The Sandman: Endless Nights

Sandman: Endless Nights 

By Neil Gaiman & various (DC Comics)
ISBN 1-84023-784-8

The Sandman has become one of the lasting successes of the comic industry and a new offering has the cache of a media event. Each new work therefore seems intent on being just a little bit “more” than the last, presumably as a way of distancing it from the plethora of ordinary comic-book spin-offs that grew into a sub-imprint once the regular periodical series concluded. Following the prose ‘The Dream Hunters’ (with painted illustration by Yoshitaka Amano) Gaiman returned to the series’ graphic roots with seven short stories, each focussing on one of the Endless, and each pictured by a major international star.

Death is drawn by P Craig Russell, Desire by Milo Manara, Dream himself by Miguelanxo Prado and Despair is a highly stylized collaboration between Barron Storey and Dave McKean. Bill Sienkiewicz delineates Despair, Destruction is rendered by Glenn Fabry and Destiny is left for Frank Quitely.

There’s no point in summarising the stories themselves. The art is all you’d expect from such a prestigious assemblage. The writing is what you’d hope for from a creator who’s moved on and come back for a visit. If you’re a fan or a convert you’ll be delighted, and if you don’t like the Sandman you won’t want to read it anyway. But if you wanted to see what all the fuss was about and can appreciate beautifully told stories beautifully pictured this could be your personal introduction into a whole new, wonderful world.

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