Editing The Sandman (comic book) (section)

==Publication history==
[[File:Sandmanadsmall.jpg|thumb|left|250px|''The Sandman'' was advertised as "a horror-edged fantasy set in the DC Universe" in most of DC's comics dated Holiday 1988.]]

===Creation===
''The Sandman'' grew out of a proposal by Neil Gaiman to revive DC's 1974–1976 series ''[[Sandman (DC Comics)|The Sandman]]'', written by [[Joe Simon]] and [[Michael Fleisher]] and illustrated by [[Jack Kirby]] and [[Ernie Chua]]. Gaiman had considered including characters from the "Dream Stream" (including the Kirby Sandman, Brute, Glob, and the brothers [[Cain and Abel (comics)|Cain and Abel]]) in a scene for the first issue of his 1988 miniseries ''[[Black Orchid (comics)|Black Orchid]]''. While the scene did not make it into later drafts because [[Roy Thomas]] was using the characters in ''[[Infinity, Inc.]]'', Gaiman soon began constructing a treatment for a new series, and mentioned his treatment in passing to DC editor [[Karen Berger]].<ref name="OriginNeil"/> He was unsure his ''Sandman'' pitch would be accepted, but weeks later, Berger asked Gaiman if he was interested in doing a ''Sandman'' series. Gaiman recalled, "I said, 'Um&nbsp;... yes. Yes, definitely. What's the catch?' [Berger said,] 'There's only one. We'd like a new Sandman. Keep the name. But the rest is up to you.{{'"}}<ref name="OriginNeil">{{Cite comic| writer= Gaiman, Neil|story= The Origin of the Comic You Are Now Holding (What It Is and How It Came to Be|title= Sandman|issue= 4|date=April 1989}}</ref>

Gaiman crafted the new character from an initial image of "a man, young, pale and naked, imprisoned in a tiny cell, waiting until his captors passed away... deathly thin, with long dark hair, and strange eyes". Gaiman patterned the character's black attire on a print of a Japanese kimono as well as his own wardrobe.<ref name="P&N"/> Gaiman wrote an eight-issue outline and gave it to [[Dave McKean]] and Leigh Baulch, who drew character sketches. Berger reviewed the sketches (along with some drawn by Gaiman) and suggested [[Sam Kieth]] as the series' artist.<ref name="P&N"/> [[Mike Dringenberg]], [[Todd Klein]], Robbie Busch, and Dave McKean were hired as [[inker]], [[letterer]], colorist, and cover artist, respectively. McKean's approach towards comics covers was unconventional, and he convinced Berger that the series' protagonist did not need to appear on every cover.<ref>[[Karen Berger|Berger, Karen]] "Introduction" ''The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes''</ref><ref>{{cite book|last= Bender|first= Hy|chapter= Preludes & Nocturnes|title= The Sandman Companion|publisher= DC Comics|year= 1999|location= New York, New York|page= 40|isbn= 978-1-56389-465-7}}</ref>

The first seven issues were inspired and influenced by early [[DC Comics|DC]] and [[EC Comics]], and authors like [[Dennis Wheatley]], [[Clive Barker]], [[Ramsey Campbell]], [[Robert A. Heinlein|Robert Heinlein]] and [[Alan Moore]], but with issue eight he says he finally found his own voice.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1kzdP3OlBg&t=3105s Neil Gaiman in Conversation with Junot Díaz]</ref>

Gaiman's approach to scripting the series became more difficult as the complex storyline and characters developed. "When I began writing ''Sandman'', it would take me a couple of weeks to write a script. As time went by I got slower and slower, until a script was taking me six weeks to a month to write."<ref>{{Cite book|last=Gaiman|first=Neil|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/939277355|title=The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction|date=2016|isbn=978-0-06-226226-4|edition=|location=New York, NY|pages=240|oclc=939277355}}</ref>

===Original series===
The debut issue of ''The Sandman'' went on sale November 29, 1988<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/features/comic.php?comicid=23005|title= ''Sandman'' #1|first= Mike|last= Voiles|year= 2014|publisher= Mike's Amazing World of Comics|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151208111127/http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/features/comic.php?comicid=23005|archive-date= December 8, 2015|df= mdy-all}}</ref> and was [[cover-date]]d January 1989.<ref name="GCD">{{gcdb series|id= 3817|title= Sandman}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Manning|first1= Matthew K.|last2=Dolan|first2=Hannah|chapter= 1980s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9|page= 238|quote = In arguably one of the greatest achievements in serialized modern comic books, writer Neil Gaiman crafted the seventy-five-issue ongoing series ''The Sandman'', introducing its readers to a complex world of horror and fantasy.}}</ref> Gaiman described the early issues as "awkward", since he, as well as Kieth, Dringenberg, and Busch, had never worked on a regular series before. Kieth quit after the fifth issue; he was replaced by Dringenberg as penciler, who was in turn replaced by [[Malcolm Jones III]] as inker.<ref name="Burgas">{{cite web |url= http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/01/07/comics-you-should-own-sandman/|title= Comics You Should Own – ''Sandman''|first= Greg|last= Burgas|date= January 7, 2013|website= [[Comic Book Resources]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140410022316/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/01/07/comics-you-should-own-sandman/|archive-date= April 10, 2014|url-status= live}}</ref> Dave McKean was the cover artist for the series through its entire run.<ref>Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 238: "''The Sandman'' saw a variety of artists grace its pages&nbsp;... Illustrator Dave McKean's mixed media pieces garnished each cover."</ref>

The character then appeared in two of DC's "Suggested for Mature Readers" titles. In ''[[Swamp Thing (comic book)|Swamp Thing]]'' vol. 2 No. 84 (March 1989), Dream and Eve allow [[Matthew Cable]] to live in the [[The Dreaming (comics)|Dreaming]] because he died there, resurrecting him as a raven.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Rick Veitch|Veitch, Rick]]|penciller= [[Tom Mandrake|Mandrake, Tom]]|inker= [[Alfredo Alcala|Alcala, Alfredo]]|story= Final Payment|title= [[Swamp Thing (comic book)|Swamp Thing]]|volume= 2|issue= 84|date= March 1989}}</ref> He then meets [[John Constantine]] in ''[[Hellblazer]]'' No. 19<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Jamie Delano|Delano, Jamie]]|penciller= [[Mark Buckingham (comic book artist)|Buckingham, Mark]]|inker= Alcala, Alfredo|story= The Broken Man|title= [[Hellblazer]]|issue= 19|date= June 1989}}</ref> leading into the latter's guest appearance in ''Sandman'' No. 3 (March 1989).

Gaiman revisited [[Hell (DC Comics)|Hell]] as depicted by [[Alan Moore]] in ''Swamp Thing'', beginning with a guest appearance by Jack Kirby's [[Etrigan the Demon]] in issue No. 4 (April 1989). The story introduces Hell's Hierarchy (as their entry is titled in ''[[Who's Who in the DC Universe]]''), headed by [[Lucifer (DC Comics)|Lucifer]] (who would spin off into his own series in 1999), [[Beelzebub]] (later adversary to [[Kid Eternity]]), and [[Azazel (DC Comics)|Azazel]], whom Dream defeated later in the series. Dream visited the [[Justice League International]] in the following issue, No. 5 (May 1989). Although multiple mainstream DC characters appeared in the series throughout its run, such as [[Martian Manhunter]] and [[Scarecrow (DC Comics)|Scarecrow]], this would not be the norm.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Polo|first1=Susana|title=Batman: Metal #1 confirms a classic character is still very much a part of the DC Universe|url=https://www.polygon.com/comics/2017/8/16/16152428/batman-dark-nights-metal-reveal-issue-1|website=Polygon|date=August 16, 2017|publisher=Vox Media|access-date=September 26, 2017}}</ref> Gaiman and artist Mike Dringenberg introduced [[Death (DC Comics)|Death]], the older sister of Dream, in issue No. 8 (August 1989).<ref>Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 240: "Neil Gaiman, aided by penciller Mike Dringenberg, introduced the character Death to a fascinated readership&nbsp;... Death was an instant hit and arguably became more popular than the Sandman himself."</ref>

Gaiman began incorporating elements of the Kirby ''Sandman'' series in issue No. 11 (December 1989), including the changes implemented by Roy Thomas. Joe Simon and Michael Fleisher had treated the character, who resembled a [[superhero]], as the "true" [[Sandman]].<ref>{{cite comic|writer=[[Roy Thomas|Thomas, Roy]]; [[Dann Thomas|Thomas, Dann]]|penciller=[[Keith Giffen|Giffen, Keith]]|inker=Mahlstedt, Larry|story=The Sands of Doom! Sandman Interlude|title=[[Wonder Woman]]|issue=300|date=February 1983}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic|writer=Thomas, Roy; Thomas, Dann|penciller=Argondezzi, Vince|inker=[[Frank McLaughlin (artist)|McLaughlin, Frank]]; [[Sam Kieth|Kieth, Sam]]|story=The Sandman Cometh|title=[[Infinity, Inc.]]|issue=49|date=April 1988}}</ref> The Thomas and Gaiman stories revealed that the character's existence was a sham created by two nightmares who had escaped to a pocket of the Dreaming.<ref name="Infinity50">{{cite comic| writer= Thomas, Roy; Thomas, Dann|penciller= Argondezzi, Vince; [[Michael Bair|Bair, Michael]]|inker= [[Tony DeZuniga|DeZuniga, Tony]]; Bair, Michael|story= It's a Grimmworld After All|title= Infinity, Inc.|issue= 50|date= May 1988}}</ref><ref name="Infinity51">{{cite comic| writer= Thomas, Roy; Thomas, Dann|penciller= Bair, Michael; Manna, Lou|inker= Downs, Bob|story= A Death in the Family|title= Infinity, Inc.|issue= 51|date= June 1988}}</ref> [[List of The Sandman characters#Brute and Glob|Brute and Glob]] would later attempt this again on [[Sanderson Hawkins]], sidekick to [[Wesley Dodds]], the [[Golden Age of Comic Books|Golden Age]] Sandman.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Geoff Johns|Johns, Geoff]]|penciller= [[Jerry Ordway|Ordway, Jerry]]|inker= [[Wayne Faucher|Faucher, Wayne]]|story= Waking the Sandman Part One: Insomnia|title= [[Justice Society of America|JSA]]|issue= 63|date= September 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite comic| writer= Johns, Geoff|penciller= Ordway, Jerry|inker= Rollins, Prentis|story= Waking the Sandman Part Two: Night Terrors|title= JSA|issue= 64|date= October 2004}}</ref> Gaiman gave Jed Walker a surname and made him related to several new characters. The Thomas Sandman was [[Hector Hall]], who married the already-pregnant [[Fury (DC Comics)|Fury]] in the Dreaming in ''Infinity, Inc.'' No. 51.<ref name="Infinity51"/> It was explained that Dr. Garrett Sanford, the 1970s Simon and Kirby version of the Sandman, had gone insane from the loneliness of the Dream Dimension and taken his own life. Brute and Glob put the spirit of Hector Hall, which had been cast out of his own body, into Sanford's body, and it eventually began to resemble Hall's.<ref name="Infinity50"/> Fury, in her civilian guise as Lyta Hall, was the only superhero recurring character in the series. Even at that, her powers had come to her via the [[Erinyes|Fury]] [[Tisiphone]],<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Thomas, Roy; Thomas, Dann|penciller= [[Tom Grindberg|Grindberg, Tom]]|inker= DeZuniga, Tony|story= The Secret Origin of the Golden Age Fury|title= [[Secret Origins]]|volume= 2|issue= 12|date= March 1987}} &nbsp;– Note that in ''Wonder Woman'' No. 300, prior to the ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'', Fury was depicted as the daughter of the [[Wonder Woman (Earth-Two)|Wonder Woman]] and [[Steve Trevor]] of [[Earth-Two]].</ref> and the Furies, under the euphemism, "the Kindly Ones", a translation of "[[Erinyes|Eumenides]]", a name they earned during the events of [[Aeschylus]]'s ''[[Oresteia]]'' trilogy, are major characters in the series.

The series follows a tragic course in which Dream, having learned a great deal from his imprisonment, tries to correct the things he has done wrong in the past. Ultimately, this causes him to [[Euthanasia|mercy kill]] his own son, which leads to his own death at the hands of the Furies. Dream, having found himself a replacement early on in [[Daniel Hall (comics)|Daniel Hall]], dies in issue No. 69 (July 1995). The remaining issues deal with Dream's funeral, [[Hob Gadling]] choosing to remain immortal in spite of Dream's death, and two stories from the past. The series wraps with the story of [[William Shakespeare]] creating his other commission for Dream, ''[[The Tempest]]'',<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Gaiman, Neil|penciller= [[Charles Vess|Vess, Charles]]|inker= Vess, Charles|story= The Tempest|title= The Sandman|volume= 2|issue= 75|date= March 1996}}</ref> his last work not in collaboration with other writers.

''The Sandman'' became a cult success for DC Comics<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.toonopedia.com/sandman3.htm|title= ''The Sandman''|first= Don|last= Markstein|year= 2008|publisher= [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]|url-status= live|quote= He was an instant hit, both with critics and with the general comics-buying public.|archive-date= May 24, 2012|archive-url= https://archive.today/20120524104908/http://www.toonopedia.com/sandman3.htm|df= mdy-all}}</ref> and attracted an audience unlike that of mainstream comics: much of the readership was female, many were in their twenties, and many read no other comics at all.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://ew.com/article/1994/06/24/cool-cult-favorites-sandman/|title= Cool Cult Favorites: ''Sandman''|first= Ken|last= Tucker|date= June 24, 1994|magazine= Entertainment Weekly|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131219084529/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302789,00.html|archive-date= December 19, 2013|url-status= live|quote= Gaiman, 33, says, 'Superhero comics are the most perfectly evolved art form for preadolescent male power fantasies, and I don't see that as a bad thing. I want to reach other sorts of people, too. I'm proud that ''The Sandman'' has more of a female readership, and an older readership, than DC Comics has ever had.'}}</ref> Comics historian [[Les Daniels]] called Gaiman's work "astonishing" and noted that ''The Sandman'' was "a mixture of fantasy, horror, and ironic humor such as comic books had never seen before".<ref>{{cite book|last = Daniels|first = Les|author-link = Les Daniels|chapter= The Sandman's Coming: A New Approach to Making Myths|title = DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes|publisher = [[Little, Brown and Company|Bulfinch Press]]|year = 1995|location= New York, New York|page = 206|isbn = 0-8212-2076-4}}</ref> DC Comics writer and executive [[Paul Levitz]] observed that "''The Sandman'' became the first extraordinary success as a series of graphic novel collections, reaching out and converting new readers to the medium, particularly young women on college campuses, and making Gaiman himself into an iconic cultural figure."<ref>{{cite book|author-link= Paul Levitz|last=Levitz|first= Paul|chapter= The Dark Age 1984–1998|title= 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking|publisher= [[Taschen]]|year=2010|location= Cologne, Germany|isbn= 978-3-8365-1981-6|page= 567}}</ref> Gaiman had a finite run in mind for the series, and it concluded with issue No. 75. Gaiman said in 1996, "Could I do another five issues of Sandman? Well, damn right. And would I be able to look at myself in the mirror happily? No. Is it time to stop because I've reached the end, yes, and I think I'd rather leave while I'm in love."<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Hasted|first=Nick|title=Bring Me a Dream|journal=[[The Independent]]|date=September 5, 1996|location= London, United Kingdom}}</ref> The final issue, No. 75, was dated March 1996.<ref name="GCD"/>

===Additions and spin-offs===
{{Main|List of The Sandman spinoffs}}

The Sandman has inspired numerous spin-offs. While most of these are not written by Gaiman, he did write two miniseries focusing on the character of Death. ''[[Death: The High Cost of Living]]'' was published from March to May 1993 and was based on the fable that Death takes human form once a century to remain grounded and in touch with humanity.<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 4639|title= Death: The High Cost of Living}}</ref><ref>Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 262: "In March 1993, DC Comics debuted a three-issue limited series entitled ''Death: The High Cost of Living''&nbsp;... Written by Neil Gaiman and drawn by future comics superstar Chris Bachalo, ''The High Cost of Living'' had one notable trait besides a brilliant story: its cover bore a new logo. With this debut, DC's provocative new mature-reader imprint, Vertigo, was born."</ref> This was followed in 1996 by ''[[Death: The Time of Your Life]]'',<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 5503|title= Death: The Time of Your Life}}</ref> featuring the characters of [[Foxglove (DC Comics)|Foxglove]] and [[Hazel McNamara|Hazel]] from ''A Game of You''. Other spin-offs include ''[[The Dreaming (comics)|The Dreaming]]'', ''[[Lucifer (DC Comics)|Lucifer]],'' and ''[[Dead Boy Detectives]]''.

A set of ''Sandman'' trading cards was issued in 1994 by [[SkyBox International]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.nslists.com/dcsand.htm|title= DC Vertigo: ''The Sandman'' SkyBox – 1994|first= Jeff|last= Allender|year= 2008|publisher= Nslists.com|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120105140247/http://nslists.com/dcsand.htm|archive-date= January 5, 2012|url-status= live|quote= This set is an oversized format, 2-1/2" by 4-1/2".}}</ref>

In 1999, Gaiman wrote ''[[The Sandman: The Dream Hunters]],'' a novella illustrated by [[Yoshitaka Amano]]. As in many of the single-issue stories throughout ''The Sandman'', Morpheus appears in ''Dream Hunters'', but only as a supporting character. In Gaiman's afterword to the book, he describes the story as a retelling of an existing Japanese legend. There is no trace of it in the primary source he cites,<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Spf8731Qb2cC | title=Japanese Fairy Tales | first=Yei Theodora | last=Ozaki | publisher=Plain Label Books | isbn=1-60303-508-7}}</ref> and when asked, Gaiman has stated that he made up the "legend". The novel was later adapted into a four-issue miniseries by [[P. Craig Russell]] and released by Vertigo from January 2009 to April 2009.<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 32466|title= The Sandman: The Dream Hunters}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.lambiek.net/artists/g/gaiman.htm|title= Neil Gaiman|date= October 21, 2011|publisher= [[Lambiek|Lambiek Comiclopedia]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131030030033/http://www.lambiek.net/artists/g/gaiman.htm|archive-date= October 30, 2013|url-status= live}}</ref>

Gaiman and [[Matt Wagner]] co-wrote ''[[Sandman Midnight Theatre]]'', a 1995 prestige format [[One-shot (comics)|one-shot]] in which Dream and Wesley Dodds meet in person after the events in the storyline, "The Python", which ended with Dodds's lover, Dian Belmont, going to England, which eventually brings both her and Dodds to Roderick Burgess's mansion.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= Gaiman, Neil; [[Matt Wagner|Wagner, Matt]]|penciller= [[Teddy Kristiansen|Kristiansen, Teddy]]|inker= Kristiansen, Teddy|title= [[Sandman Midnight Theatre]]|issue= 1|date= September 1995}}</ref> In 2001, Dream appeared in a flashback in ''[[Green Arrow]]'' vol. 3, No. 9, which takes place at a point during the 70 years of the first issue.<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Kevin Smith|Smith, Kevin]]|penciller= [[Phil Hester (comics)|Hester, Phil]]|inker= [[Ande Parks|Parks, Ande]]|story= Quiver Chapter Nine: The Weird World of Stanley and His Monster|title= [[Green Arrow]]|volume= 3|issue= 9|date= December 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Schedeen|first1=Jesse|title=Sandman: 5 Times The Endless Appeared in the DC Universe|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/09/12/sandman-5-times-the-endless-appeared-in-the-dc-universe|website=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|access-date=April 7, 2018|date=September 12, 2017}}</ref>

Gaiman wrote several new stories about Morpheus and his siblings, one story for each, which were published in 2003 as the ''[[The Sandman: Endless Nights|Endless Nights]]'' anthology. The stories are set throughout history, but two take place after the final events of the monthly series. It was written by Gaiman and featured a different illustrator for each story.<ref>{{gcdb series|id= 231457|title= The Sandman: Endless Nights}}</ref> This collection was the first hardcover graphic novel ever to appear on ''The New York Times'' Hardcover Best Seller list.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20031117/38316-the-year-in-books-2003-comics.html|title= The Year in Books 2003: Comics|date= November 17, 2003 |work= [[Publishers Weekly]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140810061448/http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20031117/38316-the-year-in-books-2003-comics.html|archive-date= August 10, 2014|url-status= live|quote= Certainly the biggest and most historic comics event of the year was the debut of Neil Gaiman's ''The Sandman: Endless Nights'' (DC/Vertigo) at number 20 on ''The New York Times'' extended bestseller list in early October. This is the first time a hardcover graphic novel by a comics publisher has ever landed on the ''New York Times'' bestseller list.}}</ref>

Writer/artist [[Jill Thompson]] wrote and illustrated several stories featuring the Sandman characters. These include the [[manga]]-style book ''[[Death: At Death's Door]]'', one of DC's best-selling books of 2003,<ref name="Time">Arnold, Andrew D. (February 16, 2004). "Drawing in the Gals; Move over, guys. Graphics for girls are the hot new genre in Japanese comics". ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''. p. 97</ref> set during the events of ''[[The Sandman: Season of Mists|Season of Mists]]'', and ''[[The Little Endless Storybook]]'', a children's book using childlike versions of the Endless.<ref>Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 300: "''The Little Endless Storybook'', written and lovingly illustrated by Jill Thompson in the style of a young children's picture book, told the story of the Endless's Delirium and her dog, Barnabas."</ref>

To commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of ''The Sandman'', Gaiman wrote a new tale involving the battle that had exhausted Morpheus prior to the beginning of the original story.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://www.wired.com/2012/07/neil-gaiman-on-sandman-and-amanda-palmer-talks-theatre-is-evil/|title= Power Couple on ''Sandman'' Prequel and Kickstarter Success|first= Geeta|last= Dayal|date= July 18, 2012 |magazine= [[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140411190718/http://www.wired.com/2012/07/neil-gaiman-on-sandman-and-amanda-palmer-talks-theatre-is-evil/|archive-date= April 11, 2014|url-status= live|access-date= January 9, 2013|quote= Fantasy author Neil Gaiman made headlines around the world last week when he announced a return to the beloved ''Sandman'' series for the comic's 25th anniversary. It will be the first new ''Sandman story'' in a decade.}}</ref> Written by Gaiman and with art by [[J. H. Williams III]], ''[[The Sandman: Overture|Overture]]'' tells the previously hinted story of Dream's adventure prior to ''Preludes and Nocturnes'', which had exhausted him so much that it made Burgess's actions capable of capturing him. The limited series had six issues.<ref>
* {{cite web|url= http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a393167/neil-gaiman-returns-to-the-sandman-comic-con-2012.html|title= Neil Gaiman returns to ''The Sandman'' – Comic Con 2012|first= Hugh|last= Armitage|date= July 13, 2012|work= [[Digital Spy]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130522015701/http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a393167/neil-gaiman-returns-to-the-sandman-comic-con-2012.html|archive-date= May 22, 2013|url-status= live}}
* {{cite journal|url= https://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/07/neil-gaiman-sandman-overture/|title= 25 Years Later, Neil Gaiman's ''Sandman'' Returns With a Prequel|first= Laura|last= Hudson|date= July 25, 2013|journal= [[Wired (website)|Wired]]|archive-url= https://www.webcitation.org/6JQ0VZPYx?url=http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/07/neil-gaiman-sandman-overture/|archive-date= September 6, 2013|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref> Issue #1 was released on October 30, 2013,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/the-sandman-overture-2013/the-sandman-overture-1|title= ''The Sandman: Overture'' #1|date= October 30, 2013|publisher= [[Vertigo (DC Comics)|Vertigo]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140710072546/http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/the-sandman-overture-2013/the-sandman-overture-1|archive-date= July 10, 2014|url-status= live}}</ref> and although it was planned to have a bi-monthly release schedule, issue 2 was delayed until March 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/the-sandman-overture-2013/the-sandman-overture-2|title= ''The Sandman: Overture'' #2|date= March 26, 2014|publisher= Vertigo|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140723161300/http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/the-sandman-overture-2013/the-sandman-overture-2|archive-date= July 23, 2014|url-status= live|df= mdy-all}}</ref> which Gaiman explained was "mostly due to the giant signing tour I was on from June, and me not getting script written on the tour, with knock-on effects".<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=49066|title= Update: Gaiman Explains ''Sandman: Overture'' #2 Delay|first= Albert|last= Ching|date= November 12, 2013|website= Comic Book Resources|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140314170905/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=49066|archive-date= March 14, 2014|url-status= live|access-date= December 27, 2013}}</ref> Special editions were released approximately a month after the original editions, which contain interviews with the creative team, alongside rare artwork.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/the-sandman-overture-special-edition-2013/the-sandman-overture-special-edition-1|title= ''The Sandman Overture Special Edition'' #1|date= November 27, 2013|publisher= Vertigo|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131228000606/http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/the-sandman-overture-special-edition-2013/the-sandman-overture-special-edition-1|archive-date= December 28, 2013|url-status= live}}</ref> ''Overture'' also reveals that [[Nyx|Night]] and [[Father Time|Time]] respectively are mother and father to the seven Endless siblings.

In 2018, DC announced ''[[The Sandman Universe]]'', a new line of comics exploring ''The Sandman''{{'}}s part of the DC Universe. It started in August 2018.<ref name="PolyNext">{{cite web|last1=Polo|first1=Susana|title=The Sandman Universe is Neil Gaiman's next comics project|url=https://www.polygon.com/comics/2018/3/1/17067712/sandman-dc-comics-universe-neil-gaiman|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|access-date=April 29, 2018|date=March 1, 2018}}</ref><ref name="EWAnnounce">{{cite magazine|last1=Holub|first1=Christian|title=Neil Gaiman announces new Sandman Universe line of comics — exclusive|url=https://ew.com/books/2018/03/01/neil-gaiman-sandman-universe-comics/|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=April 29, 2018|date=March 1, 2018}}</ref>

Dream of The Endless makes an appearance in [[Dark Nights: Metal]], as Daniel.