Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: Charles Vess, colleen doran, dc comics, jamie delano, neil gaiman, rick veitch, sandman, Stephen Bissette

Comic Book Creators On The Sandman Comic React To… Sandman

Published Mon, 08 Aug 2022 10:28:11 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Comments

Sandman was always more than just Neil Gaiman. There were a whole host of comic creators, before and during the creation of the comic, who have seen their work credited in the new TV series, and will do for future seasons. So, aside from Neil, how are creators whose work appears, will appear or gets referenced in this comic, reacting? Some of them art posting art and telling stories about working on the comic.

Charles Vess: I think that we should call this national Sandman day don't you? This, of course, isn't actually Sandman, its a depiction of Oberon and Titania from an edition of A Midsummer Night's Dream that I illustrated long ago which, in fact, prompted Neil to ask me to draw issue #19 of the comic series, but it sure looks like Morpheus to me.

Bryan Talbot: How can you honestly and genuinely compare a work of art that is translated from one genre to another? What I know is that #TheSandman TV and comic both moved me to tears in equal amounts. Thank you @neilhimself and everyone who made the Sandman TV show possible.

Colleen Doran: The only thing wrong with the first season of #Sandmanonnetflix was that it was too short. The Corinthian was perfection and @MasonAPark was absolutely DELICIOUS, like watching a human candy apple, and you want to take a bite! Cannot wait for Season 2! Tom Sturridge as #Sandman brings something to the screen we don't see often enough. Restraint. Subtlety. And a knife's edge elegance. Others would have made it bombastic and missed the quiet grace, menace, and brittle fragility. Less really is sometimes…well, less. But with Sturridge as #Sandman he is like a whirlpool you fall into. He commands attention with small moments, and when his power is unleashed, he's truly grand, not vulgar and showy. He's stately. And I've still got COVID fatigue, so I'm going to whip up a nice healthy smoothie, crawl into bed, and get some rest while watching more #Sandman Then I'll get back to work…. OK, OK, one more thing about #SANDMAN, I love the quiet, understated beauty of Sturridge's performance, but there is this one moment that kills me, when he's strolling that path out of hell like he's walking the catwalk for Prada, he be all "I own this stage, beeeyatch!" Beauty! Ok, that strut moment is more like "The Devil may wear Prada, but I wear VERSACE." Sandman. Brush and ink with gold ink. I can't recall if this is real gold ink or an imitation gold pen, but I suspect the latter. Private commission.

Rick Veitch: With all the hoopla surrounding the new Sandman series on Netflix, it got me wondering. Am I the only writer, other than Neil Gaiman, to have written Morpheus in a DC comic? Swamp Thing #84 March 1989. Script by me, pencils Tom Mandrake, inks Alfredo Alcala, lettering John Costanza, edits Karen Berger.

Not the only one, Rick, but definitely the first…

Jamie Delano: Pleased to welcome some new followers in the wake of my Sandman/Constantine input… but, if you're hoping for a lot of comics insight, I fear I may disappoint. ;) Occurs to me that a more media-savvy cynic might exploit transitory attention fostered by a comment on #TheSandman to point out that if my interpretation of John Constantine was once appealing, readers might also enjoy my 'Leepus' novels which arise from the same bad mind. ;) http://lepusbooks.co.uk currently down due to server issues, but the usual retail monsters can fulfil your desire in the meantime. And – I coincidentally discover – the Kindle editions are currently ridiculously undervalued at a frankly insulting <£5.00.

Andy Diggle: I hope you got more than just a thank you for the Casanova Club stuff in the show.

Jamie Delano: I'm radiating reflected glory. ;)

That would be the scene in Newcastle, ripped straight from Hellblazer #11.

Stephen Bissette: FUN STUFF: Profound thanks to Neil Gaiman for seeing to this in the SANDMAN series credits. And hey, my name spelled correctly, at that.

And a few others joined in too!

Andy Diggle: My favourite thing about #Sandman on Netflix is that everyone pronounces the name Constantine properly. Fucking finally!My favourite thing about #Sandman on Netflix is that everyone pronounces the name Constantine properly. Fucking finally!

Stephen Platt: Congratulations to Neil Gaiman and all involved with THE SANDMAN. This piece was done around 2011. Themes of change , metamorphosis, and the unending spiral of creation.

Bill Sienkiewicz: Congratulations to Neil Gaiman! and everyone involved with The Sandman. #Smash

Heather Antos: THE SANDMAN is fucking rad. *This* is how you do a comic adaptation.

Gail Simone: Wait, there's a Sandman comic?

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!