The annotated Sandman

Gaiman's ultra-literary comic The Sandman has enjoyed perpetual popularity since its 1989-96 run, as evidenced by repackagings, reprintings, and now this annotated tome (which covers the same first 20 issues that the first Absolute Sandman, 2006,does, at half the cost). In a quick introduction, Gaiman explains how he overcame his reluctance to have his work given the fine-tooth, reference-hunting comb, finally deciding that someone ought to get it all down before he forgets all the allusions to the traditions of Shakespearean theater, or the French Revolution, or horror comics. Klinger, with annotated versions of Sherlock Holmes stories and Dracula under his belt and Gaiman's original scripts in hand, points out what even the most well-versed reader might miss, though many pages inexplicably don't have a single note. What might have been the book's main stumbling block reproducing the artwork in black and white turns out to be a positive, as the finely detailed work, if anything, looks better without any window dressing. Certainly, this is a book for dedicated Sandman fans, but that's a large and devoted readership.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist