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Do I read the Sandman stuff, or do I jump right into the main comics? Because I really want to maintain continuity, what's the right sequence to ensure that I get every bit of the story?

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    pro-tip: if you want to "get every bit of the story", you need to read/watch everything, no matter what the franchise is.
    – phantom42
    Oct 22, 2015 at 12:07
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    Both of the above answers are fine, but just to clarify the extra question you asked them both in comments about chronology: the chronology page you linked to is talking about the fictional chronology, that is, starting at the beginning of the universe-- not starting from the first time Neil Gaiman wrote about the character. So Books of Magic #1 is listed first because there's a very small scene in it that takes place billions of years ago, but that doesn't mean you're supposed to read that comic first; it's just a flashback (and not really part of the main story, it's just retelling a lit
    – user54831
    Oct 25, 2015 at 6:26

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Lucifer starts after the Sandman story.

So if you want to make sure to get the whole story, you'll need to read The Sandman, especially the Season of Mist (The Sandman #21-28). He appears briefly on other occasions, but those are not necessary. (I can't check it right now, but he appears at the end of Preludes & Nocturnes, and in Brief Lives too)

Then you need to read The Sandman presents : Lucifer, which introduces the Lucifer spin off (3 chapters).

And finally, the actual Lucifer comics #1-75.

A one shot chapter exists, Lucifer: Nirvana. It has almost no connection with the rest of the story.

Those 3 series (The Sandman presents: Lucifer, Lucifer, and Nirvana) are all in the correct order, in the collected edition.

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  • I was checking out the chronology of Lucifer appearances, and it states that his first appearance was in the comic- Books of Magic Vol 1, and then the Sandman comics. So would you say it's right for me to follow the below mentioned chronology? dcuguide.com/chronology.php?name=lucifer
    – Garvit Sharma
    Oct 23, 2015 at 17:01
  • Also which is the first published Sandman comic? Is it preludes and nocturnes or what is it?
    – Garvit Sharma
    Oct 23, 2015 at 17:03
  • orderofbooks.com/characters/sandman dcuguide.com/chronology.php?name=Sandman which is the right one?
    – Garvit Sharma
    Oct 23, 2015 at 17:04
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    You're mistaking the Sandman (Dream, Morpheus, the embodiment of the dreams), and Sandman, Wesley Dodds, a human in a suit. Your last link is relevant to Sandman, the human. For the Sandman, "Preludes and Nocturnes" is indeed the first volume. If you're interested in Dream's chronology, it is: dcuwiki.net/w/Dream_Chronology . Also, for Lucifer, I haven't read Books of Magic, Demon or Spectre. But I believe that all the elements required to understand Lucifer, the comics, are contained in the Sandman and Lucifer.
    – Majuj
    May 10, 2016 at 12:04
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    I can only add that Nirvana should probably be read after issue #17, because it refers to events prior to that issue.
    – Gallifreyan
    May 12, 2017 at 18:13
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I read Sandman some years ago then Lucifer just a couple of months ago, and I think you will enjoy Lucifer more for having read Sandman first.

Reading Sandman gives you Lucifer's back story, and while this doesn't matter that much to the story in Lucifer it does make it more satisfying. I also think Lucifer is deeper than Sandman, and I think Sandman first then Lucifer will be more satisfying than Lucifer first then Sandman (I suppose this doesn't matter if you never plan to read Sandman).

But Sandman is a big publication, and unless you have a cooperative local library it'll cost you a fair bit to buy, then take a fair while to read. If you don't want to invest the time and money in reading Sandman then I'd say you don't have to. There isn't that much in Lucifer that depends on the Sandman story, and Lucifer will still be very enjoyable without it.

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  • I was checking out the chronology of Lucifer appearances, and it states that his first appearance was in the comic- Books of Magic Vol 1, and then the Sandman comics. So would you say it's right for me to follow the below mentioned chronology? dcuguide.com/chronology.php?name=lucifer Also which is the first published Sandman comic? Is it preludes and nocturnes or what is it? orderofbooks.com/characters/sandman dcuguide.com/chronology.php?name=Sandman which is the right one?
    – Garvit Sharma
    Oct 23, 2015 at 17:07
  • @GarvitSharma: I've only read the Sandman and Lucifer comics, so I can't comment on the Books of Magic, Spectre or Demon comics. As far as I know the first Sandman comic in Master of Dreams, but I'm far from an expert on the subject. I can't help thinking you're worrying too much about this. I guarantee you will love the Lucifer comics regardless of whether you read Sandman first or not. I think you should also read the Sandman comics because they are awesomely good as well, and if you're going to read both then I would read Sandman first.
    – John Rennie
    Oct 23, 2015 at 17:47

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