The Sandman: Overture Deluxe Edition

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This TPB is the Deluxe Edition, in hardcover format, including an extensive “behind-the-scenes” section and a gallery of sketches. The Sandman: Overture was a six-issue miniseries that served as a prequel to the classic series. Written by Neil Gaiman with art by J.H. Williams III, the series was published to coincide with The Sandman's 25th anniversary.

Preludes and Nocturnes • The Doll's House • Dream Country • Season of Mists • A Game of You • Fables and Reflections • Brief Lives • Worlds' End • The Kindly Ones • The WakeDelirium was “Delight” before, but you have already Delirium here. Destruction left his position as an Endless, but he already left here. Despair, the second one, is already serving as such. Sandman Overture" is a story of a beginning and of an end. Time plays a circular game, like the worm Ourobouros: We come from Nothing and head toward Nothing. We fill the emptiness with dreams and desires, and they in turn shape the world we live in. Sometimes, oftentimes, the dreams become nightmares. "Overture" is the tale of the events that took place before the first album in the original series : "Preludes and Nocturnes". And for one story to start, another story has to end first ... Time must flow ... Darkness must be banished ... So, you won’t know why Delirium passed through such transformation. You won’t know the precise reasons why Destruction left his realm. You won’t know what “endless” was the Second Despair after replacing the First Despair…

A meeting is held on a distant planet. Aspects of Dream from various sentient species are present and have been awaiting his arrival to investigate. After consulting the oldest Aspect of Dream and another figure known as "Glory of the First Circle" he learns that the cause of the wrongness is the insanity of a star which will spread until the universe itself is destroyed. Glory claims that Dream is at fault for the insanity. Sandman: Overture may go down as one of the best-drawn chapters in Sandman’s already legendary run.” —Newsarama My first reaction to hearing that Sandman would have a prequel was that it was unnecessary. I felt like the original run had been a complete story, and that there was no need to dip into that well again. I was wrong there. Giving it more thought, we had sort of been teased that something major had happened just before Dream was captured, and it was never explained in any sense. This is that explanation, and it fits in just as it should.From 'Promethea' to 'Batwoman: Elegy' to 'Sandman: Overture'; J.H. William III has become the most inventive and original artist in mainstream comics: This book has left me wanting to throw away my pencils, pens, brushes, inks and paints because I know I'll never create something so good and simultaneously wanting to just draw and paint, paint and draw for the rest of my life in a vain attempt to even get close.