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dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"Listen to the anguish of a world in which the bad things are coming out of the dark places. Listen to a world in pain. Listen. You can hear it."
I imagine I'm sort of an enigma, as my first real experience with Gaiman's The Sandman was the Audible production, which I immensely enjoyed for all the reasons you would expect. The mesmerizing lore, lofty thematics, and fascinating characters—even without their visual component, the stories lured me in and compelled me to begin seeking the story in its original form. I'm glad I did, too, because this first collection is exceptional.
I've been a fan of Gaiman's novels for quite some time, and seeing his rich prose in a comic is a treat. He's a bit too verbose for his own good, but in the same breath, I was surprised at how much space his dense scripts leave open for the artists. I will confess to not always loving the art, though. Some of the earlier issues feel similar to an Andy Warhol painting, where pop culture iconographies are plastered alongside dreamlike fantasies or nightmares. It's unreal, almost overwhelming, in how it pulls you away from the text. This is certainly the intent, I imagine, and often succeeds in its aims. It gives the comic an identity quite unlike anything else, so even if that particular art style isn't always my favorite—it's a bit too heavy for my taste, I think—the creativity in the compositions and visual language is staggering. As iconic as Dringenberg's work is, I think I enjoyed Chris Bachalo's contributions even more. I know Bachalo from some of his more recent stuff (i.e., his work on Doctor Strange), and seeing him work with Gaiman is more than enough to get me to check out the other projects they worked on together.
Parts of Gaiman's writing haven't aged well, which is to be expected. But what surprised me more is how much of it has aged well. Gaiman includes more queer characters than many modern books (although their characterizations tend to stray into outdated stereotypes) and, to the best of his abilities, doesn't treat their queerness like a commodity. He also brings incredible thoughtfulness and open-mindedness to his character's characterizations, regardless of how morally grotesque they are or aren't. It lends the comic a rich interiority that invites interpretation and moral consideration, much like other classics of the medium (i.e., Watchmen) are known to do. I might not be blown away by this introductory collection, but I'm already immersed in the world and eager to descend deeper down the rabbit hole.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual content
Moderate: Confinement, Homophobia, Racism, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Rape, Antisemitism
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Gore, Blood, Murder
Moderate: Racism, Rape, Antisemitism, Kidnapping