Gaiman Neil - Prince of stories: the many worlds of Neil Gaiman

1960

Born Neil Richard Gaiman, November 10, 1960, in Porchester, England. Gaiman was the eldest of three children born to David Gaiman, a director of a company, and Sheila Gaiman, who worked as a pharmacist; he has two younger sisters. He reproduced this pattern when he had children; in fact, his son is exactly one year, eleven months, and five days older than his first daughter, the same as Gaiman and his sister.

1965

Gaiman, who described himself as a completely omnivorous and cheerfully undiscerning reader, reads Alice in Wonderland for the first time. Between the age of five and twelve, it becomes his default reading.

1967

Buys Roger Lancelyn Greens Tales of Egypt with his own money.

1969

Convinces parents to take him to see several Gilbert and Sullivan plays. Discovers the work of Michael Moorcock.

1970

Attends grammar school at Ardingly College (197074).

1973

Gaiman studies for his bar mitzvah with cantor Reb Meyer Lev, who introduced him to the stories of Jewish mythology.

1974

Begins secondary education at the Whitgift School (197477)

1976

Gaiman plays in a punk band, originally called Chaos. After undergoing a lineup change, it became Exexecs.

1977

The young Gaiman grows disillusioned with comic books, giving them up for several years.

1980

Embarks on a career in journalism.

1983

Gaiman reconnects to comics through Alan Moores Swamp Thing.

Michael Gaiman born July 21, 1983.

1984

Duran Duran: The First Four Years of the Fab Five is published by Proteus Books.

Ghastly Beyond Belief: The Science Fiction and Fantasy Book of Quotations, co-authored by Kim Newman, is published by Arrow.

1985

Married Mary Therese McGrath on March 14, 1985.

Holly Gaiman born June 26, 1985.

1986

Now We Are Sick is published privately (later reissued, in 1991, as Now We Are Sick: An Anthology of Nasty Verse by Dream Haven Press).

Writes several stories for 2000 A.D.

Gaiman meets DC Comics editor Karen Berger at a convention.

Gaiman meets art student Dave McKean and the two decide to collaborate on Violent Cases.

1987

Violent Cases is published by Titan.

1988

In early 1988, Gaiman writes the first four thousand words of what was to become Good Omens and sends it off to several friends, among them Terry Pratchett.

Dont Panic: The Official Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Companion is published by Titan (UK) and Pocket Books (U.S.).

The Sandman debuts in December.

1989

DC publishes Gaimans Black Orchid miniseries.

DC begins publishing the individual issues of The Books of Magic.

1990

Good Omens, a collaboration with Terry Pratchett, is published by Gollancz (UK) and Workman (U.S.).

Gaiman handed the reins of Miracleman by Alan Moore; begins writing series with issue 17.

1991

Gaiman and Charles Vess win the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story for A Midsummers Nights Dream.

Todd MacFarlane asks Gaiman to write one issue of his Spawn series. Gaiman obliges him, creating the characters Cogliostro, Medieval Spawn, and the warrior woman, Angela.

1992

Miracleman Book Four: The Golden Age is published by Eclipse.

Signal to Noise is published by Dark Horse Comics.

Moves to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1993

Angels & Visitations: A Miscellany is published by Dream Haven Books.

The collected The Books of Magic is published by DC Comics.

1994

The Tragical Comedy, or Comical Tragedy, of Mr. Punch is published by VG Graphics.

Death: The High Cost of Living, illustrated by Chris Bachalo, is published by DC Comics.

Angela, a three-issue miniseries, is published by Image Comics.

Maddy Gaiman born August 28, 1994.

1995

Marvel Comics publishes the three issue miniseries The Last Temptation.

1996

The TV series Neverwhere debuts on the BBC.

Neverwhere is first published in novel form by BBC Books.

The Sandman: Book of Dreams, co-edited by Gaiman and Ed Kramer, is published by Harper Prism.

1997

Gaimans first childrens book, The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Gold-fish, illustrated by Dave McKean, is published by White Wolf Publishing.

Death: The Time of Your Life, illustrated by Chris Bachalo, is published by DC Comics.

Neverwhere appears in novel form in the U.S., published by Avon.

Gaiman given the Defender of Liberty Award from the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

The first installment of Stardust, illustrated by Charles Vess, is published by DC Comics in October.

The last monthly issue of The Sandman, number 75, appears.

1998

Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions is published by Avon.

1999

The Sandman: The Dream Hunters