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Fun Stuff => MAKE => Topic started by: The Mighty Mopdecai on 17 Apr 2005, 16:42

Title: The Sandman
Post by: The Mighty Mopdecai on 17 Apr 2005, 16:42
Bought some Samdman comics (well bought the volumes up to number 6) and read them and all I can say is amazing it comes of no surprise to me that these comics are so well recieved. My favourite character in them is no doubt Death I was just wondering if anyone else on this board has read these comics and what did they think of them
Title: The Sandman
Post by: nothingwitty on 17 Apr 2005, 19:44
I've only read the first three, and yes, i do so love them dearly.  Someday I'll get the other seven...
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Ruskin on 17 Apr 2005, 22:49
Neil Gaiman <3
Title: The Sandman
Post by: dave86 on 18 Apr 2005, 02:28
Yeah, I mean if death were a person, it would most likely be a goth girl. It's a stroke of genius. That whole series is just beautifully put together. Everyone should check it out.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: mosfet on 18 Apr 2005, 05:52
I really love the cover art, but am always a bit dissapointed to find the insides look so much different.  But thats not what stops me from checking it out.  Mostly I just don't go to comic shops, or out that often.
I've been meaning on checking them out.  I really REALLY gotta get me some!

My wife actually met Neil Gaimin at a writer's Con in Boston!
To quote her: "he made my knees weak. :)"
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Primate on 22 Apr 2005, 08:49
There's also a couple of Death books by Neil you might want to check out:

Death: The High Cost of Living
Death: The Time of Your Life

Neil keeps an online journal at http://www.neilgaiman.com
He's been more busy with novels and a movie recently than comics, although there is a second project for Marvel that he's contracted for (the first was 1602).

Mosfet, if you like the covers, Dave McKean (with some comments from Neil) collected them all in a book called Sandman: Dustcovers. (They've also repeatedly collaborated on various comics, children's books, and the upcoming movie MirrorMask.)

Neil taught me comics could be more than I thought they could be, which pushed me onto my current career trajectory.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Mockery on 22 Apr 2005, 09:38
professional Ape?
Title: The Sandman
Post by: mosfet on 22 Apr 2005, 16:52
Awesome!  I'm going to have to check out that dustcovers!
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Primate on 24 Apr 2005, 05:34
I'm not a professional ape. I'm a shaved orangutan.

Mosfet, if you want a Dave/Neil collaboration with plot, check out Mr. Punch. Out of all their works, it the one with a visual style that's closest to the Sandman covers. There are others that are also close, but incorporate a bit or a lot more realisitic painting.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: MilkmanDan on 24 Apr 2005, 10:02
The Sandman kicks much ass. other than Calvin and Hobbes it's the only offline comic I've ever read.
I're read volume 1,2,3 and 7. I think 7. It was called 'Fables and myths' or something like that. I intent to read more.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: passthebottle on 24 Apr 2005, 23:21
I actually just picked up Vol. 4 yesterday (had just noticed it was the only one i was missing).  Deliruim's my fave, but maybe that's just cause she always looks like a little punk rock girl. ^^

If Death's you're fav you should check out her books. She's got two TPB's of her own (already mentioned..whoops!) and Jill Thompson drew a manga typs comic about her which deals with the story in Vol.4.

I've been dying to get my hands on Mr.Punch.  I've got "The Day I Traded My Dad for a Goldfish", though.

And I agree with mosfet's wife.  He's a cutie.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: happybirthdaygelatin on 25 Apr 2005, 14:49
All I have is the first volume of the series.  I picked it up mostly based off Sam Keith drawing a tiny bit of the first part before I knew about Gaiman.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: SeanBateman on 25 Apr 2005, 18:07
I am a monstrous Sandman fan. It's basically the book that broke me out of the superhero trap and made me start reading the comics that are realllly good. Without a doubt one of the best things ever done in the graphic medium.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: passthebottle on 25 Apr 2005, 22:21
seanbateman:

ok. i saw that movie a few weeks ago, and i was pleasantly suprised.  i thought it was gonna be like.. i dunno.. those teen movies with freddie prinze jr.

but seriously.. is there an ending to that sentence or are you supposed to make you're own conclusion as to whathe's thinking about?
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Primate on 26 Apr 2005, 05:18
Quote from: happybirthdaygelatin
All I have is the first volume of the series.  I picked it up mostly based off Sam Keith drawing a tiny bit of the first part before I knew about Gaiman.


It's generally agreed that the first volume is not the best in the series, more because Neil hadn't found the balance for the series yet than anything else (in one issue, he used superheroes in their superhero capacity - very strange). I loved Sam's art, though, as it established that it the story's weren't going to be the usual superhero hack-n-slash. Still, his choice to leave helped start the regular change in artists for stand-alone issues and each story arc, so I can't complain too much.

The consensus seems to be that the fourth volume, where Lucifer gives Dream the key to hell, is among the best for hooking the general reader on the series. I started with the first myself, but the need to buy the next volume snowballed with each one I bought.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: passthebottle on 26 Apr 2005, 19:19
Quote from: Primate

The consensus seems to be that the fourth volume, where Lucifer gives Dream the key to hell, is among the best for hooking the general reader on the series. I started with the first myself, but the need to buy the next volume snowballed with each one I bought.


See, and that's the last one I bought.  I think it was Vol.  6 and 8 that hooked me..
Title: The Sandman
Post by: SeanBateman on 26 Apr 2005, 19:36
My favorite is Brief Lives, with Delirium. I think that's 7. And as for the end of the sentance, well, the film is based on a pretty phenomenal book by Brett Easton Elllis, and it ends with an incomplete sentance as well. Since the book starts that way too, I always felt like it was trying to show how we were jumping into these people's stories and leaving them before they were over. Also, you should read the book.
Title: T- shirts and Raven
Post by: The Mighty Mopdecai on 03 May 2005, 15:35
Thanks guys for replying.
I first got interested in this comic book (don't laugh) with the wrestler Raven. When he was in ECW he wore a lot of comic book t shirts and I wondered if anyone of you guys knew a good a site where to find Sandman or comic book t shirts
Title: The Sandman
Post by: happybirthdaygelatin on 03 May 2005, 16:29
Probably from the companies that publish the comics who's shirt(s) you are looking for.  Sandman is Vertigo.  Not too sure on their shirt sellin' status.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Digs on 04 May 2005, 07:43
Hm (http://www.sirenweb.com/onlinestore/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=102). These places (http://www.thecomicshop.com.au/wcc/tshirts/tshirtgal.html) seem to have some shirts that may or may not be for sale. They're the most promising thingies I've looked at in this little quest.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: happybirthdaygelatin on 04 May 2005, 09:52
125 EXP, 2 AP points.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: red-mandolin on 06 May 2005, 06:26
I haven't actually read the comics, but I bought Endless Nights a while back, which is a sort of collaboration  of stories involving each of the Endless.  It's gorgeous and considerably smarter than X-Men.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: mosfet on 09 May 2005, 08:50
I was at the comic shop the other day looking over the Gaiman stuff when I suddenly remembered that I had something very cool, and then I felt like an idiot for forgetting I had it.

Back in 97, my best friend worked at Crown Books, where they got in an "Advance Preview Copy" of Death - The Time of Your Life.  They deceided not to stock it and toss the copy, but my friend snagged it for me.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: boeuf on 31 May 2005, 08:00
I WANT TO BARE NEIL GAIMANS LITERARY CHILDREN!!!

*ahem*
I've read all of the first sandman comic series, excluding the last one :/
I've read all of his novels, and I am so psyched for his movie.

Oh, in case you are un aware, I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it because I didn't really read any previous posts. I got too excited.
Neil Gaiman is coming out with a movie that causes me to shiver in excitment.
Its called Mirror Mask and he's doing it with Dave McKean who is such a wicked artist.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: mosfet on 31 May 2005, 08:49
Anyone ever see the TV Series Neverwhere?

We're going thru it on DVD right now.  Its a bit low production cost, and it shows.  Its rather like watching a community stage production or student project.  Still a rather interesting concept.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: boeuf on 31 May 2005, 08:50
I'd love to see it, they were supposed to make a movie off it too.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: SeanBateman on 31 May 2005, 14:26
Neverwhere is based on a Book by Gaiman, and it's being made into a comic series as we speak. First issue comes out a week from tommorow, I believe
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Trollstormur on 31 May 2005, 20:26
I really liked gaiman's Marvel 1602 series.

sandman is very, very good. My favorite story is probably the one where Astarte explodes a stripclub with PURE SEXUAL POWER.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: boeuf on 31 May 2005, 20:47
I love the whole story involving Lucifer giving the key to hell to Dream and all the ghosts start coming back and the whole thing with the boy in the school for the summer...

and my favorite story I think is the Parliment of Rooks.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: SeanBateman on 31 May 2005, 21:55
If you like the Lucifer story line, you should check out Mike Carey's Lucifer. It's a sandman spin off, and it's fucking brillaint
Title: The Sandman
Post by: boeuf on 01 Jun 2005, 04:36
There are a lot of comics I should read.

I actually have a cute little chibi delerium doll that comes with her own fishy...its great.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Latro on 01 Jun 2005, 13:49
The whole Sandman series sort of ruins *ALL* the other comics you read there after. The series certainly raised the bar as to what to expect from a comic and what was possible.

As to a fave chara...

I liked the secondary folks - they provided a nice counterpoint to the majors.

Matthew comes to mind, as does Cain and The Corinthian.

As to the Majors ~ I like Destruction the best.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Primate on 02 Jun 2005, 05:50
Actually, the Neverwhere BBC mini-series written by Neil came first, and then Neil turned the his scripts into the book.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: boeuf on 02 Jun 2005, 08:39
My favorite characters are probably, death, dream (because hes so friggin sexy) and delerium....
My favorite side characters are Hob and whats his name? Mervin? The pumpkin head guy.

Actually coincidently just yesterday I picked up the two Death spin off books they rock so much.
Death is such a cute character, shes so friendly.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Primate on 03 Jun 2005, 04:53
Wait till you pick up Endless Nights. You actually get to see a cameo by Death in an earlier age when she enjoys being dark and unsettling people with her presence. Makes you wonder what changed her attitude to the peppy death we all love.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Trollstormur on 03 Jun 2005, 11:33
Quote from: Primate
Wait till you pick up Endless Nights. You actually get to see a cameo by Death in an earlier age when she enjoys being dark and unsettling people with her presence. Makes you wonder what changed her attitude to the peppy death we all love.



Perhaps a different person entirely?
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Latro on 03 Jun 2005, 11:38
Quote from: Trollstormur
Quote from: Primate
Wait till you pick up Endless Nights. You actually get to see a cameo by Death in an earlier age when she enjoys being dark and unsettling people with her presence. Makes you wonder what changed her attitude to the peppy death we all love.



Perhaps a different person entirely?


A very solid point! We may never know...
Title: The Sandman
Post by: oddball318 on 03 Jun 2005, 11:41
I doubt that.  Throughout Sandmany there was only mention of something like that once and that was for Despair.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Latro on 03 Jun 2005, 12:02
Quote from: oddball318
I doubt that.  Throughout Sandmany there was only mention of something like that once and that was for Despair.


I agree - but that was surely a very large story thread left just lying in the middle of the path - waiting for Mr. G to perhaps pick it up at a later date...
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Trollstormur on 03 Jun 2005, 12:46
Quote from: oddball318
I doubt that.  Throughout Sandmany there was only mention of something like that once and that was for Despair.


There was no mention of any of the spinoff storylines in the original 75 comics, who's to say that it couldn't be possible. (though it really depends on the timeline of history the death spinoff was in, and if it would co-incide with the stories presented in those 10 collections.)
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Primate on 04 Jun 2005, 04:58
Oddly enough, that cameo of the unsettling Death takes place during a story that includes the first Despair. It may be that having to gather one of her siblings contributed to her change in attitude.

And it's fairly well established the first ten volumes that the first Despair was the only one of the Endless to have died at that point. That was one of the reasons Destruction gave for walking away from his realm instead of just killing himself.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: La Creme on 09 Jun 2005, 21:28
Must revive for love of Sandman!

Quote
If you like the Lucifer story line, you should check out Mike Carey's Lucifer. It's a sandman spin off, and it's fucking brillaint


Keiffer, you are the best person ever for introducing me to the sandman / lucifer / etc. I just finished "Mansions Of Silence" and it was fucking amazing. Still the best thing ever is Christopher Rudd. I'm assuming that by the point the comic is up to now, him (and Duma?) control hell. Duma is one helluva angel.

Best Sandman for me: "World's End", especially the story "Hobb's Leviathin". Excellence.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: lastclearchance on 30 Jun 2005, 12:03
Quote from: Latro
The whole Sandman series sort of ruins *ALL* the other comics you read there after. The series certainly raised the bar as to what to expect from a comic and what was possible.


Well I love Neil Gaiman as much as the rest of them, but this is really something you should be saying about Alan Moore.  I mean, his Swamp Thing storyline for DC essentially created the entire Vertigo Universe.  He created and/or resurrected many of the big names.  John Constantine is a good example.  My favorite example though is Cain and Abel.  Popularized by Gaiman in the Sandman comics, Cain and Abel first appeared as Cryptkeeper-esque characters introducing horror stories of old-school horror comics.  Alan Moore brought them back for Swamp Thing.  

Of course, it was kinda like Moore created the Vertigo world and then handed over the controls to Gaiman, who made it what it is.  

I just turn all Eric Burns-talking-about-Narbonic when I read Alan Moore's work, because more than any other comic writer he is so hyperaware of his roots in the comic world.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Primate on 01 Jul 2005, 05:20
Which would be a far more impressive counterargument if over half the Vertigo titles took place in the shared DC universe alongside Swamp Thing and Sandman. Most of the titles have been stand alone series where the Justice League doesn't drop in for cameos (Preacher, 100 Bullets, etc.). Moore's run on Swamp Thing clearly influenced Gaiman's Sandman (as well as just keeping him connected with comics back in the day). However the Vertigo imprint started in the middle of Sandman's run (1992) and Moore started his Swamp Thing run back in 1984. I'm pretty sure he was off on other things by the time Vertigo was launched. I do know that Sandman was considered the flagship title for Vertigo from the start of the imprint to the end of Sandman's run, while Swamp Thing seems to have been grandfathered into the imprint due to its connections with Sandman. On top of that, the half dozen or so Vertigo titles that take place in the shared DC universe are either direct spinoffs of Sandman (The Dreaming, Lucifer, Sandman Presents) or Neil prompted titles (The Books of Magic, The Books of Fearie), which suggests that Sandman's influence on the field was stronger than Swamp Thing's, despite the latters influence on the former.

There, caused my trouble for the day. Enjoy.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: lastclearchance on 01 Jul 2005, 09:29
Quote from: Primate
Sandman's influence on the field was stronger than Swamp Thing's, despite the latters influence on the former.

There, caused my trouble for the day. Enjoy.


Oh, I totally agree with that.  I think that Moore created the Vertigo world, but Neil Gaiman made it.  Know what I mean?  

Besides, Vertigo is way more interesting as Gaiman's world.  It's just that I recently read the Swamp Thing line and I was blown away.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: SeanBateman on 01 Jul 2005, 18:27
Swamp Thing is amazing, without a doubt, and it's still a vertigo title today, albeit a mediocre one. And the people at Vertigo often call it the house that Alan Built. I'd still consider Neil the main man though, even if he doesn't so much write for it anymore.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Trollstormur on 02 Jul 2005, 00:49
Hey, speaking of vertigo -- anyone ever read Enigma? The one where the guy who had an imaginary friend as he was growing up and when he reached 16-17-18 around there his imaginary friend became real and raped him and they became gay lovers?


crazy bit of book that was, I tell you.

One day I'll show you the extent of my comic book collection, it's vast.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: SeanBateman on 02 Jul 2005, 06:22
Hmmm. If anyone other than Grant Morrison wrote that, I am very nervous as to it's prospects. Lets see some picks of the collection man!
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Trollstormur on 02 Jul 2005, 09:44
first I gotta take a camera to the place where I store them. I'm about to categorize and document them for sale, so you'll aaaall get to see pretty pictures.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: glasses on 07 Jul 2005, 02:08
I'm only up to #26 or something like that, but I'm really enjoying it. The Collectors really surprised me as to the level the comic could get. Also, Corinthian kicks ass.
Title: The Sandman
Post by: Aziraphale on 08 Jul 2005, 00:43
Quote from: Primate
Wait till you pick up Endless Nights. You actually get to see a cameo by Death in an earlier age when she enjoys being dark and unsettling people with her presence. Makes you wonder what changed her attitude to the peppy death we all love.

Her character path is outlined from her perspective in a story from Winter's Edge #2 called "A Winter's Tale" penned by Gaiman.  Unfortunately, at this point there isn't a legitimate means of purchasing the story as far as I know, so you'll have to get ahold of a second hand copy to read it (unless you acquire scans of it through a p2p application of course).
All three of the Winter's Edge issues have Gaiman penned stories related to the Endless, #2's being about Death, and #s 1&3 Desire.
As an aside, it's always bugged me that the Sandman Collections have the issues so terribly out of order. To read them in the proper order you have to read Volumes 1-4, then part of 6, then 5, then more of 6, then 7, then the last of 6, then 8-10. Things would have been far simpler if the issues from 6 had been spread out among volumes 5, 7, and 8 (change vol. 5 from issues 32-37 to issues 29-31, the annual, then 32-37; change vol. 7 from issues 41-49 to issues 38-49, and add issue 50 to the start of vol. 8). At the time the volumes were compiled, I don't think they realized that they were going to stay in print so long, so it's understandable that the order is messed up, but they really ought to fix the problem now that Sandman's position as a classic has been cemented (I also think they should combine volumes 1&2, and 3&4, thus bringing the total number of volumes down to 7).