The Dreaming ends at #60

VERTIGO favorite THE DREAMING, with its eclectic characters gleaned from literature and ghost tales, will come to a close with its final storyline “Bad Dreams,” solicited in Previews Vol. X #10 for release this December. But VERTIGO’s exploration of the ethereal land of the Dreaming does not end here; THE SANDMAN PRESENTS line of character-focused titles will become more of a presence than ever as they unify into an ongoing release of miniseries and special projects. VERTIGO Executive Editor Karen Berger said, “Our exploration of THE SANDMAN mythos expands with this change as we plan to explore even more characters and develop more deeply their stories.”

THE DREAMING writer Caitlin R. Kiernan says: “For me, finishing THE DREAMING is like coming home again from a very long trip to a strange and wonderful place.”

The 4-part story, arriving in stores in December, begins with issue #57, as Echo makes a play to retain the Corinthian’s mantle of “Nightmare.” Stirring the forces of Nightmare to revolt within the Dreaming, Echo enlists the aid of nightmares Brute and Glob to capture Abel as bait to snatch members for her Nightmare Army. It’s up to Abel’s pet gargoyle Goldie to contact the House of Mystery caretaker Cain, last seen in issue #50.

According to THE DREAMING Editor Shelly Bond, “Many months ago, Neil Gaiman, Karen Berger, Cait and I thought that it would be best to bring THE DREAMING to a close at issue #60. The monthly series became more and more confining as a format, and in the spirit of THE SANDMAN, we decided to work toward a satisfying conclusion. This gave Caitlin and regular artists Christian Hojgaard and Ron Randall ample time to orchestrate a compelling finishing point to a series that really deserved solid closure.”

Writer Caitlin R. Kiernan’s explosive choreography of the coming Nightmare War will forever change the mercurial landscape of THE DREAMING and open new pages for new writers and artists to explore THE SANDMAN mythos in a new monthly series of THE SANDMAN PRESENTS miniseries and specials. Continuing VERTIGO’s successful THE SANDMAN PRESENTS (which served as proving ground for the LUCIFER ongoing series), these new THE SANDMAN PRESENTS projects will feature a startling lineup of provocative artists and writers handling their favorite characters from THE SANDMAN and THE DREAMING mythos with covers by award-winning innovator Dave McKean (THE DREAMING, THE SANDMAN, Cages).

Beginning this spring, THE SANDMAN PRESENTS will throw its curtains wide with THE SANDMAN PRESENTS: THE DEADBOY DETECTIVES miniseries, a Hardy Boys-meets-Philip-Marlowe detective yarn that combines elements of Harry Potter with a tongue-in-cheek hard-boiled style. Writer Ed Brubaker is joined by Eisner Award-winner Bryan Talbot and Steve Leialoha in a tale guest-starring familiar THE SANDMAN characters Mad Hettie and Hob Gadling.

One of the Sandman’s former lovers gets the spotlight in THE SANDMAN PRESENTS: THE THESSALIAD, written by Bill Willingham and illustrated by Shawn McManus. Thessaly (from THE SANDMAN: A GAME OF YOU) is known for her ruthless yet practical approach to magic. Find out what transpires when — for the first time in history — the most powerful Thessalian witch meets her match.

Some important questions are addressed in the 48-page one-shot THE SANDMAN PRESENTS: EVERYTHING YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT DREAMS BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK, written by Bill Willingham with artwork by Kevin Nowlan, Mark Buckingham, Jason Little, Duncan Fegredo and others. This offbeat book addresses several oft-asked questions regarding the nature of Dreams and The Dreaming in a series of humorous vignettes featuring Nuala, Merv, Lucien, Goldie, Gregory, and other inhabitants of the Dreaming.

Other projects in development feature such characters as The Corinthian and The Furies. Further details will be announced as they become available.