Every so often, Comic-Con is still about comic books.  Cross-platform author Neil Gaiman (Coraline) is legendary in the comic world and crosses over into novels, short fiction and films.  Unfortunately he couldn't be here with us in San Diego, but he did record a message for his fans.  Gaiman talks to us from Vertigo's office and shares some quotes from previous Sandman stories before announcing that he'll be releasing The Sandman, a prequel to his wildly successful graphic novel.  The new mini-series will be released in 2013 for the franchise's 25th anniversary.  Fans will be happy to hear that Gaiman's as-of-yet untitled (or at least unannounced) project will be drawn by J.H. Williams III. Hit the jump to check out the video message from Gaiman along with details on The Sandman.

Check out the video from Gaiman himself along with the full press release for The Sandman mini-series:

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SAN DIEGO, CA – July 12, 2012 – Twenty-five years after one of the most celebrated graphic novels of all-time hit shelves, award winning and critically acclaimed author and screenwriter, Neil Gaiman, announces his return to THE SANDMAN. Gaiman made the surprise announcement, via video, at DC Entertainment’s Vertigo panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.  Karen Berger, Executive Editor of Vertigo, then revealed that Gaiman is paired with artist, JH Williams III (BATWOMAN) for the series, who appeared on stage to an already stunned and elated crowd. THE SANDMAN mini-series will be published by Vertigo in 2013.

One of the few graphic novels ever to be on the New York Times Best Seller list and lauded by critics the world over, THE SANDMAN is credited with changing the path of storytelling in the comic book industry. Gaiman will pick up his pen for the first time in more than 10 years since ending the series to continue a story that he feels still has yet to be told.

"When I finished writing THE SANDMAN, there was one tale still untold. The story of what had happened to Morpheus to allow him to be so easily captured in THE SANDMAN #1, and why he was returned from far away, exhausted beyond imagining, and dressed for war. It was a story that we discussed telling for SANDMAN's 20th anniversary... but the time got away from us. And now, with SANDMAN's 25th anniversary year coming up, I'm delighted, and nervous, that that story is finally going to be told,” said Gaiman.

"There's nothing like a Neil Gaiman story," said Berger, "and there's nothing like having Neil back home on THE SANDMAN, his dark, soulful, literary epic that transformed comics and continues to captivate countless new readers year after year. Working with him again, and with JH Williams, the extraordinary and groundbreaking artist, is truly the stuff dreams are made of."

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DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio added, “As accomplished as Neil Gaiman is in other media—whether it be novels, film and even music—he still has an incredible passion and love for comics. It’s exciting to have him back. J.H. Williams will be the perfect complement to Neil’s writing. He has a history of creating art that pushes the boundaries of the medium.”

Each issue of THE SANDMAN mini-series will be published day-and-date digitally.  The title will be announced at a later date.

ABOUT THE SANDMAN:

With more than 7 million copies sold in nine different languages, Gaiman’s multi-volume magnum opus THE SANDMAN features literature’s most dysfunctional family—Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium, Destruction, Destiny and Dream. The critically acclaimed Vertigo fantasy series transformed the landscape of comics, helping to usher in an era of more compelling and sophisticated storytelling. Combining mythology and literature in an epic story, it is one of the most popular, groundbreaking, bestselling and award-winning comic books of the last twenty-five years. It has garnered nineteen Eisner and six Harvey Awards, and is the only comic book to win the World Fantasy Award. The original series ran 75 issues and has been collected in ten Volumes, five Absolute Editions (plus Absolute DEATH) and is now being collected in THE ANNOTATED SANDMAN. Other SANDMAN related titles include SANDMAN: Endless Nights, SANDMAN: The Dream Hunters, and SANDMAN Mystery Theatre.

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ABOUT NEIL GAIMAN:

Neil Gaiman is the New York Times best-selling author of the Newbery Medal-winning The Graveyard Book and Coraline, the basis for the hit movie. His other books include Anansi Boys, Neverwhere, American Gods and Stardust (winner of the American Library Association’s Alex Award as one of 2000’s top novels for young adults) and the short story collections M Is for Magic and Smoke and Mirrors. He is also the author of The Wolves in the Walls and The Day I Traded My Dad for Two Goldfish, both written for children. Among his many awards are the Eisner, the Hugo, the Nebula, the World Fantasy and the Bram Stoker. Originally from England, he now lives in the United States.

ABOUT J. H. WILLIAMS:

Williams is the co-writer as well as the co-artist of the GLAAD Award-Winning title BATWOMAN for DC Comics-The New 52. A multiple Eisner Award-Winning artist, he has also received the Harvey, the Eagle, and the 2012 Reuben Award from the National Cartoonist’s Society. The acclaimed artist has also drawn PROMETHEA, DESOLATION JONES and other titles.