When Neil Gaiman was 26 – before he was Neil Gaiman the famous writer, and was simply Neil Gaiman the working journalist – he met a 23-year-old art student called Dave McKean. The two decided they would create a brilliant new kind of graphic novel. And, unexpectedly, they proceeded to do just that.

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The comic they made was Sandman, the greatest sustained work of graphic fiction ever made. Gaiman wrote it, working alongside a constantly rotating cast of artists, colourists and letterers. And every time he released an issue, McKean created the cover, painting – and at times constructing – illustrations in his haunting, crepuscular style. “His,” Gaiman recalls, "was the face Sandman presented to the world.”


Gaiman and McKean have worked together ever since, albeit less frequently since they released their animated film Mirrormask in 2005. (McKean designed and directed; Gaiman wrote the script.) Now they have collaborated again on a handsome new Folio Society edition of Gaiman’s 2001 novel American Gods, to which McKean has contributed 12 fresh illustrations.

Gallery: Dave McKean's stunning illustrations from the new edition of Neil Gaiman's American Gods Gallery Gallery: Dave McKean's stunning illustrations from the new edition of Neil Gaiman's American Gods + 4

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In his introduction to the edition – available today from The Folio Society at a collectors-only price of £75 – McKean explains that his illustrations "begin as acrylic paintings on a background of cut papers and photographic textures.” This matching of clashing elements gives his depiction of Gaiman’s mythology an appropriately crooked air.

“The imagery should create an atmosphere,” McKean writes, “an off-kilter, unrealistic place, where perspective doesn’t work and elements and characters become flattened-out textures, shapes, concepts.” The Folio Society is running a competition to win a print from the book – four of which are shown in the gallery below.

This edition of American Gods uses Gaiman’s "preferred text” – one of the rare director’s cuts which improves on the original – and includes a new afterword by the author. With a TV adaptation of the novel on its way to Amazon Prime (in the UK) and Starz (in the US), this release should serve to heighten tensions among the expectant faithful.