Sandman...

[Guest The Last Free Voice]

When we look important comics in the modern era, a few spring to mind. Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and going a little farther back, Stories in X Men like the Dark Phoenix saga... So my question is, where does Neil Gaimans masterpeace known as Sandman rank. Should it be by the great runs like Alan Moore's Swamp thing? Is it over rated? Under rated?

[tbondrage99]

I have never read it myself though I would like to, I think that after all the critical aclaim it got as well aclaim from the fans I would think that it would get a fairly good ranking.

 

But this is all from someone whos never read it so take it for what its worth.

[Steviekick]

I love the Sandman series to death and am amazed by Neil Gaiman. That said, I would say that at times the series could be a little overrated at times. All the stories were great, but they don't hold up by themselves. You can read DKR by itself and understand Bats' motivations and everything. However, if you pick up the TPB of The Sandman: A game of you, you will be lost. The thing is that it was an ongoing series, and you really can't compare that to important one shots/self contained stories like Watchmen, DKR, etc. It's also hard to compare the Sandman, because it isn't a super hero epic.

 

One of the best parts of the Sandman is that Gaiman pretty much had complete control over the series from start to finish. Many creaters really don't get that opportunity to tell a story from beginning to end.

 

I would rank Sandman propably somewhere in the Top 5 comic book stories ever. I would rank it as the best fantasy story ever in comic books.

[Guest JMA]

One of my favorite things about Neil Gaiman's The Sandman is that it has a beginning, middle, and end. I also liked how Gaiman took relatively unknown DCU characters (such as Lyta Trevor) and told interesting stories with them. Truly a ***** series, IMO.

[tbondrage99]

Well like I said I never read Sandman, but one of my friends had Death: The High Cost Of Living, & Death: The Time Of Your Life, so I read those, and if they are as even half as good as Sandman was then Sandman is freckin awesome, but once again I didnt read Sandman.

[Steviekick]

The Death mini-series were amazing. I loved how he was able to make her so sympathetic.

[tbondrage99]

Yeah I really loved the Death Mini-Series which is what makes me want to read Sandman, which I plan on doing once Im rich and can buy the trade paperbacks.

[Edwin MacPhisto]

You don't even have to be that rich. Go to Barnes and Noble online or Amazon, and you'll probably be able to order all 10 main trades for $130. Which isn't pocket change, but, for 75 issues of one of the most astounding fantasy endeavors ever, is totally worth it. I would recommend it sight unseen if you like good storytelling, if you like comics, or if you like great character-based literature. To me, Gaiman's Sandman is the ultimate crossover comic; anyone I know who reads is enchanted for one reason or another.

 

I love Sandman to death. And despair. And desire. Ho ho.

[Steviekick]

Check out your local library. They might have it becauses it is so universally praised.

[Jingus]

If you're lacking in funds, just do what I did: go sit down in a bookstore and read your way through the whole series whenever you've got a few hours to spare.

 

But Sandman is definitely one of the best comic series of all time, with only similarly godly works like Watchmen providing any competition.

[tbondrage99]

Alas I live in a very stupid, very shitty little town, which has no library, bookstore or anything even remotly like it. God I hate this town.

[Steviekick]

Try ebay. Sometimes you can find people selling TPB's cheaply.

[bobobrazil1984]

I'm only about 20 issues into it, but I already love it. 'tis truly one of the best stories I've ever read.

[Steviekick]

If anyone is really a Sandman mark like myself, I highly reccommend picking up the little quotable Sandman book.

[TheBigSwigg]

I honestly consider it one of the absolute best stories I've read in comics and in literature. It's the closest thing to modern mythology that we have. I haven't finished the Watchmen yet, so I can't compare the two, but I wish there were more comics like the Sandman.

 

Now that I've got all my markish BS out of my system, it's just plain brilliant. I do wish for more comics like the Sandman, but I don't wish for all comics to be that way. I'm actually very interested in the Silver Surfer right now because it's leaning in that direction. I recommend it to everyone, because it's got elements that everyone can like. Except my parents, because they saw a pentagram in the first few pages and called it Satanic.

[Guest KingofHarts]

Sandman is the greaest series of all time. Neil Gaiman is a god. If you liked sandman check out the Novels Good Omens, Neverwhere, and American Gods for more Gaiman goodness.

[TheBigSwigg]

Sandman is the greaest series of all time. Neil Gaiman is a god. If you liked sandman check out the Novels Good Omens, Neverwhere, and American Gods for more Gaiman goodness.

Are you ignoring Stardust for any reason in particular?

[Guest The Last Free Voice]

I haven't read good omens, but I"ve read neverwhere, Stardust and American Gods, and I loved all of them. So what's good omens about?

[Steviekick]

Good Omens is about the apocalypse. Basically what happens is that Mr. Crowley, the devil, and Aziraphale, the angel, who are both stationed in England, find out that the apocalypse is about to happen. The two of them aren't ready for it and don't care for it to happen, so it's up to find the child Antichrist.

 

It's really well written and funny.

[ulfistgut]

Good Omens is also co-written with Terry Pratchett and contains a nice mix of the two writer's styles which really compliment each other.

 

 

I actually read the last Sandman TPB first and didn't find it too hard to keep track of what had happened (although it did catch you up on some stories). I also read a kind of standalone TPB (I haven't read everything so don't quite know how it links) which seemed to be set in the Sandman universe (various travellers end up stuck in some inn and tell stories to pass the time)

[Ravenbomb]

EDIT: Nevermind, read them

[Guest cellardoor]

I think Neil Gaiman is a wonderful storyteller, and I'm constantly amazed by his works. I snagged an entire set of the Sandman series in hardback on eBay a few years ago, including The Dream Hunters, all for around $165. Not too shabby if you ask me. Well worth it. If anything, I think the series is underrated. I don't think any of my friends that live here have even read it. Then again, they aren't really into comic books or graphic novels, either.

[bobobrazil1984]

I finished it a few weeks ago, and it's the absolute best comic series I ever read. Fantastic, and replaced Watchmen as my #1.

[Edwin MacPhisto]

I just grabbed a set of the new trade editions for $100 on EBay. I don't like the designs as much as the last, but they're still pretty cool, and it's going to be great to finally have them all in my permanent collection.

 

Between this and the Cure concert though, I think my summer spending is finished.

[Ravenbomb]

From what I've read of Sandman (part of volume 6), I prefer what I've read of the Death comics (High Cost of Living) more

[Edwin MacPhisto]

The Death comics are very good, but volume 6 - Fables and Reflections - isn't really representative of Sandman as a whole. As a matter of fact, that's just stand-alone stories. They're good, especially "Three Septembers and a January" (the one with Emperor Norton), but the real meat of Sandman is in the incredible mythology that Gaiman crafts over 75 issues.

 

Read the first Sandman volume, Preludes and Nocturnes. It'll get you on the right track.

[Ravenbomb]

ok