ISBN: 9781563890116
Publisher: Vertigo (1995)
Publisher: Vertigo (1995)
240 p.
Reading Level: Grades 10th and up.
Summary:
In reading this series, which encompasses eleven volumes, first start with this volume, Preludes & Nocturnes. This volume is made up of short tales connected by an overall story of how Dream, aka Morpheus, has finally escaped after being imprisoned for 70 years and must go on various journeys in order to regain his lost or stolen objects of power. On the way, he encounters and fights with many demons, including Lucifer. One of the most interesting story threads is that, because Dream had been kidnapped and locked up, a “sleepy sickness” (p. 30) has invaded the world, driving men and women and children of all ages to sleep indefinitely and only wake up a few times a year or two. Dream’s journeys take him both into the human world and down to Hell. What Dream has to do in order to regain his prized possessions will impact the rest of the Sandman volumes. In the last story Death, Dream’s sister, is introduced as a spunky Goth girl, hooking readers into delving into further volumes in order to learn more about her.
In reading this series, which encompasses eleven volumes, first start with this volume, Preludes & Nocturnes. This volume is made up of short tales connected by an overall story of how Dream, aka Morpheus, has finally escaped after being imprisoned for 70 years and must go on various journeys in order to regain his lost or stolen objects of power. On the way, he encounters and fights with many demons, including Lucifer. One of the most interesting story threads is that, because Dream had been kidnapped and locked up, a “sleepy sickness” (p. 30) has invaded the world, driving men and women and children of all ages to sleep indefinitely and only wake up a few times a year or two. Dream’s journeys take him both into the human world and down to Hell. What Dream has to do in order to regain his prized possessions will impact the rest of the Sandman volumes. In the last story Death, Dream’s sister, is introduced as a spunky Goth girl, hooking readers into delving into further volumes in order to learn more about her.
Critical Evaluation:
In this first volume of Sandman, which tells the tale of Morpheus, Dream undertakes journeys he needs to fulfill in order to regain items that he has lost. In this volume, as in others, LGBTQ characters are presented as in every-day life. These plots may not seem very radical in this day and age, but in the early 90s it was a huge step towards showing the LGBTQ community and mirroring the growing acceptance of it. As Gaiman has said, “These were all my friends and people I knew and didn’t see any reflection of them in the comics I was reading, so I put them into MY comics.” (Ferber, 2007). The characterization of these characters went a long way in the LGBTQ communities, and Gaiman has continually portrayed characters who may not usually have a voice in books and graphic novels. Accordingly, he has also been a recipient of the GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) award for best comic in 1996 for Death: The Time of Your Life, about a lesbian couple. Teens and communities at large need authors like Gaiman to give communities that are not written about often enough a legitimate voice, whether it is in a realistic setting or in the realm of fantasy.
Reader’s Annotation:
Enter into a dark world where myth and history collide. Neil Gaiman’s black humor
will draw you into a world where demons exist and worlds collide, now enter with The Sandman.
will draw you into a world where demons exist and worlds collide, now enter with The Sandman.
Author Biography:
Neil Gaiman is a favorite of both young and adult readers and is an author of mostly the science fiction and dark fantasy genres. His children and YA novels include Coraline and Stardust as well as
The Graveyard Book. His novels Neverwhere, Good Omens, and American Gods are beloved
in many parts of the world.
The Graveyard Book. His novels Neverwhere, Good Omens, and American Gods are beloved
in many parts of the world.
Gaiman has also been the author of numerous graphic novels, but none so famous as his award-winning series, The Sandman, that has been collected into 12 volumes, “14 if the Death spinoff is taken into account.” (Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Gaiman). Gaiman has had many films made of his novels such as MirrorMask, Neverwhere, and Coraline. One can also look forward to seeing The Graveyard Book being made into a film by Neil Jordan. Those who love Mr. Gaiman can follow him on his Twitter account (http://twitter.com/neilhimself) that includes information about his book tours, thoughts, and general musings.
Genre: Dark fantasy graphic novel.
Curriculum Ties:
Could be an example of creative writing using mythology or even used in an art class.
Booktalking Ideas:
-Is this series a crossover adult series and appropriate for teens,
or could it be construed as a teen graphic novel?
or could it be construed as a teen graphic novel?
- Sandman and his sister, Death, are portrayed as very true-to-life characters.
What does that say about living humans in general?
What does that say about living humans in general?
Read-Alikes:
-DC Comics – Batman: Whatever happened to the Caped Crusader?
-Attica by Gary Kilworth
-The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore
Challenge Issue:
Neil Gaiman comes under fire and is censored quite often because many find his Sandman series anti-family, unsuited to a teen-age group, and containing offensive language. A librarian, after hearing a patron’s fears, can let them know that a broken-hearted lesbian character is not “anti-family,” and that although teens in droves read this series, it is for both teens and adults, and most people swear in their day-to-day lives. Children who read Tales from the Crypt in its heyday would not bat an eye on reading the Sandman volumes.
After I explained that this is more of an adult book that teens could also read under guidance, I would tell a parent that discussing the underlying issues in the series could go far in helping a teen learn how to analyze books and gain more pleasure out of them when they discover underlying metaphors that permeate the work. Mature reading always helps a reader mature.
Reason to include in blog:
I have loved Neil Gaiman since I picked up Neverwhere years ago. I had never read any of his graphic novels and, in learning how teens are drawn towards this genre, I chose to include one of Gaiman’s,
for an interested teen could then cross-over into both his young-adult and adult titles.
I have loved Neil Gaiman since I picked up Neverwhere years ago. I had never read any of his graphic novels and, in learning how teens are drawn towards this genre, I chose to include one of Gaiman’s,
for an interested teen could then cross-over into both his young-adult and adult titles.
Reference:
CABeach. (2010). The mutualistic influence of the 1990’s on “The Sandman.” Retrieved
Ferber, L. (2007). Neil Gaiman on gay men (and women). Ewelthorpe Blog. Retrieved
Gaiman, N. (2011). Neilhimself. Retrieved from http://twitter.com/neilhimself
Gaiman, N. (2011) Neil Gaiman. Retrieved from
Gaiman, N., Kieth, S., Dringenberg, M., Jones, M., Klein, T., Busch, R., Vozzo, D.,
McKean, D. (1995). The sandman: Preludes & nocturnes. New York: DC Comics.
Neil Gaiman. (2011) In Wikipedia. Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Gaiman
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