there are some absolutely lovely passages and dialogue in this well written conclusion to a major Sandman Story.
Bonus points: Stained Glass Windows of Dream's cathedral featuring The Endless.
"What win I, if I gain the thing i seek? A dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy. Who buys a minute's mirth to wail a week? Or sells eternity to get a toy?"
"We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with sleep."
Dream commissioned Shakespeare for two plays, this, The Tempest is the second of the 2. The story was a little more convoluted than normal, and the dialogue changes between old and modern day English made some pages seem jarring, since Old English does not flow off ye tongue or process in ye olde brain as easily or quickly as normal English. Another contributing factor was how the art / style would change between pages, vacillating between author dream state (watercolory feel) and reality state (small pen strokes, convultued inking).
Between the reader being not used to Olde English language and the scizophrenic like art style switches it made this particular issue hard to read and came off as less enjoyable than other ones. This is a pity as there are some absolutely lovely passages and dialogue in this well written conclusion to a major Sandman Story.
Bonus points: Stained Glass Windows of Dream's cathedral featuring The Endless.
November 1, 2019
I can’t believe the “last” Sandman issue was all about Ol’ Willy Shakes.
August 8, 2022
I’m just at a loss for words. What a perfect book, and this is my favorite thing ever.
High 10
High 10
May 15, 2024
I guess that’s it for the dreaming! Thanks for such a unique, wild, creepy, and ethereal experience, Mr. Gaiman.
February 8, 2015
Sometimes, an author does us a service when he really drops the ball on a final issue. It makes you forget that you are going to miss your characters and instead wish he had stopped 2 issues ago.
Remember the 3rd LotR movie which ended like 14 million times until you were just like: enough already, like leave already? The past 2 issues were like that.
Gaiman, by rights, should have stopped after the funeral. The extra Gadling issue was like icing. There really was little need for this issue or the one before with the kitten in the desert.
The unintended benefit though is that it eases the sense of loss you feel when you have to say goodbye to a cherished character. He makes it so that you are more willing to let go. Go already. Be done. Leave. It's awkward now.
Remember the 3rd LotR movie which ended like 14 million times until you were just like: enough already, like leave already? The past 2 issues were like that.
Gaiman, by rights, should have stopped after the funeral. The extra Gadling issue was like icing. There really was little need for this issue or the one before with the kitten in the desert.
The unintended benefit though is that it eases the sense of loss you feel when you have to say goodbye to a cherished character. He makes it so that you are more willing to let go. Go already. Be done. Leave. It's awkward now.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews