Hi all! Today, I wanted to walk you through The Ultimate Sandman, Vol. 1. You can check out the review of the actual comic content here, but today I'm going to take some time reviewing the actual product. When I saw this hefty volume in the book store for the first time, I was very intrigued. However, the price tag was pretty steep, and the product was wrapped in plastic, so I didn't want to take the plunge without knowing more about the value. After reading about Neil Gaiman's comic series, I finally put it on my Christmas list. And let me tell you, I am EXTREMELY impressed with what DC Comics did with this collection.First, in terms of contents, The Ultimate Sandman, Vol. 1 comes with the first 20 full issues of 
the comic series - a total of more than 500 pages. The volume also contains an introduction by Paul Levitz, President and Publisher of DC Comics. Finally, at the end of the volume, there is more than 50 pages of "bonus material" - The original proposal, written by Neil Gaiman, of the comic series to DC Comics, a summary of the first eight issues (also written by Gaiman), the original story board and script of Issue 19, afterwords by Gaiman, and a ton of illustrations.
The volume is packaged in a rugged cardboard box with a beautiful illustration on the front. The volume itself is sturdily bound, has a solid spine, and has a convenient ribbon for marking your page. The pages are thick and durable, and the illustrations are beautifully colored. I have not seen other versions of the comic, but I have read that The Absolute Sandman contains remastered and enhanced illustrations. Beautiful (and sometimes creepy) illustrations are found at the beginning of each issue.
the comic series - a total of more than 500 pages. The volume also contains an introduction by Paul Levitz, President and Publisher of DC Comics. Finally, at the end of the volume, there is more than 50 pages of "bonus material" - The original proposal, written by Neil Gaiman, of the comic series to DC Comics, a summary of the first eight issues (also written by Gaiman), the original story board and script of Issue 19, afterwords by Gaiman, and a ton of illustrations.
The volume is packaged in a rugged cardboard box with a beautiful illustration on the front. The volume itself is sturdily bound, has a solid spine, and has a convenient ribbon for marking your page. The pages are thick and durable, and the illustrations are beautifully colored. I have not seen other versions of the comic, but I have read that The Absolute Sandman contains remastered and enhanced illustrations. Beautiful (and sometimes creepy) illustrations are found at the beginning of each issue. 
Is The Absolute Sandman the best volume for every reader? Maybe not. Like I said, it is on the expensive side for comic book. However, if you have felt interested in Sandman for a while and love quality books to collect and keep in your library, consider picking this one up. I wasn't disappointed!
I've never gotten into comic books myself.
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