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The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes (New Edition) Paperback – October 19, 2010

by Neil Gaiman (Author), Sam Kieth (Illustrator), Mike Dringenberg (Illustrator)

4.6 2,010 ratings

Part of: The Sandman

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An occultist attempting to capture the physical embodiment of Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his seventy-year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power to reclaim his reign. From there, one of the greatest series in the history of the graphic novel genre begins...

New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman's transcendent series The Sandman is often hailed as the definitive Vertigo title and one of the finest achievements in comics storytelling. Gaiman created an unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death by weaving ancient mythology, folklore and fairy tales with his own distinct narrative vision.

This graphic novel--a perfect jumping-on points for any reader--includes the introductions of Morpheus, Lucifer and The Endless, all intricate parts of this enduring series that is still as relevant today as ever.

Includes issues #1-8 of the original series with completely new coloring, approved by the author.

Part of Series

The Sandman
Print length

240 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Vertigo
Publication date

October 19, 2010
Dimensions

6.65 x 0.35 x 10.16 inches
ISBN-10

9781401225759
ISBN-13

978-1401225759
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The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes: Before and After
Click on the images below to see full pages with all-new and original coloring.

Page 14: New coloring (left) vs. old (right) Page 42: New coloring (left) vs. old (right) Page 128: New coloring (left) vs. old (right)

Review

Praise for Neil Gaiman's The Sandman:

"The greatest epic in the history of comic books"—The Los Angeles Times Magazine

"One of the few comics that segued from the comics crowd, entering the intellectual and art worlds, winning over a large non-comics-reading audience..."—The Hollywood Reporter

"The Sandman is a modern myth, as well as a precis on why the stories we tell matter so much."—Playboy

"The landmark comic-book series that actually made Death seem . . . cool."—Entertainment Weekly

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1401225756
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vertigo; Reprint edition (October 19, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781401225759
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1401225759
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.65 x 0.35 x 10.16 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #794,984 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,744 in Horror Manga (Books)
- #1,831 in DC Comics & Graphic Novels

Customer Reviews:
4.6 2,010 ratings

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Neil Gaiman

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Neil Gaiman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including Norse Mythology, Neverwhere, and The Graveyard Book. Among his numerous literary awards are the Newbery and Carnegie medals, and the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner awards. He is a Professor in the Arts at Bard College.

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4.6 out of 5

2,010 global ratings

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Kristen

A graphic novel I actually like

Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2014

Verified Purchase

I became aware of Neil Gaiman in general - and Sandman in particular - listening to Tori Amos as a teenager. She has a line in a song called "Tear In Your Hand," on her debut album Little Earthquakes, that goes, "If you need me, me and Neil'll be / Hangin' out with the Dream King."

Way back then, I researched it and found out about Sandman. But this was before the Internet, and before I had my own money to spend.

Fast forward about *mumble* years. I've read several of Gaiman's novels. I've long since stopped devouring every Tori Amos album as soon as it comes out. (Or at all, to be honest.) And I'm browsing Amazon and come across The Sandman series. So I buy the first volume. Along with one of my favorite early Tori albums, just to really get back to my roots.

I read Volume 1 in one sitting. I've never been much of a fan of comics. I read The Watchmen and, at my husband's urging, one of the Batman ones. The Dark Knight something or other. I like comic book characters, I love the Marvel movies, but reading graphic novels is difficult for me. I never know which panel to go to next, and I feel like I miss things.

I'm not an idiot, I swear. There's just something about the way they're put together that makes it hard for my brain to digest.

The Sandman was not too difficult to grasp, though. For the most part the action was clear, and of course Neil's stories were beautiful. I loved Dream, I adored Death, the art was phenomenal, and I couldn't stop turning the pages. I absolutely cannot wait to read the rest of the series. I am forcing myself to wait a few days before I order Vol. 2, because I don't want to spend $100 in one month on comic books. I mean, I DO want to, but I probably shouldn't.

62 people found this helpful

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Liz

A fantasic introduction to the characters and storyline to follow

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2014

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First up, all of the 10 volumes of The Sandman novels deserve 5 stars. They are a phenomenal acheivement in not only graphic novels but in storytelling itself. The story is complex and cerebral and the characters so well developed that Sandman is one of my favorite stories period. The novels are intensely violent and often disturbing but everything that happens serves a purpose, and nothing happens by chance or just for the sake of things happening. Something that happens in one volume may become vitally important 3 or 4 volumes later. By the end of the 10th volume everything has come full circle with an appropriate and satisfying end.

With regards to Volume 1, many consider it to be a weak link in the series but I do not. Granted it is primarily focused on introducing characters and setting up the plot for the entire story, but it's done well. The plot concerns a cult attempting to capture and control Death. Instead they get her brother Dream, who is then held prisoner for decades. This is not without some disturbing consequences as people fall prey to a "sleeping sickness" and Dream's kingdom falls into utter disarray. Upon escaping Dream must regain control of his kingdom but in order to do so he must retrieve the sources of his power which he placed into objects. Subsequently these objects have been scattered during his imprisonment.

As far as the volume's content on the Kindle Fire - I was hesitant to abandon the volumes in print worried that the Kindle Fire might provide a more difficult viewing experience. That hasn't turned out the be the case. The novel is easy to read, you can scan in to specific boxes, and the colors are vibrant.

12 people found this helpful

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Hapax Legomenon

An average beginning to an extraordinary series... and the improved art makes a big difference!

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2011

Verified Purchase

Like almost anyone who has an interest in comics, I had heard the hype for Sandman for years. I have been a fan of Neil Gaiman's work since my early teens (American Gods and Stardust are incredible, and his short stories are a must-read!), but for some reason I had never gotten around to reading what many consider to be his magnum opus. Finally, I was hanging out at Barnes & Noble one day, waiting for a ride, and I picked up a copy of Preludes & Nocturnes. What I found left me a bit conflicted. The story was decent, and the concept of the series is spectacular. Understanding that this was just an introduction to the series and the point at which Gaiman was testing the water, it was a pretty good comic-- storywise. The art, I must say, was a turnoff. The TPB I was reading was released prior to the recoloring, and it was a mess, to say the least. So, when I found out that the recolored editions were being released in TPBs, I didn't hesitate. The newly colored and remastered edition makes a significant difference.Though the pencils and inking are still not so great, we can probably chalk that up to the fact that when the series was first published, DC wasn't throwing too much money at the production. I'm now up to Volume 5, and the story just keeps getting better, and the art becomes more beautiful by the issue. In fact, as production quality had improved by the early to mid 90's, the original print TPBs are fine to buy for volumes 6-10. My suggestion is to buy this book, enter the world of Sandman, and then keep going.

5 people found this helpful

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Rachel

New to comic books, love this series

Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2016

Verified Purchase

I only recently got into comic books and have been pretty picky about what I like. In researching new series for me to read, I kept coming across The Sandman. The story sounded interesting but I was put off by the art style so held off on starting it. However, it kept coming up on blogs and forums. "XYZ Comic could be the next Sandman!" they said.

So I gave in and bought the first two volumes. I read the first volume and was pretty sure it wasn't for me. It starts slow and appears to throw a lot of random information at you, almost all of it is irrelevant for the first issues featured in this volume. But I decided to read the second volume since I had already purchased it. I'm glad I did because that is where it really starts to come alive! The random information and characters aren't so random anymore. They have their own stories and developments that all tie back to the aspect of Dream.

The writing is fantastic, the character development is believable, and the art brings it all to life. I've come to not only appreciate the series in it's entirety but have also become a big fan of the author Neil Gaiman. If you're like me with an initial hesitance, give it a chance. I'm really glad I did!

37 people found this helpful

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Vinícius Tapioca

It never gets old

Reviewed in Brazil on January 11, 2019

Verified Purchase

The very first time I read Sandman stories I was about 16 years old and discovered a new kind of comics, much more complex than the ones I was used to.
Reading now, 16 years after that, I still got that feeling, I'm still involved by the the suspense, horror e weirdness of the stories.

Yail Mendoza

Otra faceta más de Morfeo

Reviewed in Mexico on May 15, 2017

Verified Purchase

Sin importar qué tipo de rankings de comics encuentres siempre encontrarás a Sandman en una alta posición, por esa y por otras razones esperaba mucho de esta obra.
Lo abrí y tuve una ligera decepción por lo poco que me atraía el dibujo, pero debo decir que aunque me costó iniciarlo, una vez iniciado no tuve otra opción más que terminarlo y ordenar la segunda parte al cerrar este primer libro.
Personajes sobrenaturales, personajes humanos, monstruos, demonios, brujas y hasta supervillanos, todos comparten la misma bizarra profundidad humana que te hace varias veces empatizar, pero siempre te da a entender el núcleo de los personajes.
Utilizando mitologías variadas Neil Gaiman crea un mundo hostil, extraño pero sobre todo, interesante. Y para los que aún dudan por el arte, no se preocupen, no sé si mejora con el tiempo o el ojo se va acostumbrando, pero nunca es un obstáculo a la historia.

3 people found this helpful

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Ramón Prado Moreno

muy buen comic

Reviewed in Spain on January 1, 2018

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Este cómic es tremendamente divertido y la edición de tapa blanda está muy bien, el papel no es muy fino y es resistente. Llegó en muy buen estado y cumplió el plazo de entrega :)

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Abhilash B.M.

Awesome comic. For the first time I couldnt stop ...

Reviewed in India on January 13, 2018

Verified Purchase

Awesome comic. For the first time I couldnt stop reading until i finished it. The art is good and the story is excellent.
Totally recommend it.
When joseph gordon lewitt wanted to make a movie on sandman i was wondering why; after reading it I now know why.

4 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Good

Reviewed in Australia on May 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

It's the sandman, it's great, but it. Here's 13 more words for you to cast your lovely eyes over darling!

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