Tag Archives: Sandman

30 Years Ago, Someone Introduced me to SANDMAN. Thank You SO Very Much!

In college, I volunteered at a local crisis hotline. One of the guys there mentioned Sandman multiple times to me based on whatever we were talking about between calls (books, movies, graphic novels, whatever), and I never tried it. He kept asking me, and I never got an issue to try as it sounded weirder and more bizzaro than my cup of tea. One day I ran into him at the comic store; he handed me the latest issue (he just slid it into the pile of stuff in my hands) and said it’s the start of a new storyline; give it a chance. It had this strange cover and didn’t look appealing at all, but he was right there, so I gave it a try.

It’s 30 years later, as this was late July 1992, and the start of Brief Lives was something I’ll always look back fondly on. I was completely hooked.

That weird cover was by Dave McKean, and I grew to love his art. At some point later, I realized the Black Orchid poster I already had on the wall in my dorm room was drawn by him. Many years later, I special ordered some Mythical Creature stamps he drew for the UK (stamps for mailing letters); each had a synopsis written for each stamp. Guess who wrote the intro for each of the stamps? Neil Gaiman, who I realize at this point that I didn’t mention, is the author of Sandman. And coincidentally, the Black Orchid comic (that I just mentioned) was written by Neil Gaiman…

So at that point in time, they had started reprinting the earlier Sandman issue in trade paperbacks with each storyline, so I was getting those and catching up with earlier issues. Three decades later, I still believe that was the best starting point for this storyline. Everything was all flushed out, things had been set up to happen, and now they were happening, and I could go back to the earlier issues and get some of the blanks filled in. Honestly, if I had started reading from the first issue, I don’t know if I would have stuck with it; it was weird stuff and had no context. But I loved the way that I was exposed to it.

So why am I talking about this now? Netflix just released Sandman season 1, and it’s lovely. I’ve been thinking about (the above) all week waiting for this, and it’s fantastic. I’m sure there are some parts I won’t like, but I’m only a few episodes in, and I’ve already gotten my $20 out of signing up for Netflix for the month.

As the end credits rolled at the end of the first episode, I flipped out as the animated graphics for the credits were by Dave McKeon, who Neil coaxed out of retirement to do this (thanks, Google).

So give a few episodes a try if it looks interesting, even if it is a bit weird. If you were a fan, they did change a few things, but it does seem very true to the feels & ideals of the original so far.

I’d give my friend a shoutout, but we did things at the crisis line pretty anonymously; I was just “Gary L” to everyone, so I’m not even sure of his last name, but the anonymity we kept back then makes me not want to put a first name.

Vote for the 75 most memorable moments in DC Comics History

Wow, I just saw this list today for the first time, and it’s got some amazing tidbits from the past. I was suprised I’ve read most of them, in their original form or in reprints.

The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes Neil GaimanToday is the last day to vote, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look at the list.

I voted for number 28 which from the Sandman Preludes and Nocturnes story, where he does a “verbal” battle to retrieve an item from hell.

My second choice was moment 43 from a short story “Luthor is a big, fat jerk” where is offer a country girl $1,000,000 to come be his “assistant” for a year, and gives her 10 minutes, basically just to screw with her mind.

The Sandman Vol. 4: Season of Mists Neil Gaiman, Neil Gaiman, Kelley Jones, Harlan Ellison, Mike DringenbergMy third was moment 88 where from Season of Mists where Lucifer (after kicking everyone out of Hell) gives the key to Hell (the largest piece of “psychic real estate”) to the Sandman and pretty much says “deal with it”.

And my fourth (and last for this list) moment is 88 (which might also have been a short story) where Lex Luthor refuses to believe Superman is Clark Kent. Maybe not as significant in the DC universe as some others, but when he realizes he missed his chance…

While my two Sandman choices are from the DC universe, it’s not from the popular DC universe. I predict the death of SuperGirl will rank high, as with the death of the Joker and another scene or two from the Dark Knight returns.

John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits Garth EnnisActually, I’ve got another pick, moment 10 when John Constantine (from Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits) giving the finger to the triumvirate that rules Hell because he manages to sell his soul to all three of the demons (to cure his cancer) and knows while they all want him dead, the battle that will ensue since all three want him, they likely won’t do anything to hasten his death…

Spring Cleaning

I’ve been trying to filter out some of the “stuff” at my house that I don’t use any more, today was the clothes closet. Some stuff will be bound for Goodwill / Salvation Army, some for the trash and a few things for the vacation pile (clothes that I take on vacation but don’t bring back).

What I really hate getting rid of is shirts with stuff printed on them for several reasons. One, I probably paid more for them. Two, I didn’t pay anything for them but they’re pretty unique. (But) Three, I rarely wear them. Some of it’s a mish-mash but today I noticed a bit of what I had in odd quantities:

  • Apple Computer T-Shirts (5): Most of these I got as promos or won at a conference but they’re all to small, it’s either all they had or it shrunk the first time I washed it. I keep hoping they’ll magically it some day, but…
  • Tori Amos (5): A few from concerts or that I found at a music store. I’ve got one that I got autographed at a concert.
  • Indigo Girls (6): Mostly from concerts, something from an on-line group and an autographed one that a friend bought for me at an fund raising auction.
  • Domestic Violence (7): I either purchased these at an event, they were given to me for volunteering at an event or came in a ‘thanks for donating’ package.
  • Costa Rica (1): I’ve been there 4 times and only ended up with one shirt from my first trip (from one of the Zip Line through the Cloud Forest adventures).
  • Blogography (3): Cool shirts that Dave from Blogography created.
  • Sandman related (6): Shirts inspired from the Neil Gaiman Sandman series (I think they all have Dream, Death or Delerium or some combination of them).
  • Tech Shirts (10+): Other tech shirts from vendors, tech conferences (part of registration or gift for presenting), organizations or something or another.
  • My job (6+): Shirts that one of the departments printed up for work or some kind of fund raiser event.

    I so rarely wear them out (in both interpretations), I usually just wear plain (colored) shirts. If I’m changing into something to wear after I come home and shower I’ll throw one on but wearing one out and about just doesn’t happen so often. Actually, other that wearing a music one to a concert I think the only ones I’ve worn outside in the last year is probably wearing a few of the shirts that Dave made. Continue reading