The Sandman: the Dream Hunters by
Neil Gaiman
hbk out December 99
Published by Titan Books
at £24.99
Neil Gaiman's first new Sandman story since retiring the comic book series in 1996 is just that: a story, and not a comic. A prose retelling of a Japanese fairy tale employing characters and settings from the comic, The Dream Hunters is profusely and imaginatively illustrated by artist/animator Amano in a variety of
styles. The result, while not as satisfying as the best of Sandman comics, is an exceptionally handsome volume that is a treat to the eye and soul, and will please both devotees of the
series and newcomers alike.
The simple story is a variant on a Japanese tale of kitsune, the fox/trickster. As Gaiman explains in an afterword, the project of producing a new Sandman story to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the series was pitched before this specific idea came to him. Only when he agreed a partnership with Amano - who does not draw comics, per se - did he suggest retelling the fairy tale The Fox, the Monk and the Mikado of All Night's Dreaming, a tale which had previously struck him for its resonances with the Sandman mythos. And indeed, Gaiman seamlessly interweaves the ancient tale with various bits and pieces of Sandmania. His prose in Dream Hunters is deceptively sparse but extremely elegant, betraying little of the preciousness which spoiled Stardust, and to which Gaiman - and far too much fantasy
fiction - is prone. He underplays the Sandman's part in the story, yet rekindles in the reader's mind the magic and majesty which made Sandman such a great fantasy creation. "Amano's paintings and sketches, including the lovely, inlaid cover piece, significantly enhance Gaiman's prose. While the pictures do not carry the weight required of art in a traditional comic, this is more than just an illustrated volume. For one thing, there is as
much illustration as there is prose - more than every other page is devoted to the art - and some sequences of story are directly extended by the art, as one would expect in a comic. The paintings
are often quite delicate, and exquisitely coloured, though some of the less refined monochrome sketches serve the overall project as meaningfully as the bold and wonderful fold-out center-spread of the
book. While researching Celestial Dogs, I stumbled across examples of nineteenth century Japanese fantasy printmaking and was struck at the time at how some of that work, particularly by
Yoshitoshi, foreran the feel and kineticism of modern day comic book illustration. It may be pushing it, but it seems to this naive eye that Amano's paintings cite some of this classic work, notably a famous print by Okyo called The Ghost of Oyuki. In any event, the art very much impresses.
As befits the return to print of Sandman , the physical production
of the volume is of exceptionally high quality; not as extraordinary in design, perhaps, as the original hardback edition of the Seasons of Mists collection, but well worth the (admittedly steep) cover price of what is, after all, a novella-length story. Dream Hunters, however, is as much an art book as it is a piece of fiction. It deserves a place on any fantasy-lover's shelf. The images shown are copyright (c) 1999 DC Comics
(
Jay Russell
- one of the greatest talents the horror industry has produced for some time… (Black Tears))
The Sandman: the Dream Hunters by
Neil Gaiman
settings from the comic, The Dream Hunters is profusely and imaginatively illustrated by artist/animator Amano in a variety of
styles. The result, while not as satisfying as the best of Sandman comics, is an exceptionally handsome volume that is a treat to the eye and soul, and will please both devotees of the
series and newcomers alike. 
"Amano's paintings and sketches, including the lovely, inlaid cover piece, significantly enhance Gaiman's prose. While the pictures do not carry the weight required of art in a traditional comic, this is more than just an illustrated volume. For one thing, there is as
much illustration as there is prose - more than every other page is devoted to the art - and some sequences of story are directly extended by the art, as one would expect in a comic. The paintings
are often quite delicate, and exquisitely coloured, though some of the less refined monochrome sketches serve the overall project as meaningfully as the bold and wonderful fold-out center-spread of the
book. While researching Celestial Dogs, I stumbled across examples of nineteenth century Japanese fantasy printmaking and was struck at the time at how some of that work, particularly by
Yoshitoshi, foreran the feel and kineticism of modern day comic book illustration. It may be pushing it, but it seems to this naive eye that Amano's paintings cite some of this classic work, notably a famous print by Okyo called The Ghost of Oyuki. In any event, the art very much impresses.