I’m gradually working my way through The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman and have just finished Vol 4, Season of Mists which is simply a brilliant collection of stories that really starts to bring together the previous stories into a really related theme.

We start off with a family meeting of The Endless called by Destiny.  This meeting sets into motion events for the rest of the book.  Morpheus is made to realise, finally (it’s only been 10,000 years after all) that he may have been a little hasty, maybe a tad harsh, banishing to hell his mortal lover after she refused to rule with him.  Talk about your women scorned!  Anyway, long story short he’s going to have to return to hell in order to perform this rescue and given that he’s on not too friendly terms with Himself (the fallen angel) since his last foray into hell to retrieve his helmet from one of hell’s minions, the welcome mat may not be out!

Of course Lucifer, in a total moment of genius, decides to rid Hell of all it’s inhabitants and pass the key to his domain to Morpheus!  Didn’t see that one coming at all.  Now, it turns out that the key to Hell is sought after by more than one ambassador.  The Fey, Chaos and Order, Egyptian deities plus demons to name but a few and the whole lot being watched over by a couple of angels, it seems that other Gods are interested in the outcome.  They’re going to try sweet talking, threats, bribery and corruption, anything to get their hands on that domain.  It’s going to be interesting not to mention a very difficult decision to have to make.  Let the banquet begin.

I thought this edition was excellent.  The resolution of the problem concerning Morpheus and Nada, the outcome of who will rule Hell, the combination of myth, folklore, religion and other intriguing tidbits of history plus a darkly humorous side – particularly in this instalment the portrayal of the Devil and his world weariness!

I loved it!  Plus the accompanying graphics are amazing.

If you’re a bit like me and are new to graphic novels – The Sandman series could be the one for you.  I can really see why people would become so enamoured with it and I’m not yet half way through!