Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Vertigo (2009), Hardcover, 360 pages
Description
THE ABSOLUTE DEATH collects the miniseries DEATH- THE HIGH COST OF LIVING and DEATH- THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE together with "The Sound of Her Wings" and "Fa ade" from THE SANDMAN #8 and #20, the P. Craig Russell-illustrated "Death and Venice" from THE SANDMAN- ENDLESS NIGHTS, and the never-before reprinted stories "A Winter's Tale" and "The Wheel." This deluxe volume also features an introduction by The Dresden Dolls' Amanda Palmer as well as extensive galleries of Death portraits and retail products, sketches by artist Chris Bachalo, and the complete original script by Gaiman for THE SANDMAN #8.
User reviews
LibraryThing member SatansParakeet
Surprisingly, the death stories always seemed to me to be the lighter side of the Sandman Universe. Although still quite dark, they tend to have simpler lessons to tell and are tied up in a more easily digestible way. This makes them easier to get into, but they also feel a little incomplete
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compared to Gaiman's more complex stories. Definitely still worth a read and the Absolute version is the way to go in order to appreciate the beautiful full size artwork. Show Less
LibraryThing member klai
Collected, re-edited, re-colored, in part re-lettered - what's not to like? Oh, except for the size of this massive tome, which makes it rather unsuited for curling up in bed.
LibraryThing member pocketmermaid
It's wonderful to have all of these Death-related graphic novels and comics in one spot. I loved revisiting these stories, though it's a little jarring to read them all in a mish-mash together. This collection just makes me think Death deserves her own series. She's a supporting character that
So the four-star rating is for actual story content, because these stories aren't knock-yourself-out amazing. The collection gets five stars on presentation, because it's absolutely gorgeous. Even though I have the graphic novels that the bulk of this book collects, the never-before printed stories and the gallery make this a wonderful collection of the beloved "Sandman" character.
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sometimes steals the show in "Sandman." Putting these stories all together in one place show how short-changed she's been.So the four-star rating is for actual story content, because these stories aren't knock-yourself-out amazing. The collection gets five stars on presentation, because it's absolutely gorgeous. Even though I have the graphic novels that the bulk of this book collects, the never-before printed stories and the gallery make this a wonderful collection of the beloved "Sandman" character.
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LibraryThing member AHS-Wolfy
This collection brings together all the stories of Death, Dream's older sister. Some of which has even been featured before in the Absolute editions and that's what kicks off this book. Issue #8 of The Sandman, The Sound of Her Wings is the introduction to the character of Death and so was the
Made in the same way as all the other Absolute editions with a faux-leather/felt hardcover in a slip case and high quality oversized pages. This is a good companion piece to the series but if you own the two main stories featured then it is certainly not worth shelling out the money for. It does look good though!
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logical place to start before moving on to Façade (Sandman #20) which is probably only included to fill out the volume. We then move on to the two 3-part stories, Death: The High Cost of Living and Death: The Time of Your Life. The first of these has Death experiencing time amongst the living as she does once in every hundred years and the second features Death more as a background character as the story revolves around Foxglove and Hazel whom you might remember from an earlier volume (Hint: Foxglove used to be called Donna). These are two very good stories and really show why Death is such a beloved character from the series as a whole. We then come to a couple more one-shot stories: A Winter's Tale gives Death's take on the job she does and The Wheel which is a story written about 9-11 where a boy after losing his mother decides life isn't worth living anymore. And finally we have Death in Venice which features in Endless Nights. A soldier on leave from his unit returns to Venice where he stayed as a young boy and had a dreamlike encounter with a girl who was waiting next to a closed door. The rest of the volume is taken up with A Death Miscellany, a gallery of over 40 pages of artwork by many leading names in the comic-book field, a public service comic featuring Death (with the aid of John Constantine) talking about AIDS, artwork and products used in the marketing for Sandman and a full script (including original pencilled drawings) for The Sound of Her Wings.Made in the same way as all the other Absolute editions with a faux-leather/felt hardcover in a slip case and high quality oversized pages. This is a good companion piece to the series but if you own the two main stories featured then it is certainly not worth shelling out the money for. It does look good though!
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LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
This book encompasses every story Neil Gaiman has ever written that involved Death. I always loved Death the way Gaiman writes her, as the perky Goth girl that is basically like a mother to everyone, waiting for them at the end of their day. The artwork through out the book and the galleries at the
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end are especially beautiful and it is interesting to see how different artists view the character. Throughout all of Death's stories I always feel there is a message telling the reader to live life to the fullest without being foolish and taking unnecessary risks; but maybe that's just me. My favorite story from the collection is The Wheel, Death meets a boy on a ferris wheel who wants to ask God why Sept 11 occurred. This reminded me of how I felt after the tragedy, and I felt that the answers the Eternals gave the boy were respectful and just plain good. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
This book encompasses every story Neil Gaiman has ever written that involved Death. I always loved Death the way Gaiman writes her, as the perky Goth girl that is basically like a mother to everyone, waiting for them at the end of their day. The artwork through out the book and the galleries at the
Show More
end are especially beautiful and it is interesting to see how different artists view the character. Throughout all of Death's stories I always feel there is a message telling the reader to live life to the fullest without being foolish and taking unnecessary risks; but maybe that's just me. My favorite story from the collection is The Wheel, Death meets a boy on a ferris wheel who wants to ask God why Sept 11 occurred. This reminded me of how I felt after the tragedy, and I felt that the answers the Eternals gave the boy were respectful and just plain good. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
This book encompasses every story Neil Gaiman has ever written that involved Death. I always loved Death the way Gaiman writes her, as the perky Goth girl that is basically like a mother to everyone, waiting for them at the end of their day. The artwork through out the book and the galleries at the
Show More
end are especially beautiful and it is interesting to see how different artists view the character. Throughout all of Death's stories I always feel there is a message telling the reader to live life to the fullest without being foolish and taking unnecessary risks; but maybe that's just me. My favorite story from the collection is The Wheel, Death meets a boy on a ferris wheel who wants to ask God why Sept 11 occurred. This reminded me of how I felt after the tragedy, and I felt that the answers the Eternals gave the boy were respectful and just plain good. Show Less
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
This book encompasses every story Neil Gaiman has ever written that involved Death. I always loved Death the way Gaiman writes her, as the perky Goth girl that is basically like a mother to everyone, waiting for them at the end of their day. The artwork through out the book and the galleries at the
Show More
end are especially beautiful and it is interesting to see how different artists view the character. Throughout all of Death's stories I always feel there is a message telling the reader to live life to the fullest without being foolish and taking unnecessary risks; but maybe that's just me. My favorite story from the collection is The Wheel, Death meets a boy on a ferris wheel who wants to ask God why Sept 11 occurred. This reminded me of how I felt after the tragedy, and I felt that the answers the Eternals gave the boy were respectful and just plain good. Show Less
LibraryThing member writertomg
I just love everything by Neil Gaiman that I've gotten my hands on so far, and The Absolute Death is no exception.
Best read AFTER Gaiman's The Sandman, the stories of Death are alternately: scary, sad, funny, and touching. Much like, his Sandman stories, you don't know what you'll get when you
While the standalone Death stories (Death:The High Cost of Living and Death:The Time of Your Life) could be read on their own, this is a book that should be saved for after The Sandman.
Best read AFTER Gaiman's The Sandman, the stories of Death are alternately: scary, sad, funny, and touching. Much like, his Sandman stories, you don't know what you'll get when you
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start reading and could get all these emotional responses in a single story!While the standalone Death stories (Death:The High Cost of Living and Death:The Time of Your Life) could be read on their own, this is a book that should be saved for after The Sandman.
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Language
Original publication date
1989 - 2003 (original issues)
2009-10-20
Physical description
360 p.; 14.9 inches
ISBN
1401224636 / 9781401224639
Local notes
A Sandman spinoff: One day in every century, Death walks the Earth to better understand those to whom she will be the final visitor. Today is that day. As a young mortal girl named Didi, Death befriends a teenager and helps a 250-year old homeless woman find her missing heart. What follows is a sincere musing on love, life and (of course) death.
Collects the Death miniseries 'The High Cost of Living' and 'The Time of Your Life'; 'The Sound of Her Wings' and 'Façade' from The Sandman #8 and #20; the P. Craig Russell-illustrated 'Death and Venice' from The Sandman: Endless Nights; and the never-before reprinted stories 'A Winter's Tale' and 'The Wheel'. This deluxe volume also features an introduction by The Dresden Dolls' Amanda Palmer as well as extensive galleries of Death portraits and retail products, sketches by artist Chris Bachalo, and the complete original script by Gaiman for The Sandman #8.
Collects the Death miniseries 'The High Cost of Living' and 'The Time of Your Life'; 'The Sound of Her Wings' and 'Façade' from The Sandman #8 and #20; the P. Craig Russell-illustrated 'Death and Venice' from The Sandman: Endless Nights; and the never-before reprinted stories 'A Winter's Tale' and 'The Wheel'. This deluxe volume also features an introduction by The Dresden Dolls' Amanda Palmer as well as extensive galleries of Death portraits and retail products, sketches by artist Chris Bachalo, and the complete original script by Gaiman for The Sandman #8.