The Dreaming #1

   A hearty "welcome back" to the Sandman Universe, after a few decades lurking on the edge of the DC Universe - and here's the first issue in the new line from Vertigo.

   The Dreaming in set firmly in the realm of Dream, where the inhabitants are facing a crisis: Dream has disappeared (or at least gone missing).

   As a result, barriers are down, things are coming unhinged (and they were already very much... not hinged), and threats are arising.

   This series is not written by Sandman creator Neil Gaiman, though he's apparently involved in some mysterious fashion - the credit reads "Curated for THE SANDMAN UNIVERSE by Neil Gaiman."

   It is written by Simon Spurrier with art by Bilquis Everly and colors by Mat Lopes. 

   The art is striking and tells the story well, creating a lot of strange images and delivering concepts that "make sense."

   It's a bit early to render final judgment on the issue, which suffers a bit from "origin-itis" - there's a lot to explain and set up here. 

   I'm not sure this is accessible to those not familiar with Sandman, and I'm not even sure the supporting characters are up to the task of carrying a series - but it's all off to a very interesting start.

Grade: B+

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The Sandman Universe #1

   The return of Neil Gaiman's Sandman would be a good reason to celebrate - but that's not exactly when we're getting here.

   Instead, The Sandman Universe takes us back to that Vertigo-based series - but the actual Sandman only makes a brief appearance.

   This issue is, basically, a trailer for the four comic books that are going to be based in the Gaiman-verse.

   But at least it's based on a story by Gaiman! It takes us into the Dreaming, where bad things are happening - and it falls to the flinty raven named Matthew to track down the absent lord of the realm. 

   That leads him to contact with the characters who will populate the aforementioned books. 

   Which will include:

   - The Dreaming, which is firmly set in the Sandman Universe and the characters who inhabit the land of dream.

   - Book of Magic, which stars Tim Hunter, created by Gaiman just before Harry Potter appeared and cornered the "young male magician who wears glasses and is fated to be pivotal in big moments" market.

   - Lucifer, which focuses on a quest by you-know-who.

   - and House of Whispers, a new addition to DC's mythology that has its foundation planted in the world of voodoo.

   So this issue gives us a taste, and it's a promising start. The first two comics are definitely on my "must buy" list, and the second two are on the "we'll see" list. 

   But it's great to see this mythology back in action again!

Grade: A-

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The Sandman Special #1

   There's some small amount of irony in the fact that, in DC's series of specials, this issue is the closest (so far) to Kirby's work (or to honoring his memory) - and it's the character that Kirby didn't much care for and only worked on under duress.

   The Sandman was the final team-up of writer Joe Simon and artist Jack Kirby, as they produced a one-shot issue creating a new and different character using the classic Sandman name. It was successful enough to merit a series, but it didn't last long.

   Fifteen years later, Neil Gaiman would tag the name to a completely different character, though he'd eventually get back to explaining the story behind this version.

   For this special, we get two stories starring the mysterious man who oversees the world of dreams and protects our world from the nightmare beyond.

   This time around, the creative team understood the assignment - to honor Kirby's memory and legacy - and they've crafted a couple of stories with heart.

    Writer Dan Jurgens provides a challenge like no other, with wonderful art by Jon Bogdanove, and in the second story, writer Steve Orlando teams with artists Rick Leonardi and Dan Green to give us a blast from the past.

   It's nice to see the character back in action, and I'm always happy to see the King's memory honored.

Grade: B+

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The Sandman Overture #6 (of 6)

   Finally, just shy of two years from its beginning, we arrive at the end (and, happily enough, the beginning) for The Sandman.

   This Overture mini-series by Neil Gaiman, J. H. Williams III and Dave Stewart has been a delightful (if twisty) return visit to Gaiman's legendary character.

    The story is appropriately big, visiting Dream's siblings - and his parents(!) - and placing the existence of... well, everything... at stake, and the survival of all rests in Dream's hands.

   It's all a prequel to the original series created by Gaiman, as the finale gives us the answer to how Dream ended up a prisoner of a mortal way back in Sandman #1.

   The art is amazing - each page (and that stunning cover) should be hanging in a museum somewhere.

   If you've missed this one, I suspect it'll read much better as a collection, but (perversely) if you haven't read the Sandman stories yet, you should read those first, then tackle this prequel.

   Trust me, it makes more sense that way (this series refers to characters that work better if you know more about them).

   What more do you need? Highly, highly recommended!

Grade: A

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The Sandman Overture #5 (of 6)

   It's always a delight to see another issue of Neil Gaiman and J.H. Williams III's Sandman Overture - but I have to admit, I'm having trouble hanging on to the story.

   Maybe I'm just getting old, but the first issue arrived in October 2013. Issue two in March 2014. Issue three in August. Issue four in December.

   So we're averaging about five months between issues (which means we should see that final issue late this year).

   That's a bit much for a continued story - I'm definitely going to want to read all the issues together when it finally wraps up.

   Despite that obstacle, this series is an amazing work of art. From the glimpses into the hidden side of Dream's "family" to some unexpected twists and turns, as the universe faces destruction.

   And the art by Williams almost defies description - it's an Op Art explosion of ideas, images and emotions - simply amazing!

   Of course, that's one reason why the series is dragging its feet - art cannot be rushed, and certainly work of this quality is well worth waiting for.

   I can be patient for one more issue. For any reader who values quality, go forth and do likewise.

Grade: A

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Sandman Overture #4

   Ho-hum, another terrific issue of Sandman Overture, the prequel to the classic series.

   Written by Neil Gaiman with art by J. H. Williams III, it's another mind-bending chapter following Dream (with two companions) in his search for the answer to a mystery - an answer that involves living stars and a curse of madness.

   At the same time, we see a meeting between the title character and... well, that would be telling. But longtime readers will be shocked (and then another character is referenced to compound that)!

   It takes some patience to follow this series - they're averaging about four months between issues - but boy howdy, is it worth the wait.

   The artwork is just stunning - each page looks like it should be hanging in a gallery somewhere.

   Look, if you're familiar with the series, you know what to expect - terrific storytelling, a mind-bending story and great art.

   And if you're not familiar with the Sandman stories, what great stories you have ahead of you!

   Highly recommended!

Grade: A

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The Sandman: Overtures #3

   I admit I was a bit lost at the beginning of this issue - it has been a while since the last issue (just over four months, to be exact).

   But as it's written by the exceptional Neil Gaiman, it doesn't take long to get back up to speed with Sandman: Overtures.

   It follows the title character (we call him Dream) as he embarks on a mysterious journey to the City of the Stars to solve the secret behind his "death."

   Along the way he meets some familiar (terrible) faces, makes a new friend, and is accompanied by an alternate version of Dream - this one in the shape of a giant cat.

   There are adventures and encounters aplenty along the way, and a special bedtime story. It's all clever and wonderful and pure magic.

   The art by J.H. Williams III is a pure delight, evoking alien, stunning landscapes, odd creatures, storybook settings and framing it all with unique, intelligent page designs and layouts like no others. Wonderful stuff!

   Look, I'm a mark for this kind of stuff - part fairy, tale part horror story, imagining a reality like no other (watch for the Easter Eggs, true believers)!

   I suspect most casual readers will find it easier to digest once it's all done and collected - but each issue is a gem, and longtime fans (like me) will be fine with waiting when the quality is so high.

   Highly recommended!

Grade: A

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Sandman Overture #2

   After a bit of a gap between the first and second issue (like, five months), the second issue of the Sandman Overture series brings with it a wonderfully trippy experience.

   We start with the modern-day version of Sandman going on a mysterious (but short) journey - and then we're launched into a multiversal meeting between a variety of incarnations of Dream.

   It's actually a lot of fun to see how he reacts to his own foibles as the Sandmen (for lack of a better term) carry on a funny - and deep - conversation as they try to solve the mystery: why were they brought together and who has the power to manage such a feat?

   I don't want to give anything away - although this issue is obtuse enough to make it difficult to sort out some events - but longtime fans will be glad to know that one incarnation of Dream is... a cat. (I know, right?)

   As always, Neil Gaiman provides a wonderful, thoughtful and imaginative story (though casual readers will find it a bit difficult to sort out).

   It's perfectly illustrated by the gifted J.H. Williams III, who creates stunning dreamscapes and an amazing variety of alternate Dreams.

   I'm very happy to see this series back in circulation, though (of course) I hope it won't be quite such a long pause between chapters.

Grade: A-

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The Sandman Overture #1

   At the comics shop this week a guy who had apparently never read The Sandman before asked the shop owner if this series was a good place to start.

   The shop owner said, since it was a prequel to the first story, it was probably a great starting point.

   I'm dubious.

   The story by Neil Gaiman jumps right into the deep end of the pool, as we run into characters both strange and familiar (to long-time readers), including Dream (who rarely goes by the name Sandman).

   But given the fact that the story jumps around to different characters (including Death and Destiny), different realities (the one at the start is trippy) and across the timeline, it's a bit much to absorb in one sitting.

   To readers familiar with the character, it's pretty easy to pick up where you left off so many years ago. But new readers might struggle a bit to sort things out - especially when you get to that mind-bending four-page spread at the end.

   None of this is intended as anything more than a caveat to new readers. Those of you who have read the comics (or collections) know what to expect - wonderful, lush artwork from J.H. Williams III, a deep and affecting story from Gaiman, challenging and unexpected story events, and a very welcome and long-overdue return to a beloved series.

   New readers should track down the reprint volumes, anyway - they're some of the best stories in the history of comics. This series is well on its way to earning an equal spot with the rest of the series.

Grade: A

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The Classics - Sandman #75

The question readers wondered as Neil Gaiman wrapped up his legendary run on The Sandman in 1996 was: how would he tie up the epic tale?

The answer was: he didn't.

Which was just as well, because it was an impossible task.

Over its more than eight years, the comic had covered an amazing variety of tales, introduced a new mythology to the DC Universe (one that virtually no one outside of Gaiman would touch), created innumerable characters and set the bar impossibly high for fantasy tales.

Sandman was always a book about stories (which also happened to include some amazing art), so it was natural for Gaiman to return to the world's greatest storyteller for the final issue - William Shakespeare.

Where a previous visit to the Bard was connected to his story A Midsummer Night's Dream, this time around the focus is on The Tempest and how it relates to both the author and Dream himself.

It's an intelligent, finely-crafted story by a master of the art form, winding together history, art and imagination.

The art is by Charles Vess, and it's beautiful work - expressive, with a gentle, flowing, organic line. He works in a classic style, and I'm a huge fan.

There have been quite a number of Vertigo Comics from DC, but few attain classic status. Alan Moore's Swamp Thing is outstanding, but I think Sandman holds the spot at the top of the list.

Exceptional.

Grade: A+

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Action Comics #894

I was lucky to get this issue - I got the last copy at my comics shop (which is what I get for waiting until after work to stop by).

Of course, Action Comics isn't usually in such demand - but this issue has a special guest star - namely Death, the sister of Dream in Neil Gaiman's classic Sandman series.

DC has (at least so far) been willing to leave those characters alone, leaving them in Gaiman's control. He obviously signed off on allowing writer Paul Cornell and artist Pete Woods to include her in this series (and reportedly Gaiman actually wrote her dialogue in this issue).

The result is an interesting comic. At the end of the previous issue, Lex Luthor was apparently killed, which leads to his meeting and discussion with Death.

Here we have Luthor way out of his element, dealing with an entity he can't control, outwit or deal with in any way - and he doesn't take it well.

Death is written perfectly - light, mysterious, playful and unstoppable - what a delight to see her in action again (no pun intended).

The art by Pete Woods is quite good and only suffers in comparison to the outstanding cover by David Finch (which I would have sworn was drawn by Chris Bacholo).

I haven't been following this title (sorry, but Luthor just isn't that interesting to me), so I have no idea what's going on with the Vandal Savage subplot, and the backup story starring Jimmy Olsen (really?) was ok, if mighty thin.

So this is a one-and-done comic for me - but I'm glad I managed to score this issue. It's worth it to see an old favorite, even if she's just putting in a cameo appearance.

Grade: A-

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The Classics - Sandman #8

Here's a terrific comic that didn't cost a cent. No, I didn't get it by trading or stealing.

I got this issue of Neil Gaiman's Sandman as a gift. At the time it was issued (the cover date is August 1989) I got all my comics through Westfield Comics, an excellent subscription service which is still up and running today and still providing great service - highly recommended, and tell 'em Chuck sent you! (OK, end of plug.)

As I recall, DC Comics and Westfield went together to offer this complimentary issue as a way to promote the series, which was starting to get some serious buzz from the fans.

It was a promotion that worked well on me - I added Sandman to my list after that, and got them all right up to the last issue.

The fantasy series focuses on the character Dream, the personification of the world of sleep and the imagination. He's just one member of a family of similar creatures, and is closest to the sister introduced in this issue, Death.

The setting allowed the exploration of all kinds of stories, including love, damnation, destruction, creation - you name it. Gaiman built a lush mythology all his own, and peopled it with fascinating characters, heroes and monsters.

It's the series that established Neil Gaiman as one of the outstanding modern fantasy writers, and the heir apparent to Alan Moore's crown.

I don't want to give away too much about this particular issue, but it explores the nature of death and life and is one of the better single issue comics in modern memory.

The Sandman comics have been collected many times over, and if you're inclined toward thoughtful fantasy, then you can't go wrong with any of the collections (though I should add that most of them include adult content).

The stories are intelligent, thoughtful and clever - always a good read. The series was also blessed with an array of outstanding artists, such as this issue's Mike Dringenberg and Malcolm Jones III.

Of course, the series is now known as a classic, so I'm not really telling most of you reading this anything new. But it does give me a chance to say "Thanks" to my pals at Westfield Comics for introducing me to one of the most literate comics in the history of the genre.

Hopefully I've passed the favor along to other readers out there!

Grade: A+

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters #4 (of 4)

It's sad to see this series come to an end, because for the past four months it's been the best comic around, and the one I've looked forward to the most.

The final issue wraps up the adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman: The Dream Hunters. The series has featured some of the best work yet from artist P. Craig Russell, with pages of stunning beauty, quiet horror, raw emotion and sensuality.

I've said it before, but it bears repeating - in a long and distinguished career of outstanding work, this may be the best of Russell's career.

It seems to be a simple enough story, as a mystical fox falls in love with a young monk. But their love is threatened by an evil magician with schemes of his own. Reading that back, it sounds corny and old-fashioned, but it's a timeless tale in the hands of a masterful writer.

Something about working with Gaiman seems to bring out the best in Russell, and this series is a testament to the talent of both men.

It's a sweet, sad and moving story of love, murder and revenge - and just when you think you see where the story is going, it moves into an unexpected direction.

Easily one of the best comics of the past year, and highly recommended.

Now if we could only coax more Sandman stories out of these two...

Grade: A+

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters #3 (of 4)

I'm glad to say that the third issue of this series, Sandman: The Dream Hunters, maintains the incredibly high quality of the previous two issues.

You can read my take on those issues right here, if you're so inclined. Neil Gaiman's a great writer, Craig Russell is an amazing artist, blah blah blah, gush gush gush. We've heard it all before - it's just a matter of waiting to see if the last issue can complete the storyline with the same amazing skill.

While we're waiting, allow your old pal Chuck here to wander completely off topic and explain something never before explained: namely, how the comics reviewed in this space are chosen.

It's not complicated at all. I go to the comics shop each week and pick up the comics that interest me, and try to grab one or two that I might not have chosen otherwise, just for variety. When I get home, I try to come up with a good mix for the week, with mostly Marvel and DC (it should be obvious by now that my tastes are pretty mainstream), with occasional Dark Horse, IDW, Boom or Image comics (among others) thrown in for good measure.

The first comic I review each week is the one that rises to the top - the one I want to read first. From there I try to mix them up, alternating companies. Of course, sometimes I throw that out the window and just review what I feel like reading. It's good to be the king.

And we have quite a few readers from other countries, so I should explain the grades awarded - they're the ones teachers use in most American high schools:

- "A" is excellent
- "B" is above average
- "C" is average at best
- "D" is pretty bad
- "F" is awful (Glad to say I haven't given any "F's" yet).

I throw in pluses or minuses depending on which way the comic leans - plus is better, minus is worse. You get the drift.

So there you go. Now where was I? Oh yeah, "Sandman."

Great comic. If you're not reading it, you suck. Nothing personal.

(Oh, calm down - I'm kidding!)

Grade: A

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters #2 (of 4)

The second issue of this series is as good (if not better) than the first, and that's saying something.

In the afterword to the first issue, author Neil Gaiman admitted that the story he wrote that serves as the basis for The Sandman: The Dream Hunters is not a retelling of an old Japanese fairy tale, but instead a new, original story.

That's amazing, because it certainly reads like the real deal (although I must admit I haven't read too many Japanese fairy tales). Apparently it was good enough to fool artist P. Craig Russell, too, as he expresses his surprise in the afterword to this issue.

Here we learn more about the man who has targeted an innocent monk, the reason he is attacking the monk through his dreams, and the mystery of why the fox who has befriended the monk lies near death.

This book is that rare balance between outstanding writing and excellent artwork. I've long been a fan of Russell's art, and I don't know that he's ever done better work. Each page is a work of art alone, and together they tell a fascinating tale.

This book serves as a strong reminder of the power of the original Sandman comics by Gaiman, and how much they're missed.

Better enjoy this one while it lasts!

Grade: A

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters #1

Though I've been collecting comics for quite some time, I have to admit that I was a little late picking up on Neil Gaiman's Sandman series from DC Comics.

It is a sad truth that most of us can't buy everything, and that was even true some 20 years ago, when everything was so much cheaper.

I had heard in passing about Sandman, but visions of the (then) recent Simon and Kirby creation leapt to mind, and I decided to pass.

At the time, I was getting all my comics by mail from Westfield Comics, a service I recommend highly. In one shipment, about 19 years ago, I received something shocking - a free comic! As I recall, DC was trying to promote the Sandman book and gave away copies of issue #8 to Westfield customers.

It featured the first appearance of Sandman's sister, Death, and I was hooked. I avidly followed the book for the next 10 years (or however long it ran), and was very sad when the final issue arrived.

About 10 years ago Gaiman wrote a prose story about Sandman (whose proper name is Dream), with illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano - and now that same story has been re-imagined as a mini-series, with art provided by the incredibly talented P. Craig Russell.

It's great to see this character return, and a delight to see Russell's delicate, beautiful art bringing the story to life.

The story centers around a fable. A fox and a badger decide to try to drive a young monk away from his temple, so they make a wager about which one of them can accomplish the task. But even as they try to oust the holy man, the tale takes an unexpected and heartfelt turn.

This is just a pure delight to read, and the comic lives up to the warm memory of the original title. Gaiman and Russell haven't lost a step (of course, Gaiman wrote this 10 years ago, so perhaps he's cheating a bit). We can only wish the Sandman could show up more often than once a decade.

At any rate, don't make the same mistake I did when the title first began. Pick up The Sandman: The Dream Hunters while you can.

Grade: A-