There are times when you read something that transcends genre. Sandman has always been that for me. A series standing just outside the world of common comic books, Sandman allowed us all to see that the only limit to the medium was the imagination of the creators. Neil Gaiman, the man behind Sandman and so many other treasured bits of storytelling, stepped up and became one of the most important comic book writers of the last thirty years.
Understanding that, it is no surprise that Sandman: Overture #1 is so good. Once again, Gaiman plays with reality, shifts between literature and folklore, and all the time crafting something that you simply won’t understand with only one read. Sandman has always demanded multiple readings, and this story is no different. Every time you re-read Sandman: Overture, you find new connections, new links and new bits of the story. Gaiman doesn’t so much write as he does weave together elements that, once joined, spread out into a bigger story.
On a distant planet, a race of flowers withers away as they hear the screams of a dying entity. Only Death knows who died and understands what the death means. Meanwhile, Sandman, aka Dream, is meeting with Corinthian, a creation of his that has turned into a serial killer in the real world. Corinthian has a penchant for eating the eyes of his victims because rows of teeth occupy his own eye sockets. As the meeting begins to turn ugly, Dream is summoned to a gathering of other dream entities. The issue ends with a reflection in the eyes of a masked being.
Gaiman is not interested in making this easy. He assumes you have at least a working knowledge of Sandman, and that the reader is intelligent. Gaiman writes and paces his stories like poems. There is an agility to his prose, which blends perfectly with Gaiman’s mastery of the English language. Overture, much like the other Sandman books, are more along the line of gorgeously illustrated fantasy books than comics. Still, Gaiman’s love for the medium is obvious, and it makes Sandman: Overture that much more enjoyable.
J.H. Williams III produces art like no other artist in the world. Taking that pedigree, Williams’ elevates his already astonishing work to a new level. Black and white etching, lush color panels that create a dreamlike state, harsh realities that are still balanced with the surreal, Williams’ work is an experience which hits on multiple emotional levels. Sandman: Overture is another notch of perfection in Williams’ storied career. Every artist currently working should examine the fold-out towards the end of Overture and learn from it. Outside of Sam Kieth, I can’t think of another artist in comics that stands alone among his peers.
Lavishly written and gorgeously illustrated, Sandman: Overture demands your attention. Gaiman makes us all realize how much we’ve missed him.
