The Sandman (DC Comics Modern Age) Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
The Sandman was a comic book series, written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics from 1988 until 1996. It is widely considered one of the most original, sophisticated and artistically ambitious comic book series of the modern age. By the time the series concluded, it had made significant contributions to the artistic maturity of comic books and had become a pop culture phenomenon in its own right.More often than any other character, the protagonist of Sandman was Dream (more usually referred to as "Morpheus"). Morpheus was the immortal, anthropomorphic personification of dreams and storytelling. Many plotlines dealt with The Dreaming, the surreal realm he ruled over, and with his family, The Endless, seven immortal beings who each personify some conscious experience.
Most storylines took place in the present and many used the contemporary United States of America as a backdrop (The DC Universe was the official backdrop of the series but well-known DC characters and places were rarely featured after 1990). However, Gaiman occasionally told stories involving Morpheus and his family set throughout world history.
Unlike most comic books, The Sandman existed almost completely outside the superhero genre. The first third of the series somewhat conformed to the horror genre, but it later bloomed into an elaborate fantasy series, incorporating elements of classical and contemporary myth.
Also unlike most comic books, The Sandman did not feature a regular illustrator. Instead different artists were hired for a handful or even a single issue. Artists who illustrated a significant number of issues include Colleen Doran, Mike Dringenberg, Marc Hempel, Kelly Jones, Jill Thompson and Michael Zulli. Their styles ranged from cartoonish and minimalist (Hempel) to grand and majestic (Zulli).
Each issue featured a cover design by Dave McKean. McKean’s covers combined photography, pencil and ink illustrations and computer-generated images for an abstract and surreal image. This approach was unprecedented in comic books, which usually featured an image summarizing the issue's plot on the cover.
Gaiman has summarized its storylines as the following: “The king of dreams learns one must change or die and then makes his decision.” Indeed, at the start of the series Morpheus seems cold and frightening, but by its end, the reader understands his strict confinement in ancient rules, and he becomes almost a sympathetic figure.
Since its conclusion, The Sandman has been published in a series of ten collected editions, which have never been out of print. They are as follows:
In the first issue of Sandman, Roderick Burgess, a British magician, captures Morpheus with a magic spell in 1916. Burgess keeps him naked in a glass bowl, agreeing to release him only in exchange for immortality. Morpheus is stubborn and silent. After Burgess’ death, his son Alexander becomes Morpheus’ captor. In 1988, Alexander accidentally breaks the magic circles encasing Morpheus. Morpheus is freed and punishes Burgess by trapping him in an everlasting nightmare.
In the next few issues, Morpheus tracks down magic tools that were taken from him upon his capture. Preludes and Nocturnes utilizes previously existing DC characters more than any other volume. It features appearances by popular DC figures, such as John Constantine and Martian Manhunter. Several characters revived for this volume, such as Cain and Abel and Lucien, would become fixtures in the series and be regarded primarily as Sandman characters.
Sandman #8 introduced Morpheus’ older sister Death, an attractive, perky young woman very different from traditional personifications of death. She would become the series’ second most popular character
Morpheus tracks down several nightmares who fled his realm during his imprisonment and also deals with a “dream vortex” that exists within an American teenager named Rose Walker. Walker will become the center of the Dreaming and cause it to collapse upon itself; and Morpheus considers killing her to prevent this from happening.
In Sandman #12, Morpheus finds two missing nightmares Brute and Glob, holed up in the psyche of Rose’s younger brother Jed, along with the Hector and Lyta Hall, who, as the Silver Scarab and Fury were part of the superhero team Infinity, Inc. Morpheus frees them from Jed’s psyche, returns Hector to the realm of the dead, and claims Lyta’s unborn child as his property because the child was conceived in dreams. This story will have a significant effect on the series’s concluding chapters.
This volume contains four independent stories. Sandman #19, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, chronicles Morpheus’ creative partnership with William Shakespeare and was the first and only comic book to win a World Fantasy Award.
Dream travels to Hell to free a former lover he condemned there thousands of years ago. He finds Hell empty and Lucifer preparing to abandon the realm. He gives Dream the key to Hell. Afterwards, several deities from various world religions travel to The Dreaming to bargain for the key.
This collection marks the point where Gaiman all but gave up the horror genre for more sophisticated fantasy.
Barbie, a New York divorcee, travels to the magical realm that she once inhabited in her dreams. Among the ten collections, this volume is perhaps least connected to the others and least popular among fans.
This volume is a collection of stories set throughout world history. Sandman #29-31 and 50 were originally published under the banner “Distant Mirrors” and deal with kings and rulers. Sandman #38-40 were originally published under the banner “Convergences” and were inspired by fairy tales. The Sandman Special #1 assimilated the myth of Orpheus into the Sandman mythos.
(collects Sandman #41-49, 1992-1993)
Morpheus’ loopy kid sister Delirium convinces him to help her search for their missing brother Destruction, a quest that results in tragedy for many of those who assist them. Eventually, Morpheus turns to his son Orpheus to learn Destruction’s whereabouts. In exchange for this knowledge, Morpheus grants his son the mercy of death, an act that will lead to Morpheus’ undoing. Many fans consider Brief Lives the best Sandman storyline.
(collects Sandman #51-56, 1993)
A “reality storm” strands travelers from across the cosmos at the “World’s End Inn.” To pass the time, they exchange stories. This volume was inspired by Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.
(collects Sandman #57-69, 1994 - 1995)
The longest and most complex Sandman story arc, The Kindly Ones, was meant to mirror a Greek tragedy. After killing Oprheus, Morpheus becomes prey to The Furies, avenging spirits who kill those who spill family blood. They employ the tricksters Loki and Puck to kidnap Lyta Hall’s son, Daniel. Thinking Morpheus is to blame, Lyta seeks out the Furies and joins them in a quest to murder Morpheus. They ravage through the Dreaming, killing several of its inhabitants.
Meanwhile, Morpheus orders his servants Matthew and The Corinthian to rescue Daniel.
Morpheus considers various ways to repel the Furies, but to save the Dreaming from further damage he agrees to let his sister Death take him to her realm. Afterwards, Daniel materializes into an adult and becomes the new King of Dreams.
(collects Sandman #70-75, 1995-1996)
In Sandman #70-72, characters from throughout the series converge into the Dreaming to mourn the loss of Morpheus as Daniel adjusts to his new role. The final three issues are stand-alone stories. Sandman #75 concludes the story of Morpheus’ partnership with William Shakespeare.
The Sandman also strengthened the importance of the writer in comic books, which was overshadowed by artists during Sandman’s era, such as superstars Todd McFarlane and Jim Lee. Gaiman became one of the most popular comic book creators of the era (launching his career as a novelist) and DC did not dare to continue The Sandman after he felt the series had come to a suitable conclusion. Most often popular, corperate-owned comic book series continue long after the original creators have left (which is several decades in many cases).
Less importantly, Sandman introduced individual typescripts for the word balloons of certain characters. For example, Morpheus’ word balloons were black with white lettering and Delirium’s were wavy and rainbow-colored. After Sandman became popular, this technique was often imitated in other comic books.
In addition to its impact on comic books, The Sandman became a pop culture phenomenon in its own right. The series was mentioned in songs by Tori Amos, Alice Cooper and others, Sandman posters can be seen in the background of the sitcom Roseanne, and Extreme Championship Wrestling star Raven is found of wearing Sandman T-shirts.
Because of its dark, often macabre style and pale-skinned characters, Sandman has become very popular within the goth subculture.
This is an Article on The Sandman (DC Comics Modern Age). Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About The Sandman (DC Comics Modern Age) Storyline
The Sandman was first published as a 75-issue comic book series with one special edition. Issues were more or less published monthly and most were 32 pages.Preludes and Nocturnes
(collects Sandman #1-8, 1988-1989)The Doll's House
(collects Sandman #9-16, 1989-1990)Dream Country
(collects Sandman #17-20, 1990)Season of Mists
(collects Sandman #21-28, 1990-1991)A Game of You
(collects Sandman #32-37, 1991-1992)Fables and Reflections
(collects Sandman #29-31, 38-40, 50, and Sandman Special #1, 1991, 1992, 1993)Other Books and Series
Because of the amount of critical acclaim Sandman received and because of its commercial viability (at the time of its conclusion, it was DC’s best-selling series), a number of spin-off volumes have been produced. Fans disagree about the quality and legitimacy of these volumes but it is generally agreed that those written by Gaiman are the best. Here is a list of the more important ones:Impact
The Sandman was one of the most widely respected comic book series of its time, both within the comic book industry and the general literary world. A few years prior to Sandman, works such as Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, by Frank Miller and Maus by Art Spiegelman, boosted comics to a new respectability, but no unlimited series has ever gained as much acclaim as Sandman. This helped prove comic books could be a legitimate art form within the format comic books were usually published, as series with no preset number of issues.
The Sandman also demonstrated that a comic book series must not necessarily be a superhero series to be successful. Along with Alan Moore’s stint on Swamp Thing, Sandman helped establish the genre of “sophisticated suspense,” a genre which is meant for older readers, includes elements of horror and fantasy, and tackles controversial topics. In 1993, the success of Sandman inspired DC comics to launch the Vertigo imprint, which specialized in this genre and published some of the most acclaimed series of the 1990s including Preacher and Animal Man.Related articles
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