Gaiman made a (very much) surprise announcement at the Vertigo panel hosted by DC Comics at the San Diego Comic Con this week saying that there was one more big story in him for the character. For fans of the series, this new mini-series will be the capper to their collections.
"When I finished writing THE SANDMAN, there was one tale still untold. The story of what had happened to Morpheus to allow him to be so easily captured in THE SANDMAN #1, and why he was returned from far away, exhausted beyond imagining, and dressed for war. It was a story that we discussed telling for SANDMAN's 20th anniversary... but the time got away from us. And now, with SANDMAN's 25th anniversary year coming up, I'm delighted, and nervous, that that story is finally going to be told,” said Gaiman.This from Vertigo (which is a DC imprint) executive editor Karen Berger:
"There's nothing like a Neil Gaiman story," said Berger, "and there's nothing like having Neil back home on THE SANDMAN, his dark, soulful, literary epic that transformed comics and continues to captivate countless new readers year after year. Working with him again, and with JH Williams, the extraordinary and groundbreaking artist, is truly the stuff dreams are made of."As for the general DC brass, yeah, they're pretty happy to have one of the greatest comic authors aver back in the fold too.
DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio added, “As accomplished as Neil Gaiman is in other media—whether it be novels, film and even music—he still has an incredible passion and love for comics. It’s exciting to have him back. J.H. Williams will be the perfect complement to Neil’s writing. He has a history of creating art that pushes the boundaries of the medium.”Now, before you get too excited- there's no release date as of yet for the series' first issue and there isn't even an official title. Although, for fans of Sandman and Gaiman, I doubt that will temper enthusiasm too much.