It is possible that some retailers have forgotten how issues of Sandman sell. Its final issue, 75, was fifth on Diamond's ordering charts. Since then, the popularity of Sandman and Neil Gaiman has grown. The Endless Nights hardcover had a first print of over 100,000 that sold out straight away.

In October, we get a new Sandman: Overture #1 by Gaiman and JH Williams III. It should be the number one ordered book of the month, by any reckoning. But some retailers might have… forgotten.

DC Comics are making Sandman: Overture #1 fully returnable to all retailers who order at least twice as many copies as they did of The Wake #1.

Every store should order at least that many copies. Probably three times even. At least.

It's out on October 30th. So there;s all those Hallowe'en sales as well.

And yes, there's a 1:100 B&W variant cover by Williams and a 1:200 B&W variant cover by Dave McKean. And a digital combo pack (possibly replacing Action Comics which seems to have lost its combo pack…)

No excuses on this one, I think. And for additional help, DC is making all store advertising using Vertigo imagery, completely reimbursable. Press, radio, TV, online campaigns for your store featuring Sandman Overture? DC will pay for them, completely. Just get in touch with Diamond's Maryanne Marlowe for the paperwork first…