Hugo Award Nominee for Best Graphic Story (2016)
Morpheus, Dream of the Endless, is back! Together with a little girl named Hope and another personification of himself in the form of a cat, Dream must find a star who’s gone mad because the entirety of existence is at stake.
Sandman is one of my all-time favorite comic book series, and breaking into Overture is like coming home. The series is highly imaginative, clever, full of Myth (with a capital M) by means of anthropomorphic personifications of abstract ideas, and, above all, for the literate adult reader. Overture is the psychedelic origin story with top notch writing, illustration, coloring, and lettering. Each issue builds upon the last, made distinct by different (sublimely) visual movements, and tied together with the overarching narrative.
The Dream King’s siblings: Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium, Destruction and Destiny are all featured to some extent, and although I would have loved more of their stories, Gaiman makes up for it by showcasing the parents of the Endless, who are both wonderfully cryptic, beautiful, and tragic in their own right.
More than a beginning, Overture is a prelude of ideas and themes to come, and I can’t wait to re-read Sandman with new eyes. Best enjoyed slowly with much imaginative contemplation. Highly recommended for fans of mythology, history, and only as an introduction to the Sandman series for those ready to embark on a highly intricate journey!