'Sandman' returns with new chapter

In 1988, Neil Gaiman set the comic book world afire with the publication of his series "The Sandman." During its eight-year run, "The Sandman" won numerous awards inside and outside the field of graphic novels. Now, after a seven-year absence, Gaiman returns to the series that brought him the most commercial success. The latest chapter of the series, "Endless Nights," perfectly sums up the themes and ideas presented in "The Sandman." This stand-alone comic book is a great addition for any Gaiman fan. But to newer fans, reading "Endless Nights" may be a haphazard jump into a deep and somewhat confusing mythology.\n"The Sandman" defies classical assumptions. Thoughtful, literate, and intensely dramatic, the series brings in readers not normally willing to pick up a comic book. The multi-leveled story details the internal and mythical conflicts between the Endless, a "family" of abstractions put in physical form. "The Sandman" focuses on "Dream of the Endless," ruler of stories and the unconscious and the decisions he must make as a God-like entity. \n"Endless Nights" is composed of seven short stories, each highlighting a particular member of the Endless family. For some members, this is the first time we truly get to understand their motivations. For others, we return to their complex tales.\nGaiman's prose remains as literate and poetic as it was during the initial run of "The Sandman." His use of literary references spans from classic literature to peer comics. The first of the seven stories, "Death in Venice," alludes to Edgar Allan Poe's "Masque of the Red Death." Still, "Endless Nights" never seems to talk down to the reader. As with "The Sandman," literary allusions only seem to help the reader understand, rather than confuse. Gaiman's common themes can be found in each story. There are tales of redemption, of lost loves and of the supernatural entering the "rational" world. The first three tales are stories within stories. These tales are being told to the reader and to a listener inside the tale, as in "The Sandman," how the story is told is most important.\n"Endless Nights" takes advantage of the comic medium by incorporating stirring visual elements to match the prose. Each short story has its own visual style, different from the last and unique to the Endless character highlighted. The artwork in "What I've Tasted of Desire," is accordingly sensual and highlights the beautiful aspects of humanity. The look of "Fifteen Portraits of Despair" is heartbreaking and painful to the eyes. And in "Delirium -- Going Inside," panels, words and images all mesh together into a blend of color, shape and language.\nThese seven short stories give deeper insight to the characters explored in "The Sandman." For those who have read Gaiman's work, "Endless Nights" offers a chance to revisit and an attempt to understand these intriguing characters. For newcomers, "Endless Nights" should be a reason to take a look back at what they've been missing. Either way, it works as a brilliant ending to the tale of "The Sandman"