The Sandman Presents: Taller Tales

 

By Bill Willingham & Shawn McManus (Vertigo)
ISBN 1-84023-769-4

This is a compendium of stories set in the universe of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, and gathered together under an umbrella of thematically being “stories about stories”. Writer Bill Willingham concocts an engaging blend of whimsy and urban horror that is a delight. All of the stories were originally printed as one-shots, miniseries or appeared in the spin-off title The Dreaming.

Sandman Presents: Merv Pumpkinhead, Agent of D.R.E.A.M. is a glorious pastiche of James Bond, illustrated by Mark Buckingham and John Stokes, and a literal host of superstars make the pictures for ‘The Further Adventures of Danny Nod, Heroic Library Assistant’ (from The Dreaming #55), a tale that the keen eyed could mistake for a dry run for the award winning Fables series.

‘The Thessaliad’ was a four part miniseries that featured the witch from ‘The Doll’s House’ storyline in Sandman. Here it is collected into one extended tale of horror, dark humour and bizarre romance, ably drawn by Shawn McManus.

Another all-star art jam rounds off the volume. ‘The Sandman Presents: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Dreams… But Were Afraid to Ask’ is an alternative comics fans wish fulfilled as a series of vignettes answers such questions as “What Causes Nightmares?” and “Why Are so Many Dreams Sexual in Nature” in sly, cynical and wonderfully funny manner.

This is a sharp, entertaining read for knowing adults, and a welcome view of the lighter side of Vertigo.

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