I'll admit I really only read half of this issue. Mostly because I have the first two Absolute editions, and it's in this issue that the story crosses over into the stories I haven't read yet. So, I had to skip through to the new stories I haven't read.I'll say this, I like the second half more than the first half but it's still a really good comic. Not the greatest review I know, but if you haven't read "The Sandman" get your hands on the first issue of "Preludes and Nocturnes" and go from there. :)