Happy Birthday Neil Gaiman!

Happy Birthday Neil Gaiman!  He started out as a journalist and one of his early graphic novels was Violent Cases with artist Dave McKean.  Then he wrote Don’t Panic: The Official Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Companion (1988) based on the Douglas Adams’ books.  His first work for DC Comics was the limited series, Black Orchid (1988-1989), with art by Dave McKean.  Afterwards, Gaiman was presented with his own spin on old comics character, The Sandman, it was a series that elevated comic books to literary heights. Sandman #8 (1989) introduced Morpheus’ sister, Death.  Sandman #19 (1990), “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, with art by Charles Vess, won the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction.  On July 15, the audiobook adaptation narrated by Neil Gaiman appeared on audible.  Filming is continuing with the Sandman Netflix series developed by Allan Heinberg.  Then, Gaiman co-wrote with Terry Pratchett Good Omens (1990), it is going to be made into a Amazon Prime and BBC series in 2019.  He picked up writing Miracleman with artist Mark Buckingham when Alan Moore left the series with issue #17 (1990).  It abruptly ended with issue 24 (1993) when the publisher, Eclipse Comics, closed it’s doors. 

  

Next, Neil Gaiman worked with Dave McKean on graphic novels; Signal to Noise (1992) and The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch (1994).  Then, he co-edited the anthology book, The Sandman: Book of Dreams.  Gaiman wrote for television with the BBC Two series Neverwhere (1996) with a novelization in the same year.  He wrote the fantasy limited series Stardust (1997) with art by Charles Vess.  He wrote the novel in 1999 and it was later turned to a film in 2007.  Gaiman wrote another novel, American Gods, in 2001.  This was also turned into a television series on Starz that started in 2017.  In 2002, Gaiman wrote the novel, Coraline, it was made into a brilliant animated film by Laika in 2009. Gaiman wrote the screenplay for MirrorMask (2005) directed by Dave McKean.  He co-wrote the screenplay for the animated film, Beowulf (2007).  In 2011, Gaiman wrote the script for “The Doctor’s Wife” episode of Doctor Who.  He returned to the Dreaming with The Sandman: Overture (2013-2015), a limited series with art by J.H. Williams III.  He wrote Norse Mythology which was published in 2017.  Almost all of Neil Gaiman's works are being brought to film and television, but Sandman for some reason.  Happy Birthday Neil Gaiman!

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