Neil Gaiman will return to his 'Sandman' series this October
Gaiman, who also recently published 'The Ocean at the End of the Lane,' will release the first installment of a six-part prequel series this October.
The 'Sandman' series by Neil Gaiman was originally published from 1989 to 1996.
Author Neil Gaiman is going back to his roots.
The author will be continuing his "Sandman" graphic novel series, works which helped establish his reputation in the fantasy and sci-fi world, with a new installment on Oct. 30, which will be illustrated by J.H. Williams III. There will be six new issues altogether. The original series titled “The Sandman” began in 1989 and was released by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics. Gaiman released the last issue in 1996.
“Neil Gaiman returning to the lush, evocative world he created with Sandman is a literary event,” DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson said in a statement. “We’re honored to have Neil back for a story only he and J.H. can tell. It’s a testament to the lasting power of Vertigo, Sandman and Neil’s amazing creativity.”
The series follows the Lord of Dreams, known as Dream, who is imprisoned for many years and, when he becomes free again, realizes he must change his cruel ways.
The first new installment in the Sandman series will be titled “The Sandman: Overture #1." According to Gaiman, the new story will shed some light on a previously unexplored part of Dream’s life.
“In ‘Sandman #1’ Morpheus is captured somehow,” the author said, according to the press release. “Later on in the series, you learn he was returning from somewhere far, far away – but we never got to the story of what he was doing and what had happened. This is our chance to tell that story.”
In an interview with the New York Times, Gaiman praised Williams’ illustrations.
“They are the most beautiful pages I have ever seen in periodical comics,” Gaiman said. “I ask him to do the impossible, and he gives me back more than I asked for.”
The new issues, which will collectively be known as “The Sandman: Overture,” will be released on a bi-monthly basis and will be released in e-book form on the same day. Some details of the project had previously been discussed at last year’s Comic-Con.
Gaiman recently released his first novel for adults in some time, titled “The Ocean at the End of the Lane.”