The only reason this is not getting 5* is because it doesn't cover 'Sandman: Overture' (honestly, I could have done with somebody explaining that to mThe only reason this is not getting 5* is because it doesn't cover 'Sandman: Overture' (honestly, I could have done with somebody explaining that to me like I was still in high school).
Reading the Sandman, I thought I was maybe getting 50-60%(ish) of the rich subtext or, as Hy Bender calls it, the 'metamyth'. Then I read a quote from Harlan Ellison that said he thought he maybe got 30% of the references and I instantly felt very dumb. So 'The Sandman Companion' gets into the nitty-gritty of what Neil Gaiman wanted to say by actually asking Neil Gaiman what he wanted to say. That's the reductionist version of the review. It's probably worth saying that it also contains snippets of interviews from other collaborators and bits of extremely lovely artwork. All of the chapters follow a similar format: a brief synopsis of the plot, 'some things worth noting' (ie. a polite version of saying 'these are all of the things Gaiman is trying to do here and you're probably missing a good 70% of them') and an in-depth interview with Gaiman about the collection. It's funny, witty, charming and very informative....more
I am still very much in my Sandman binge, thanks for asking. The last spin-off I have to finish is Dream Hunters, so I'm just waiting for that to becoI am still very much in my Sandman binge, thanks for asking. The last spin-off I have to finish is Dream Hunters, so I'm just waiting for that to become available at the local library.
This is going to come across as a rather biased review, but I am in utter awe of the majestic and multifaceted universe Gaiman has created in order to tell the stories of the Endless (and I just love that concept as a whole - entities that are not tied down to a specific culture or religion, that can simply be encountered in the lives of every human being). This is a short collection of stories dedicated to each of the seven siblings, uniquely illustrated, in equal measure, by some of Gaiman's long term collaborators (such as Dave McKean and P. Craig Russell) and artists who were new to the Sandman universe (Glenn Fabry's take on Destruction's story is exquisite, and Miguelanxo Prado's vision of Dream's story is almost impossibly surreal, but in an amazing way). I think my personal favourite is 'Death in Venice' (which I had already encountered in the anthology dedicated to her, but it's challenging to go wrong with such a strong character), with 'Destruction - On the Peninsula' being a close second....more
I was absolutely delighted to find out that: a. Dream's older sister got her own stand-alone series b. My local library actually had a copy :) [it probaI was absolutely delighted to find out that: a. Dream's older sister got her own stand-alone series b. My local library actually had a copy :) [it probably was the 2012 paperback, but no complaints here]
The collection included Death: The High Cost of Living and Death: The Time of Your Life, in addition to a few other titles ('The Sound of Her Wings', 'Facade', 'Death in Venice' and 'The Wheel'). To my mind, it felt like a calculated shift in pace from Sandman's solemn, moody tone. His 'terminally perky' sister sets the tone with 'The Sound of Her Wings' and teaches us a thing or two about life in 'The High Cost of Living'. The decision to completely flip the age-old representation of a skeletal figure with a scythe into one of a young woman with an indomitable lust for life and a questionable taste in eyeliner and hats is a complete stroke of genius, as I feel it compels the reader to re-examine their own relationship with mortality and 'living'. Or something along those lines.
She also helps Mad Hettie on her quest to find her heart, which is no easy feat, mind you....more
The illustrations, hands down, deserve 5*. And I won't take any critique of that opinion. I really hope that the TV series do*possible spoilers ahead*
The illustrations, hands down, deserve 5*. And I won't take any critique of that opinion. I really hope that the TV series does it justice (if it decides to incorporate it into the plot - while not critical to it, it provides yet another neat little twine to connect it to the 'A Hope in Hell' thread).
Many readers/viewers might be left wondering what Dream was up to when he accidentally got trapped in Roderick Burgess' circle. The most simple way to explain this prequel is, well, that it charts what Dream was doing before he got trapped in Roderick Burgess' circle :) I'll attempt a more complex explanation: Dream was off to investigate a star gone mad, which posed a critical threat to existence as we know it. In this process, he meets a number of parallel-universe Dream(s) who may or may not have the same agenda. We also get to meet the Endless' parents, Father Time and Mother Night, and catch a glimpse of the discord that keeps them apart.
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