The Sandman Companion by Hy Bender

I had the honour of reading DC Vertigo's comic The Sandman as it was being released as a monthly comic in the 1990s, and Bender has written an excellent concordance, elegantly and clearly written, the kind of book that sends you straight back to the comics themselves to see what it is being talked about.

Part 1 (Overview) does what it says on the tin, it introduces The Sandman (Chapter 1) and gives a brief biography of its creator Neil Gaiman and his creative influences (Chapter 2).

Part 2 (The Sandman Collections) comprises chapters 3-12, each chapter is dedicated to of the 10 trade paperbacks that collected the 75 issues and 3 specials and this is done in chronological order. Bender begins each chapter with a well written synopsis of the comic issues covered by each tpb and then moves on to 'Some Things Worth Noticing' before finishing each chapter with an extended interview with Gaiman. Each chapter is interspersed with black and white illustrations and by grey text boxes which contain information, anecdotes and interviews from the dozens of pencillers, inkers, colourists, letterers, editors and celebrities that were involved with the series.

In the centre of the book is a gorgeous set of colour plates displaying some of the Sandman trading cards, tarot cards, proposal sketches, posters, figurines and Dave McKean covers.

Part 3 (Backstory) covers the origins of the major and some of the minor characters of the series (some are mythology, some have their roots in the older DC Universe, some from literature and some just out of Gaiman's imagination), repeating motifs and patterns, the nature of comic as medium and The Sandman's audience.

A worthy collection, certainly not just a cash-in