Comic Title: Essential Vertigo:The Sandman #2
Publisher: DC
Imprint: Vertigo
Cover Date: September 1996
On Sale Date: July 10, 1996 Direct Market Date July 10, 1996
Source: Previews, Vol. 6 #5 (#89)

Direct Market Date July 10, 1996
Source: ComicList, Diamond : New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, July 10, 1996

Cover Price: $1.95
Page Count: 32
Editor: Bob Kahan

Title: "Imperfect Hosts"
Pages: 24

Feature(s):
Sandman (Morpheus)

Writer: Neil Gaiman
Penciller: Sam Kieth
Inker: Mike Dringenberg
Letterer: Todd Klein
Colorist: Robbie Busch

Reprinted From:
Sandman #2 (1989)

Feature Character(s)

• Dream (name Morpheus revealed; last appearance in Sandman #1; next appearance in Sandman #3)

Supporting Character(s)

• Lucien (first appearance; next appearance in Sandman #10)
• Cain (last appearance in Secret Origins #24; next appearance in Sandman #7)
• Abel (first post-Crisis appearance; last appearance in Sandman #9; next appearance in Sandman #7)
• The Hecateae (last appearance in Secret Origins #12; next appearance in Sandman #10)

Villain(s)

• Doctor Destiny (earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Sandman #4)

Other Character(s)

• Gregory (Cain's gargoyle; first appearance; next appearance in Sandman #7)
• Goldie (a baby gargoyle; first appearance; next appearance in Sandman #7)
• Ethel Cripps (now called Ethel Dee; revealed as Doctor Destiny's mother; last appearance in Sandman #1; no further appearances)
• Dr. Robert Huntoon (last appearance in Swamp Thing #79; next appearance in Animal Man #10)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• John Constantine (mentioned by the maiden)
• Justice League (mentioned by the crone)
• Batman (mentioned by the crone)
• Atom (mentioned by the crone)
• Eve (mentioned by Lucien)
• The Fashion Thing (mentioned by Lucien)
• Ruthven Sykes (mentioned by the mother)
• Blue Beetle (in Dream's thoughts)
• Guy Gardner (in Dream's thoughts)
• Fire (in Dream's thoughts)

Synopsis:
Dream is brought to the House of Mystery by the gargoyle Gregory who found him lost in the shifting zones. Morpheus is weak from his long imprisonment. He used the last of his energy to deal with his captor. Now, he recuperates under the care of Cain and Abel, two manifestations from the first story, and thus Dream's subjects.

Morpheus asks the brothers for items that he created. They give him their letters of commission. By absorbing the energy in the letters, the Prince of Stories is able to regain a fraction of his strength. Using this he is able to make his way home through the Gates of Horn and Ivory. He finds his once magnificent castle in disrepair. Of his subjects and servants, only Lucien remains.

Lucien, the librarian, tells Dream that while he was away, his kingdom crumbled. The library itself disappeared. The former subjects of Dream wandered off on their own accord. He suggest that his master summon the fates to make inquiries into his missing tools.

Dream contacts the hecateae and poses a question to each woman. The maiden Cynthia tells him that John Constantine once possessed his magic pouch. Mildred, the mother, tells him that his helmet was traded to a demon from Hell. Finally, the crone Mordred reveals that Dream should question the Justice League concerning the whereabouts of his amulet. Left with both more questions and incomplete answers, Dream decides to first seek out John Constantine and his lost pouch of magic sand.