The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes

Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman began here, with this single-issue collection that launched DC’s landmark horror-fantasy series. Gathering the first story arc, it introduces Morpheus, Lord of Dreams, as he escapes a decades-long imprisonment and sets out to reclaim his lost tools of power. Illustrated by Sam Kieth, Preludes & Nocturnes established the dark, mythic tone and intricate storytelling that would make the series a defining work of 1990s comics.