Re-reading Sandman.

[xodacia81]

So I'm up to A Game of You.
So far Sandman has been mesmerizing.
A few observations:
-The tone/mood/feel of the book is sublime. The only book that even comes close is Hellboy on terms of mood.
-it seems like each arc has a story that I don't really like to much, seems kinda like a throw away story, (like midsummer's night and the ghost boys school). At the time they seem like lame, like get back to the story already. (now I know that they tie in later, but at the time it's like get back to the story.
-lucifer giving up hell is just a stroke of genius. Like totally perfect.
-gamian can create interest in characters in such a short amount of time. 95% of the characters are SO interesting. Even like fiddler's green, who is really in only a few sections of the books

As to the best arc so far, ....... Impossible to say. Maybe Season of mist

It's when of those books that it's so hard to say "this is my favorite arc" because they're all great, but yeah, that's a pretty good one too.

Indeed. They are all great, all different and yet all so damn intoxicating. A truly marvelous series. I don't know that anything will ever knock it from the # 1 spot on my list of great series.

[Lightning Strike]

So I'm up to A Game of You.
So far Sandman has been mesmerizing.
A few observations:
-The tone/mood/feel of the book is sublime. The only book that even comes close is Hellboy on terms of mood.
-it seems like each arc has a story that I don't really like to much, seems kinda like a throw away story, (like midsummer's night and the ghost boys school). At the time they seem like lame, like get back to the story already. (now I know that they tie in later, but at the time it's like get back to the story.
-lucifer giving up hell is just a stroke of genius. Like totally perfect.
-gamian can create interest in characters in such a short amount of time. 95% of the characters are SO interesting. Even like fiddler's green, who is really in only a few sections of the books

As to the best arc so far, ....... Impossible to say. Maybe Season of mist

It's when of those books that it's so hard to say "this is my favorite arc" because they're all great, but yeah, that's a pretty good one too.

Indeed. They are all great, all different and yet all so damn intoxicating. A truly marvelous series. I don't know that anything will ever knock it from the # 1 spot on my list of great series.

As far as Vertigo goes, it's a tie between Sandman and Fables. Best Vertigo books ever

[xodacia81]

So I'm up to A Game of You.
So far Sandman has been mesmerizing.
A few observations:
-The tone/mood/feel of the book is sublime. The only book that even comes close is Hellboy on terms of mood.
-it seems like each arc has a story that I don't really like to much, seems kinda like a throw away story, (like midsummer's night and the ghost boys school). At the time they seem like lame, like get back to the story already. (now I know that they tie in later, but at the time it's like get back to the story.
-lucifer giving up hell is just a stroke of genius. Like totally perfect.
-gamian can create interest in characters in such a short amount of time. 95% of the characters are SO interesting. Even like fiddler's green, who is really in only a few sections of the books

As to the best arc so far, ....... Impossible to say. Maybe Season of mist

It's when of those books that it's so hard to say "this is my favorite arc" because they're all great, but yeah, that's a pretty good one too.

Indeed. They are all great, all different and yet all so damn intoxicating. A truly marvelous series. I don't know that anything will ever knock it from the # 1 spot on my list of great series.

As far as Vertigo goes, it's a tie between Sandman and Fables. Best Vertigo books ever

Total agreement. The only books I'd put up as contenders would be Y: The Last Man and 100 Bullets, but neither will touch those two. Ever. Even the weakest parts of Sandman and Fables are heads and shoulders above most of those other two, and I consider all 4 of them to be in my top 10.

[Elveen]

Just about to finish Brief Lives. Maybe.... might be my favorite arc so far.

Gamian is a character developing genius. I love how he slowly doles out the pieces of information of the larger story while at the same time taking care of the individual arcs. Reading Sandman is a true joy.

It is brilliant. An amazing work of fiction.

[xodacia81]

Just about to finish Brief Lives. Maybe.... might be my favorite arc so far.

Gamian is a character developing genius. I love how he slowly doles out the pieces of information of the larger story while at the same time taking care of the individual arcs. Reading Sandman is a true joy.

It is brilliant. An amazing work of fiction.

I think Brief Lives is probably the best in terms of pure character development, and I love how, more than just about any other arc-and that's saying something!-it connects back to others. A really great work. Gaiman is tops, and the series-as I've said before-remains my # 1. Recently re-read P&N, and damn if it doesn't hold up.

[myron]

Just about to finish Brief Lives. Maybe.... might be my favorite arc so far.

Gamian is a character developing genius. I love how he slowly doles out the pieces of information of the larger story while at the same time taking care of the individual arcs. Reading Sandman is a true joy.

It is brilliant. An amazing work of fiction.

I think Brief Lives is probably the best in terms of pure character development, and I love how, more than just about any other arc-and that's saying something!-it connects back to others. A really great work. Gaiman is tops, and the series-as I've said before-remains my # 1. Recently re-read P&N, and damn if it doesn't hold up.

just re-read The Wake...genius

[xodacia81]

Just about to finish Brief Lives. Maybe.... might be my favorite arc so far.

Gamian is a character developing genius. I love how he slowly doles out the pieces of information of the larger story while at the same time taking care of the individual arcs. Reading Sandman is a true joy.

It is brilliant. An amazing work of fiction.

I think Brief Lives is probably the best in terms of pure character development, and I love how, more than just about any other arc-and that's saying something!-it connects back to others. A really great work. Gaiman is tops, and the series-as I've said before-remains my # 1. Recently re-read P&N, and damn if it doesn't hold up.

just re-read The Wake...genius

Love the Hob Gadling story in that one.

[Elveen]

Elveen, you might enjoy this reread by a new reader (but from a critical/literary minded perspective via a book critic/editor/) that we've been running. It's issue by issue and they are ALL very different in format. He's on the Kindly Ones now, but started from issue #1.

http://www.boomtron.com/2010/07/sandman ... -the-just/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Gaiman has told me on a couple of occasions he'd like to them collected/published.

when I'm done reading, I'll check this out.

[Lightning Strike]

Just about to finish Brief Lives. Maybe.... might be my favorite arc so far.

Gamian is a character developing genius. I love how he slowly doles out the pieces of information of the larger story while at the same time taking care of the individual arcs. Reading Sandman is a true joy.

It is brilliant. An amazing work of fiction.

I think Brief Lives is probably the best in terms of pure character development, and I love how, more than just about any other arc-and that's saying something!-it connects back to others. A really great work. Gaiman is tops, and the series-as I've said before-remains my # 1. Recently re-read P&N, and damn if it doesn't hold up.

just re-read The Wake...genius

All this Sandman talk makes me want to reread mine. And I have the Absolute editions which I REALLY have been wanting to read. I have other books though that I need to read.

[xodacia81]

Just about to finish Brief Lives. Maybe.... might be my favorite arc so far.

Gamian is a character developing genius. I love how he slowly doles out the pieces of information of the larger story while at the same time taking care of the individual arcs. Reading Sandman is a true joy.

It is brilliant. An amazing work of fiction.

I think Brief Lives is probably the best in terms of pure character development, and I love how, more than just about any other arc-and that's saying something!-it connects back to others. A really great work. Gaiman is tops, and the series-as I've said before-remains my # 1. Recently re-read P&N, and damn if it doesn't hold up.

just re-read The Wake...genius

All this Sandman talk makes me want to reread mine. And I have the Absolute editions which I REALLY have been wanting to read. I have other books though that I need to read.

I've seen the coloring on those, and it enriches the visual experience by a magnitude of 10. Seriously. I wish I had been able to afford them when I could have gotten the whole lot for just under 100.

[xodacia81]

Elveen, you might enjoy this reread by a new reader (but from a critical/literary minded perspective via a book critic/editor/) that we've been running. It's issue by issue and they are ALL very different in format. He's on the Kindly Ones now, but started from issue #1.

http://www.boomtron.com/2010/07/sandman ... -the-just/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Gaiman has told me on a couple of occasions he'd like to them collected/published.

when I'm done reading, I'll check this out.

I think I'll do the same.

[Elveen]

So I'm up to the Kindly Ones......... and I hate to say this but...... it has not "grabbed" me as much as the past arcs.

(real quick, I did not like World's End [in compared to earlier runs]). When I read TKO, I like it...... but it is not as ...... memorable, thought provoking, haunting, whatever the earlier Sandman is. I find it interested, not just magnetic.

I've LOVED everything up until WE, and was real excited for TKO, but .....not as much right now. It's hard to put my finger on it, but it's just not engrossing me. I was thinking that this re-read of Sandman was going to lead to it overtaking Fables as my #1 desert island read, but with WE and so far of TKO, nope. Can't do it.

It is still grrrrrrrrrrrreat. But for me, there has been a dip.

I will say that I loved Dream and Delirium searching for Destruction in the previous arc. High quality stuff.

[xodacia81]

So I'm up to the Kindly Ones......... and I hate to say this but...... it has not "grabbed" me as much as the past arcs.

(real quick, I did not like World's End [in compared to earlier runs]). When I read TKO, I like it...... but it is not as ...... memorable, thought provoking, haunting, whatever the earlier Sandman is. I find it interested, not just magnetic.

I've LOVED everything up until WE, and was real excited for TKO, but .....not as much right now. It's hard to put my finger on it, but it's just not engrossing me. I was thinking that this re-read of Sandman was going to lead to it overtaking Fables as my #1 desert island read, but with WE and so far of TKO, nope. Can't do it.

It is still grrrrrrrrrrrreat. But for me, there has been a dip.

I will say that I loved Dream and Delirium searching for Destruction in the previous arc. High quality stuff.

The Kindly ones is an arc that I struggled with the first time. I was uncertain about both the art and the story. The art was just a bit too....well, NOT what I am used to or expecting. So, about halfway in, I tried to just groove to it as best I could and found it sort of fit things. The story, though, takes a bit too long to get going. You shouldn't have to be 7 issues into a 10 issue arc before you start seeing good things.

That said, I think overall, Sandman is my # 1, based on the strength of those early arcs and the sum total of the story. Fables sometimes ties it, but is usually right there in 2nd place. If things keep up, though...Chew is fast approaching top 3 all time territory.

Oh, and as for World's End...it's a strange arc but think of it this way and it makes more sense: It's a Zero Hour tie-in.

[Elveen]

So I finished the Sandman.

Overall, it is a great, great read. I do think there is a bit of a lull towards the end, beginning with World's end and continuing through most of the Kindly Ones. The Wake is good, maybe even very good, but not GREAT (but that might be rating due to the fact that the beginning of Sandman is a 11 out of 10.) There are parts of the Wake that are very touching and passionate.

Overall, Sandman is a 9.5 out of 10, maybe a 9.75 out of 10.

I'm now reading Sandman: Endless Nights. It is also very good.

[Dr. Solar]

I like World's End more the more I read it.

Kindly Ones has always been a bit of a tougher read for me. It isn't quite as compelling to me, until the end at least, when things get pretty nuts.

[Elveen]

I like World's End more the more I read it.

Kindly Ones has always been a bit of a tougher read for me. It isn't quite as compelling to me, until the end at least, when things get pretty nuts.

The end is good, but it takes os long to get there.

[dbngaa]

The art in Kindly Ones makes it feel a bit distant to me. I agree that by the end it is no longer a barrier, but initially it doesn't help my involvement with the story.

[Lightning Strike]

So I finished the Sandman.

Overall, it is a great, great read. I do think there is a bit of a lull towards the end, beginning with World's end and continuing through most of the Kindly Ones. The Wake is good, maybe even very good, but not GREAT (but that might be rating due to the fact that the beginning of Sandman is a 11 out of 10.) There are parts of the Wake that are very touching and passionate.

Overall, Sandman is a 9.5 out of 10, maybe a 9.75 out of 10.

I'm now reading Sandman: Endless Nights. It is also very good.

Agree with you 100%. I hated it when Gaiman replaced him with Daniel

[Dr. Solar]

So... I seem to have the best friends in the world. A couple of my buddies got me the Sandman Absolute Editions as a birthday gift, all four volumes. I was flabbergasted! Couldn't believe it.

So, I'm re-reading Sandman now.

Goodness gracious, these absolutes are stunningly beautiful.

[Elveen]

So... I seem to have the best friends in the world. A couple of my buddies got me the Sandman Absolute Editions as a birthday gift, all four volumes. I was flabbergasted! Couldn't believe it.

So, I'm re-reading Sandman now.

Goodness gracious, these absolutes are stunningly beautiful.

GREAT.

[Lightning Strike]

So... I seem to have the best friends in the world. A couple of my buddies got me the Sandman Absolute Editions as a birthday gift, all four volumes. I was flabbergasted! Couldn't believe it.

So, I'm re-reading Sandman now.

Goodness gracious, these absolutes are stunningly beautiful.

[400yrs]

-it seems like each arc has a story that I don't really like to much, seems kinda like a throw away story, (like midsummer's night and the ghost boys school). At the time they seem like lame, like get back to the story already. (now I know that they tie in later, but at the time it's like get back to the story.

That really gets on my nerves. That's probably the main reason I didn't make it through the series.

[Elveen]

So I decided to re-read Sandman ..... again.

Just finished A Doll's House. Amazing!

A masterful work of literature.

[Lightning Strike]

So I decided to re-read Sandman ..... again.

Just finished A Doll's House. Amazing!

A masterful work of literature.

[lorddunlow]

Sandman. Best story ever. Best characters ever.

I really need to get the Absolute Editions. I have the entire run in floppies, many of which are multi-signed by the creative teams. I also have all of the first print hardcovers (which is how I read them initially).

My favorite arc by far is Brief Lives. The scene with Morpheus on the couch after killing Orpheus is my favorite panel ever. I tried to buy the original art off of Jill Thompson and she told me it was the only piece she kept for herself out of the whole run. I actually had her sign that page of my HC.

Hob Gatlinburg is my favorite supporting character and favorite Endless is either Death or Delirium (depends on my mood). I actually am not fond of Dream at all - bit of a tool, and a downer to boot.

World's End and Season of Mists are the two arcs I've read the most, as they read the best individually. They're also the first Sandman books I read (in the above order).

My wife bought me Absolute Death for my birthday this year. Would love the Sandman books!

I could go on all day long about Sandman, so I'll shut up now.