The third volume collecting Neil Gaiman’s seminal, award-winning series starring the Dream King in deluxe format. The Absolute Sandman Vol. 3 presents several key tales in a slipcased hardcover edition, including “Brief Lives,” in which the Sandman’s sister Delirium prevails upon her older brother to help her find their missing sibling, Destruction. But their journey through the Waking World has dramatic repercussions for their family and also for the relationship between the Sandman and his wayward son, Orpheus. Also included is the spectacular short story “Ramadan,” a tale of a young king of ancient Baghdad and the deal he strikes with The Sandman to grant his city immortality, with spectacular illustrations by P. Craig Russell (Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde, The Jungle Book).

Never-before-collected bonus features include pin-up pages from galleries in The Sandman #50 and The Sandman Special #1, the Desire story from Vertigo: Winter’s Edge #3, The Endless Gallery #1, script and thumbnails from The Sandman #50, and an introduction by artist Jill Thompson.