User:TheJoebro64/drafts/Sandman

The Sandman is an American comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. It is the second Sandman series published by DC following the 1974–1976 series created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, and lasted 75 issues from January 1989 to March 1996. Beginning with issue #47 (March 1993), it was placed under DC's Vertigo imprint for mature readers; following Vertigo's retirement in 2020, reprints have been published under DC's Black Label imprint. Its artists include Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Jill Thompson, Shawn McManus, Marc Hempel, Bryan Talbot, and Michael Zulli, with lettering by Todd Klein and covers by Dave McKean.

Gaiman began working on The Sandman in 1987, developing the initial concepts while he was working on his Black Orchid (1988–1989) limited series. When given permission to proceed with the series, editor Karen Berger asked Gaiman to create a new Sandman character rather than use the older incarnation. ... Gaiman returned to write two sequels, The Sandman: Endless Nights (2003) and The Sandman: Overture (2013–2015).

Set in the DC Universe, The Sandman tells the story of Dream of the Endless, the anthropomorphic personification of dreaming who is captured during an occult ritual and held prisoner for 70 years. The series follows a tragic course as Dream, who was haughty and often cruel before his captivity, tries to correct his past wrongs as he rebuilds his kingdom in the wake of his return. This culminates with him mercy killing his own son, leading to his death at the hands of the Furies. The Sandman starts as a horror comic before transitioning into an elaborate dark fantasy, blending mythology and history within the setting of the DC Universe. The series features a large cast of characters, ranging from historical and mythological figures to other DC characters.

The Sandman was a major commercial success and acclaimed for its writing, story, artwork, and themes. It is considered one of the defining works of the Modern Age of Comic Books and one of the greatest and most influential comics ever written. It is one of the few comics that made the New York Times Best Seller list, alongside Maus (1980–1991), Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986), and Watchmen (1986–1987). The series' popularity led to numerous spin-offs, including Death: The High Cost of Living (1993), Sandman Mystery Theatre (1993–1999), The Dreaming (1996–2001), and Lucifer (2000–2006). Efforts to adapt the series to film and television languished in development hell for decades until production of a television adaptation began in 2020.

Publication history

Background

Development

In 1987, Gaiman wrote a dream sequence scene for his Black Orchid (1988–1989) limited series, with characters from DC's "Dream Stream"—the Sandman character created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, his sidekicks Brute and Glob, and brothers Cain and Abel. The scene did not make it into later drafts because Roy Thomas was using the characters in Infinity, Inc., but it got Gaiman thinking about rebooting the Sandman. Gaiman began constructing a treatment for a new series, which he discussed with DC president Jenette Kahn and editor Karen Berger. Months later, Berger offered Gaiman a comic to work on, but he was unsure his Sandman pitch would be accepted. After a few weeks, Berger asked Gaiman if he was interested in doing a Sandman series. Gaiman recalled, "I said, 'Um ... yes. Yes, definitely. What's the catch?' [Berger said,] 'There's only one. We'd like a new Sandman. Keep the name. But the rest is up to you.'"^[1]

With Berger's directive, Gaiman "started thinking more mythic – let's have someone who's been around since the beginning of time, because that lets me play around with the whole of time and space." Gaiman crafted the new character, Dream, from an initial image of "a man, young, pale and naked, imprisoned in a tiny cell, waiting until his captors passed away ... deathly thin, with long dark hair, and strange eyes." He said that Dream "had always been in my mind, like that Michelangelo analogy about a sculpture already being in the marble." Gaiman patterned the character's black attire on a print of a Japanese kimono as well as his own wardrobe.

Gaiman outlined the first eight issues while on a vacation with his wife in Ireland, writing a one-page synopsis of each issue every night. Because all of Gaiman's passion projects in comics had been commercial failures, he figured that the series would be canceled early on. Gaiman gave his outline to McKean and Leigh Baulch, who drew character sketches. Berger reviewed the sketches (along with some drawn by Gaiman) and suggested Sam Kieth as the series' artist. Mike Dringenberg, Todd Klein, Robbie Busch, and McKean were hired as inker, letterer, colorist, and cover artist, respectively.

Publication

Collected editions

Synopsis

Note to self: trim these once the storyline summaries are done, so only the most relevant stuff is left

Setting

The Sandman's mythos exist within the DC Universe, the shared universe that most of DC's comics take place in. However, the series is mostly standalone, isolated from the rest of the universe. Jesse Schedeen of IGN wrote that the series treats the DC Universe as only "one of countless worlds contained within [its] mythology."^[2] The series begins as a horror comic before evolving into an elaborate dark fantasy, incorporating elements of classical and contemporary mythology. Marc Buxton of Comic Book Resources (CBR) wrote that the series "can comfortably exist in any genre... No two issues of Sandman are alike; some very classical fantasy, some contemporary metaphysical urban fantasies, others historical dramas, and even some outliers that are altogether indescribable."^[3]

The main setting of the series is the Dreaming, the domain of Dream. The Dreaming is the world where people go to dream, and is a vague, shifting realm of symbol, belief, and imagination. It is named after another name for the Dreamtime, a central concept in Australian Aboriginal mythology.^[4] Important locations include the House of Mystery and the House of Secrets, Cain and Abel's homes, and Dream's castle, which has a library containing every book that anyone ever dreamt of writing. The series shifts between the Dreaming and the waking world. Stories frequently use the contemporary United States and the United Kingdom as a backdrop.

While most of The Sandman takes place in modern times, many of its shorter, standalone stories are set in the past, taking advantage of the characters' immortality and dealing with historical individuals and events. For example, issue #19 (September 1990), "A Midsummer Night's Dream", is set in the 1590s and depicts the premiere of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The series also features or references locations and events in the wider DC Universe. Well-known locations, such as Gotham City, Arkham Asylum, and Apokolips, make appearances, while stories such as the Justice League's encounters with Doctor Destiny during the Silver Age of Comic Books and the "American Gothic" (1985–1986) Swamp Thing storyline are referenced.

Characters

The title character of The Sandman is Dream, who is also known by other names, such as Morpheus and Oneiros. Dream is the Sandman, an ageless, anthropomorphic personification of the concept of dreaming. At the beginning of the series, Dream is captured in an occult ritual and held captive for 70 years. His haughty and often cruel manner begins to soften after his years of imprisonment, and the series focuses on Dream's attempts to correct past wrongs. The Sandman places Dream in the role of a tragic hero, for the challenge of undoing past sins and changing old ways is an enormous one for a being who has been set in his ways for billions of years.

Dream is one of the seven Endless, a dysfunctional family of anthropomorphic personifications that embody aspects of the DC Universe. The other Endless include Destiny, a stoic blind man who carries a book containing the entire sum of existence; Death, a kind, personable young Goth woman; Destruction, a large, robust man who abandoned his responsibilities, causing conflict with his siblings; twins Desire (who is androgynous and cruel) and Despair (a short, obese woman who carves her flesh with a hook); and Delirium, a young girl whose form constantly fluctuates. Each sibling has a distinctive speech balloon; for example, Dream's have wavy edges and a black background outlined in white, with white lettering. The Endless are set by ancient rules, such as not being able to kill relatives or fall in love with a mortal. If an Endless is destroyed, they will be replaced; if an Endless is simply absent or inactive, their aspect becomes random and chaotic.

Inhabitants of the Dreaming include characters from the history of DC Comics. Brothers Cain and Abel, based on the Biblical Cain and Abel, are master storytellers who originated from DC's House of Mystery and House of Secrets anthology series. In a running gag, Cain is constantly overcome with an irresistible urge to kill Abel in absurd and gruesome ways, often over petty matters such as the name of Abel's pet gargoyle. Lucien, who originated in Tales of Ghost Castle (1975), is the librarian of the Dreaming and acts as the realm's keeper in Dream's absence. Matthew, a member of Swamp Thing's supporting cast who died in his sleep, is Dream's raven companion. Original characters include Mervyn Pumpkinhead, the Dreaming's cantankerous, cigar-smoking janitor; Gilbert, the human form of Fiddler's Green; and the Corinthian, a nightmare of human appearance but with two mouths in place of his eyes.

Various Sandman characters are drawn from religion, mythology, and history. The demons of Hell include Choronzon, who steals Dream's helm during his imprisonment, and the ruling triumvirate of Lucifer Morningstar, Azazel, and Beezlebub. Gods include the Presence (the DC Comics analog of God) and the gods of Egyptian and Norse mythology, while angels include Duma and Remiel. The muse Calliope appears as Dream's lover, and the poet Orpheus is their son. The Three, a triple deity of three women, represents principle, prophecy, and mystery, and takes on multiple forms throughout the series; such forms include the witches from DC's The Witching Hour (1969–1978) and the Furies. Historical figures include Marco Polo, William Shakespeare, Thomas Paine, Emperor Norton, and Mark Twain, among others. The residents of Faerie from Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night Dream—such as Queen Titania, Robin "Puck" Goodfellow, and Auberon—appear as characters.

The Sandman also features appearances from notable DC characters. John Constantine, Etrigan the Demon, Martian Manhunter, Mister Miracle, Scarecrow, Hawkman, Prez, Wildcat, Batman, Superman, the Phantom Stranger, Doctor Occult, Black Spider, and Darkseid all appear in guest or cameo appearances. Justice League adversary Doctor Destiny serves as the main antagonist of the opening storyline, while Element Girl (a female counterpart to Metamorpho) is the main character of issue #20 (October 1990). Previous Sandman characters are incorporated in the series as well. Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age Sandman, is explained to have adopted the Sandman persona after the universe transferred a portion of the captive Dream's powers to him, while the Bronze Age Sandman's existence is revealed to be a sham created by Brute and Glob, two nightmares who escaped the Dreaming. He only exists in the mind of Jed Walker, who, along with his sister Rose, is the grandchild of Desire.

Lyta Hall / Fury, the wife of Hector Hall and a former member of Infinity Inc., is the only recurring superhero character. Hector and Lyta's son Daniel Hall becomes the new Dream at the end of the series, following the original's death. Other Sandman characters include...

Storylines

"Preludes & Nocturnes" (issues #1–8) begins in 1916, when a British occultist attempts to capture Death to obtain immortality. He mistakenly captures Dream and, fearing retribution, holds him captive. 70 years later, Dream escapes and sets out on a quest to recover his totems of power—a bag of sand, his helm, and a ruby. Dream retrieves the bag from a former girlfriend of John Constantine and wins his helm back in a battle of wits with a demon in Hell. Meanwhile, Doctor Destiny escapes from Arkham Asylum and steals the ruby, using its power to cause discord across the world, but inadvertently returns its power to Dream by shattering it.

In "The Doll's House" (issues #9–16), Dream discovers that four of his creations—Brute, Glob, Fiddler's Green, and the Corinthian—have gone missing in his absence. Brute and Glob take residence in Jed Walker's mind, fooling the ghost of Hector Hall into believing he is the Sandman. Dream captures Brute and Glob and sends Hector's soul to the afterlife, enraging the pregnant Lyta Hall. Meanwhile, as Jed's sister Rose searches for him, she befriends Fiddler's Green. The two stop at a hotel, where the Corinthian is attending a convention of serial killers. When one of the serial killers attacks her, Rose summons Dreams, and Dream destroys the Corinthian. Dream informs Rose she is a "dream vortex" capable of uniting the imaginations of everyone she meets, and the world will be destroyed unless he kills her. However, Rose's grandmother Unity Kinkaid intervenes, assuming the vortex in her stead. Dream deduces that Desire is Rose's grandfather; when confronted, Desire admits to orchestrating the events in an effort to trick Dream into breaking one of the ancient rules.

"Dream Country" (issues #17–20) consists of four independent stories. In "Calliope", Dream rescues his former lover Calliope, who has been held captive by an author. "A Dream of a Thousand Cats" features a cat venturing into the Dreaming, with Dream appearing in the form of a cat. "A Midsummer Night's Dream", set in the 1590s, depicts the premiere of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, with the creatures of Faerie—including the characters who appear in the play, such as Titania, Puck, and Auberon—as the audience. The final story, "Façade", does not feature Dream, instead focusing on the death of the retired, depressed superhero Element Girl.

"Season of Mists" (issues #21–28) begins when Dream sets out for Hell to rescue his former lover, Nada. As he arrives, Lucifer abdicates his throne and gives Dream the key to Hell's gates. Word of Lucifer's abdication spreads to other immortals, who visit the Dreaming to bargain for it. After holding private meetings with the various entities, Dream decides to give the key to the angels Duma and Remiel. Enraged, Azazel attempts to consume Nada, but is easily defeated by Dream. Dream apologizes to Nada for sending her to Hell and reincarnates her as an infant on Earth. Meanwhile, Lyta gives birth to a son, Daniel.

Thematic analysis

Reception and legacy

Commentary

Effect on the industry

Spin-offs and sequels

The Sandman's popularity led to many spin-off comics. Though most were not written by Gaiman, he did collaborate with artist Chris Bachalo for two limited series focusing on Death. Death: The High Cost of Living (1993) was the first original Vertigo publication and focuses on a revelation from "Season of Mists", that Death lives as a mortal for one day every century to better understand the meaning of life. Death: The Time of Your Life (1996) features Foxglove and Hazel from "A Game of You". Both series were critically and commercially successful and won numerous awards.

The most successful Sandman spin-offs are the ongoing series Sandman Mystery Theatre (1993–1999) and Lucifer (2000–2006). Mystery Theatre—written by Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle with art by Guy Davis, John Watkiss, and R.G. Taylor—lasted for 70 issues and reimagines Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age Sandman, as a Batman-style vigilante in the 1930s. Wagner and Gaiman collaborated on a one-shot, Sandman Midnight Theatre (1995), in which Dodds meets Dream during his imprisonment. Lucifer was written by Mike Carey and, like The Sandman, concluded after 75 issues. Artists include Peter Gross, Ryan Kelly, and Dean Ormston. Lucifer picks up after the events of "Season of Mists", with Lucifer running a piano bar since he abdicated the throne of Hell. Another spin-off, The Dreaming (1996–2001), is an anthology series that focuses on minor Sandman characters, such as Cain, Abel, Matthew, and Lucien. The Dreaming lasted for 60 issues, though it did not achieve the same success as Mystery Theatre and Lucifer. Jill Thompson wrote and illustrated several stories featuring Sandman characters, such as The Little Endless Storybook (2001) and Death: At Death's Door (2003).

Gaiman has returned to write sequels to The Sandman. In 1999, he wrote The Sandman: The Dream Hunters, a novella illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano. As in many of the single-issue stories throughout The Sandman, Dream only appears as a supporting character. Gaiman described the story as a retelling of an existing Japanese legend, but there is no trace of it in the primary source he cites. Gaiman later admitted that he made up the legend. The novella was adapted as a four-issue limited series by P. Craig Russell, published from January 2009 to April 2009. For Vertigo's tenth anniversary in 2003, Gaiman wrote The Sandman: Endless Nights, an anthology comprising new stories about the Endless. The stories are set throughout history, and two take place after the events of the series. Endless Nights was the first hardcover graphic novel ever to appear on the New York Times Hardcover Best Seller list.

For the series' 25th anniversary, Gaiman collaborated with artist J. H. Williams III to produce The Sandman: Overture, a six-issue limited series that lasted from October 2013 to September 2015. Overture was originally planned to release on a bi-monthly schedule, but experienced numerous delays. It acts as both a prequel and a sequel, telling the story of Dream's final adventure before his capture. A deluxe edition collecting all six issues was published in November 2015. Overture was well received and won the 2016 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story. In August 2018, for the series' 30th anniversary, DC and Gaiman launched The Sandman Universe, a line of comics exploring the characters and concepts of The Sandman. Gaiman conceived and oversees the line, though the comics are written by new creative teams.

Sandman characters have occasionally appeared in other DC publications, though such appearances are uncommon. Before 2010, editorial mandates generally restricted the use of the Vertigo DC Universe characters outside their respective series; additionally, Gaiman retains the right of first refusal to all Sandman characters he created. Writer Grant Morrison and artist Howard Porter included Dream in two issues of JLA (1997–2006) in 1998. Meanwhile, Death appeared in the Brightest Day (2010–2011) crossover event—most notably in Action Comics #894 (December 2010) by writer Paul Cornell and artist Pete Woods, in which she meets Superman's archenemy Lex Luthor. It was unclear if The Sandman remained part of the DC Universe canon after DC's 2011 New 52 relaunch until 2017, when Dream played a crucial role in the 2017–2018 Dark Nights: Metal crossover event by writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo. Snyder called getting Gaiman's blessing "one of the best moments of my career, to be able to get to write a character that meant so much to me growing up and still does".

Cultural impact

Adaptations

Notes

References

^ Gaiman, Neil (w). "The Origin of the Comic You Are Now Holding (What It Is and How It Came to Be" Sandman, no. 4 (April 1989).
^ Schedeen, Jesse (October 30, 2013). "The Sandman Retrospective". IGN.
^ Buxton, Marc (January 26, 2014). "By Crom! The 10 Greatest Fantasy Comics of All-Time". Comic Book Resources.
^ Irvine, Alex (2008), "The Dreaming", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The Vertigo Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, pp. 64–65, ISBN 978-0-7566-4122-1, OCLC 213309015

[OriginNeil-1] Gaiman, Neil (w). "The Origin of the Comic You Are Now Holding (What It Is and How It Came to Be" Sandman, no. 4 (April 1989).

[IGN:_Retrospective-2] Schedeen, Jesse (October 30, 2013). "The Sandman Retrospective". IGN.

[CBR:_10Greatest-3] Buxton, Marc (January 26, 2014). "By Crom! The 10 Greatest Fantasy Comics of All-Time". Comic Book Resources.

[vert-ency-4] Irvine, Alex (2008), "The Dreaming", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The Vertigo Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, pp. 64–65, ISBN 978-0-7566-4122-1, OCLC 213309015

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