"Sandman" by Neil Gaiman and J.H. Williams III

[WompuM]

Twenty-five years after one of the most celebrated graphic novels of all-time hit shelves, award winning and critically acclaimed author and screenwriter, Neil Gaiman, announces his return to THE SANDMAN. Gaiman made the surprise announcement, via video, at DC Entertainment’s Vertigo panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. Karen Berger, Executive Editor of Vertigo, then revealed that Gaiman is paired with artist, JH Williams III (BATWOMAN) for the series, who appeared on stage to an already stunned and elated crowd. THE SANDMAN mini-series will be published by Vertigo in 2013.

One of the few graphic novels ever to be on the New York Times Best Seller list and lauded by critics the world over, THE SANDMAN is credited with changing the path of storytelling in the comic book industry. Gaiman will pick up his pen for the first time in more than 10 years since ending the series to continue a story that he feels still has yet to be told.

“When I finished writing THE SANDMAN, there was one tale still untold. The story of what had happened to Morpheus to allow him to be so easily captured in THE SANDMAN #1, and why he was returned from far away, exhausted beyond imagining, and dressed for war. It was a story that we discussed telling for Sandman’s 20th anniversary… but the time got away from us. And now, with Sandman’s 25th anniversary year coming up, I’m delighted, and nervous, that that story is finally going to be told,” said Gaiman.

“There’s nothing like a Neil Gaiman story,” said Berger, “and there’s nothing like having Neil back home on THE SANDMAN, his dark, soulful, literary epic that transformed comics and continues to captivate countless new readers year after year. Working with him again, and with JH Williams, the extraordinary and groundbreaking artist, is truly the stuff dreams are made of.”

DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio added, “As accomplished as Neil Gaiman is in other media—whether it be novels, film and even music—he still has an incredible passion and love for comics. It’s exciting to have him back. J.H. Williams will be the perfect complement to Neil’s writing. He has a history of creating art that pushes the boundaries of the medium.”

Each issue of THE SANDMAN mini-series will be published day-and-date digitally. The title will be announced at a later date.

This is the exact opposite feeling I had when learning about Before Watchment. Williams is the absolute perfect pic for this series. I cannot wait.

Will it be only Morpheus or Daniel too? Who cares. It's ****ing Gaiman wiriting Sandman.

 

[Karem-Knight]

GOD DAMMIT YES!!!!! This just came out of the blue but I'm so excited; I truly am.

 

[WompuM]

I hope Dave McKean does some cover work. It's not truly Sandman without that.

 

[Sawyer]

Never having read the series before, I've been looking for a reason to. Vertigo just gave me one.

 

[Watchman]

Heh, Before Sandman.

 

[WompuM]

Never having read the series before, I've been looking for a reason to. Vertigo just gave me one.

You could read volumes I, IV, and IX of the trade paperbacks and have a pretty complete understanding of Morpheus' story. The rest are filler, but hot damn they are fantastic filler.

 

[WompuM]

 

[Captain_Obvious]

then revealed that Gaiman is paired with artist, JH Williams III

^ My heart needs to relax right now.

 

[WompuM]

I know man. Can you even imagine the freaky ass panel layouts Williams will bust out for this?

 

[Cain]

This is a series that was well enough left alone and one of my favorite pieces of storytelling in any media. At the same time at least Gaiman is writing it. I know I'll eventually check it out cause new Sandman by Gaiman is too hard to pass up especially with that artist on deck. Really didn't expect this news at all today. Interesting surprise.

 

[WompuM]

See, I felt Watchman was left well enough alone because it was a single, contained story. Sandman, though, was an ongoing book, and even when it ended, characters such as Daniel, Death, and the Halls were still operating in the larger DCU, so the book on Sandman was never shut as it was with Watchmen. Plus, this has the original author returning as opposed to having several other people try and find Gaiman's voice. Plus, it sounds like he's had this idea in his head for a while, from all the way back to issue 8 or even issue 1.

 

[Spade]

This is a great surprise.

Seriously, I can't think of a negative to this. Gaiman's back to Sandman! Sweet.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Very exciting news. And yes, I feel much more positive about this than Before Watchmen because it is being done with not just the original writer's approval, but their actual involvement. Add onto that the pairing with an artist as amazing as JH Williams III, and this is must-read stuff for me.

I only got as far as Volume 4 in my reading of The Sandman, with 4 - Season of Mists - being the best of the bunch I'd read up until that point. Now seems like the perfect cue to finally get round to picking the series back up with A Game of You.

 

[WompuM]

Man, it only gets better. Volumes 9 and 10 especially pack a pretty good emotional punch.

 

[Karem-Knight]

/\ Got to agree with Womp here, The Kindly Ones and The Wake are superbly done, but Breif Lives is also such a great tale with Dream and Delirum taking a road trip (of sorts) together. But the ending is one of the saddest in comics (along with The Kindly Ones).

Of course, it's Sandman- all of it is amazing. Speaking of which did anyone here read Endless Nights? Or the two Death graphic novels? I've read The High Cost of Living but haven't been able to get my hands on Time of Your Life.

 

[WompuM]

I've really been wanting to read Sandman Midnight Theater (I think that's what it's called) where Morpheus meets Wesley Dodds, but have no idea where to find.

 

[Karem-Knight]

Yeah, it sounds like a great idea- need to find it as well. At first I didn't like the idea of Sandman in the larger DC Universe. Preludes and Noctirunes is my least favorite volume, but it's still a great read and has the first Death appearance. But I changed my mind as I went though the volumes it showed that instead of Sandman being limited by the DCU, Sandman actually adds so much more to the Universe while still being it's own thing. Mainly due to the nature of the Endless. Endless Nights really sealed that thought for me though.

(Don't read if you haven't read Endless Nights, it'll ruin one of the best things ever)

Spoiler

It was during the Dream story that takes place thousands of years in the past, The Endless gather with various Gods and personifications of the Solar Systems of the Universe.

With Dream dating an ancestor of the Oans, Dream talking with our Sun (Sol) and while talking to him, promises to make the people of Earth capable of great storytelling and inspiration. And Despair talking with Rao about the possibility of destroying one planet with one lone survivor to live a life of despair and hopelessness, only to become Superman- a symbol of hope.

Stuff like that is just filled with awesomeness. t:

 

[KevanG]

This sounds great. My sister got me into reading Gaiman and I've read alot of his stuff since. I love American Gods and Sandman. Hearing that we'll finally find out what the story behind the start of Sandman is great.

 

[Lord]

Great news indeed, i would like Neil Gaiman to return to an ongoing book too, but i doubt that'll happen again.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Looking forward to this. I'm a little disappointed that Gaiman's not doing something with Daniel, but other than that this sounds great.

 

[WompuM]

You never know. Daniel could show up. Anyone could show up.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I guess. But the story's clearly centered on Morpheus. I vaguely remember Gaiman saying something about how he only installed Daniel as Dream to signify that Morpheus' story was over and he never really planned to do anything with Daniel as a character; rather, he wanted to leave him a blank slate for anyone else to pick up and use later on. Or something like that. So I guess he's just sticking to that.

 

[Sawyer]

First Look At Sandman: Overture

 

[KevanG]

And one year later to the day

 

[Hush]

Jesus how did this take so ****ing long? I mean I'm glad they took their time but christ.