Exclusive: Check Out James Jean’s Sketch Cover for ‘Sandman Overture’ #6

James Jean's celebrated run as one of Vertigo's most accomplished cover artists on Fables began six years after Vertigo's other big mythology-and-fiction epic ended, meaning that we never got to see a James Jean cover on a Sandman comic. Now, we didn't exactly miss out --- Dave McKean's Sandman covers are rightly just as highly regarded as Jean's Fables covers --- but it's tempting to wonder what a James Jean run on writer Neil Gaiman's magnum opus might have looked like.

Now we get at least a glimpse into that corner of the great library of books that never were, with James Jean's sketch cover for the final issue of the prequel series Sandman: Overture, debuting exclusively here at ComicsAlliance. The cover also offers a welcome chance to admire Jean's exquisite line work in his swirling, sumptuous rendition of Morpheus, Lord of Dreams.

If you want to get your hands on one of these James Jean variant covers, contact your retailer for details. If you can't get hold of one, take some solace in knowing that the regular cover by JH Williams III and Dave McKean is also pretty great:

Here's the solicitation for the issue:

Written by: Neil Gaiman
Art by: J.H. Williams, III
Cover by: Dave McKean, J.H. Williams, III
Variant cover by: J.H. Williams, III, Dave McKean
U.S. Price: 3.99
The final issue of the Eisner Award-nominated series is a sweep of science fictional beauty and madness. Featuring cameos by some of Morpheus’s favorite siblings, the grand finale of OVERTURE dovetails into the start of The Sandman’s first journey, providing new insight into THE SANDMAN VOL. 1: PRELUDES AND NOCTURNES.

The Sandman: Overture #6 is on sale September 30 2015.