Rating: 
Summary: An excellent companion
Review: 'Companion' books are often no more than a way to milk a few more dollars out of completist fans and trainspotters, but Hy Bender's book is well worth the money. It provides interesting answers to questions I hadn't thought to ask, and gives a lot of insight into the creation of 'Sandman'. Most importantly, reading this book heightened my enjoyment when I reread 'Sandman' afterwards.
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful guide for both new readers and established fans
Review: From a review by Cliff Biggers and Brett Brooks in the November 1999 Comic Shop News (reprinted with permission)-- The Sandman Companion isn't a comic book -- but it's a book that no Sandman reader is going to want to be without. Hy Bender has assembled the most comprehensive series of interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, factoids, and juicy tidbits that any Sandman fan could desire. Every Sandman series, every artist, every significant character is discussed here. No matter how familiar you are with Neil Gaiman's creation, you'll find things that you didn't know; and I guarantee that before you're finished, you'll be pulling your Sandman collections from the shelves and looking up a story here, seeing it in a new way. I loved the interviews; Neil Gaiman makes the creation of each story arc almost as fascinating as the stories themselves. However, the parts I enjoyed the most were the factoids, the little shards of information that bring new light to the series. I'd never heard the story about Dave McKean's experience with Death on an airplane, for example; nor had I ever been consciously aware of the rat motif in Bryan Talbot's work until I read about it here. Too many publishers put together a hastily-assembled compilation of sketch pages, maps, charts, brief interviews, mainstream articles & photos and pass it off as a "companion." Hy Bender has raised the bar by producing a book that deserves a place on the shelf right next to the Sandman tales themselves....Wonderfully done. ***** From the Companion's back cover-- This insider's look at the creation of a comics classic includes-- - Comments from noted authors and celebrities including Peter Straub, Harlan Ellison, Samuel R. Delany, Tori Amos, Alan Moore, and others. - Rare and never-before-seen illustrations, including a special 16-page color section. - Origins of the Endless and other prominent Sandman characters. - Story-by-story explorations of Sandman, with a special focus on the World Fantasy Award-winning tale "A Midsummer Night's Dream." - Analysis of Sandman's use of symbolism, historical and mythical figures, and other literary devices. ***** From Hy Bender's introduction-- This book contains edited transcripts of interviews I conducted with Neil Gaiman over a five-day period in New York, as well as excerpts of conversations with over two dozen other talents who contributed to the series. These interviews reveal the origins of Sandman's primary characters, discuss the series' themes, identify critical recurring images, and provide lots of other behind-the-scenes information, giving you the keys you need to unlock Gaiman's mammoth saga. You can also read The Sandman Companion simply for the fun of it. Neil Gaiman is a witty and charming talker, and the conversations with him allow you to peek into the mind of one of the most interesting writers of our time.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Reading
Review: A good "companion" book to Sandman would tell you about Neil Gaiman's thousands of sources for his stories. Who is Lyta Hall in the DC universe? Who is Element Girl? How about literary and historical sources? Where does the phrase "omnia mutantur, nihil interit" come from, who used it, and what did it mean then? Who was Aleister Crowley? Instead, most of this book is a recap of the story -- Cliff's Notes for a comic -- with a few visits from Neil talking about the inspiration for this or that! Very disappointing. Not worth the money.
Rating: 
Summary: Tells you little you couldn't get from the comics.
Review: A good "companion" book to Sandman would tell you about Neil Gaiman's thousands of sources for his stories. Who is Lyta Hall in the DC universe? Who is Element Girl? How about literary and historical sources? Where does the phrase "omnia mutantur, nihil interit" come from, who used it, and what did it mean then? Who was Aleister Crowley? Instead, most of this book is a recap of the story -- Cliff's Notes for a comic -- with a few visits from Neil talking about the inspiration for this or that! Very disappointing. Not worth the money.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Reading
Review: A great read, and lots of insights about the Sandman series. Highly recommended for all Neil Gaiman fans!
Rating: 
Summary: Sandman fans rejoice!
Review: As a true and loyal fan of Neil Gaiman's Sandman comic book series, the Companion was a must buy. The book is divided into three parts: 1) overview; 2) the Sandman Collections; and 3) back story. The format is a combination of researched facts and direct transcripts of Bender's interview of Neil Gaiman over a five day period. The overview discusses what the sries is about, the various collections, its origins, its influences and how it has influenced the Goth movement. It also provides some insight of who Gaiman is, his past writing experiences, his relationship with artist Dave McKean and how Gaiman was "discovered." Part Two provides a detailed summary of each collection followed by an in-depth interview of Gaiman regarding various aspects of the collection intersperesed with various pieces of information about the artists involved and their feelings on their collaboration. Part Three discusses the origins of the Endless, Sandman, the series most character, Death, and the menagerie of folks who populate the Dreaming and the series. It gives a rare glimpse at a comic scriptand how Gaiman presents his work to his editors and artists. The book includes three appendices 1) a list of every penciller, inker, colorist, letterer, and editor involed in every issue of Sandman; 2) other Sandman related works; and 3) a list of references the book utilized and other works by Gaiman. It should be noted there is a fair amount of artwork in the book including 16 pages of color photos. True fans of the series will not be too surprised by the information and will woder wy Bender didn't ask certain questions as only crazed fanatics would. At times, Bender's lack of knowledge can be glaring, however, the book remains a must for every fan of the series. After reading it, I was ready to pull out each pristine copy I own and read them again!
Rating:
Summary: Your Guide to the World of Neil Gaiman
Review: Dreams. They are the driving forces behind each and everyone of us, for dreams are the precursors of life. They start out as an idea, or a notion or a sound and quickly evolve into an image and a story. Soon after we find ourselves in the waking world with an urge we can not fight, a silent yearning for something bigger and better which we know is out there waiting for us. But what our own dreams may be dreaming is a mystery to us. It's like falling down an endless void; the uncertainty of whether or not you'll hit bottom is what makes you feel alive, if only because there is a good chance you're life could end right then. Not all dreams are good though. At times you find yourself dreaming of what could be or, more accurately, of what you wish it could be. These timeless quiet moments in which our soul is exalted by such untold dreams remains but a faint memory in the light of our restless wake. Be that as it may, they still provide a burning desire. Neil Gaiman's creation 'The Sandman' is a prolific and captivating world. It goes beyond the binding title of 'comic strip' and stands as one of the most intricate and magical worlds ever created. You will meet gods and monsters, endless beings who are older that time itself. You will fall in love and hope that death comes knocking on your door on a brisky Sunday morning to have a cup of tea. In short, Neil Gaiman's world of 'The Sandman' is magic. And what is magic but a natural result of the dreams we have, such is our nature. Gods and myths, legends and heroes, they all start out as dreams, we know that much. We create them and breathe life unto them when quietly we let them step into the soft places of the world. Quoting Frazer from his masterful work 'The Golden Bough': "the fatal flaw of these dreams lies not in its general assumption of a sequence of events determined by law, but rather in its total misconception of the nature of the particular laws which govern that sequence." And thus it is that with time all gods and dreams and monsters turn green and tired, they cease to exist in our waking world and are only remembered in old dreams, thus completing the cycle. THE SANDMAN COMPANION will be your guide through the world of Neil Giaman, well presented, with interviews and details of what went on behind the stage. If you're a fan of Neil Gaiman's work you wont want to miss this one, trust me.
Rating:
Summary: A must have for the visitors of the Dreaming
Review: For avid fans or initiates to the world of Neil Gaiman- this book is a definite must have. It's gives us a glimpse into the realms of dreams (as well as nighmares) and it's ruler. It's a well made companion to the "Sandman" series- very authoritative and very insightful. It also gives us factoids on how the characters were created. For die hard fans (like me) or those starting out exploring the rich fantasy world of the dreaming- this book is a definite must.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but not essential reading
Review: I bought Sandman Vol 1, Preludes and Nocturnes, without really knowing anything about Sandman. I liked it so much I bought and devoured the other nine volumes as soon as I was able. Then I reread them all, slowly and meticulously. The second reading was even better than the first, but still I was hungry for more.
So I bought this book, The Sandman Companion. I was hoping for an in-depth analysis of the series. I wanted to see inspirations, symbology, hidden meanings, historical references. And I got it... sort of. It's kind of a lo-cal, lo-carb version of what I was hoping for.
About half of the text is one long interview with Neil Gaiman, broken up by story and spread out over the length of the book. Also included are concept drawings and the author's own exposition on various stories. Much of the work is focused on the creative process.
I was hoping for a scholarly guide to the subtle details, with footnotes, suggested readings, and all the rest of the trimmings you'd find in a serious study of such a nuanced work as The Sandman.
This book is more like "The Making of The Sandman," and unfortunately reads like a really long article from People magazine.
If you're looking for interviews, then this book would be an excellent buy.
But personally, I got more from Googling "Sandman annotations."
Rating:
Summary: A Great Compendium for a Great Series
Review: I found this book quite by accident in a comic shop about a year ago. Being skeptical about companion books, I was QUITE surprised at this book. Neil Gaiman takes the time to go into incredible detail on each issue of Sandman. While I was heartbroken to see Sandman and all the wonders of his world go, this book allows me to enjoy the series over again in a whole new light. It's like seeing a new side of someone that you thought you knew intimately, and falling in love all over again.
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