A New York Times bestseller! From the award-winning writer of American Gods and Coraline, The Sandman is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed graphic novels of all time. Neil Gaiman's award-winning masterpiece set the standard for mature, lyrical fantasy in the modern comics era. Illustrated by an exemplary selection of the medium's most gifted artists, the series is a rich blend of modern and ancient mythology in which contemporary fiction, historical drama, and legend are seamlessly interwoven. An unforgettable tale of the forces that exist beyond life and death, this first of four volumes drawn by Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones Iii, and Kelley Jones, with spectacular guest art by Chris Bachalo, Colleen Doran, Charles Vess, and Michael Zulliintroduces readers to a dark and enchanting world of dreams and nightmares- the home of Morpheus, the King of Dreams, and his kin, the Endless. Collects the story arcs "Preludes and Nocturnes," "The Doll's House," and "Dream Country," from The Sandman #1-20including the first comic book to ever win a World Fantasy Award, issue #19s "A Midsummer Night's Dream".