onlyfiction | The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes

The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes & Nocturnes
By: Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth (Illustrator), Mike Dringenberg (Illustrator)
Release Date: October 19, 2010 (First published January 1, 1988)
Publisher: Vertigo
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Series: The Sandman (#1), Colección Vertigo Salvat-ECC (#2)
Summary: 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.

Review: Morpheus, one of the Endless, is kidnapped and upon escaping discovers the world has changed. The first volume is about him trying to regain his power. The book introduces characters, places, and plots.

There is something I need to confess. Neil Gaiman’s books have never really appealed to me. I am completely baffled by them. When he tells a story, I never know where it will go.

In this volume, there is an overwhelming amount of happening. Some characters (both new and recycled) ended up being flat and boring because there were too many. Although I didn’t find the main character to be bad, he became flat and boring as the story progressed. Among them, only John Constantine really appealed to me.

There was also a lot of confusion and overwhelming in the plot. The author presented many ideas, some of which were overlooked and left you wishing for more elaboration. I’ll be interested to see how the second volume improves on the overall story.