Someone talk me into (or out of) trying to buy a run of the original DC Sandman comics (issues 20-75) for around $100. Of course, if I get these, I'm going to have to also track down issues 1-19. Are those generally significantly more expensive?

I already have all the hardbound collections.

You should definitely buy them, and then send your hardcovers to me, since you won't need them any more.

Two bucks a comic? If they haven't been chewed to tatters by someone's dog, that's a steal.

Don't forget, though, the Ultimate (or whatever) Sandman is coming out with the colouring updated to match printing technology. Despite having the TPBs, from what I've seen I'll need to own those too.

the Ultimate (or whatever) Sandman is coming out with the colouring updated to match printing technology.

I assume these are a new set of reprinted hard/softbound collections?

How's the color/printing in the original comics compared to the existing bound reprints?

OK, I've found references to Absolute Sandman. [link]

I may have to get those too. Damn....

Here is a snippet of talk about Absolute Sandman:

the last thing I heard that they are definitely doing is an Absolute Sandman. Because frankly, the first twenty odd issues of Sandman (in particular, but there’s more running through) were colored for a process that hasn’t been used for twenty years on that old paper stock. And now the paper stock is amazing, the print process is amazing and we’re still using the colors which look worse and worse with every printing. That’s not satisfactory. We’ve always known we needed to recolor the first two graphic novels and maybe the first couple issues of Dream Country.

Old colouring--which is pretty much in line with what I remember on paper, and new colouring which makes me feel so much better about the pencil and inks job--I'd felt that the narrative was underserved by the art, but maybe it was technology, and the limitations on the inker's flair coming through.

And, also, me being spoiled.

eta: Damn! Too slow!

ita, thanks for the link to the coloring sample, I didn't know there were any out there yet. I am very much looking forward to the new versions of the books.

Is that old coloring the same as the orignal comics and the THD/TPDs or just the THD/TPDs? Cause DAMN. I've got the first 20-30 or so issues of Sandman (I can't remember exactly when I stopped buying it - not because I wasn't enjoying it, but because I wasn't keeping up with reading my purchases; I gave up buying all comics around then, but have occasionally dipped a toe back in here and there).

Same as the originals. The problem with the old coloring is that it hasn't been updated since the comics were first released, and its flaws have become magnified over the years as printing has improved and the standard for comic coloring has gone through the stratosphere.