The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 3 Reviews

• Beautiful third installment in the "Absolute Sandman" series.

  
  By A39UI0WAB5ERRE on 2008-06-24
  This book is a joy to read, just as wonderful as the previous two. Bryan Talbot's pencil details pop out the in larger scale volume and McKean's covers shine. "Ramadan" is in this addition with P.Craig Russell's beautiful illustrations as well as the "Brief Lives" run, the "Death Gallery" stand-alone issue, "Fear of Falling" and more. Enjoy!
  
  

• Stories aren't as good as Vol 1 and 2...

  
  By A2HQLNS7MEWGMO on 2008-06-28
  I've never been that into comic books, but the first two volumes of the Absolute Sandman blew my mind. The storytelling is simply incredible. So, I was excited for Volume 3 to release. Now having read about 3/4's of the new volume, I find that the stories are not as entertaining as those in Vol 1 and 2. It still hits some high points and is certainly worth reading, but those high points come more infrequently than in the previous volumes. If you're a newcomer like me to the series, I'd still recommend buying it, but if your expectations were as high as mine, you may come away disappointed.
  
  

• Great Comic

  
  By A33173CLLVB0W4 on 2008-06-23
  Great Comic. Unfortunately, the hard cover shipped with a tear on it. Poor class on Amazon's part!
  
  

• If you enjoyed the first two then you will love this edition

  
  By A2XJMQ2COPGWJH on 2008-06-27
  If for whatever reason you get bored with the brief lives story arc, which would make no sense then there are some really good single tale stories in the Inn at the end of the World stories which is loosely tied to the Zero Hour event in the DC universe.
  
  The Sandman: Worlds' End is loosely connected as its events are a side effect of the events in Zero Hour.In The Sandman: The Kindly Ones, which will be mentioned in Absolute Sandman 4 Destiny implies that the events of Zero Hour were caused by multiple realities colliding as a result of Dream's conflict with the Furies and its outcome.
  
  The only negative is I have to wait 5 months to figure out how Sandman dies since i am only reading the Absolute Editions. I did buy the Wake book and the Fables and Reflections book which started me off in this addiction almost wish I haven't read these books because these editions are not cheap and it did spoil it for me since I will know what will happen next. If you have not read the Ramadhan story then you should buy it alone for that story.
  
  

• big beautiful and boxed

  
  By A3DP64H0HQ61Y0 on 2008-07-06
  The real reason I bought it is that even though I read The Sandman first run, I have the issues scattered throughout uncounted files and boxes. Couldn't pull them out to read them without a major overhaul. This book is big and gorgeous and once shelved, will be there when I need it. Well made compendiums are for keeping and using. This one is worth its weight. All I can hope is that when I'm old and frail, I'll still be able to lift it.
  
  
• Worth the $$Money$$
  By A1P8H4THL0SBHO on 2008-07-24
  I have the Sandman trade paperbacks 1-6. I decided I was willing to take a gamble with the Absolute edition. It was a great choice. The Absolute edition surpassed my expectations. It is significantly larger than the trade paperbacks, which makes it instantly more fun to read, and the text being larger means it is easier on your eyes. The colors look a lot more vibrant. The paper is thick and feels good to touch. The price is the only undesirable portion of this book, but even with that being what it is, I think it is worth it.
  
  And, just to make an attempt to justify the price, consider this:
  A hardcover graphic novel that is the size of a Sandman trade paperback usually costs around $20. Absolute Sandman Volume 3 includes about 2.5 trade paperbacks (Brief Lives, Worlds End, and part of Fables & Reflections). 20 times 2.5 equals $50. And then you factor in the extras, the larger size, the higher quality coloring and paper, the impressive cover, and the slipcase...which more than justifies the other $14. So, is this really expensive? Yes. Is it unreasonably expensive? No. Is it worthy purchasing? ABSOLUTELY!
  
  
• Fish in a Barrel
  By A1W8CZFRWGIKCW on 2008-06-26
  So here's the thing - Sandman is hands-down the greatest comic book series of all time. Combine that with an oversize, remastered version of the stories and you have a sure thing. Buy this now. If you don't already own volume 1 & 2, buy them as well.
  
  
• Excellent Stories and, again, Excellent Price
  By A3UF3BSB20J3NO on 2008-08-01
  The Sandman is a series so unbeatable in storytelling (maybe a little of an overstatement) and so beautiful to look at that it should be read by anyone who's a comic fan, or a great literature fan for that matter. There's more random short stories in this section, but the stories that follow the main Endless family canon are amazing.
  
  It's just as good as the 2 preceding, with beautiful art and a story script for Ramadan as bonus material, and will keep you reading for a bit. The price Amazon asks for is very reasonable, and is about 35 bucks cheaper than I could ever get it anywhere else. Buy it, and buy it here. (Now I sound like I'm an advertisement....)
  
  Unless you can get it cheaper somewhere else. (Does that make up for it?)
  
  
• Book poorly packed by Amazon
  By AM44MQX78IGF on 2008-08-27
  i know the review is for the book but i am just disappointed with the poor packaging by amazon on this book. i haven't read the book yet but i don't care because i am a Neil Gaiman fan, so i know i would like this book. however the packaging was done poorly.
  
  i've been an amazon customer for about 3 years now but this is the first time that i will complain about their packaging.
  
  my order was sent from one of their fulfillment centers:
  
  Amazon.com, LLC
  1050 South Columbia
  Campbellsville, KY
  
  the book is heavy but they did not provide any cushion, and i received the package slightly opened because the package was not properly sealed.
  
  *** update ***
  
  amazon ended up giving me a %15 discount for this issue.
  
  
  
• Not happy with printing and binding
  By A31PTHCBZS5056 on 2008-10-24
  Here I am only writing about how the Absolute Sandman Volume three (ISBN 978-1-4012-1084-7, © 2008) doesn't thrill me by it's printing & bookbinding standards (both done in China). It's the only volume I possess so far.
  
  (1) First and worst: the ribbon page marker has very visibly stained the pages 206/207 and 256/257. (2) The printing doesn't seem to be too great either, eg. on page 246 in the white area on the bottom of the page you can clearly see how the printing of the back page shows through (also, the bottom half of the page is crinkled). (3) Many pages stuck together on the bottom edge because (I guess) the cutting blade had a bad spot. (4) On the right paper edge there is some glue residue. (5) Quite often the surface of the paper isn't clean. (6) And last, but not least, the endpaper is flawed/has a prominent white spot on it's righthand side.
  
  And I haven't even really begun to read it yet...
  
  
• Absolute Sandman Vol. 3
  By A3RN3Z2YDVNAI9 on 2008-07-17
  I consumed this volume in mere days, I had recently acquired the first two volumes and had to wait a month for this edition to come out...it was worth the wait. I am looking forward to the last installment to make my collection complete. The writing is superb, and the artwork is a perfect combination of design and detail.
  
  
  
  
• The Absolute Sandman - a must-have
  By A1FNLSCYI5J4EC on 2008-07-31
  For those of you already familiar with the works of Neil Gaiman, and his work on Sandman in particular no explanation is needed, save the fact that this version does it again, prettier, larger and with more of the stuff you fell in love with to begin with. For those of you who are still untouched by the Sandman experience; good tidings have been delivered to you. You shall find all that you require in this book, alongside vol 1 & 2. The experience will be lessened should i say anything else than this; a treasure chamber filled to the brink with amazing stories have been brought within your grasp. Seize them with both hands!
  
  
• The book is wonderful, the amazon shipping not
  By AOKZAJ8RKWN08 on 2008-08-02
  I love this series and the absolute format really does it justice. If you're a fan its a worthwhile purchase. However, I received damaged copies twice from amazon....After the second time they would only refund me. You buy these absolute books as a collectors item and having them show up all busted up etc is a bit underwhelming. Vol 1 and 2 I got were slightly damaged but I lived with it but both copies of this one were just stuffed. I live in Australia so perhaps the international shipping is at fault but while the first copy was obviously damaged in transit the second had damaged beyond that. Shipping within the US might be less prone to damage but it pretty much comes down to the fact they chucked it in a much bigger box with no packing material for it to bounce around. In short buy this book but think twice about getting it here. I must say that they did send me the second copy very quickly and customer service responded pretty well. If it does turn up damaged you wont be out of pocket I guess - just without your book.
  
  
• Absolute absolute!
  By A1Q9PD4KN7F2QC on 2008-08-07
  Guess there is no need for another praise of the comic itself. And like the first 2 volumes they produced a great quality book. I'll build a shrine around "The Absolute Sandman"
  
  Also thanks to Amazon - you folks rock! There is no other online shop out there able to send it as quick and safe as Amazon does. The price is mostly right as well ;)
  
  Btw. I live in Switzerland. No European service was able to send the books as cheap as Amazon USA ( not even Amazon Germany...)
  
  
• amazing
  By A2EVR1T3PMXIWH on 2008-08-09
  Like the previous two volumes, this is an absolutely fabulous book. The artwork is fantastic and almost as good as Gaiman's incredible writing. I especially liked the issue called "Ramadhan" and the "Worlds End" stories.
  
  

• The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 4
• The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 2
• The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1
• The Graveyard Book
• Hellboy Library Edition, Vol. 1: Seed of Destruction and Wake the Devil