But he reveals to characters who they really are, building living dreams and nightmares from the minds of humans. In subtle ways, Gaiman uses the Endless as metaphors to make grand observations about humanity: In the first issue, when Dream is captured instead of Death, Dream is dismissed as a useless god. They’re both timeless and contemporary, immortal but changeable, appearing in Victorian dress or punk attire, depending on what century and culture they’re moving through, and reflecting changing attitudes. But before he got to “American Gods,” Gaiman went broader, imagining that a family of personified abstractions called the Endless - Dream, Death, Desire, Despair, Delirium, Destiny and Destruction - each exist in their own realms, with their unique personalities and relations to one another. In his novel “American Gods,” he chronicled the clash between old-world beliefs and the technologies and ideas we’ve installed as idols in modern society. He takes classic mythologies from around the world - not just Anglocentric gods, but deities from Africa, Southeast Asia and more - and pairs them with his own imaginative creations. Journeys Through Mythic Landsįans of Gaiman’s work know that he’s a god-maker. For those new to Morpheus and friends, here are some reasons the original issues are still so revered. Though not all viewers will be familiar with The Sandman, the original series remains a seminal work in the world of comics and beyond. Gaiman himself has overseen the adaptation as a writer and executive producer. Finally, on Friday, fans will get to meet the dream-king (now played by the willowy British actor Tom Sturridge) and his six supernatural siblings in Netflix’s take on the story. Several TV and movie adaptations were started and paused over the years, including a highly publicized film project that was going to be directed by and star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as Morpheus, until it fizzled over creative differences. When he is captured and imprisoned in the first issue, the repercussions of the event extend beyond the dreamscape into the waking world, where Morpheus must eventually travel to set things right.įor decades, fans have eagerly awaited an adaptation of The Sandman, though there were several clear obstacles to a successful screen version, including its expansive story and the sure-to-be intense scrutiny of those same fans.
The Sandman, Neil Gaiman’s best-selling DC Comics series that lasted for 75 issues in its original run, from 1989 to 1996, follows Morpheus, a cosmic being who wields power over dreams.
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