STAFF PICKS :: SANDMAN: OVERTURE #1 :: OCTOBER 30, 2013

October 29, 2013 By: Seth Peagler Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

staff_picks

seth_staff_picksSETH’S PICK :: SANDMAN: OVERTURE #1:  Like it or not, it’s hard to deny the depth and range of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, or the mark it left on our beloved comics medium.  Like it or not (part two), Sandman is a book that warrants all the attention it’s received over the years.  It is nothing if not thought-provoking.  So here we are twenty five years after Sandman debuted, and Vertigo is appropriately ushering in a new mini series from Gaiman.  Overture is notable for a few reasons.  Aside from the fact it’s the first time Neil’s returned to these characters in a good while, the series features art from J.H. Williams III, whose particular artistic inclinations seem ready-made for Sandman work.  What’s more is that Overture deals with an often puzzling chapter of Dream’s past: what happened to him that lead to him being imprisoned prior to Sandman #1?  Sandman: Overture is at the very least a book worth noting in your comic travels this week.  Who knows?  This could very well be a fine addition to the legacy of one of comics’ most enduring libraries of the past quarter century. sandover

Share

STAFF PICKS :: SANDMAN TP VOL 10 THE WAKE NEW EDITION :: NOVEMBER 07, 2012

November 05, 2012 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

ANDY’S PICK :: SANDMAN TP VOL 10 THE WAKE NEW EDITION:
The Sandman by Neil Gaiman is one of the most influential series in the history of comics. In my opinion, its most important influence is the way it has been produced and distributed. Sandman was one of the first (if not the first) on-going comic series to be collected and published in trade paperback form while the series was still running. Today, that is the publishing norm and I believe we have the quality (and quantity) of Sandman to thank for it. It remains in print to this very day. In fact, there are two Sandman related titles in this week’s New Releases. The one I recommend is:

Sandman Volume 10–The Wake– the final volume of the regular series. It collects Sandman issues 70-75 and it is my absolute favorite story arc concerning Lord Morpheus, the Master of Dreams and his family–the Endless. The jaw-dropping art is by Michael Zulli, John Jay Muth and Charles Vess–sort of a Consequential Art Murderer’s Row. Yes, The Wake is an certainly an ending; but it is also a beginning and then ol’ Will Shakespeare guest stars in one of the most unique and satisfying codas in comic history. So until Wesley Dodds stops eating Pork & Beans and is able to ditch the WWI Mask, Make Mine Morpheus

 

Share

NOW READ THIS! :: SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATRE

October 03, 2012 By: Seth Peagler Category: DISCUSS, Reviews

Though I was among those who read Neil Gaiman’s Sandman in my high school and college days, I came to Sandman Mystery Theatre a little later.  Vertigo knowingly produced the Mystery title in hopes of not only capitalizing on the fame of Sandman, but also telling new stories about a preexisting property.  The Golden Age Sandman was a very ordinary man named Wesley Dodds, who inherited a fortune from his father and was also plagued by nightmares the way his father and forebears were.  Dodds had no superpowers, and his only real offensive weapon came in the form of a gas he’d use to render opponents incapaciatated.  The gas also acted as a truth serum of sorts, prompting confessions and admittances from crooks.  But other than the gas mask and gas gun, there was never much that separated Dodds from, say, The Crimson Avenger, The Green Hornet, The Shadow, or any similarly-clad avengers of the night.

(more…)

Share

Heroes Halloween Discussion Group: Sandman: Endless Nights October 22nd

October 12, 2011 By: Andy Mansell Category: DISCUSS, Discussion Group, EVENTS, Heroes Aren't Hard To Find, Looking Ahead, NEWS

Sandman: Endless Nights

While I was preparing for our 6th Heroes Discussion Group which featured Sandman: Seasons of the Mist, I pondered whether Sandman was the most influential comic book of the last thirty years. Four years and twenty eight discussions later, I believe it to be true.  Do you agree?

For Halloween, please plan to join us for our 35th Discussion group as we revisit Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series with the stand-alone anthology, Sandman: Endless Nights.

The afternoon will be rather exciting for a number of reasons, namely:

  • This will be the first anthology we’ve tackled.
  • We will examine the concept of comic book anthologies.
  • Which stories worked and which did not.
  • The differences (and similarities) between the realms of Despair and Delirium.
  • How does Neil Gaiman adjust his storytelling to match the strengths of each artist he employs?
  • Does this anthology work as a complete book or is it simply a group of stories about related characters?
  • With a generation and a half of influence behind it, have Gaiman’s characters and concepts stood the test of time?

For those of you who have never read Sandman, I believe you are in for a treat.

Many love Gaiman’s comic work; but he has some very strong minded and vocal detractors.

Why not read the book, stop by the store on Saturday October 22nd at 1:00pm and add your two cents to the mix?  We’d love to see you!

One thing is for certain; I promise you will not be bored.

And remember—just around the corner we have Love & Rockets followed by Planetary.

As usual, Heroes is offering a special 10% Discussion Group discount on Sandman: Endless Nights, but remember to mention it to the store clerk when you check out!

See you there!

 

 

 

Share



  • heroes on facebook heroes on twitter heroes on flicker




    Click Here To Help Support The Creators That Make Comics Possible!



  • www.flickr.com