View source for The Sandman Universe

{{short description|Comics line}}
{{Infobox comic book title
<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->|image=The_Sandman_Universe_logo,_DC_Vertigo,_May_2018.jpg|image_size=default 250|genre=[[Dark fantasy]]|publisher={{Plainlist|
* [[DC Comics]]
**[[Vertigo Comics|DC Vertigo]] (2018–2019; 2024–present)
**[[DC Black Label]] (2019–2024)
}}
|startmo=August
|startyr=2018
|main_char_team={{Plainlist|
* [[Dream (comics)|Dream]]
* [[Lucien (comics)|Lucien]]
* [[Matthew Cable]]
* [[Lucifer (DC Comics)|Lucifer]]
* Dora
* [[Timothy Hunter]]
* [[Erzulie]]
* [[John Constantine]]
* Ruin
* [[Corinthian (comics)|Corinthian]] 
* [[Dead Boy Detectives]]
* Thessaly 
}}}}
'''''The Sandman Universe''''' is a line of [[American comic book]]s published by [[DC Comics]] under its [[Imprint (trade name)|imprints]] [[Vertigo Comics|DC Vertigo]] and [[DC Black Label]]. The line launched to celebrate the 30th anniversary of [[Neil Gaiman]]'s ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|The Sandman]]'' (1989–1996) and Vertigo's 25th anniversary. ''The Sandman Universe'' began in August 2018, with a titular [[One-shot (comics)|one-shot]], which was followed by four [[ongoing series]]—''House of Whispers'', ''[[Lucifer (DC Comics)|Lucifer]]'', ''[[The Books of Magic|Books of Magic]]'', and ''[[Dreaming (comics)|The Dreaming]]''. Each comic is overseen by Gaiman but written by new creative teams.

==Conception and development==
''The Sandman Universe'' celebrates the 30th anniversary of [[DC Comics]]' ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|The Sandman]]''<ref name="GaimanTurning">{{Cite news|last=Bishop|first=Bryan|date=March 1, 2018|title=Neil Gaiman is turning The Sandman into an expanded comics universe|work=[[The Verge]]|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/1/17069162/the-sandman-universe-neil-gaiman-dc-comics-vertigo}}</ref> and the 25th anniversary of the launch of the [[Vertigo Comics|DC Vertigo]] imprint. The line was conceived and is overseen by the series' creator, [[Neil Gaiman]], but produced by new creative teams. ''The Sandman Universe'' expands ''The Sandman''{{'}}s part of the [[DC Universe]]<ref name="PolyNext">{{Cite news|last=Polo|first=Susana|date=March 1, 2018|title=The Sandman Universe is Neil Gaiman's next comics project|work=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|url=https://www.polygon.com/comics/2018/3/1/17067712/sandman-dc-comics-universe-neil-gaiman}}</ref> using new characters and concepts.<ref name="EWAnnounce"/> The line was announced by ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' in March 2018 and was accompanied by a trailer featuring Gaiman. It launched with the [[One-shot (comics)|one-shot]] ''The Sandman Universe'' #1 on August 8, 2018, with the other series following on later dates.<ref name="EWAnnounce">{{Cite magazine|last=Holub|first=Christian|date=March 1, 2018|title=Neil Gaiman announces new Sandman Universe line of comics — exclusive|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|url=http://ew.com/books/2018/03/01/neil-gaiman-sandman-universe-comics/|access-date=April 29, 2018}}</ref>

When asked why he returned to ''The Sandman'', Gaiman said he began to feel guilty that almost no one had been able to return to the series since its conclusion and liked the idea of reviving it, as well as letting new writers play with his "toys". Gaiman assembled the writing team for the line with the Vertigo editorial team. Both parties suggested writers who they thought would be good for new ''Sandman'' stories. Samples by writers were then read by Gaiman, who decided whether or not they were proficient. Choosing writers also involved deciding which comic suited which writer best. Gaiman cited [[Nalo Hopkinson]]'s [[science fiction]] work as an influence for assigning her to ''House of Whispers''. Gaiman chose [[Kat Howard]], who he has worked with for several years, to reboot ''[[The Books of Magic]]'' because of her handling of magic in her stories, and [[Dan Watters]] to write ''[[Lucifer (DC Comics)|Lucifer]]'' because he was up to the challenge of recreating the character.<ref name="EWAnnounce"/>

==Titles==
''The Sandman Universe'' began with a titular [[One-shot (comics)|one-shot]] released in August 2018. It picks up after the events of DC's 2017–2018 ''[[Dark Nights: Metal]]'' [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover]] event. [[Dream (comics)|Dream]] has disappeared since the conclusion of ''Metal'',<ref>{{Cite news|last=Shiach|first=Kieran|date=August 10, 2018|title=How Doomsday Clock & Dark Nights: Metal Affect The New Sandman Universe|work=[[Comic Book Resources]]|url=https://www.cbr.com/sandman-universe-doomsday-clock-dark-nights-metal/|access-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref> leading to chaos in his homeland of the [[Dreaming (comics)|Dreaming]]. Each ''Sandman Universe'' series follows a story thread introduced in the one-shot.<ref name="GaimanTurning"/><ref name="EWAnnounce"/><ref name="PolyNext"/>

{| class="wikitable"
!Title
!Issues
!Writer(s)
!Artist(s)
!Publication date
!Format
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |'''Year One'''
|-
|''The Sandman Universe''
|#1
|[[Simon Spurrier]], [[Kat Howard]], [[Nalo Hopkinson]], Dan Watters
|Bilquis Evely, [[Tom Fowler (cartoonist)|Tom Fowler]], Dominike Stanton, Max Fiumara, Sebastian Fiumara
|{{DTS|2018-08}}
|One-shot
|-
|''[[The Dreaming (comics)|The Dreaming]]''
|#1–20
|[[Simon Spurrier]]
|Bilquis Evely
|{{DTS|2018-09}} – {{DTS|2020-04}}
|Monthly ongoing
|-
|''House of Whispers''
|#1–22
|[[Nalo Hopkinson]], Dan Watters
|Dominike Stanton
|{{DTS|2018-09}} – {{DTS|2020-06}}
|Monthly ongoing
|-
|''[[Lucifer (DC Comics)|Lucifer]]''
|#1–24{{efn|Issues #19–24 were published only as a collected edition, in part due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/dc-lucifer-remaining-issues-canceled-straight-to-collected-edition-sandman-universe/|title = DC Cancels Lucifer, Will Release Final Issues as Collected Edition|first=Noah|last=Dominguez|website=CBR.com|date = 30 May 2020}}</ref>}}
|Dan Watters
|Max Fiumara and Sebastian Fiumara
|{{DTS|2018-10}} – {{DTS|2020-03}}
|Monthly ongoing
|-
|''[[The Books of Magic|Books of Magic]]''
|#1–23
|[[Kat Howard]], [[David Barnett (writer)|David Barnett]]
|[[Tom Fowler (cartoonist)|Tom Fowler]]
|{{DTS|2018-10}} – {{DTS|2020-09}}
|Monthly ongoing
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |'''Year Two'''
|-
|''The Sandman Universe Presents: Hellblazer''
|#1
| rowspan="2" |[[Simon Spurrier]]
|[[Marcio Takara]]
|{{DTS|2019-10}}
|One-shot
|-
|''[[Hellblazer|John Constantine, Hellblazer]]''
|#1–12
|Aaron Campbell
|{{DTS|2019-11}} – {{DTS|2020-11}}
|Monthly ongoing
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |'''Year Three'''
|-
|''The Dreaming: Waking Hours''
|#1–12
|[[G. Willow Wilson]]
|Nick Robles
|{{DTS|2020-05}} – {{DTS|2021-08}}
|Limited series
|-
|''Locke & Key: Hell & Gone''{{efn|A crossover with ''[[Locke & Key]]'' by [[IDW Publishing]].}}
|#0–2
|[[Joe Hill (writer)|Joe Hill]]
|[[Gabriel Rodriguez (artist)|Gabriel Rodriguez]]
|{{DTS|2020-12}} – {{DTS|2021-09}}
|Limited series
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |'''Year Four'''
|-
|''Nightmare Country''
|#1–6
|[[James Tynion IV]]
|Lisandro Estherren
|{{DTS|2022-04-12}} – {{DTS|2022-09-27}}
|Limited Series<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|date=January 18, 2022|title=New Sandman Universe Comic to Be Written by James Tynion IV (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/sandman-universe-nightmare-country-james-tynion-iv-1235076647/|access-date=January 22, 2022|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Dead Boy Detectives]]''
|#1–6
|Pornsak Pichetshote 
|Jeff Stokley
|{{DTS|2022-12-27}} – {{DTS|2023-05-24}}
|Limited Series 
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |'''Year Five'''
|-
|''Nightmare Country: The Glass House''
|#1–6
| rowspan="2" |[[James Tynion IV]]
|Lisandro Estherren
|{{DTS|2023-04-04}} – December 26, 2023 
|Limited Series<ref>{{Cite web|last=Puc|first=Samantha|date=November 10, 2022|title=The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country returns next year with The Glass House|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/the-sandman-universe-nightmare-country-returns-next-year-with-the-glass-house/|access-date=April 11, 2023|website=[[Newsarama]]|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|''The Sandman Universe Special: Thessaly''
|#1
|Maria Llovet, Reiko Murakami
|August 1, 2023
|One-shot
|-
| colspan="6" align="center" |'''Year Six'''
|-
|''[[Hellblazer|John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America]]''
|#1–11
|Simon Spurrier
|Aaron Campbell
|{{DTS|2024-01}} – 
|Limited Series
|}
{{notelist}}

==Collected editions==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title !! Material collected 
!Format!! Publication date !! ISBN
|-
| colspan="5" align="center" |'''''The Dreaming'''''
|-
| Vol. 1: ''Pathways and Emanations''
|''The Dreaming'' #1–6; ''The Sandman Universe'' #1
| rowspan="3" |[[Trade paperback (comics)|TP]]
|{{DTS|2019-06-05}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1401291174}}
|-
| Vol. 2: ''Empty Shells''
|''The Dreaming'' #7–12
|{{DTS|2020-01-08}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1401295639}}
|-
| Vol. 3: ''One Magical Movement''
|''The Dreaming'' #13–20
|{{DTS|2020-07-08}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1779502834}}
|-
| colspan="5" align="center" | '''''House of Whispers'''''
|-
| Vol. 1: ''The Power Divided''
| ''House of Whispers'' #1–6; ''The Sandman Universe'' #1
| rowspan="3" |TP
|{{DTS|2019-07-24}}
| {{ISBNT|978-1401291358}}
|-
|Vol. 2: ''Ananse''
|''House of Whispers'' #7–12
|{{DTS|2020-02-19}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1401299170}}
|-
|Vol. 3: ''Watching the Watchers''
|''House of Whispers'' #13–22
|{{DTS|2020-10-27}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1779504319}}
|-
| colspan="5" align="center" | '''''Lucifer'''''
|-
| Vol. 1: ''The Infernal Comedy''
|''Lucifer'' #1–6; ''The Sandman Universe'' #1
| rowspan="4" |TP
|{{DTS|2019-06-19}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1401291334}}
|-
|Vol. 2: ''The Divine Tragedy''
|''Lucifer'' #7–13
|{{DTS|2020-01-22}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1401295721}}
|-
|Vol. 3: ''The Wild Hunt''
|''Lucifer'' #14–19
|{{DTS|2020-07-28}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1779502353}}
|-
|Vol. 4: ''The Devil at Heart''
|''Lucifer'' #20–24
|{{DTS|2021-02-02}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1779507556}}
|-
| colspan="5" align="center" | '''''Books of Magic'''''
|-
| Vol. 1: ''Moveable Type''
| ''Books of Magic'' #1–6; ''The Sandman Universe'' #1
| rowspan="3" |TP
|{{DTS|2019-07-10}}
| {{ISBNT|978-1401291341}}
|-
|Vol. 2: ''Second Quarto''
|''Books of Magic'' #7–13
|{{DTS|2020-02-05}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1401299040}}
|-
|Vol. 3: ''Dwelling in Possibility''
|''Books of Magic'' #14–23
|{{DTS|2021-02-16}}
|{{ISBNT|978-1779503008}}
|-
| colspan="5" align="center" | '''''John Constantine, Hellblazer'''''
|-
| Vol. 1: ''Marks of Woe''
| ''The Sandman Universe Presents: Hellblazer'' #1; ''John Constantine, Hellblazer'' #1–6; ''Books of Magic'' #14
| rowspan="2" |TP
|{{DTS|2020-09-29}}
| {{ISBNT|978-1779502896}}
|-
| Vol. 2: ''The Best Version of You''
| ''John Constantine, Hellblazer'' #7–12
|{{DTS|2021-03-30}}
| {{ISBNT| 978-1779509536}}
|-
| colspan="5" align="center" | '''''The Dreaming: Waking Hours'''''
|-
| The Dreaming:  Waking Hours TP
| ''The Dreaming: Waking Hours'' #1–12
| rowspan="1" |TP
|{{DTS|2021-11-16}}
| {{ISBNT|978-1779512734}}
|-
| colspan="5" align="center" | '''''Locke & Key: Hell & Gone'''''
|-
| ''Locke & Key: The Golden Age'' 
| ''Small World'' #1; ''Guide to the Know Keys'' #1; "Face the Music"; ''...In Pale Battalions Go...'' #1–3; ''Hell & Gone'' #1–2
| rowspan="1" |HC
|{{DTS|2022-04-26}}
| {{ISBNT|978-1684057856}}
|-
| colspan="5" align="center" | '''''Nightmare Country'''''
|-
| Vol. 1 
| ''Nightmare Country'' #1–6
| rowspan="1" |TP
|{{DTS|2023-04-04}}
| {{ISBNT|978-1779518415}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country (2023) |url=https://comicscored.com/collections/the-sandman-universe-nightmare-country-2023/ |access-date=April 23, 2023 |website=Comicscored.com}}</ref>
|-
| colspan="5" align="center" | '''''Dead Boy Detectives'''''
|-
| Vol. 1 
| ''Dead Boy Detectives'' #1–6
| rowspan="1" |TP
|{{DTS|2023-11-07}}
| {{ISBNT|978-1779523297}}
|-
|}

==Reception==
According to the [[review aggregator]] Comic Book Roundup, the line has an average rating of 8.9/10 based on 20 reviews.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Sandman Universe Comic Series Reviews |url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/vertigo/the-sandman-universe |publisher=Comic Book Roundup |access-date=August 10, 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin|}}
* {{cite web|last1=Lu|first1=Alexander|title=Your crash course guide to DC's new SANDMAN UNIVERSE line|url=http://www.comicsbeat.com/your-crash-course-guide-to-dcs-new-sandman-universe-line/|website=[[Comics Beat]]|access-date=April 29, 2018|date=March 1, 2018}}
* {{cite web|last1=Burlingame|first1=Russ|title=Everything We Know About Neil Gaiman's Sandman Universe So Far|url=http://comicbook.com/dc/2018/03/02/everything-we-know-about-neil-gaimans-sandman-universe-so-far/|website=ComicBook.com|access-date=April 29, 2018|date=March 3, 2018}}
* {{cite web|last1=Marnell|first1=Blair|title=Neil Gaiman and DC Will Launch a SANDMAN UNIVERSE Line of Comics|url=https://nerdist.com/sandman-universe-comics-neil-gaiman-dc/|website=[[Nerdist News]]|access-date=April 29, 2018|date=March 1, 2018}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [https://www.dccomics.com/blog/2018/03/01/vertigo-reunites-with-author-neil-gaiman-on-the-sandman-universe Official press release] from [[DC Comics]]

{{DC Comics imprints}}
{{The Sandman (DC Comics)}}
{{DC events}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sandman Universe, The}}
[[Category:Neil Gaiman]]
[[Category:The Sandman (comic book)]]
[[Category:Vertigo Comics titles]]
[[Category:Gothic comics]]