After hearing good buzz about this book, and knowing the legendary Neil Gaiman wrote it, I decided to give this first volume of The Sandman series a go. I absolutely hated it.
In fact, I just don’t get all the hoopla about NG. I admit I haven’t tried enough of his books to get a broad enough feel for his appeal. While I am a big fan of short stories, I did not care for Fragile Things, and his short story/graphic novel for youth The Sleeper and the Spindle was just ok. I loved Marvel 1602, but when paired with this book, my opinion of him still tilts downward. Please don’t hate me for admitting that NG just doesn’t do it for me 😉
Graphic novels live and die on their illustrations. If you read a regular book, you imagine the characters and setting in your head. Your image is your own, and that is why there is often outcry when a beloved book doesn’t match up to the reader’s expectation if turned into a movie or tv series. But in a graphic novel, the pictures are there in front of you, for that is what the author and/or illustrator planned for it to look like to everyone. And it looked like crap. I don’t need or want everything to look pretty, but come on, the drawings were sketchy, blotchy and weird. Does anyone else think Morpheus looks like NG?
At first I did not realize that The Sandman series resided in the DC universe. So I was a bit taken aback when Dr. Destiny (aka John Dee-how I hated him!), Scarecrow, Martian Manhunter and John Constantine showed up. These characters seemed just thrown in, with no continuity with the rest of the storyline. The first chapter had started out promisingly with an explanation of how Dream/Morpheus was called into existence, but after that the rest of the book became very episodic, perhaps to match up with how dreams are fragmented and elusive in our own minds. I felt this book had promise in theory, to be introduced to a dream world that could be in turns enchanting or macabre; but the blend of mythology, fantasy and contemporary violence was all too muddled for me.
I had a talk about this series with some college students and co-workers last night, and while they promised the series gets better, I will not be reading further volumes. However, I have not given up on Neil Gaiman entirely. Because of his stellar reputation, I feel I need to give him another chance. But only one. Any suggestions, readers???
-Nancy
Graphic Novelty² 
September 2, 2016 at 5:19 pm
i recommend proceed with Volume 2, in my honest opinion Vol.1 was good , Vol. 2 was good , and gradually it became better
Also Lucifer the TV show is also from Vertigo / DC and related to Sandman , Just saying
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September 2, 2016 at 6:28 pm
At least the Lucifer in the tv series is a good looking guy vs. how ugly the art is in The Sandman!
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September 2, 2016 at 9:15 pm
I’ve come to really trust your reviews because I feel like I share a lot your opinions on comics (or pop culture in general) so this is helpful. I’ve had a few friends telling me that i NEED to read this. I may still check it out…but it will be cautiously and with mild expectations. Thanks for saving me the heartache! The best Neil Gaiman story (although, like you, I haven’t read much of his work) I’ve read is ‘Good Omens’ – a novel he co-authored with Terry Pratchett. It’s about an angel and demon who are sent to earth to watch the Antichrist grow up. The demon is to ensure he begins the apocalypse, the angle make certain he can’t be allowed to start it. The novel follows this odd couple as they decide they kind of like the kid and want to let him live his own life and do his own thing – regardless of divine ideas. It’s not a life-changing book but it IS a pretty fun.
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September 3, 2016 at 6:26 pm
Thank you for your suggestion as what to try next by NG. He’s so popular, so I feel I am missing something- what do other people see that I don’t?
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September 3, 2016 at 8:09 pm
I wonder that myself. And I have no insight for you. However, I often end up just thinking everyone else’s crazy :).
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September 3, 2016 at 10:29 pm
You’re not alone, I’ve never seen Gaiman’s appeal either. I read Sandman back in the ’80s but I really didn’t like it. Poor writing and poor artwork.
I seem to remember quite liking Gaiman’s Black Orchid, I think that came out around the same time, but it was helped along by Dave McKean’s amazing artwork.
And Gaiman’s novels!?! Why do people like them so much? American Gods was awful. I don’t think I’ve ever been annoyed by a piece of prose as much as I was by that.
But, he does have a massive following and, like you say, I do wonder what it is that I’m missing.
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September 5, 2016 at 9:31 pm
I will look into Black Orchid, although I typically like Marvel more than DC. I heard American Gods is being turned into a tv series, with some very intriguing actors and actresses attached to it. Perhaps I’ll tune in.
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September 7, 2016 at 4:14 pm
The Sandman volume 1 is my current read, as I am trying to explore different reading genres. And I agree totally on the illustrations. I thought it was just me. And it’s a lot of pressure to like a book when it receives so many rave reviews. It’s coming along so far, but better pictures would definitely help with the story. I have the first 3 volumes, and reading some of the comments, I guess I will wait until I’ve read them all before I say “NOPE!”. I didn’t care for Persepolis, and it has received a lot of positive reviews too. I just couldn’t get into it. Didn’t even finish it.
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September 8, 2016 at 4:29 pm
As I heard the series improves, you will probably be in luck since you already have the first three volumes. I’d be interested in hearing your opinion once you read a few of this series, since you also don’t like the illustrations, but are willing to give it more of a chance than me.
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