Editing The Sandman (comic book) (section)

===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.