The Sandman Companion

When DC released the first issue of The Sandman, I picked it up because the concept seemed cool. I hadn't read any of Writer Neil Gaiman's previous work except Black Orchid, but I thought I'd give it a try. Little did I know that I was about to step into one of the most well-told stories I've ever read. Sadly, Neil Gaiman concluded The Sandman after 75 issues. The good side of that is The Sandman is so superbly crafted that repeated readings yield new insights into the characters and their histories. I've read the series three times, so I figured The Sandman Companion would just reaffirm things I already knew.WRONG! Turns out I HAD caught a lot of the hidden subtexts, but a lot more had slipped right by me. I still haven't had my #1 Sandman question answered (What WAS the favor Morpheus wanted from Loki in exchange for his freedom in "A Season of Mists"...?), but I learned so much more that I didn't know that I feel like reading the series yet AGAIN! Hy Bender tackles the series by collection, giving a comprehensive overview of each arc, following that up with interviews with Neil Gaiman and the various other contributors. The book is packed with information, and is done in such a breezy style that I never wanted to put it down. Also, the hardcover is just beautifully designed. It's truly a great package, and I can't recommend it highly enough- Not just for Sandman fans, but for anyone who wants to get into the creative processes of a talented Author.

I found this book quite by accident in a comic shop about a year ago. Being skeptical about companion books, I was QUITE surprised at this book. Neil Gaiman takes the time to go into incredible detail on each issue of Sandman. While I was heartbroken to see Sandman and all the wonders of his world go, this book allows me to enjoy the series over again in a whole new light. It's like seeing a new side of someone that you thought you knew intimately, and falling in love all over again.

I was hoping that the Sandman Companion wouldn't be too much of a repeat of the Sandman Annotations online, and, happily, it isn't at all. There's definitely enough new stuff to make it worth the cover price. Besides that, some things many fans are already familiar with from rumors and/or interviews are clarified here, like the origin of Death, and the connection between Delirium and Tori Amos. Each Sandman collection is discussed, one at a time, with insightful essays by Hy Bender, and then the Neil Gaiman interviews. There really is a lot of new information. For every issue, almost, there's some neat fact you didn't know before, or a comment from Neil. (For example, it's no coincidence that "Three Septembers and a January" sounds like "Four Weddings and a Funeral", although the comic was released before the movie!) Even if I had known everything in this book already, Neil's interviews are always fun to read. The book includes an excellent introduction and "Frequently Asked Questions", with questions such as "Why should I read a comic book?" The answer to this question is the perfect thing to show someone who turns their nose up at comics. Yes, comics can be worthy literature, and not only that, they have potential for artistic effects that can't be achieved through film or words alone. The Sandman Companion is also well illustrated. With the text, there are black-and-white illustrations by Sandman artists, including panels from the comic, trading card art, and proposal sketches--early ideas for what Dream should look like. Then there's a great full-color section with more trading cards, and cool stuff like Sandman statues and posters (Now that I own picures of them, I don't feel so bad about not being able to get my hands on the actual items), foreign-language editions of the comic, and even some of Dave McKean's Vertigo Tarot (Mad Hettie as The High Priestess, Dream as The Hierophant, Delirium as Temperance, Destiny as The Wheel of Fortune, and Death as...well, Death).This is a very well-done companion book to the Sandman series, readable and constantly interesting. I really recommend it. The hardcover price may be a bit much for the casual fan, but any serious Gaiman fanatic (like me!) should buy this as soon as possible. I'd suggest that after you've finished the Sandman series at least once, read the Companion as you re-read each volume. That's what I'm doing--it's like discovering the series all over again.

This book is incredible, absolutely a necessity for ALL fans of Sandman. It's a storehouse of the coolest facts-- revealing all the deeper layers of the stories you may have missed. I was shocked to find that one of my favorite Sandman stories, "Cluracan's Tale", is one of the stories Neil is most disappointed with! Go figure! The 16-page color section is pretty cool too, and the book makes great "pick up and go" reading. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all Sandman fans--it's the next best thing to a new issue!