Five Things You Might Not Know About Neil Gaiman's 'The Sandman'

With the release of Netflix's 'The Sandman' series just around the corner, here are some facts we bet you didn't know about the graphic novel-turned-series

Above Courtesy of Netflix

If you haven't heard yet, the live-action adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Sandman comic book series is set to release on Netflix on August 5 of this year. Audiences will be introduced to the world of Dream (also known as Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, among many names) and what has happened to it after he had been captured and held prisoner for a century. As his absence has set events in motion that will change both the waking and dreaming worlds forever, Dream must journey through worlds and timelines to mend mistakes and set the worlds right.

Many newcomers to the world of Dream will expect to be taken on quite a ride in this tale of dark fantasy that explores humanity through the eyes of immortal beings. But before the worldwide release date of the series, there are quite a few tidbits to know about the comic book series that it is adapted from.

Written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics, The Sandman is a comic book with an original print run of 75 issues which ran from January 1989 to March 1996. During this time, it was illustrated by 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 Sandman went on to be placed under DC's Vertigo imprint from issue 47 and became Vertigo's title, while reprints have been published under DC's Black Label imprint following Vertigo's retirement in 2020.

In this list, Tatler explores some facts about the iconic comic book series that you likely didn't know:

Above The Sandman Official Trailer

Gaiman’s Sandman wasn’t DC’s first Sandman

Jack Kirby's Sandman Vol. 1 (Photo: DrJohnnyDiablo/DC.Fandom.com)

Above Jack Kirby's Sandman Volume 1 (Photo: DrJohnnyDiablo/DC.Fandom.com)

Neil Gaiman's Sandman Vol. 1 (Photo: Brian Kurtz/DC.Fandom.com)

Above Neil Gaiman's Sandman Volume 1 (Photo: Brian Kurtz/DC.Fandom.com)

During his early career as a comic book writer for DC Comics, Neil Gaiman wanted to revive the character of the Sandman, originally by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, whom they originally wrote in the '70s. This character had the power to enter people’s dreams and, with the help of sidekicks Brute and Glob, protect them from nightmares. By pure coincidence, the Sandman had been revived for Infinity, Inc. and so was unavailable. DC Editor Karen Berger, however, liked Gaiman’s pitch so much that she said “just keep the name and go have fun.” And so, The Sandman, the Endless that we all know and love, was born.

'The Sandman' made it to The New York Times Best Seller List

The Sandman is one of the first graphic novels ever to be included on The New York Times Best Seller list, along with Maus, Watchmen, and The Dark Knight Returns. Gaiman's later spin-off, Endless Nights, went on to become the first hardcover graphic novel ever to earn a spot on the list.

'The Sandman' was the first comic book to win a literary prize

The Sandman issue #19, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Charles Vess, won the World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction in 1991. This win was controversial, however, as the administration stated that “comics and graphic novels were not intended to be eligible for that category.”

'The Sandman: Overture' came almost 20 years later

Above The Sandman: Overture (Photo: DC Comics)

Written 20 years after the end of the beloved comic series, The Sandman: Overture is an answer to a fan question that had kept getting asked through all those years. It is a prequel to the comic's original run and debuted in 2013. It seeks to explain how Dream, an immortal being, was able to be trapped by a minor magician's spell at the beginning of the original The Sandman. Dream had just finished saving all of reality from a dream vortex (as told in Overture) and so was understandably weakened, leaving him vulnerable to even a minor magician's spell.

'Lucifer' is a spin-off from 'The Sandman'

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From first appearing in The Sandman #4, the character Lucifer Samael Morningstar grew popular enough to warrant his own comic. This led to a series on Fox starring Tom Ellis as Lucifer, which was sadly cancelled after three seasons. Thankfully Netflix picked it up after the cancellation, giving fans of the Devil-on-earth another three seasons.

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Netflix Sandman Neil Gaiman series graphic novel comic book

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