The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes (original 1991; edition 1993)

Whilst I am still a relative newbie to the world of comics reading The Sandman has been on my to do list for some time. A friend advised me to be prepared to take my time over reading it, boy is she right!

This first volume covers the first 8 issues of the comic, so much ground is covered in them with lots of characters being introduced. I found the first couple of issues a little hard going but quickly found that I picked up the main thrust of the plot and I became lost in the story. There are bits that are thrilling, bits that are scary, bits that make your heart sing a little and bits that make you cry - everything you could ask for is here.

In just one volume I'm a convert, I'm aready looking forward to my visit next week to read volume 2 - The Doll's House. ( )

Whilst I am still a relative newbie to the world of comics reading The Sandman has been on my to do list for some time. A friend advised me to be prepared to take my time over reading it, boy is she right!

This first volume covers the first 8 issues of the comic, so much ground is covered in them with lots of characters being introduced. I found the first couple of issues a little hard going but quickly found that I picked up the main thrust of the plot and I became lost in the story. There are bits that are thrilling, bits that are scary, bits that make your heart sing a little and bits that make you cry - everything you could ask for is here.

In just one volume I'm a convert, I'm aready looking forward to my visit next week to read volume 2 - The Doll's House. ( )

I'm halfway trough but still not very interested in story. It seems so scarce looking at pictures. I think I am a book-only-girl after all.

I thought at first I wasn't going to be able to get into the art. Most of my experience with reading graphic novels comes from manga, with pretty boys and pretty art all the time, not like this. Which isn't to say that I didn't see the value of this art, I'm just a sucker for pretty things. Now I've actually read this first volume and I'm used to the art style, I can see how perfect it is and I'm quite enjoying it. I like Dream's character design, but so far his sister, Death, is my favourite in terms of design. And she's pretty awesome: "You are utterly the stupidest, most self-centered, appallingest excuse for an anthropomorphic personification on this or any other plane!"

The story in this feels very much like an introduction. Here is Dream, here are his things, here is Dream going on a quest to regain his power, here is Dream with all his power. I think it was quite a good way to introduce us to a main character, and the final story -- "The Sound of Her Wings" -- is a nice way to wrap up the volume.

You can definitely see the "pushing and pulling" Gaiman mentions in the afterword, and the exploration of different genres, but it more or less comes together into a whole, and he definitely does find his voice with the last story. Hopefully from here on it'll all be... not like that, but settled into the right voice for it. ( )

Amazing, really loved it. One of those comics that really draws you in, brings you into a completely different world where nothing is the way it seems. A storyline that doesn't give away too much and leaves you to think for yourself in stead of spelling everything out.
I like the different references Gaiman includes in his stories, definitely something for lovers of comics and horror, it's fun to see familiar characters make an appearance.
Though the stories in the first volume are still a bit disconnected and it seems like Gaiman is still feeling his way around a bit, it holds great promiss. ( )