No need for me to review the contents of this book -- because if you're even just a casual SANDMAN fan, you've probably got them all in either their original comics form or in paperback. No, chances are, you're thinking of getting this book because you're a SANDMAN addict and are wondering whether an ABSOLUTE version of Gaiman's classic is worth all the hubbub, bub.

It is.

The stories are presented in an oversize format, beautfully colored and presented on glossy stock. That sort of classy presentation alone should be worth the price of admission -- but there's more here than that.

Also included are Gaiman's original pitch to DC Comics (attention writers: See? Even Neil Gaiman had to pitch editors in his day!), which includes his vision of the character, an outline for the first story arc, and some potential future stories, some of which never saw light of day. The pitch also includes rough sketches by Gaiman of the look of the character, as well as more polished drawings by Leigh Baulch and Dave McKean.

The real gem in here, though, is Gaiman's complete script for "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the first (and only) comic to win the World Fantasy Award. Like Alan Moore's script for WATCHMEN (included in both the Graffitti and Absolute editions of WATCHMEN), Gaiman's script -- a "full script", with action and dialogue broken down panel by panel -- is full of literary asides, inside jokes, commentary on what CD he's listening to, and observations on mythology, character motivation, and backgrounds.

It's not only a peek behind the scenes, to give you an idea of how complicated it is to write a comic, but also a great look at the creative process, as you'll see how -- and why -- Gaiman breaks down some scenes the way he does, and why he has characters act the way they do. ( )

Absolutely beautiful! absolutely amazing! Absolutely recommend absolute Sandman Vol. 1 ( )

Gorgeously bound, meticulously printed edition, collecting Neil Gaiman's graphic novel The Sandman. These stories are literate, compelling, and full of engaging characters. It's a privilege to read such wonderful stories in such beautiful editions. ( )

The beginning of this masterpiece is much better than I remember and the re-colored art is a huge improvement. ( )

Just in case I needed a reminder of how much the colouring can make or break a graphic novel. Having the first 15 or 20 issues recoloured from scratch was the main reason I bought the entire Absolute Sandman collection, and it was definitely worth it.

Re-reading this has been enormously fun.

Preludes and Nocturnes, even with all of its DC baggage is still a surprisingly good piece of literature. A Doll's House is also excellent.

It occurred to me that when I first read Collectors, I had never been to a convention, and rereading it having been to several makes it both funnier and more tragic.

I still don't really get A Midsummer Night's Dream, even having now re-read the play. Yeah, it's alright, but I don't really get why it's meant to be so brilliant. Though having the script has helped me appreciate it a bit more.

Neil's original outline for Sandman, published in its entirety at the back of this volume, is also quite enlightening. Did you know that the Etrigan's dialogue was meant to be a sestina? I would have been very impressed had he managed to pull it off.

Finally, the introduction to the volume is one of the poncier introductions to Sandman I have read. ( )