The Sandman (Netflix)

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Well everyone, its finally here.


Undeniably Neil Gaimans greatest work and masterpiece The Sandman has come to Netflix. Finally I know how the readers of GRRMs Song of Fire and Ice novels felt when the books came to screen on HBO. Get ready for a very unique ride. Will it be as good as the comic? Probably not. The books are almost always better than the film. Having said that I read the entire series from when it first came out in 1992, and to whoever I met that didnt read comics yet enjoyed proper storytelling mixed with horror, I always suggested they read The Sandman. Yes Ive been suggesting this title for 30 years. I had collected comics for over 25 years, have read comics from the 1960s to present, and can honestly say this is in the top 3 comic book series of all time.

The first 10 episodes are available on Netflix.

I hope it doesn't disappoint.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I am in episode 4 and have mostly enjoyed this run so far. The visuals are very nice and casting works well with the exception of Mathew, though he grows on me. The pace is quite slow but I think it is spot on, given the tone. So far, it is considerably more consistent than say The Witcher, as every episode has continued forward into the story without any goofy distractions to delay things. Sure, there are bits here and there that fall into the generic Dr. Who stylings, but overall I am impressed coming from Netflix. With just a slight bump in effects and sets, this would feel right at home within HBO's lineup, IMO.

If you enjoyed Reeve's Constantine, then this should work for you too.



Yeah, I was just gonna say in the 'Box that it may be too slow for some. Its 10 episodes. They aren't all an hour long tho, and after episode 5, it starts moving along pretty good I thought. Episode 6 is my favorite. I thought the 'Death character was great. And really had me thinking about Dead Like Me. Man that was a good show.

Anyway, as mark said earlier about Prey... this was pretty ok. And maybe even better than that. I actually want a second season, so that's a great start! Most shows today are soooo mediocre and easy to forget about. This one tho, if it could get 2 or 3 seasons under its belt could be pretty damn good.
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Also. I bet @TONGO is all over this and can break it down for me. Is this really a DC comic? Gimme the juice big dog. Is this something DC bought? Or is it really a longtime DC book?



Also. I bet @TONGO is all over this and can break it down for me. Is this really a DC comic? Gimme the juice big dog. Is this something DC bought? Or is it really a longtime DC book?
It was a really longtime DC comic, but they did something that had rarely ever been done in comics by cancelling it after the story was told (issue).

Issue 1

Before Alan Moore emerged on the scene in the late 80s with his groundbreaking work on Swamp Thing, where he introduced the character of John Constantine, the only way comics ever made money was thru new cool characters or a well followed artist. Never before was a writer ever a draw for readers. I mention Moore because without him there would be no Neil Gaiman, who DC backed to bring something never seen before into comics like Moore had done with Swamp Thing and Watchmen. Normally this is a recipe for disappointment or even disaster, but The Sandman surpassed all expectations, even those wanting it to succeed.

Remember this came out 30 years ago, this type of material just simply wasnt around back then, in any form or venue. Marvel was running with the edgy macho grim style (Wolverine, Punisher, etc...) comics, Image followed suit with Spawn, and all were commercially successful. The Sandman, like Swamp Thing, had all those elements but was the only title that could match Moores storytelling style. It was something special, like how Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad were head and shoulders above other successful series at their time, The Sandman was also in comics.

The reason why the John Constantine character wasnt used in the Netflix series
https://www.cbr.com/sandman-netflix-...ine-explained/


From Wikipedia - "Critically acclaimed, The Sandman was one of the first few graphic novels ever to be on The New York Times Best Seller list, along with Maus, Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns. It was one of five graphic novels to make Entertainment Weekly's "100 best reads from 1983 to 2008," ranking at No. 46. Norman Mailer described the series as "a comic strip for intellectuals." 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."

Everyone please have patience. Better Call Saul and Game of Thrones got better as time wore on, and The Sandman is no exception. They wrapped up the series with issue 75. Gaiman had told the story, and all rightly felt nobody could follow his view on the character and the world he created. The series enjoyed an incredibly successful trade paperback run as the stories were what everyone wanted, not the actual comic. From Wiki - 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."

I wanted to do the description justice, but Im no Neil Gaiman I actually havent finished the tv series yet, about to watch episode 5 which goes into the Diner storyline. This so happened to be the first Sandman issue I ever read.



A friend informed me of this series actual existence (last I heard was years ago when Joseph Gordon Levitt was involved and was potentially playing Dream/Morpheus). I don't currently have Netflix and haven't really followed up, but are they going to do the straightforward thing and basically have each season follow a book/TPB from the series?


Admittedly, the first book/storyline goes a little slow and is still finding its voice, and I suspect they don't have the rights to have the characters from the DC universe proper to make their cameos. (Something even Gaiman admits didn't really work).


I imagine Season of Mists is the storyline that would get most audience viewers on board. Imagine if that was faithfully done, then people could get wonder, how did we go from their to that Lucifer tv series? (Admittedly, never watched, but it sounded bad).



Also. I bet @TONGO is all over this and can break it down for me. Is this really a DC comic? Gimme the juice big dog. Is this something DC bought? Or is it really a longtime DC book?

Early flagship DC Vertigo title. I think the first storyline preceded the actual breaking off of those comics into their own separate sub-brand (Vertigo).
So in the early comics, you do end up seeing Batman briefly, as I recall. Though the story is more concerned and spends more time in Arkham Asylum.



I read some issues of the Sandman as they came out (notably some issues from the end of the Orpheus storyline), but mostly went back and read the series shortly after it finished (aided by the fact of knowing someone who had all but the last two TPBs).


It was right after or right graduating from high school, so it was a formative age. There are other Gaiman comics I liked more, but there's something epic about the length of the Sandman story.


Now that this is actually happening, I think of how I've heard Marvel is struggling to figure out where to go after End Game, WB/DC never really got their expanded universe cohesively going, GoT was great for HBO but ran into the issue that the show runners weren't the writers of the books and nor had the books existing to work from, and on paper, The Sandman coming out as a series, that can have a clear progression of where they need to go and how to get there already laid out, just seems like an IP golden goose landing in Netflix's lap if they don't screw it up.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I finished the Cereal Convention episode last night and I MAY have spoken too soon. Things are slowing down for me and have become less about the Sandman as a lead and more as an observer, at best. There's nothing wrong with that, just I was really intrigued by the initial journey he was on. That seemed to have wrapped up around episode 5, so now we're mostly focused on supporting characters the the Sandman eventually intervenes on. As I understand it, that's how the comic run went too though. Just it was a bit jarring with the fanciful world building for the first half of the season to now spending so long with others in the story that don't really involve him.

I'm still invested, mind you, but I thought it only fair to offer the criticism that was missing from my earlier post.
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I just finished it and wonder if any women would think Gwendoline Christie would be hot is she were a man? Interesting pick for the devil.



That elusive hide-and-seek cow is at it again
I just finished it and wonder if any women would think Gwendoline Christie would be hot is she were a man? Interesting pick for the devil.

Where you stand on the season? I still have a few episodes left, I think.



I finished the Cereal Convention episode last night and I MAY have spoken too soon. Things are slowing down for me and have become less about the Sandman as a lead and more as an observer, at best. There's nothing wrong with that, just I was really intrigued by the initial journey he was on. That seemed to have wrapped up around episode 5, so now we're mostly focused on supporting characters the the Sandman eventually intervenes on. As I understand it, that's how the comic run went too though. Just it was a bit jarring with the fanciful world building for the first half of the season to now spending so long with others in the story that don't really involve him.

I'm still invested, mind you, but I thought it only fair to offer the criticism that was missing from my earlier post.

There are story arcs where he's very much the outside observer and it's about people interacting with The Dreaming. There are other story arcs that start with other people and Morpheus gets wrapped up and it becomes very much about him as well.


/Saying this from the comic, haven't watched the series.



While it can be a little slow at times its easily for me a top 5 maybe even top 3 DC title. The Dark Knight and Swamp Thing easily being 1 and 2. I know theres a few other DC titles I'm forgetting that aren't really part of the DC universe as it exists today. But its pretty good. If this show can have a few more seasons like this one then it will become the best DC show for sure. None of the Marvel shows are half this good. Even Loki, which I admit was pretty ok. But that's all. It was just pretty ok. I think I might even be down to rewatch this if they get another season. Maybe. I don't do that very often.



Netflix curse looms as "the top show in the world" circles cancelled drain



"The show is also very expensive to make – a reported $15 million per episode...."



Where you stand on the season? I still have a few episodes left, I think.
I just saw this. I liked it, and honestly cant think how they could have done it better. That is a buttload of money for production though.



The Adventure Starts Here!
Netflix curse looms as "the top show in the world" circles cancelled drain



"The show is also very expensive to make – a reported $15 million per episode...."
I BINGED IT! Took about 2-3 days to get through all the episodes, and I am not necessarily a huge fan of Gaiman or even graphic novels.

Oh, and I bought the first book (issues 1-20) of the graphic novel while I was bingeing the Netflix version and have started reading THAT. Did I mention I'm not a graphic novel fan?

I'm doing my part.



I BINGED IT! Took about 2-3 days to get through all the episodes, and I am not necessarily a huge fan of Gaiman or even graphic novels.

Oh, and I bought the first book (issues 1-20) of the graphic novel while I was bingeing the Netflix version and have started reading THAT. Did I mention I'm not a graphic novel fan?

I'm doing my part.



I've only watched two episodes this far (sorry, it's my fault if it gets canceled).

I usually like Gaiman's books, but I've never read the Sandman comics. I'm not a huge comics fan, and the concept never felt too appealing. The first two episodes didn't sell the idea to me, either. I'll probably continue at some point (my brother says that it slightly improves after those two episodes, but then again, I've waded through full seasons of garbage without seeing his reported improvements before).
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