Death: The High Cost of Living

Death spends one day as a mortal each century, to understand what it means to be the barrier between life and everything else... Gaiman is masterful here as usual. "Didi" spends a day with Sexton, a youth who's considering suicide, and her enthusiasm for the world makes him realize that maybe life is worth living. But Gaiman's tale is not sappy, or overly moral - it's simply a reminder that the most important thing to do in your life is to stop and remember you're alive. As Sexton says, "It would be nice if Death was like Didi... someone funny, and friendly, and maybe a little crazy." In Gaiman's poignant work (perfectly rendered by Chris Bachalo), Death becomes something worth living for.

This is arguably one of the best comic book stories ever written. A must read for any fans of Neil Gaiman and his Sandman comic book series.

Originally appearing in three separate issues with the same title, "High Cost of Living" follows Death as she spends a day as a mortal. Along with her is Sexton Furnival, a boy who is filled with depression and hopelessness. He is a perfect compliment to the perky and smiley Death. Together they venture on a search through a big city for a lost heart.

However, this is more than just a day-in-the-life story. It presents everyday life, and everyday activities, as something fun, exciting and worth living for. In essence, it shows just how precious life is -- all of life, the good parts and the bad parts.

Absolutely superb. Gaiman is a brilliant writer and two characters, spun out of Sandman are my favorites. One is Lucifer, whose series was simply great, the other is Sandman's sister, Death. In this series of tales, one will be moved by how really human she is, while retaining her ethereal personality. Just a brilliant collection. It also has one of the greatest quotes from Gaiman's mind, "You got what everyone gets. You got a lifetime."

I bumbled upon this volume in our local library and just loved it. Death appears in the form of a girl once per year and we watch as she assists her assignments during this fleeting period. Several stories are linked through plot line and the artwork is to die for. Comic book, graphic novel, whichever, just pure heaven.

Neil Gaiman truly is the consummate storyteller able to weave first-class storylines and memorable characters seemingly at the drop of a hat. In this 3-chapter collection, Gaiman expands on his epochal Sandman universe by focusing on the Dreamlord's fetching younger sister - Death. Those who already follow the Sandman series are already familiar with this sassed-up, Goth personification of Death and will surely be remiss not to indulge in this graphic treat. Those completely new to the Sandman saga will still be able to dive straight into the story without missing a beat, enjoying the full brunt of Gaiman's genius.
The strangest thing about this volume is a 6 page, Public Service Announcement of sorts found at the very end. In this PSA, Death gives a full blown lecture on safe-sex, AIDS, and even gives a demonstration of proper condom insertion utilizing a banana! A bit weird, no doubt and in the end very much dates this book as somewhat of a relic from the mid-90's.

Neil Gaiman, an amazing author that knows how to bring a story to life and does so in this book. It is a great read for those who have never read any of his works, especially those who were too young at the time of it's creation to bother with a comic that didn't have flashy heroes in it. I have read it many a time, but mostly when I am feeling down. This book will make you realize how short life really is, and it will help you to appreciate each and every day on this earth. Anyhow, I hope you people out there will give this one a read, you won't be disappointed.
Sincerely, A.J.

(Sounds contradictory doesn't it?) A spin-of from DC/Vertigo Comics wildly sucessful "Sandman" books about the kind of dreams, this is one of two paperback collections featuring Death of the Endless, the Sandman's sister; a the deceptively youthful looking personification of Death in the form of a young woman. Death gets a day off every century or so, and in this story we follow her as she spends one of these breaks wandering New York City in the company of an prematurely morose young man. A beautiful story about making the most of your life. Recommended.

This book is perfect. Gaiman again takes comics to a new level. He uses characters people can relate with life-like problems. The idea of the angel of death being personified by Gaiman was brilliant.He did what no one else would have expected by making Death look like a relaxed woman who seemed she was quite happy with her life better then the cliched gloomy skeliton with gown. The book itself was like a masterpeice and Gaiman was like a painter. I highly recomend this book and I am sorry if my spelling is rough
G~

This story follows Death after she rescues a teenage boy with a strange name. A very old homeless lady tells Death to find the heart she hid, but can't remember where it was placed. Death and the boy go to various places, and Death gets to experience the life of a human for a day. One of my favorite graphic novels. You don't have to be familiar with the Sandman books either, unless you want to know about some of the characters that also show up in this book. It's a fun book to read and Death is quirky as always and true-to-character.

Heh. Making the embodiment of death a slightly crazy and sweet Goth chick; the only thing that equals here is Pratchett's Death. (Who wants to see a crossover? ^_^) And here she gets her own outing, and what an outing it is! All I'll say is that it is fun and leave with this: "It would be nice if Death was like Didi... someone funny, and friendly, and maybe a little crazy."
Or brooding, protective and slightly confused by humanity like Pratchett's version but hey; either works for me.

from the sublime to the brilliant, Neil Gaiman has created a memorable figure in Death. His stories take you on a journey that is at once entertaining and illuminating. This was my first encounter, and I'm eager for more.

True to his work on the Sandman, Gaimen made another great contribution to comic-book literature when he wrote Death's first mini-series. This is the most intresting personification of death in any book/comic/movie I've ever seen. I still dig it out of my file cabnit every couple months and read it front to back.

from the sublime to the brilliant, Neil Gaiman has created a memorable figure in Death. His stories take you on a journey that is at once entertaining and illuminating. This was my first encounter, and I'm eager for more.

True to his work on the Sandman, Gaimen made another great contribution to comic-book literature when he wrote Death's first mini-series. This is the most intresting personification of death in any book/comic/movie I've ever seen. I still dig it out of my file cabnit every couple months and read it front to back.

Death is really a sweetheart. Gaiman did great portraying her in the way he did. Now, I wasn't a huge fan of this book, though I like the characters. It's not a bad story, but just didn't leap out at me the way that Gaiman's work usually does.

This book brings together the ethereal art of Dave McKean, the amazing words of Neil Gaiman and a touch of life with words and pictures of Tori Amos. Death is such an attractive character which makes the whole thing rather ironic. All in all it is a definite wonder and everyone should get their own copy...:)

Literally, I just finished reading this. I was never so aware of how a person, a character, anyone could be so cheerful and yet so level headed. And to top that she's dead cool. She should be an inspiration for everyone.

I had liked the miniseries that comprise this book, which has wonderful art, mainly by the talented Chris Bachelo, but you wouldn't know it by the disgraceful cover credits on this new collection, that only names the apparently egocentric writer Gaiman. Gaiman and Vertigo largely initiated the increasingly odious trend in mainstream comics of headlining the writers and undercrediting artists. This corruption of the collaborative visual medium of comics, a medium whose appeal depends on the collaborative interaction of art and text, removes artists' co-authorship rights and reduces them to expendable afterthoughts.