sandman

The recent adaptation illustrates how crucial the Sandman’s connections to DC continuity are to Morpheus’ Story.

Throughout the press tour in anticipation of Netflix’s adaptation of The Sandman, there’s been focus on a particular diversion from the source material — its lack of connective tissue to a grander universe. This is usually spun as a liberating factor — “for too long the weight of the DC universe weighed heavy on the brains of the dreaming, etc, etc.” The usual assumptions also hang in the air, namely that some rights issue is preventing the authors from following the script exactly. While excising the comics’ connections to the DC world is, for the most part, done without losing too many key plot details, the absence of the DC Universe is indicative of larger tonal problems for the series. [Read more…] about Merely a Monument; Always a Seamark – Sandman and DC Universe Connections

Neil Gaiman’s run on Sandman run ended all the way back in 1996, though he has made periodic returns to the title in books such as The Dream Hunters, Endless Nights, and Sandman Overture. Still, the Sandman mythos has steadily continued at DC, with the original The Dreaming series running from 1996-2001, the Lucifer ongoing running from 2000-2006, and countless mini-series, one-shots, and guest appearances along the way. Still, there was never such an organized and intentional return to the franchise as 2018’s The Sandman Universe relaunch, in which Gaiman and others handpicked a crew of industry greats to help expand the story of Dream of the Endless and the many characters he encounters along the way.

Bringing in new creators to flesh out the story of the Sandman is the best thing that could have happened to the story, and by retaining overall creative vision, Gaiman has been able to ensure that the new series are all incredibly high quality books. As Si Spurrier and artist Bilquis Evely’s incredible run on The Dreaming series drew to a close, G. Willow Wilson and Nick Robles’ Waking Hours maxi-series was already on the docket. Each of The Sandman Universe books have brought a specific mood along with them, and Waking Hours leaned all the way into giving readers a love story for the ages.

* Spoilers for The Dreaming: Waking Hours Follow!*

[Read more…] about There’s Something of Myself in You That I Don’t Recognize in “The Dreaming: Waking Hours”