06 December 2015

The Sandman: Overture by Neil Gaiman (The Sandman #0)

Summary from Goodreads:
Twenty-five years since The Sandman first changed the landscape of modern comics, Neil Gaiman’s legendary series is back in a deluxe hardcover edition!

The Sandman: Overture heralds New York Times best-selling writer Neil Gaiman’s return to the art form that made him famous, ably abetted by artistic luminary J.H. Williams III (Batwoman, Promethea), whose lush, widescreen images provide an epic scope to The Sandman’s origin story. From the birth of a galaxy to the moment that Morpheus is captured, The Sandman: Overture will feature cameo appearances by fan-favorite characters such as The Corinthian, Merv Pumpkinhead and, of course, the Dream King’s siblings: Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium, Destruction and Destiny.

Collects: The Sandman: Overture 1-6

There isn't a whole lot I can say about Neil Gaiman's return to the world of Dream.  The Sandman was an entry into comics for me and I love Gaiman's storytelling.  As the first volume Preludes and Nocturnes opens, The Sandman (Dream) is returning to his realm weary and spent after a great battle.  His defenses are down and so he is captured by an amateur occultist and imprisoned.  During this time a sleeping sickness occurs, the Dreaming is disrupted.  This kicks off the rest of the Sandman run.

The Sandman: Overture are six issues presented as a prequel.  However.

HOWEVER.

What this new volume really does is bring the end of the Sandman series and the beginning together in an ouroboros-like circle.  It reflects the life of the Endless, that an ending is also a beginning and a beginning an ending.  I would not have understood half of what was going on had I not already read the entirety of the Sandman series.  So in that way, Overture is also a sequel.

It's also flipping gorgeous.  Seriously, if you haven't read Sandman go read it and if you have read it, go read Overture.

Dear FTC: I purchased my copy of this book.

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