In 1989, DC Comics released the first issue of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. This cult classic story was Gaiman’s attempt to revive DC’s old The Sandman series that had been published during the 1970s, and it was quite a success. The Sandman became a cult classic story for DC Comics and its Vertigo imprint, lauded by both critics and fans for its amazing art, its narrative complexity and its psychological depth. Neil Gaiman is undoubtedly a genius and one of the most creative writers in modern fiction, which is why I have decided to dedicate this article to the genius that is The Sandman.
The Sandman is a comic book series with absolutely everything going in its favor. The story is incredibly deep and intriguing, the characters are developed in the best manner possible and the art is absolutely out of this world. All of this is what makes The Sandman such a brilliant work of art.
In today’s article, I am going to give you several details on Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. You are going to find out what the whole series is about and who the main characters are, as well as why the comic book is so popular, i.e., why it is considered to be a cult classic. Enjoy!
What is The Sandman about?
In this section, I am going to give you a brief synopsis of the whole Sandman universe, so that you know the basic premise.
The Eternals, who are the principal characters of the saga, have existed since the beginning of existence and perform their duties in their respective realms. Around the seventeenth century, Destruction decides to abandon his duties, so that the cycles of creation and destruction have to unfold without his influence.
He makes sure that no one can take his place, and, after having reunited the “family” of the Eternals to inform them of his decision, sets off and wanders without any real purpose. This decision is a historical precedent and will set in motion a series of events towards the end of the twentieth century featuring his older brother, Dream, who, unlike Destruction, takes his role as Guardian of Dreams very seriously.
The Sandman saga is divided between volumes recounting the adventures of Dream and the Eternals and volumes including other narrative arcs highlighting various characters in which the Eternals often only make brief appearances, but always decisive ones.
Dream, also known as Morpheus, the Master of Dreams, was imprisoned from 1916 to 1988 by an occultist who hoped that Dream would grant him immortality in exchange for his own freedom. Dream is adamant during these 72 years and finally manages to escape.
After taking revenge, he returns to his derelict and decaying realm known as Dreaming, and although his prolonged imprisonment has ruined it severely, he manages to bring it back to his age-old order and once again fulfill his functions.
His family also exerts an influence on him: Destruction’s decision has troubled him, but he has decided to chase him away from his thoughts, while Desire and Despair keep challenging and plotting to bring about his downfall. Only Death and Delirium really help him.
Then his past catches up with him. He is forced to return to the Underworld to retrieve Nada, one of his former companions who had left him and committed suicide and whom he had condemned to the Underworld.
His son, Orpheus, torn to pieces by the Bacchantes after trying to bring back his young wife Eurydice without the help of his father who refused to come to his aid, asks him to finish him off. He ultimately fulfilled his wish. But the Benevolent, the three Eumenides know the laws: whoever even if it was an Eternal, sheds the blood of his family deserves death.
Eventually, Lyta Hall, who seeks revenge on Dream by any means after he takes her son from her, calls on the three Eumenides, and Dream cannot resist their attacks, but it doesn’t really seem like he wants to, anyway. Later, billions of dreamers come to pay homage to the Master of Dreams, ash his successor, Daniel Hall, son of Lyta Hall, becomes the new Dream.
What is so great about The Sandman?
The Sandman is Gaiman’s most famous work and arguably his best. In terms of originality, The Sandman is pretty much unique and it isn’t really difficult to observe why it is considered to be such a masterpiece.
While reviewing the saga for IGN, Hillary Goldstein stated that The Sandman :
“…is truly the cream of the crop when it comes to Vertigo books. Neil Gaiman’s work on the series is considered legendary for a reason. This story, in its entirety, is every bit as good as Watchmen and of equal (if not greater) literary merit. Were I to list the 100 best single comic-book issues I have ever read, three would come from this collection. Whether you have read The Sandman before or are a first timer, this is the one book you need to buy this fall. The stories within are magnificent, and the care taken in reproducing Gaiman’s work is the same you’d expect for any great work of literature.”
(Source)
This review, especially its last part, sums up the value of The Sandman in the best way possible. The stories of the saga are truly amazing and what Neil Gaiman has written can easily be classified as literature and not just as a comic book.
Why is The Sandman so popular?
The answer to this question really just continues from what I have said in the previous section. Namely, The Sandman’s popularity is a consequence of its unique structure and Gaiman’s masterful approach. The fact is that The Sandman created something new, it offered something new to the readers and those novelties were indeed amazing.
Neil Gaiman offered us a world like no other and characters whose intrinsic quality is something that truly mesmerized all of us as readers. All of this clearly explains the comic’s popularity and that is why The Sandman is always listed as one of the best comic books ever written.
