The Sandman Omnibus Vol. 1

Dream sits on a park bench and is joined by his older sister Death. She expresses her concern for him, and he tells her he isn’t sure what’s wrong. He shares his story since escaping his imprisonment and completing his quest to retrieve his tools and says that he now feels directionless. Death is annoyed and angry with Dream because he never reached out for help and is now sitting around listless and feeling sorry for himself instead of finding his next quest. A young man playing soccer named Franklin asks Death on a date, and she promises to see him again soon.

Together, Dream and Death go through the city meeting the people who have reached their time to die. Death leads each one into the afterlife. Dream considers humanity’s attitude toward his sister and how kind and understanding Death is to those who die. They return to the park as Franklin is hit by a car. Dream and Death part ways, but Dream’s sense of purpose has been restored.

Two men walk through a vast desert. As a coming-of-age rite for the younger, the elder tells the young man to search for something—he’ll know what it is when he finds it—and when the young man finds it and brings it back the elder will tell him a story about a city that once stood there.