I chose Sandman because it is one of the best comic book series on two levels very pertinent to this study. This series has won numerous awards and stretches across 75 1/2 single issues and is also collected in 10 graphic novels, with 3 subsequent additions. Frank McConnell notes that the Sandman series is “one of the most extraordinary events in the history of comics” with a complex story related through images and words (1). Gaiman and many different artists have effectively and gracefully used the dance between images and words to tell these stories. Sandman is a great example of how two mediums can be blended into a new one.
Gaiman, as primary creator, has skillfully woven several older myths from various cultures and epochs in the medium of sequential art (or comics). To name a few; there are Greek, Egyptian, Nordic, Shakespearean, Fairie, and contemporary urban myths included within the storyline. Gaiman incorporates these myths into his contemporary story, adding depth and resonance to the stories incorporated. He is blending older stories and myths within his new frame. Words, images and stories are put into play together within the overarching story about the concept of dreaming and storytelling itself. Unlike the Myst comic, the Sandman series is a graceful and complex blending of words and images.