Sandman Overture
By Neil Gaiman and J. H. Williams
Neil Gaiman’s latest foray into the world of Sandman tied up the story of the Dreamlord in a breathtakingly beautiful bow. Overture is the prequel to Gaiman’s legendary Sandman series, which finished its initial run in 1996. The book, as is now known, was an earth shattering piece of fiction, one that helped comics become recognized as more than just pop culture, but a legitimate source of worthwhile literature. Since its original run, Sandman has come to garner millions of fans the world over. Overture marked Gaiman’s long awaited return to the world of Sandman, a return more than 10 years in the making.
Sandman Overture marks Gaiman’s triumphant return to the Sandman universe. The six issue run showcases Gaiman at the top of his game. His unique authorial voice rings through every page of every issue, granting Overture the same charm and subtle mystery that made readers fall in love with his storytelling so many years ago. Gaiman is a native to the world he created, this dreamworld of story and magic, and he writes as if he never stopped telling stories of Dream and the Endless. He never fails to miss a beat. The story offered by Overture is a prelude to the first issue of Sandman, and details the story of Dream’s loss of power in the wake of his struggle to prevent the end of the universe. Overture ends where Sandman begins, creating a continuous narrative loop that offers the reader a sense of closure. Where the original Sandman left the reader hungering for more stories of the Dreamlord, Overture finishes Dream’s tale in a more satisfying way, and allows the reader to reflect on the contents of the original run in a new light.
The art of J.H Williams III was absolutely stunning throughout. Williams was the perfect choice to capture Gaiman’s unique world. The psychedelic colors and abstract paneling style allows the comic to play with time and space in a way that other artists would be hard pressed to follow. Even the chapter titles and the credits are cleverly hidden throughout the art work, making Overture more than a comic, but a frame-able work of art. Williams creates a simultaneously expressive and distant Morpheus, and depicts the Dreamlord at the height of his power. The beauty of his art is matched only by Gaiman’s unique prose, making Sandman Overture easily one of the best books of the year.
– Christian Bischoff
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