Born in Portchester, Hampshire, England, Neil Gaiman is an author of science fiction and fantasy short stories and novels, graphic novels, comic books, and films. His notable works include The Sandman comic series, Stardust, and American Gods.
As a child and a teenager, Gaiman grew up reading the works of authors like C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Michael Moorcock, Ursula K. Le Guin and others. He later became a fan of science fiction, reading the works of authors as diverse as Samuel R. Delany, Harlan Ellison, H.P. Lovecraft and others. After forming a friendship with comic book writer Alan Moore, Gaiman started writing comics, picking up Miracleman after Moore finished his run on the series.
Gaiman wrote three graphic novels with his favorite collaborator and long-time friend Dave McKean, Violent Cases, Signal to Noise, and The Tragical Comedy or Comic Tragedy of Mr. Punch. In between, Gaiman landed a job with D.C. Comics, his first work being the limited series Black Orchid. His award-winning series The Sandman tells the tale of Morpheus, the anthropomorphic personificiation of Dream. The series began in 1989 concluded in 1996: 75 issues of the regular series and a special containing seven short stories have been collected into 11 volumes that remain in print to this day.
