As the story begins, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps her younger brother Dream instead. After his 70-year imprisonment and eventual escape, Dream, also known as Morpheus, goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey, Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine, and an all-powerful madman. Collects The Sandman #1-16 and Sandman Midnight Theatre #1, featuring the one and only meeting of Morpheus and Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age Sandman.