This isn’t the first of the expanded Sandman Universe graphic novel series that I’ve started (in fact, I’ve found it hard to make it past the first of each incarnation), and in typical fashion it’s a bit of a hodgepodge. We start off in the Dreaming, with Daniel having abandoned his post and his realm beginning to show the cracks, but this time we follow Matthew as he tracks a set of ravens to Lucifer Morningstar’s new storyarc. Somehow (we’re not really sure how, exactly), Lucifer has become trapped in a created micro-world anchored in the skull of Sycorax, the first witch. We follow him as he rediscovers his identity and power, allies himself with his former lover, and causes mayhem in the midst of a grand escape back to the real world - starting off another war with God in due course. For all that the story is a bit ramshackle (there’s a few too many threads that could have been simplified for the sake of a more powerful narrative), the gorgeous artwork and continually shifting viewpoint make it an interesting read. Where the actual plot is going, and how it will tie into the larger issues of the Dreaming, I have yet to figure out, so I guess we’ll just have to track down volume two. ( )

this seems very Gaiman to me - Watters is a good writer, telling an excellent story presented in a not too linear way, like a nightmare you experience in flashes, and ably backed up with fine artwork. it presents as an interesting character study of the lead, who here has been broken down by tribulation into component parts. altogether, a promising beginning to this unfolding series in the new Sandman Universe. ( )

This is the first Lucifer comic I'd ever read. I was familiar with the character from Neil Gaiman's Sandman series, but I'd never actually read any of the character's solo stories. So, as this volume began, I did feel a bit confused as to what was going on. Watters definitely throws readers into the deep end in this story, but it quickly becomes clear that he has a well-thought-out masterplan that proves to be very accessible for new readers - and very rewarding, I suspect, for longtime readers.

In this story, Lucifer has had a son and has abandoned that son in the past - a fact that was alluded to within "The Sandman Universe #1" one-shot (also included in this volume). To right this wrong, he seeks to reunite the son with his mother. Naturally, things don't go according to plan and Lucifer ends up in a prison he can't escape from, being held hostage by someone from his past with an ax to grind. And when you're the literal devil, that's a lot of people.

The story unfolds in a very interesting way. As I said, it starts off right in the middle of everything, with Lucifer lost in this other world, missing his memories and trying to unravel everything. As the story goes on and the characters all figure out what is going on, the audience is clued in with a series of flashbacks - and a B-plot that ties in directly with the A-plot - and everything unfolds in a very interesting way and ultimately leads to a pretty climactic finale that perfectly sets up the next arc in this ongoing series.

Watters' writing isn't the only highlight of this book, however. Accompanying his writing is artwork from Max Fiumara and Sebastian Fiumara. The artwork from these two definitely elevates Watters' script into something befitting of the devil. The art perfectly builds off of the established features of the Lucifer character - a character designed to be reminiscent of David Bowie - while also adding some new things and perfectly fleshing out the world with gorgeous settings and interesting characters. Watters' script and Max and Sebastian Fiumara's art is a match made in heaven - or, perhaps, in hell.

All in all, this first volume of Lucifer is a great start to this ongoing season. It's a great jumping on point for readers new to the ongoing story of this character and it appears to be a great return to the character for preexisting fans. The story told within this volume is delightful, mixing Christian mythology with The Sandman Universe's narrative flair. It's equal parts moving, suspenseful, and bloody. It's a great book for a great devil. ( )

This anthology of stories started taking place years after the first "Sandman" series came to an end. After that, Leslie S. Klinger annotated them, which allowed a lot of Neil Gaiman's original ruminations to be explained and clarified.

History now moves on. Aided by raven Matthew, we are guided through worlds where the Prince of Sleep is, seemingly, missing, or even escaped.

Through a barrage of well-known entities, we see the Universe unfurl through large and very colourful representations of both Earth, The Dreaming, and other places.

Gaiman's style is the same as before, as is his imagination. The only thing that is remarkably lacking from this anthology is plot, which is lacklustre. I've always thought Gaiman to be an extraordinary storyteller, but where he goes on a downward trajectory he falls quickly; this is, sadly, the case here. The stories don't hold up to their usual standard and the epics feel repetitive in comparison with what previously has been.

This is still an OK collection of fantastical stories. ( )

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Lucifer Vol. 1: The Infernal Comedy (the Sandman Universe) by Dan Watters (illustrated by Max Fiumara and Sebastian Fiumara )expands on the expensive universe created by Neil Gaiman. The Sandman is a series of comic books following Dream (Morpheus, among other aliases), and is one of the few graphic novels to grace the New York Times Best Seller list.

Lucifer finds himself as an old, blind man, living in a small house, in a small town where nothing happens and no one can leave. He realizes that he is actually trapped in a prison, but with memory of how he got there, or even why. Slowly Lucifer goes through the notions of reuniting his son with his mother, while figuring out which characters has jailed him.

In Los Angeles, a cop whose wife died of cancer, and is now facing brain cancer himself is looking for Lucifer, to kill him.

This issue is supposed to be the second which tries to expand Neil Gaiman’s Sandman universe, I haven’t read any of the others (if they’re even out), but if Lucifer Vol. 1: The Infernal Comedy (the Sandman Universe) by Dan Watters (illustrated by Max Fiumara and Sebastian Fiumara) is any indication to how it’s going to be, I’ll make a point to do so. The world of Dreaming was introduced to me when I finally read Sandman, I wouldn’t think that other creators would be able to expand it (and honestly, why not?), but we’re all the better for it.

The story starts in the middle, and uses lots of flashbacks to bring the reader up to date, which makes the book slow, but it still works pretty good. There are many interesting things going on, Lucifer is either depressed or sarcastically funny. English poet William Blake is Lucifer’s sidekick, I didn’t know much about him so I did a little research, and while I still don’t “get” poetry, I found Mr. Blake’s style to be in-line with the Sandman style of writing.
Or is it the other way around?

The writing and artwork work wonderfully together and build off each other, establishing creatures and fleshing out a whole world, with gorgeous settings one could look at over and over. I was pleasantly surprised by the moving and suspenseful story about characters which come off less than likeable, but a delight to follow along with.

This volume was a joy, mixing Christian mythology with the Sandman Universe works surprisingly well. The book was easy to follow, fascinating, telling an interesting story. ( )