First-time visitor, lovely exploring this community.

A little help, if I may, as I didn't turn up anything in the board search that seemed to speak to this specific question...

I've got almost the entire Sandman series in the original comic run, from back when I was a starry-eyed teen with disposable income (even got myself into "Letters in the Sand", although I shudder now to see what I wrote back then...).

I'd love to be able to re-read the stories, and lend them to my friends like I have Neil's novels, BUT I don't want to risk them being lost or damaged. I could buy the trades, but to be honest I prefer the substance and integrity of a hardbound book (ok, I'm a confessed publishing snob, but admitting I have a problem hasn't yet helped me get past it).

I can't seem to find anyone that offers a set of the hardcovers - especially the earlier books. I imagine they have been out of print since they started issuing the trades - but surely there are other twisted, anal-retentive folks like me who would prefer the hardcover edition?

I've managed to find a couple on eBay, and one in the dusty back shelves of a local comic shop, but it's been very hit-or-miss, and I'm beginning to, er, Despair.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions...

Hello,

It all depends on your edition preference. You can special order the hardcovers on amazon, or through your local bookstores. dccomics.com should provide the ISBN numbers you'll need.

If you're referring to the first edition hardcovers as many people come here searching for, eBay is your best bet.

Good luck!

Thanks, Ravenina - I'll try the spec order route...

And good on you for your dog rescue work. We obtained our dog Andy, (who sadly passed away of cancer this summer), through a rescue group that specialized in large, hard-to-place dogs. I'm sure your "impish" little friends appreciate your hard work!

But seriously, who could possibly mistake a Miniature Pinscher for a Chihuahua?

It happens more often than not, I assure you...the chihuahua is a much more well known breed, and the untrained eye can mix them up...that and call them mini dobermans. They're an older breed than dobies, and are actually an ancestor of the doberman.

Good luck in your hunt! I work in the industry, so if you need ISBN numbers, let me know if I can help. Although you should be able to pull them up pretty easily on amazon.com.

And *hugs* to you and Andy. You will meet him again.

I will indeed, and thank you. I actually lost my Dad to cancer a couple of weeks ago (it's been a rough year), so they're keeping each other company until I catch up... which will hopefully be many years from now for me, but a mere pleasant teatime in the park for them...

In the meantime, here are the ISBNs of the Sandman hardcovers for anyone else looking to follow up with their local bookseller:

The Sandman Volume 1: Preludes & Nocturnes - ISBN 1563892278
The Sandman Volume 2: The Doll's House - ISBN 1563892251
The Sandman Volume 3: Dream Country - ISBN 156389226X
The Sandman Volume 4: Season of Mists - ISBN 1563890356
The Sandman Volume 5: A Game of You - ISBN 1563890933
The Sandman Volume 6: Fables & Reflections - ISBN 1563891069
The Sandman Volume 7: Brief Lives - ISBN 1563891379
The Sandman Volume 8: Worlds' End - ISBN 1563891700
The Sandman Volume 9: The Kindly Ones - ISBN 1563892049
The Sandman Volume 10: The Wake - ISBN 1563892871

You can also try http://www.abebooks.com .

It's a consortium of booksellers, so you actually are buying from individual shops.

I've had very good luck with things I've ordered through them.

- Cho

Thank you, Cho - added that one to the bookmarks!