Dream spends time with his sister, Death.

The Sandman #8 – The Sound of Her Wings – is rightly considered as a classic in the comic’s run, bringing an end to the series’ first main arc and introducing fan favourite Death. For the television adaptation, this was always going to be an important hour, and it doesn’t disappoint.

Dream is sitting in a park, feeling sorry for himself. He’s lost his drive and is finding solace with his sister, Death, who is giving him advice in between her jobs. Kirby Howell-Baptiste is perfectly cast as Death, delicately informing people that they have passed away. There’s one particular hard-hitting death that fans will recall, and I’m pleased to report that it is beautifully handled with the sensitivity it deserves.

The second half of the chapter is devoted to issue #13, Men of Good Thinking, brought forward in the run so as not to break up the final four episodes which focus on The Doll’s House arc. It follows Robert ‘Hob’ Gadling who in 1389 decides that he’s not prepared to die. Dream and Death are in the same pub, the former challenging Hob to meet him in the same location in a 100 years. And so it follows that the unlikely companions convene every century, with Gadling’s fortunes changing each time. It’s a lovely story of friendship and change.

Verdict: The Sandman at its most human – an emotional journey that fuses two of the comics’ best stories. 9/10

Nick Joy