Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: Alan Moore, alex toth, bernie wrightson, Bill Draut, Bob Haney, Charles Vess, chris bachalo, chris brunner, Dann Thomas, dave mckean, dc comics, Gardner F Fox, garth ennis, jack kirby, Jack Oleck, Jack Sparling, jamie delano, jeffrey catherine jones, jerry ordway, Joe Orlando, joe simon, John Ridgway, john totleben, kelley jones, len wein, Malcolm Jones III, Mark Hanerfeld, Mark Hanerfield, marv wolfman, michael fleisher, michael zulli, mike carey, mike dringenberg, mike sekowsky, neil gaiman, Nestor Redondo, netflix, Paul Levitz, Richard Piers Rayner, rick veitch, ross andru, roy thomas, sam kieth, sandman, Stephen Bissette, Steve Dillon, steve parkhouse

Comic Creators With Special Thanks in Sandman & Why (SPOILERS)

Published Sat, 06 Aug 2022 07:57:31 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Sun, 07 Aug 2022 06:30:58 -0500

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The Sandman TV series on Netflix has plenty of comic book creator credits to share. But who and for what for? There may be very, very minor spoilers going forward – but a) if you know the comic, it's hard to get spoiled by knowing the comic book characters will be in the TV show and b) if you don't know the comic, you won't know who they are to be spoiled. But belts and braces, I guess. [Ed. Note: There are so many things wrong with those points just now, it hurts… it literally hurts] The TV show credits Neil Gaiman as an Executive Producer and as developing the show with David Goyer and Allan Heinberg. The main comic book credit is "Based on DC Comic The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg" with the final credits by Sandman cover artist Dave McKean. This included the majority of the initial characters in Sandma .But how about the individual episodes? And for what are they credited? Neil Gaiman just tweeted a correction, saying "We're crediting the artists on the original story and character creators" so we will bear that in mind. First, here are all the credits as listed for Special Thanks:

Episode 1: Paul Levitz, Joe Orlando, Jack Oleck, Nestor Redondo, Jack Sparling.
Episode 2: Gardner F Fox, Bob Haney, Paul Levitz, Joe Orlando, Jack Oleck, Nestor Redondo, Jack Sparling, Alex Toth, Mike Sekowsky, Mark Hanerfeld, Bill Draut
Episode 3: Stephen Bissette, Mike Carey, Steve Dillon, Gardner F Fox, John Ridgway, John Totleben, Len Wein, Chris Brunner, Jamie Delano, Garth Ennis, Richard Piers Rayner, Mike Sekowsky, Rick Veitch, Bernie Wrightson
Episode 4: Kelley Jones, Mike Sekowsky, Bernie Wrightson, Gardner F Fox, Malcolm Jones III, Len Wein,
Episode 5: Malcolm Jones III, Len Wein, Mike Sekowsky, Bernie Wrightson, Gardner F Fox
Episode 6: Jeffrey Catherine Jones, Steve Parkhouse, Rick Veitch, Stephen Bissette, Michael Zulli, Malcolm Jones III, John Totleben
Episode 7: Ross Andru, Mark Hanerfield, Jack Kirby, Jerry Ordway, Nestor Redondo, Dann Thomas, Alex Toth, Len Wein, Bill Draut, Malcolm Jones III, Paul Levitz, Joe Orlando, Joe Simon, Roy Thomas, Charles Vess, Bernie Wrightson
Episode 8: Ross Andru, Michael Fleisher, Jack Kirby, Jerry Ordway, Nestor Redondo, Dann Thomas, Len Wein, Chris Bachalo, Malcolm Jones III, Paul Levitz, Joe Orlando, Joe Simon, Roy Thomas, Bernie Wrightson
Episode 9: Ross Andru, Malcolm Jones III, Paul Levitz, Joe Orlando, Joe Simon, Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Chris Bachalo, Jack Kirby, Jerry Ordway, Nestor Redondo, Dann Thomas, Charles Vess, Bernie Wrightson
Episode 10: Ross Andru, Malcolm Jones III, Paul Levitz, Joe Orlando, Len Wein, Bernie Wrightson, Kelley Jones, Jack Kirby, Jerry Ordway, Joe Simon, Roy Thomas, Marv Wolfman

And here is what we think they were for. Feel free to make any additions or corrections, I'll update the article and credit you.

Lucien the Librarian was created by Paul Levitz and Nestor Redondo and first appeared in Weird Mystery Tales #18 in 1975.
Gregory The Gargoyle was created by Jack Oleck and Jack Sparling in House of Mystery #175.
Cain was the "host" of the EC-style horror comic anthologies The House of Mystery which ran from the 1950s through the early 1980s and was created by Bob Haney, Jack Sparling and Joe Orlando, first appearing in The House of Mystery #175 in 1968 written by Jack Oleck and was modelled on Len Wein.
Abel was the respective "host" of the EC-style horror comic anthology The House of Secrets, which ran from the 1950s through the early 1980s, created by Mark Hanerfeld, Bill Draut, and Joe Orlando and first appeared in DC Special #4 in 1969. Mark Hanerfeld was the model for Abel.

Gardner F Fox is the co-creator of the Golden Age Sandman, whose first appearance was in 1939 in Adventure Comics #40 and New York World's Fair Comics. He also co-created John Dee, Doctor Destiny with Mike Sekowsky for Justice League of America #5 in 1961.
Stephen Bissette, John Totleben and Rick Veitch are co-creators of John Constantine with Alan Moore, who first appeared in Swamp Thing #37 and DC Sampler #3 in 1984/85.
Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson created Matt Cable who became Matthew The Raven, in Swamp Thing #1 in 1972.

Alex Toth is the co-creator of The Hecate, the Three Witches for The Witching Hour #1 in 1968, appearing in Sandman as The Fates.
Jamie Delano and John Ridgway created Chas Chandler in Hellblazer #1 in 1987.
Jamie Delano and Richard Piers Rayner created Astra and told the story of Newcastle in Hellblazer #11 in 1988, as well the first mention of Constantine's punk and Mucous Membrane, here renamed Muchas Membrane.
Steve Dillon and Garth Ennis created Renee Chandler in Hellblazer #49 in 1991 and Rick The Vic in Hellblazer #63 in 1993 – though Ric is now Erica The Vicar.
Chris Brunner drew Hellblazer #196 in 2004, written by Mike Carey, who also wrote Lucifer and reworked the story of Astra in Hell.
Malcolm Jones III drew Sandman and co-created Death with Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg, and inked Calliope and Dream Of A Thousand Cats.
Kelley Jones pencilled Sandman including Calliope, Dream Of A Thousand Cats and Season Of Mists, with Malcolm Jones III and Mike Dringenberg.

Jeffrey Catherine Jones drew the Death: Winter's Tale story in Vertigo's Winter's Edge in 1998 used in episode 6. (Thanks Neil)
Charles Vess drew the Sandman story, A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Steve Parkhouse and Michael Zulli co-created Hob Gadling and joined Mike Dringenberg, Malcolm Jones III and Chris Bachalo in the Doll's House storyline. Bachalo drew the Death mini-series written by Gaiman.
Jack Kirby and Joe Simon created the Sandman superhero character, Garrett Sanford in The Sandman #1 from 1975.
Michael Fleisher wrote #2 to #6 of that series from 1975 to 1976.
Jerry Ordway, Dann Thomas and Roy Thomas created Hector Hall who became a new Sandman in All-Star Squadron #25 in 1983,
Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas and Ross Andru created Lyta Hall for Wonder Woman #300 in 1983.
Destiny was created by Marv Wolfman and Bernie Wrightson for Weird Mystery Tales #1 in 1972.

There are a few omissions. Alan Moore chooses not to be credited for the work-for-hire DC Comics such as co-created Constantine. Oliver is mentioned as Constantine's ex-New York boyfriend, and was created by Ming Doyle, James Tynion IV and Riley Rossmo. The Pied Piper eas created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino. Constantine's ex-girlfriend is Sara is Sara Lance from the Arrowverse TV shows and appeared in the first episode of Arrow. And the Golden Age original Sandman was co-created by Bert Christman.

Any more for any more? What did I get wrong? What did I get not quite as right as I should have? Neil?