# Is "The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes" by Neil Gaiman (Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III) a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman (Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III) (DC Comics, 1991) is identified by: The Sandman comic ran 1989-1996; the single issues (#1-75) are the true firsts of the serialized content, with issue #1 (cover-dated January 1989) the key collectible. US true first.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- The Sandman comic ran 1989-1996; the single issues (#1-75) are the true firsts of the serialized content, with issue #1 (cover-dated January 1989) the key collectible
- The first collected trade was actually The Doll's House (DC, 1990, collecting issues 8-16), which preceded Preludes & Nocturnes (DC, 1991, collecting issues 1-8)
- First printings of the trades are identified on the indicia page
- Correct publisher/imprint: DC Comics

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Neil Gaiman (Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III) |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Year | 1991 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Comic / graphic novel |
| Key point | The Sandman comic ran 1989-1996; the single issues (#1-75) are the true firsts of the serialized content, with issue #1 (cover-dated… |
| Book-club edition exists? | No |

## Points of issue
The Sandman comic ran 1989-1996; the single issues (#1-75) are the true firsts of the serialized content, with issue #1 (cover-dated January 1989) the key collectible. The first collected trade was actually The Doll's House (DC, 1990, collecting issues 8-16), which preceded Preludes & Nocturnes (DC, 1991, collecting issues 1-8). First printings of the trades are identified on the indicia page.

## Is this the true first?
US true first. The decisive point: from around 1995 the F. Paul Wilson introduction was replaced by a new Karen Berger introduction, so any copy with the Berger introduction is a later printing, not the 1991 first. The serial Sandman #1 (1989) is the true first appearance of Morpheus and is a separate, higher key.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
No book-club edition; later printings are distinguished by the Berger (rather than Wilson) introduction, the Vertigo logo, revised ISBNs, and barcodes. Verify the F. Paul Wilson introduction for the true first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes* by Neil Gaiman (Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III) a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-sandman-preludes-nocturnes
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.