The Sandman (comic book) explained

The Sandman
Schedule:Monthly
Genre:
Publisher:
Date:
  • The Sandman (January 1989–March 1996)
  • The Sandman: The Dream Hunters (1999)
  • The Sandman: Overture (October 2013–November 2015)
Issues:
  • The Sandman (75)
  • The Sandman: The Dream Hunters (4)
  • The Sandman: Overture (6)
Main Char Team:Dream of the Endless
Writers:Neil Gaiman
Letterers:Todd Klein
John Costanza
Creators:Neil Gaiman
Sam Kieth
Mike Dringenberg

The Sandman is a comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. 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. The original series ran for 75 issues from January 1989 to March 1996. Beginning with issue No. 47, it was placed under DC's Vertigo imprint, and following Vertigo's retirement in 2020, reprints have been published under DC's Black Label imprint.

The titular main character of The Sandman is Dream, also known as Morpheus and other names, who is one of the seven Endless. The other Endless are Destiny, Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium (formerly Delight), and Destruction (also known as 'The Prodigal'). The series is famous for Gaiman's trademark use of anthropomorphic personification of various metaphysical entities, while also blending mythology and history in its horror setting within the DC Universe.[2] The Sandman is a story about stories and how Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, is captured and subsequently learns that sometimes change is inevitable.[3] The Sandman was Vertigo's flagship title, and is available as a series of ten trade paperbacks, a recolored five-volume Absolute hardcover edition with slipcase, a three-volume omnibus edition, a black-and-white Annotated edition; it is also available for digital download.

Critically acclaimed, The Sandman was among the first graphic novels to appear on The New York Times Best Seller list, along with Maus, Watchmen, and The Dark Knight Returns. It was one of six graphic novels to make Entertainment Weeklys "100 best reads from 1983 to 2008", ranking at No. 46.[4] Norman Mailer described the series as "a comic strip for intellectuals".[5] The series has exerted considerable influence over the fantasy genre and graphic novel medium since its publication and is often regarded as one of the greatest graphic novels of all time.

Various film and television versions of Sandman have been developed. In 2013, Warner Bros. announced that a film adaptation starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt was in production, but Gordon-Levitt dropped out in 2016. In July 2020, September 2021 and September 2022, three full-cast audio dramas were released exclusively through Audible starring James McAvoy, which were narrated by Gaiman and dramatized and directed by Dirk Maggs. In August 2022, Netflix released a television adaptation starring Tom Sturridge.

Publication history

Creation

The Sandman grew out of a proposal by Neil Gaiman to revive DC's 1974–1976 series The Sandman, written by Joe Simon and Michael Fleisher and illustrated by Jack Kirby and Ernie Chua. Gaiman had considered including characters from the "Dream Stream" (including the Kirby Sandman, Brute, Glob, and the brothers Cain and Abel) in a scene for the first issue of his 1988 miniseries Black Orchid. While the scene did not make it into later drafts because Roy Thomas was using the characters in Infinity, Inc., Gaiman soon began constructing a treatment for a new series, and mentioned his treatment in passing to DC editor Karen Berger. He was unsure his Sandman pitch would be accepted, but weeks later, 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.[6]

Gaiman crafted the new character 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". Gaiman patterned the character's black attire on a print of a Japanese kimono as well as his own wardrobe.[3] Gaiman wrote an eight-issue outline and gave it to Dave 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.[3] Mike Dringenberg, Todd Klein, Robbie Busch, and Dave McKean were hired as inker, letterer, colorist, and cover artist, respectively. McKean's approach towards comics covers was unconventional, and he convinced Berger that the series' protagonist did not need to appear on every cover.[7] [8]

The first seven issues were inspired and influenced by early DC and EC Comics, and authors like Dennis Wheatley, Clive Barker, Ramsey Campbell, Robert Heinlein and Alan Moore, but with issue eight he says he finally found his own voice.[9]

Gaiman's approach to scripting the series became more difficult as the complex storyline and characters developed. "When I began writing Sandman, it would take me a couple of weeks to write a script. As time went by I got slower and slower, until a script was taking me six weeks to a month to write."[10]

Original series

The debut issue of The Sandman went on sale November 29, 1988[11] and was cover-dated January 1989.[12] Gaiman described the early issues as "awkward", since he, as well as Kieth, Dringenberg, and Busch, had never worked on a regular series before. Kieth quit after the fifth issue; he was replaced by Dringenberg as penciler, who was in turn replaced by Malcolm Jones III as inker.[13] Dave McKean was the cover artist for the series through its entire run.[14]

The character then appeared in two of DC's "Suggested for Mature Readers" titles. In Swamp Thing vol. 2 No. 84 (March 1989), Dream and Eve allow Matthew Cable to live in the Dreaming because he died there, resurrecting him as a raven.[15] He then meets John Constantine in Hellblazer No. 19[16] leading into the latter's guest appearance in Sandman No. 3 (March 1989).

Gaiman revisited Hell as depicted by Alan Moore in Swamp Thing, beginning with a guest appearance by Jack Kirby's Etrigan the Demon in issue No. 4 (April 1989). The story introduces Hell's Hierarchy (as their entry is titled in Who's Who in the DC Universe), headed by Lucifer (who would spin off into his own series in 1999), Beelzebub (later adversary to Kid Eternity), and Azazel, whom Dream defeated later in the series. Dream visited the Justice League International in the following issue, No. 5 (May 1989). Although multiple mainstream DC characters appeared in the series throughout its run, such as Martian Manhunter and Scarecrow, this would not be the norm.[17] Gaiman and artist Mike Dringenberg introduced Death, the older sister of Dream, in issue No. 8 (August 1989).[18]

Gaiman began incorporating elements of the Kirby Sandman series in issue No. 11 (December 1989), including the changes implemented by Roy Thomas. Joe Simon and Michael Fleisher had treated the character, who resembled a superhero, as the "true" Sandman.[19] [20] The Thomas and Gaiman stories revealed that the character's existence was a sham created by two nightmares who had escaped to a pocket of the Dreaming.[21] [22] Brute and Glob would later attempt this again on Sanderson Hawkins, sidekick to Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age Sandman.[23] [24] Gaiman gave Jed Walker a surname and made him related to several new characters. The Thomas Sandman was Hector Hall, who married the already-pregnant Fury in the Dreaming in Infinity, Inc. No. 51.[22] It was explained that Dr. Garrett Sanford, the 1970s Simon and Kirby version of the Sandman, had gone insane from the loneliness of the Dream Dimension and taken his own life. Brute and Glob put the spirit of Hector Hall, which had been cast out of his own body, into Sanford's body, and it eventually began to resemble Hall's.[21] Fury, in her civilian guise as Lyta Hall, was the only superhero recurring character in the series. Even at that, her powers had come to her via the Fury Tisiphone,[25] and the Furies, under the euphemism, "the Kindly Ones", a translation of "Eumenides", a name they earned during the events of Aeschylus's Oresteia trilogy, are major characters in the series.

The series follows a tragic course in which Dream, having learned a great deal from his imprisonment, tries to correct the things he has done wrong in the past. Ultimately, this causes him to mercy kill his own son, which leads to his own death at the hands of the Furies. Dream, having found himself a replacement early on in Daniel Hall, dies in issue No. 69 (July 1995). The remaining issues deal with Dream's funeral, Hob Gadling choosing to remain immortal in spite of Dream's death, and two stories from the past. The series wraps with the story of William Shakespeare creating his other commission for Dream, The Tempest,[26] his last work not in collaboration with other writers.

The Sandman became a cult success for DC Comics[27] and attracted an audience unlike that of mainstream comics: much of the readership was female, many were in their twenties, and many read no other comics at all.[28] Comics historian Les Daniels called Gaiman's work "astonishing" and noted that The Sandman was "a mixture of fantasy, horror, and ironic humor such as comic books had never seen before".[29] DC Comics writer and executive Paul Levitz observed that "The Sandman became the first extraordinary success as a series of graphic novel collections, reaching out and converting new readers to the medium, particularly young women on college campuses, and making Gaiman himself into an iconic cultural figure."[30] Gaiman had a finite run in mind for the series, and it concluded with issue No. 75. Gaiman said in 1996, "Could I do another five issues of Sandman? Well, damn right. And would I be able to look at myself in the mirror happily? No. Is it time to stop because I've reached the end, yes, and I think I'd rather leave while I'm in love."[31] The final issue, No. 75, was dated March 1996.

Additions and spin-offs

See main article: List of The Sandman spinoffs.

The Sandman has inspired numerous spin-offs. While most of these are not written by Gaiman, he did write two miniseries focusing on the character of Death. was published from March to May 1993 and was based on the fable that Death takes human form once a century to remain grounded and in touch with humanity.[32] This was followed in 1996 by , featuring the characters of Foxglove and Hazel from A Game of You. Other spin-offs include The Dreaming, Lucifer, and Dead Boy Detectives.

A set of Sandman trading cards was issued in 1994 by SkyBox International.[33]

In 1999, Gaiman wrote , a novella illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano. As in many of the single-issue stories throughout The Sandman, Morpheus appears in Dream Hunters, but only as a supporting character. In Gaiman's afterword to the book, he describes the story as a retelling of an existing Japanese legend. There is no trace of it in the primary source he cites,[34] and when asked, Gaiman has stated that he made up the "legend". The novel was later adapted into a four-issue miniseries by P. Craig Russell and released by Vertigo from January 2009 to April 2009.[35]

Gaiman and Matt Wagner co-wrote Sandman Midnight Theatre, a 1995 prestige format one-shot in which Dream and Wesley Dodds meet in person after the events in the storyline, "The Python", which ended with Dodds's lover, Dian Belmont, going to England, which eventually brings both her and Dodds to Roderick Burgess's mansion.[36] In 2001, Dream appeared in a flashback in Green Arrow vol. 3, No. 9, which takes place at a point during the 70 years of the first issue.[37] [38]

Gaiman wrote several new stories about Morpheus and his siblings, one story for each, which were published in 2003 as the Endless Nights anthology. The stories are set throughout history, but two take place after the final events of the monthly series. It was written by Gaiman and featured a different illustrator for each story. This collection was the first hardcover graphic novel ever to appear on The New York Times Hardcover Best Seller list.[39]

Writer/artist Jill Thompson wrote and illustrated several stories featuring the Sandman characters. These include the manga-style book , one of DC's best-selling books of 2003,[40] set during the events of Season of Mists, and The Little Endless Storybook, a children's book using childlike versions of the Endless.[41]

To commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Sandman, Gaiman wrote a new tale involving the battle that had exhausted Morpheus prior to the beginning of the original story.[42] Written by Gaiman and with art by J. H. Williams III, Overture tells the previously hinted story of Dream's adventure prior to Preludes and Nocturnes, which had exhausted him so much that it made Burgess' actions capable of capturing him. The limited series had six issues.[43] Issue #1 was released on October 30, 2013,[44] and although it was planned to have a bi-monthly release schedule, issue 2 was delayed until March 2014,[45] which Gaiman explained was "mostly due to the giant signing tour I was on from June, and me not getting script written on the tour, with knock-on effects".[46] Special editions were released approximately a month after the original editions, which contain interviews with the creative team, alongside rare artwork.[47]

In 2018, DC announced The Sandman Universe, a new line of comics exploring The Sandmans part of the DC Universe. It started in August 2018.[48] [49]

Summary

The Sandmans main character is Dream, the eponymous Sandman, also known to various characters throughout the series as Morpheus, Oneiros, the Shaper, the Shaper of Form, Lord of the Dreaming, the Dream King, Dream-Sneak, the Cat of Dreams, Murphy, Kai'ckul and Lord L'Zoril, who is the anthropomorphic personification of dreams. At the start of the series, Morpheus is captured by an occult ritual and held prisoner for 70 years. Morpheus escapes in the modern day and after avenging himself upon his captors, sets about rebuilding his kingdom, which has fallen into disrepair in his absence.[50] The character's initial haughty and often cruel manner begins to soften after his years of imprisonment at the start of the series, but 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.[51] In its beginnings, the series is a very dark horror comic. Later, the series evolves into an elaborate fantasy series, incorporating elements of classical and contemporary mythology, ultimately placing its protagonist in the role of a tragic hero.

The storylines primarily take place in the Dreaming, Morpheus's realm, and the waking world, with occasional visits to other domains, such as Hell, Faerie, Asgard, and the domains of the other Endless. Many use the contemporary United States of America and the United Kingdom as a backdrop. The DC Universe was the official setting of the series, but well-known DC characters and places were rarely featured after 1990. A notable exception is Lyta Hall, formerly Fury of the 1980s super-team Infinity, Inc., who figures prominently in the "Kindly Ones" story arc, and her superhuman abilities are not ignored. Most of the storylines take place in modern times, but many short stories are set in the past, taking advantage of the immortal nature of many of the characters, and deal with historical individuals and events such as in the short story "Men of Good Fortune".[50]

Themes and genre

The Sandman comic book series falls within the dark fantasy genre, albeit in a more contemporary and modern setting. Critic Marc Buxton described the book as a "masterful tale that created a movement of mature dark fantasy" which was largely unseen in previous fantasy works before it.[52] The comic book also falls into the genres of urban fantasy, epic fantasy, historical drama, and superhero. It is written as a metaphysical examination of the elements of fiction,[53] which Neil Gaiman accomplished through the artistic use of unique anthropomorphic personifications, mythology, legends, historical figures and occult culture, making up most of the major and minor characters as well as the plot device and even the settings of the story.[53] In its earliest story arcs, the Sandman mythos existed primarily in the DC Universe, and as such numerous DC characters made some appearances or were mentioned. Later, the series would reference the DCU less often, while continuing to exist in the same universe.

Critic Hilary Goldstein described the comic book as "about the concept of dreams more so than the act of dreaming".[54] In the early issues, responsibility and rebirth were the primary themes of the story.[55] As Dream finally liberates himself from his occultist captors, he returns to his kingdom which had fallen on hard times due to his absence, while also facing his other siblings, who each have their own reaction to his return. The story is structured not as a series of unconnected events nor as an incoherent dream, but by having each panel have a specific purpose in the flow of the story.[54] Dreams became the core of every story arc written in the series, and the protagonist's journey became more distinct and deliberate. Many Vertigo books since, such as Transmetropolitan and , have adopted this kind of format in their writing, creating a traditional prose only seen in the imprint.[54]

Collected editions

The Sandman was initially published as a monthly serial, in 32-page comic books with some exceptions to this pattern. The stories within were usually 24 pages long, with eight exceptions within the main story arc: issue #1, "Sleep of the Just" (40 pages); issue #14, "Collectors" (38 pages); issue #32, "Slaughter on Fifth Avenue" (25 pages); issue #33, "Lullabies of Broadway" (23 pages); issue #36, "Over the Sea to Sky" (39 pages); issue #50, "Distant Mirrors—Ramadan" (32 pages); issue #52, "Cluracan's Tale" (25 pages); issue #75, "The Tempest" (38 pages).[56] As the series increased in popularity, DC Comics began to reprint them in hardcover and trade paperback editions, each representing either a complete novel or a collection of related short stories.

DC first published "The Doll's House" storyline in a collection called simply The Sandman.[50] Shortly thereafter, the first three volumes were published and named independently and collected in a boxed set. (Death's debut story, "The Sound of Her Wings" from issue #8, appeared both at the beginning of early editions of The Doll's House and at the end of Preludes and Nocturnes, creating overlap between the first two volumes.[50]) In 1998, the cover images from The Sandman were released as one compiled volume titled .[57] Dave McKean's covers use techniques such as painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, and computer manipulation.

Trade paperbacks

A total of ten trade paperbacks contain the full run of the series and have all been kept in print. In 2010, Vertigo began releasing a new edition of Sandman books, featuring the new coloring from the Absolute Editions.[58]

The Sandman returned in October 2013 as a six-part prequel limited series titled Overture. Written by Gaiman and illustrated by J. H. Williams III, the series tells the previously untold story that led to Morpheus' capture by Roderick Burgess in the first issue of the monthly series.[60] [61]

30th Anniversary editions

In 2018 DC republished the previous ten trade paperbacks in a new 30th anniversary edition,[62] along with Endless Nights, now numbered as Volume 11, both prose and comic versions of The Dream Hunters as separate unnumbered volumes and Overture as Volume ∞.

Absolute editions

The DC Comics Absolute Edition series are large 8" by 12" prints of a considerably higher quality and price than the library edition, and include a leather-like cover and a slipcase. Many of the early stories have been extensively retouched or recolored with Gaiman's approval.[63]

Annotated editions

While initially hesitant about releasing annotated editions, Gaiman eventually changed his mind when he forgot a reference when asked about it by a reader. The task of annotating the series was undertaken by Gaiman's friend Leslie S. Klinger of The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes who worked from the original scripts given to him by Gaiman.[65]

The first volume of The Annotated Sandman was published by DC Comics in January 2012 as a large 12" by 12" black-and-white book with an introduction by Gaiman and included issues #1–20. The annotations are presented on a page-by-page, panel-by-panel basis, with quoted sections from Gaiman's scripts and insight into the various historical, mythological and DC Universe references included in the comic. The second volume annotating issues #21–39 was released in November 2012.[66] The third volume covering issues #40–56, The Sandman Special No. 1 and the story "How They Met Themselves" from Vertigo: Winter's Edge #3 was released in October 2014.[67] The fourth volume including issues #57–75 and the story "The Castle" from Vertigo Jam #1 was released in December 2015.[68]

The first volume was nominated for the 2012 Bram Stoker Award for Best Non-Fiction.[69]

Omnibus editions

The Sandman Omnibus, a massive two-volume hardcover edition, was released in 2013 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of The Sandman. Volume 1 collects issues #1–37 and The Sandman Special No. 1 with Volume 2 collecting issues #38–75 with stories from Vertigo Jam No. 1 and Vertigo: Winter's Edge. Both volumes are printed with the Absolute edition recoloring, feature a leather-like cover in black and red, and have over 1000 pages.[70]

A special Silver version of The Sandman Omnibus was released as well. Limited to 500 copies and autographed by Gaiman, the Silver edition includes both volumes with a slipcase, silver-like finish and a numbered page with Gaiman's signature.[71]

In 2019, a third omnibus volume was released which includes the acclaimed miniseries Death: The High Cost of Living and Death: The Time of Your Life, the graphic novels Sandman Midnight Theatre and The Sandman: Endless Nights, the prose and comics versions of The Sandman: The Dream Hunters and the award-winning miniseries The Sandman: Overture, together with the artistic showcases of A Death Gallery, The Sandman: A Gallery of Dreams and The Endless Gallery[72]

Deluxe hardcover editions

In 2020 DC started publishing The Sandman in five Deluxe hardcover editions.

They also published a new hardcover version of The Absolute Death in April 2022, now titled Death: The Deluxe Edition. Like its predecessor, it collects The Sandman #8 and 20, "A Winter's Tale" from Vertigo: Winter's Edge #2, Death: The High Cost of Living #1–3, "The Wheel" from 9–11: The World's Finest Comic Book Writers & Artists Tell Stories to Remember, Death: The Time of Your Life #1–3, and "Death and Venice" from The Sandman: Endless Nights. Extras include "Death Talks About Life", A Death Gallery, and a new introduction by Tori Amos.

2022/3 paperback reprints

In 2022, DC Black Label began to reprint the core Sandman series as a series of paperback collections. These collect the 30th anniversary editions of the original series into four paperback volumes.[73] These were followed in 2023 by two more books, collecting the remainder of the 30th anniversary editions, as well as Sandman Midnight Theatre #1 and The Sandman Universe #1.

Reception and legacy

The Sandman No. 19, "A Midsummer Night's Dream", won the World Fantasy Award in 1991 for Best Short Fiction.[76] [77] [78] The Sandman and its spin-offs have won more than 26 Eisner Awards,[79] including three for Best Continuing Series, one for Best Short Story, four for Best Writer (Neil Gaiman), seven for Best Lettering (Todd Klein), and two for Best Penciller/Inker (one each for Charles Vess and P. Craig Russell). The Sandman: The Dream Hunters was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Related Book in 2000.[80] The Dream Hunters and Endless Nights won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Illustrated Narrative in 1999 and 2003, respectively.[81] [82] That same year, Season of Mists won the Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Scenario.[83] In 2005, IGN declared The Sandman as the best Vertigo comic ever.[84] [85] The Sandman: Overture, a prequel mini-series, earned the 2016 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story.

Hillary Goldstein of IGN praised the comic book, saying that it

Adaptations into other media

Film

Throughout the late 1990s, a film adaptation of the comic was periodically planned by Warner Bros., parent company of DC Comics. Roger Avary was originally attached to direct after the success of Pulp Fiction, collaborating with Pirates of the Caribbean screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio in 1996 on a revision of their first script draft, which merged the "Preludes and Nocturnes" storyline with that of "The Doll's House". Avary intended the film to be in part visually inspired by animator Jan Švankmajer's work. Avary was fired after disagreements over the creative direction with executive producer Jon Peters, best known for the 1989 film Batman and the abandoned project Superman Lives. It was due to their meeting on the Sandman film project that Avary and Gaiman collaborated one year later on the script for Beowulf. The project carried on through several more writers and scripts. A later draft by William Farmer, reviewed at Ain't It Cool News,[86] was met with scorn from fans. Gaiman called the last screenplay that Warner Bros. would send him "not only the worst Sandman script I've ever seen, but quite easily the worst script I've ever read".[87] Gaiman has said that his dissatisfaction with how his characters were being treated had dissuaded him from writing any more stories involving the Endless, although he has since written Endless Nights and Sandman Overture.

By 2001, the project had become stranded in development hell. In a Q&A panel at San Diego Comic-Con in 2007, Gaiman remarked, "I'd rather see no Sandman movie made than a bad Sandman movie. But I feel like the time for a Sandman movie is coming soon. We need someone who has the same obsession with the source material as Peter Jackson had with Lord of the Rings or Sam Raimi had with Spider-Man."[88] That same year, he stated that he could imagine Terry Gilliam as a director for the adaptation: "I would always give anything to Terry Gilliam, forever, so if Terry Gilliam ever wants to do Sandman then as far as I'm concerned Terry Gilliam should do Sandman."[89] In 2013, DC President Diane Nelson said that a Sandman film would be as rich as the Harry Potter universe.[90] David S. Goyer announced in an interview in early December that he would be producing an adaptation of the graphic novel, alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Neil Gaiman. Jack Thorne was hired to write the script.[91] On October 16, 2014, Gaiman clarified that while the film was not announced with the DC slate by Warner Bros., it would instead be distributed by Vertigo and announced with those slate of films.[92] Goyer told Deadline Hollywood in an interview that the studio was very happy with the film's script.[93] According to Deadline Hollywood, the film was to be distributed by New Line Cinema.[94] In October 2015, Goyer revealed that a new screenwriter was being brought on board to revise the script by Jack Thorne and stated that he believed the film would go into production the following year.[95] In March 2016, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Eric Heisserer was hired to rewrite the film's script.[96] The next day, Gordon-Levitt announced that he had dropped out due to disagreements with the studio over the creative direction of the film.[97] On November 9, 2016, i09 reported that Heisserer had turned in his draft of the script but left the film, stating that the film should be an HBO series instead.[98]

Death

Television

The Sandman

See main article: The Sandman (TV series). Due to the prolonged development period of the film, in 2010, DC Entertainment shifted focus onto developing a television series adaptation. Film director James Mangold pitched a series concept to cable channel HBO, whilst consulting with Gaiman himself on an unofficial basis, but this proved to be unsuccessful. It was reported in September 2010 that Warner Bros. Television was licensing the rights to produce a TV series, and that Supernatural creator Eric Kripke was their preferred candidate to adapt the saga. In March 2011, it was announced via Neil Gaiman's web blog that while he and DC liked Eric Kripke and his approach, it did not feel quite right. The author hoped to launch the series in another form but plans for a television adaptation are on hold as production moves forward on the film.[99] As the film adaptation of Morpheus' story was being planned, DC and Fox discussed a possible TV series based on the Sandman character Lucifer.[100]

Netflix announced in June 2019 that it had completed a deal with Warner Bros. to develop Sandman into a live-action television series run by Allan Heinberg, with Gaiman and Goyer serving as executive producers.[101] The cast, including Tom Sturridge as the title character, was announced in January[102] and May 2021.[103]

The series premiered on August 5, 2022, and adapts Preludes & Nocturnes, The Doll's House, and the beginning of Dream Country.[104]

Lucifer

See main article: Lucifer (TV series). On September 16, 2014, Deadline reported that DC and Fox were developing a television series based on the Sandman character Lucifer created by Neil Gaiman.[105] On February 19, 2015, the official pilot order was given.[106] According to the premise reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the potential series would greatly differ from the comic book version of the character featured in The Sandman and his own solo comic book series. Lucifer would be featured in a CSI-like or Elementary style television show with supernatural elements.[107] The show began airing on January 25, 2016, and concluded on September 10, 2021

Dead Boy Detectives

See main article: Dead Boy Detectives (TV series).

Sebastian Croft and Ty Tennant portrayed Payne and Rowland in the third season of the Doom Patrol TV series. The series also features their medium companion Crystal Palace, portrayed by Madalyn Horcher.[108]

HBO Max has ordered a pilot for a potential Dead Boy Detectives series in September 2021. The pilot was written by Steve Yockey, also acting as an executive producer alongside Jeremy Carver. The pilot also features Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and David Madden as executive producers under Berlanti Productions. The main cast for the pilot, as announced in November 2021, includes Jayden Revri as Edwin Payne, George Rexstrew as Charles Rowland, and Kassius Nelson as Crystal Palace. The series was picked up by HBO Max for an eight-episode first season in April 2022, but transferred to Netflix in February 2023. Additional cast members include Briana Cuoco as Jenny the Butcher, Yuyu Kitamura as Niko, Jenn Lyon as Esther, and Ruth Connell reprising her Doom Patrol role of Night Nurse.[109]

Audio

See main article: The Sandman (podcast). On July 15, 2020, Audible released an adaptation of the comic book series as a multi-part audio drama directed by Dirk Maggs with music by James Hannigan, adapting Preludes & Nocturnes, The Doll's House, and Dream Country.[110] [111] The voice cast included Gaiman as the Narrator, James McAvoy as Dream, Kat Dennings as Death, Taron Egerton as John Constantine, Michael Sheen as Lucifer, Riz Ahmed as the Corinthian, Andy Serkis as Matthew the Raven, Samantha Morton as Urania Blackwell, Bebe Neuwirth as the Siamese Cat, Arthur Darvill as William Shakespeare, Justin Vivian Bond as Desire, and Miriam Margolyes as Despair.

The Sandman: Act II was released on September 22, 2021, and featured most of the original cast, adapting Season of Mists, A Game of You, and seven stories of Fables & Reflections. New additions to the cast included: Regé-Jean Page as Orpheus, Jeffrey Wright as Destiny, Brian Cox as Augustus, Emma Corrin as Thessaly, John Lithgow as Joshua Norton, David Tennant as Loki, Bill Nighy as Odin, Kristen Schaal as Delirium, Kevin Smith as Merv Pumpkinhead, and Niamh Walsh as Nuala. Neuwirth also returned, but portrayed Bast.[112]

The Sandman: Act III was released on September 28, 2022, without a prior announcement, and featured most of the cast from the first two acts, adapting Brief Lives, and Worlds' End. New additions to the cast included: David Harewood as Destruction, Wil Wheaton as Brant Tucker, and K.J. Apa as Prez.[113]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Everything We Know About Netflix's 'The Sandman'. . April 19, 2022 . May 13, 2022 .
  2. Web site: The Sandman Summary . Neil . Gaiman . Neil Gaiman . 2014 . NeilGaiman.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20140702001223/http://neilgaiman.com/p/Cool_Stuff/Essays/Essays_About_Neil/The_Sandman_Summary . July 2, 2014 . live . March 13, 2014.
  3. Book: Gaiman, Neil . The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes . DC Comics . 1991. 1-56389-011-9 . The Sandman: Preludes & Nocturnes.
  4. The New Classics: Books . June 18, 2007 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20140110095051/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20207349,00.html . January 10, 2014 . live . April 20, 2011.
  5. Web site: Neil Gaiman: 'I enjoy not being famous'. Porter. Anderson. July 30, 2001. CNN. https://web.archive.org/web/20140810034408/http://edition.cnn.com/2001/CAREER/jobenvy/07/29/neil.gaiman.focus/. August 10, 2014 . live.
  6. Gaiman, Neil. The Origin of the Comic You Are Now Holding (What It Is and How It Came to Be. Sandman. 4. April 1989.
  7. [Karen Berger|Berger, Karen]
  8. Book: Bender, Hy. Preludes & Nocturnes. The Sandman Companion. DC Comics. 1999. New York, New York. 40. 978-1-56389-465-7.
  9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1kzdP3OlBg&t=3105s Neil Gaiman in Conversation with Junot Díaz
  10. Book: Gaiman, Neil. The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction. 2016. 978-0-06-226226-4. New York, NY. 240. 939277355.
  11. Web site: Sandman #1. Mike. Voiles. 2014. Mike's Amazing World of Comics. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151208111127/http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/features/comic.php?comicid=23005. December 8, 2015. mdy-all.
  12. Book: Manning. Matthew K.. Dolan. Hannah. 1980s. DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. 2010. London, United Kingdom. 978-0-7566-6742-9. 238. In arguably one of the greatest achievements in serialized modern comic books, writer Neil Gaiman crafted the seventy-five-issue ongoing series The Sandman, introducing its readers to a complex world of horror and fantasy..
  13. Web site: Comics You Should Own – Sandman. Greg. Burgas. January 7, 2013. Comic Book Resources. https://web.archive.org/web/20140410022316/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2013/01/07/comics-you-should-own-sandman/. April 10, 2014. live.
  14. Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 238: "The Sandman saw a variety of artists grace its pages ... Illustrator Dave McKean's mixed media pieces garnished each cover."
  15. Veitch, Rick. Mandrake, Tom. Alcala, Alfredo. Final Payment. Swamp Thing. 2. 84. March 1989.
  16. Delano, Jamie. Buckingham, Mark. Alcala, Alfredo. The Broken Man. Hellblazer. 19. June 1989.
  17. Web site: Polo. Susana. Batman: Metal #1 confirms a classic character is still very much a part of the DC Universe. Polygon. August 16, 2017. Vox Media. September 26, 2017.
  18. Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 240: "Neil Gaiman, aided by penciller Mike Dringenberg, introduced the character Death to a fascinated readership ... Death was an instant hit and arguably became more popular than the Sandman himself."
  19. Thomas, Roy
    Thomas, Dann
    . Giffen, Keith. Mahlstedt, Larry. The Sands of Doom! Sandman Interlude. Wonder Woman. 300. February 1983.
  20. Thomas, Roy; Thomas, Dann. Argondezzi, Vince. McLaughlin, Frank
    Kieth, Sam
    . The Sandman Cometh. Infinity, Inc.. 49. April 1988.
  21. Thomas, Roy; Thomas, Dann. Argondezzi, Vince; Bair, Michael. DeZuniga, Tony
    Bair, Michael
    . It's a Grimmworld After All. Infinity, Inc.. 50. May 1988.
  22. Thomas, Roy; Thomas, Dann. Bair, Michael; Manna, Lou. Downs, Bob. A Death in the Family. Infinity, Inc.. 51. June 1988.
  23. Johns, Geoff. Ordway, Jerry. Faucher, Wayne. Waking the Sandman Part One: Insomnia. JSA. 63. September 2004.
  24. Johns, Geoff. Ordway, Jerry. Rollins, Prentis. Waking the Sandman Part Two: Night Terrors. JSA. 64. October 2004.
  25. Thomas, Roy; Thomas, Dann. Grindberg, Tom. DeZuniga, Tony. The Secret Origin of the Golden Age Fury. Secret Origins. 2. 12. March 1987.  – Note that in Wonder Woman No. 300, prior to the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Fury was depicted as the daughter of the Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor of Earth-Two.
  26. Gaiman, Neil. Vess, Charles. Vess, Charles. The Tempest. The Sandman. 2. 75. March 1996.
  27. Web site: The Sandman. Don. Markstein. 2008. Don Markstein's Toonopedia. live. He was an instant hit, both with critics and with the general comics-buying public.. May 24, 2012. https://archive.today/20120524104908/http://www.toonopedia.com/sandman3.htm. mdy-all.
  28. Cool Cult Favorites: Sandman. Ken. Tucker. June 24, 1994. Entertainment Weekly. https://web.archive.org/web/20131219084529/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,302789,00.html. December 19, 2013. live. Gaiman, 33, says, 'Superhero comics are the most perfectly evolved art form for preadolescent male power fantasies, and I don't see that as a bad thing. I want to reach other sorts of people, too. I'm proud that The Sandman has more of a female readership, and an older readership, than DC Comics has ever had.'.
  29. Book: Daniels, Les. Les Daniels. The Sandman's Coming: A New Approach to Making Myths. DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes. Bulfinch Press. 1995. New York, New York. 206. 0-8212-2076-4.
  30. Book: Levitz, Paul. Paul Levitz. The Dark Age 1984–1998. 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking. Taschen. 2010. Cologne, Germany. 978-3-8365-1981-6. 567.
  31. Hasted. Nick. Bring Me a Dream. The Independent. September 5, 1996. London, United Kingdom.
  32. Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 262: "In March 1993, DC Comics debuted a three-issue limited series entitled Death: The High Cost of Living ... Written by Neil Gaiman and drawn by future comics superstar Chris Bachalo, The High Cost of Living had one notable trait besides a brilliant story: its cover bore a new logo. With this debut, DC's provocative new mature-reader imprint, Vertigo, was born."
  33. Web site: DC Vertigo: The Sandman SkyBox – 1994. Jeff. Allender. 2008. Nslists.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20120105140247/http://nslists.com/dcsand.htm. January 5, 2012. live. This set is an oversized format, 2-1/2" by 4-1/2"..
  34. Book: Ozaki, Yei Theodora . Japanese Fairy Tales . Plain Label Books . 1-60303-508-7.
  35. Web site: Neil Gaiman. October 21, 2011. Lambiek Comiclopedia. https://web.archive.org/web/20131030030033/http://www.lambiek.net/artists/g/gaiman.htm. October 30, 2013. live.
  36. Gaiman, Neil; Wagner, Matt. Kristiansen, Teddy. Kristiansen, Teddy. Sandman Midnight Theatre. 1. September 1995.
  37. Smith, Kevin. Hester, Phil. Parks, Ande. Quiver Chapter Nine: The Weird World of Stanley and His Monster. Green Arrow. 3. 9. December 2001.
  38. Web site: Schedeen. Jesse. Sandman: 5 Times The Endless Appeared in the DC Universe. IGN. Ziff Davis. April 7, 2018. September 12, 2017.
  39. Web site: The Year in Books 2003: Comics. November 17, 2003 . Publishers Weekly. https://web.archive.org/web/20140810061448/http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20031117/38316-the-year-in-books-2003-comics.html. August 10, 2014. live. Certainly the biggest and most historic comics event of the year was the debut of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman: Endless Nights (DC/Vertigo) at number 20 on The New York Times extended bestseller list in early October. This is the first time a hardcover graphic novel by a comics publisher has ever landed on the New York Times bestseller list..
  40. Arnold, Andrew D. (February 16, 2004). "Drawing in the Gals; Move over, guys. Graphics for girls are the hot new genre in Japanese comics". Time. p. 97
  41. Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 300: "The Little Endless Storybook, written and lovingly illustrated by Jill Thompson in the style of a young children's picture book, told the story of the Endless' Delirium and her dog, Barnabas."
  42. Power Couple on Sandman Prequel and Kickstarter Success. Geeta. Dayal. July 18, 2012 . Wired. https://web.archive.org/web/20140411190718/http://www.wired.com/2012/07/neil-gaiman-on-sandman-and-amanda-palmer-talks-theatre-is-evil/. April 11, 2014. live. January 9, 2013. Fantasy author Neil Gaiman made headlines around the world last week when he announced a return to the beloved Sandman series for the comic's 25th anniversary. It will be the first new Sandman story in a decade..
  43. Web site: The Sandman: Overture #1. October 30, 2013. Vertigo. https://web.archive.org/web/20140710072546/http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/the-sandman-overture-2013/the-sandman-overture-1. July 10, 2014. live.
  44. Web site: The Sandman: Overture #2. March 26, 2014. Vertigo. https://web.archive.org/web/20140723161300/http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/the-sandman-overture-2013/the-sandman-overture-2. July 23, 2014. live. mdy-all.
  45. Web site: Update: Gaiman Explains Sandman: Overture #2 Delay. Albert. Ching. November 12, 2013. Comic Book Resources. https://web.archive.org/web/20140314170905/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=49066. March 14, 2014. live. December 27, 2013.
  46. Web site: The Sandman Overture Special Edition #1. November 27, 2013. Vertigo. https://web.archive.org/web/20131228000606/http://www.vertigocomics.com/comics/the-sandman-overture-special-edition-2013/the-sandman-overture-special-edition-1. December 28, 2013. live.
  47. Web site: Polo. Susana. The Sandman Universe is Neil Gaiman's next comics project. Polygon. April 29, 2018. March 1, 2018.
  48. Holub. Christian. Neil Gaiman announces new Sandman Universe line of comics — exclusive. Entertainment Weekly. April 29, 2018. March 1, 2018.
  49. Web site: The Sandman Summary. Cindy. Speer. n.d.. NeilGaiman.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20151118092820/http://www.neilgaiman.com/p/Cool_Stuff/Essays/Essays_About_Neil/The_Sandman_Summary. November 18, 2015. live.
  50. Web site: The Sandman – Series Review. James. Hurvid. n.d.. Whatever Comics. https://web.archive.org/web/20151208153341/http://www.whatevercomics.com/#/sandman-series-review/4534322863. December 8, 2015. dead. mdy-all. February 8, 2015.
  51. Web site: By Crom! The 10 Greatest Fantasy Comics of All-Time. Marc. Buxton. January 26, 2014. Comic Book Resources. https://web.archive.org/web/20140409194641/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=50526. April 9, 2014. live. Archive requires scrolldown
  52. Web site: The Sandman: The Essential Horror Comic of the Nineties. Marc. Buxton. October 30, 2013. Den of Geek. https://web.archive.org/web/20131103220936/http://www.denofgeek.us/books-comics/the-sandman/218867/the-sandman-the-essential-horror-comic-of-the-nineties. November 3, 2013. live.
  53. Web site: The Absolute Sandman Vol. 1 Review. Hilary. Goldstein, Hilary. October 13, 2006. IGN. https://web.archive.org/web/20141019044203/http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/13/the-absolute-sandman-vol-1-review. October 19, 2014. live.
  54. Rauch (2003) p.76
  55. Bender "Appendixes" p. 264–270
  56. Book: Gaiman. Neil. McKean. Dave. Dustcovers: The Collected Sandman Covers, 1989–1997. DC Comics. 1998. 206. 978-1-56389-388-9.
  57. Web site: The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes – New Edition. https://web.archive.org/web/20140314174704/http://www.vertigocomics.com/graphic-novels/the-sandman-vol-1-preludes-and-nocturnes-new-edition. March 14, 2014. live. November 1, 2011.
  58. Book: Gaiman, Neil. Brief Lives. 1994. DC Comics. 1-56389-138-7.
  59. Web site: Vertigo: Neil Gaiman returns for new Sandman. July 1, 2013. Associated Press. https://web.archive.org/web/20140201195128/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/vertigo-neil-gaiman-returns-new-sandman. February 1, 2014. live. July 2, 2013. Shelly Bond, executive editor of the imprint of DC Entertainment, said Monday that Gaiman is working with artist J.H. Williams III to tell stories of Morpheus' world before he was captured..
  60. Web site: DC Entertainment's Vertigo Reveals Details Surrounding Neil Gaiman's Highly Anticipated Return to The Sandman. July 1, 2013. Vertigo. https://web.archive.org/web/20140706130952/http://www.vertigocomics.com/blog/2013/07/01/dc-entertainments-vertigo-reveals-details-surrounding-neil-gaimans-highly. July 6, 2014. live. March 14, 2014. On October 30th, Gaiman returns to his beloved universe for the first time in more than 10 years since ending the series. The story will explore Morpheus' world before he was captured, which is bound to captivate the hearts and imaginations of the most loyal fans and new readers alike..
  61. Web site: DC Vertigo announces 30th Anniversary editions of The Sandman. June 14, 2018.
  62. Web site: Neil's Work: The Absolute Sandman, Vol. 1. NeilGaiman.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20140713005911/http://neilgaiman.com/works/Comics/The+Absolute+Sandman%2C+Vol.+1/. July 13, 2014. live. December 23, 2008.
  63. Web site: The Dreaming #8 - His Brother's Keeper (Issue).
  64. Web site: Do It While I Can Still Remember Things: The Annotated Sandman, Volume One. Lee. Mandelo. January 9, 2012. Tor.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20140518140322/http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/01/do-it-while-i-can-still-remember-things-the-annotated-sandman-volume-one. May 18, 2014. live. August 6, 2012.
  65. Web site: The Annotated Sandman, Vol. 2. Vertigo. https://web.archive.org/web/20140518171634/http://www.vertigocomics.com/graphic-novels/the-annotated-sandman-vol-2. May 18, 2014. live. August 6, 2012.
  66. Web site: The Annotated Sandman arrives this October!. February 27, 2014. Vertigo. https://web.archive.org/web/20140518173219/http://www.vertigocomics.com/blog/2014/02/27/the-annotated-sandman-arrives-this-october. May 18, 2014. live. March 13, 2014.
  67. Web site: The Annotated Sandman, Vol. 4. Vertigo. https://web.archive.org/web/20151011034649/http://www.vertigocomics.com/graphic-novels/the-annotated-sandman-vol-4. October 11, 2015. live.
  68. Web site: The Annotated Sandman Vol. 1 Nominated for Bram Stoker Award. February 25, 2013. Vertigo. https://web.archive.org/web/20140314090309/http://www.vertigocomics.com/blog/2013/02/25/the-annotated-sandman-vol1-nominated-for-bram-stoker-award. March 14, 2014. live. March 14, 2014.
  69. Web site: The Sandman Omnibus Vol. 1 Arrives This August. March 7, 2013. Vertigo. https://web.archive.org/web/20140314090359/http://www.vertigocomics.com/blog/2013/03/07/the-sandman-omnibus-vol-1-arrives-this-august. March 14, 2014. live. March 14, 2014.
  70. Web site: The Sandman Omnibus Silver Edition Autographed by Neil Gaiman. November 8, 2013. Vertigo. https://web.archive.org/web/20131111052619/http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2013/11/08/the-sandman-omnibus-silver-edition. November 11, 2013. live. March 14, 2014.
  71. Book: 978-1401287733. The Sandman Omnibus Vol. 3. Gaiman. Neil. 2019. National Geographic Books .
  72. Web site: 2021-12-18 . Sandman: DC Reprinting Neil Gaiman's Entire Series Ahead of Netflix Series' Premiere . 2023-05-30 . CBR . en.
  73. Book: Gaiman, Neil . The Sandman . Book Five . February 7, 2023 . 9781779521514 . 2023-05-30 . Penguin Random House . en-US.
  74. Book: Gaiman, Neil . The Sandman . Book Six . August 2023 . 9781779524010 . 2023-05-30 . Penguin Random House . en-US.
  75. Web site: 1991 World Fantasy Award Winners and Nominees. World Fantasy Convention. https://web.archive.org/web/20131015020019/http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/1991.html. October 15, 2013. dead. January 26, 2006. mdy-all.
  76. Web site: Neil Gaiman. 2011. The Locus Index to SF Awards: Index to Literary Nominees. Locus. https://web.archive.org/web/20131014232309/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/NomLit50.html#1852. October 14, 2013. dead. mdy-all.
  77. Web site: Charles Vess. June 9, 2012. Lambiek Comiclopedia. https://web.archive.org/web/20121112134903/http://www.lambiek.net/artists/v/vess_charles.htm. November 12, 2012. live.
  78. Web site: 1990s Eisner Awards Recipients. 2013. San Diego Comic-Con International. https://web.archive.org/web/20130823041631/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/1990s-recipients. August 23, 2013. live. October 25, 2013.
  79. Web site: 2000 Hugo Awards. Hugo Awards. https://web.archive.org/web/20130930184208/http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2000-hugo-awards/. September 30, 2013. dead. April 17, 2011. mdy-all.
  80. Web site: 1999 Bram Stoker Award Winners & Nominees . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220813071933/http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/uncategorized/1999-bram-stoker-award-winners-nominees/ . 2022-08-13 . 2024-08-20 . The Bram Stoker Awards . en-US.
  81. Web site: 2003 Bram Stoker Award Winners & Nominees . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220529084948/http://www.thebramstokerawards.com/uncategorized/2003-bram-stoker-award-winners-nominees/ . 2022-05-29 . 2024-08-20 . The Bram Stoker Awards . en-US.
  82. Web site: Fred the Unlucky Black Cat. Neil. Gaiman. January 23, 2004. Neil Gaiman. https://web.archive.org/web/20140518140117/http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2004/01/fred-unlucky-black-cat.asp. May 18, 2014. live. August 29, 2011.
  83. Web site: The 25 Best Vertigo Books. Hilary. Goldstein. December 19, 2005. IGN. https://web.archive.org/web/20140518180304/http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/12/20/the-25-best-vertigo-books?page=5. May 18, 2014. live. The choice for No. 1 was not even close. There is Sandman and then there is everything else..
  84. Web site: 15 Must Read Graphic Novels. Andre. Borges. October 23, 2013. Mumbai, India. Daily News and Analysis. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006074729/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-15-must-read-graphic-novels-the-sandman-batman-year-one-the-walking-dead-sin-city-and-more-1899467. October 6, 2014. live.
  85. Web site: Moriarty takes a look at what Jon Peters has done with Neil Gaiman's Sandman property. November 29, 1998. Ain't It Cool News. https://web.archive.org/web/20131202225513/http://www.aintitcool.com/node/2571. December 2, 2013. live.
  86. Web site: Neil Gaiman's The Sandman escapes development Hell?. Wood. Gerard. September 9, 2010. Science Fiction World. https://web.archive.org/web/20131203015719/http://sciencefictionworld.com/tv/fantasy-tv/575-neil-gaimans-the-sandman-escapes-development-hell.html. December 3, 2013. dead. April 20, 2011. mdy-all.
  87. Web site: Gaiman on Stardust, Beowulf and Sandman. Ellison. Laura. Mania. August 7, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20131207114250/http://www.mania.com/gaiman-stardust-beowulf-sandman_article_90327.html. December 7, 2013. dead. December 23, 2008. mdy-all.
  88. Web site: Neil Gaiman Talks Sandman, Good Omens Adaptations. Jeff. Giles. October 5, 2007. Rotten Tomatoes. https://web.archive.org/web/20131216154042/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lost_in_la_mancha/news/1677304/neil-gaiman-talks-isandman-good-omensi-adaptations/. December 16, 2013. live.
  89. Web site: DC Entertainment Chief Reveals What's Next for Superman, Wonder Woman and 5 Superheroes Who Deserve Movies (Q&A). Borys. Kit. July 17, 2013. The Hollywood Reporter. https://web.archive.org/web/20140804045508/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dc-chief-superman-wonder-woman-586081?page=2. August 4, 2014. live.
  90. Web site: Jack Thorne To Script Sandman For Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Mike Jr.. Fleming. February 26, 2014. Deadline Hollywood. https://web.archive.org/web/20140711223037/http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/jack-thorne-to-script-sandman-for-joseph-gordon-levitt/. July 11, 2014. live. April 14, 2014. Jack Thorne has been set to script Sandman at Warner Bros based on the pitch that David Goyer made for his treatment for the Neil Gaiman comic book classic. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is producing with Goyer and the hope is for him to star and possibly direct..
  91. Web site: It's not a DC Comics film. It's a Vertigo film. That's a different slate of films, and a different announcement.. Gaiman. Neil. Tumblr. October 16, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141130032247/http://neil-gaiman.tumblr.com/post/100211415516/despite-talk-last-month-about-the-script-being. November 30, 2014 . live. October 16, 2014.
  92. Web site: David S. Goyer Taps Kevin Turen President As Superhero Vet Takes Indie Turn. Fleming . Mike Jr.. Deadline Hollywood. December 1, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150801235616/http://deadline.com/2014/12/david-s-goyer-dark-knight-hires-kevin-turen-president-indie-films-1201304542/. August 1, 2015 . live. December 1, 2014.
  93. Web site: Vertigo DC Movies Like Sandman Going To New Line; Warner Bros Keeps Batman, Superman, Justice League, Other DC Titles. Deadline Hollywood. Fleming . Mike Jr.. June 29, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150803032001/http://deadline.com/2015/06/vertigo-dc-new-line-sandman-joseph-gordon-levitt-warner-bros-dc-comics-1201461778/. August 3, 2015. live.
  94. News: Goldberg. Matt. Sandman: Producer David Goyer Comments on When It Might Go into Production. October 24, 2015. Collider. October 20, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151106045740/http://collider.com/sandman-movie-production-start-david-goyer/. November 6, 2015. live.
  95. Web site: Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Sandman Movie Finds Its Writer. The Hollywood Reporter. Kit. Borys. March 4, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160410101108/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/joseph-gordon-levitts-sandman-movie-872895. April 10, 2016. live.
  96. Web site: Joseph Gordon-Levitt Drops Out of The Sandman. Variety. McNary. Dave. March 5, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160827053732/http://variety.com/2016/film/news/joseph-gordon-levitt-sandman-drops-out-1201723703/. August 27, 2016. live.
  97. Web site: Another Screenwriter Leaves the Sandman Movie, Saying It Has to Be a TV Show. io9. Rome. Emily. November 3, 2016. November 10, 2016. January 26, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210126032419/https://io9.gizmodo.com/another-screenwriter-leaves-the-sandman-movie-saying-i-1788552482. dead.
  98. Web site: Comic icon The Sandman TV series in works. Hibberd. James. The Hollywood Reporter. November 30, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20140610112205/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/blogs/live-feed/comic-icon-sandman-tv-series-54387. June 10, 2014. live. April 20, 2011.
  99. Web site: Fox Nabs DC Entertainment 'Lucifer' Drama From Tom Kapinos As Put Pilot. Andreeva. Nellie. Deadline Hollywood. September 16, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141021194108/http://deadline.com/2014/09/lucifer-show-pilot-dc-comics-fox-834452/. October 21, 2014. live. September 16, 2014.
  100. Web site: 'Sandman' TV Series From Neil Gaiman, David Goyer – With Huge Price Tag – a Go at Netflix . Lesley . Goldburg . June 30, 2019 . June 30, 2019 . .
  101. Web site: Neil Gaiman's 'The Sandman' Casts Tom Sturridge, Gwendoline Christie, Vivienne Acheampong, Boyd Holbrook, Charles Dance, Asim Chaudhry And Sanjeev Bhaskar. Deadline Hollywood. Dino-Ray. Ramos. January 28, 2021. January 28, 2021.
  102. Web site: Del Rosario. Alexandra. 2021-05-26. 'The Sandman': Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park & Donna Preston Among 12 Added To Netflix Series. 2021-05-27. Deadline. en-US.
  103. Web site: The Sandman Sets Summer Release Date at Netflix – Watch New Trailer. TVline. Kimberly. Roots. June 6, 2022. June 6, 2022.
  104. Web site: Fox Nabs DC Entertainment Lucifer Drama From Tom Kapinos As Put Pilot. Andreeva. Nellie. Deadline Hollywood. September 16, 2014. September 16, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20151108212026/http://deadline.com/2014/09/lucifer-show-pilot-dc-comics-fox-834452/. November 8, 2015. live.
  105. Web site: Lucifer Gets Pilot Order At Fox, Len Wiseman Directing, Jerry Bruckheimer EP. Deadline Hollywood. Andreeva. Nellie. February 19, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150907222309/http://deadline.com/2015/02/lucifer-pilot-order-len-wiseman-director-jerry-bruckheimer-producer-fox-1201376635/. September 7, 2015. live.
  106. Web site: D.B. Woodside Joins Fox's Lucifer. Bryn Elise. Sandberg. Lesley. Goldberg. March 12, 2015. The Hollywood Reporter. https://web.archive.org/web/20150315045729/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/db-woodside-joins-foxs-lucifer-781120. March 15, 2015. live. The show stars Tom Ellis (Rush) as Lucifer, the bored and unhappy Lord of Hell who decides to resign his throne for the beauty of Los Angeles. He gets his kicks helping the LAPD punish criminals..
  107. Web site: 2021-04-22 . The Dead Boy Detectives Are Coming to Doom Patrol . 2022-10-14 . DC . en.
  108. Web site: Otterson . Joe . 2021-11-22 . 'Dead Boy Detectives' HBO Max Pilot Sets Main Cast (EXCLUSIVE) . 2022-10-14 . Variety . en-US.
  109. Web site: 'The Sandman' by Neil Gaiman to Become an Audible Original. Audible. March 4, 2020. May 14, 2020.
  110. Web site: James McAvoy to Lead 'Sandman' Audible Drama (Exclusive). Couch. Aaron. The Hollywood Reporter. May 13, 2020. May 14, 2020.
  111. Web site: 'The Sandman: Act II' on Audible Premiere Date Set, James McAvoy Returns to Lead Star-Studded Cast. July 22, 2021.
  112. Surprise, The Sandman fans! Audible just released Act III of their audiobook adaptation . Entertainment Weekly . Christian . Holub . September 28, 2022 . October 3, 2022.