Page "The Sandman (Vertigo)" Paragraph 4

Gaiman crafted the new character from an initial image of " a man, young, pale and naked, imprisoned in a tiny cell, waiting until his captors passed away [...] deathly thin, with long dark hair, and strange eyes.

" Gaiman patterned the character's black attire on a print of a Japanese kimono as well as his own wardrobe.

Gaiman wrote an eight-issue outline and gave it to Dave McKean and Leigh Baulch, who drew character sketches.

Berger reviewed the sketches ( along with some drawn by Gaiman ) and suggested Sam Kieth as the series ' artist.

Mike Dringenberg, Todd Klein, Robbie Busch, and Dave McKean were hired as inker, letterer, colorist, and cover artist, respectively.

McKean's approach towards comics covers was unconventional, for he convinced Berger that the series ' protagonist did not need to appear on every cover.