The Sandman is one of the most critically acclaimed comic series of all time. Created by Neil Gaiman and a host of talented artists over the years, The Sandman ran for 75 issues from 1989 to 1996 and told the story of Dream the Endless, the lord of Dreaming. The critically acclaimed series told stories that stretched across time and explored conceptual themes of creation, life, death, and the power of a good story. Numerous filmmakers have attempted to adapt the series as a movie or television show for almost three decades, making the title as much a high priority as Superman or Batman. The Sandman premiered its first season on Netflix on August 5, 2022, and while no word yet remains on a season two, fans are already eagerly anticipating what comes next.
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Yet the story of The Sandman is so much greater than just the 75 issues that make up the original run. The title was so popular that DC’s mature imprint Vertigo kept the story going for years with various spin-offs and one-shots, and in 2018 launched The Sandman Universe, a line of comics that expanded The Sandman corner of the DC Universe with new titles, concepts, and creative teams. This is a franchise rich with detail, and various corners to explore that span different points in history and across different genres.
Johanna Constantine
Netflix
The Sandman introduces Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman), an original character for the series that is a gender-swapped version of John Constantine, even down to having the character’s exact backstory with a girl named Astra. Given the character Constantine is one of the most popular characters in the DC Universe and held their own long-running series Hellblazer, the series’ creators would have plenty of material to draw from for a spin-off series focused on Johanna.
However, the only issue is that HBO Max is developing its own Constantine series. Originally Warner Bros. held very strict rules about more than one incarnation of a popular character, as noted by Arrow killing off Deadshot shortly after the announcement of Suicide Squad in 2006 or how Justice League Unlimited was not allowed to use any Batman villains due to The Batman on Kids WB (which itself was restricted from using Ra’s Al Ghul, Scarecrow, and Two-Face due to plans for Batman Begins). Now Warner Bros. has sort of been more open to different incarnations, but one has to wonder that two competing Constantine shows on two rival streaming platforms would not be something they would allow. If they were to, however, there are plenty of Constantine stories to tell and Johanna could forge her own path.
Lucifer
This is a tricky one, as DC has already adapted Lucifer as a television series. The 2016 Fox series which moved to Netflix starring Tom Ellis was a loose adaptation of the Lucifer comic created by Mike Carey that ran from 2000 to 2006. That TV show began within the parameters of a television procedural, but as the series went on it brought in more elements from the comic along with its own spin.
That might prevent another crack at the Lucifer series from getting an adaptation, but if there can be multiple incarnations of Batman and Superman’s story, then there is room for two different versions of Lucifer. A new version of the series, with The Sandman’s incarnation played by Gwendoline Christie, could be closer in tone and spirit to the original comic and serve not only as an extension of The Sandman series but as an interesting exercise in how the same series can be adapted in two very different ways.
The Dreaming
The Sandman was such a popular title for DC and its imprint Vertigo that, shortly after it concluded its 75 issues run, Neil Gaiman began work on a spin-off series titled The Dreaming set in Dream’s mystical titular dimension. The Dreaming gave storylines to various supporting characters that have already been seen on the series like The Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook), Mervyn Pumpkinhead (Mark Hamill), Matthew the Raven (Patton Oswalt), and Lucienne (Vivienne Acheampong), just to name a few.
The ensemble show could explore the storylines of the characters after The Sandman, or fill in the gap between what all the characters were doing while Dream was held captive on Earth. An entire world of dreams opens the door for some incredible visuals, and stories that could push the boundaries weaving in and out between fantasy, horror, humor, and drama very much like the original Sandman series. A series set in a land of dreams is the perfect fantasy series setting and one that should not go to waste.
Merv Pumpkinhead: Agent of Dream
In 2000, Vertigo published a one-shot comic titled Merv Pumpkinhead: Agent of Dream which saw the character go from janitor of The Dreaming to secret agent who teams up with a mortal woman from the waking world. While this one-issue, fun riff on the spy genre seems more like a better fit for an individual episode in The Dreaming series, it also provides an exciting potential to expand the franchise, not just with a different genre but also by giving depth to a side character often made for comedic purposes. Many great spin-offs begin with a supporting player undergoing a major life change, and Merv deciding to become a secret agent could provide the creators a fun opportunity to blend fantasy with classic 60s era James Bond spy stories.
Death
Death feels the most tailor-made for a spin-off series. The sister of Dream the Endless, Death is an important figure in The Sandman series and was brought to life beautifully in season 1, episode 6 by Kirby Howell-Baptiste. Gaiman’s unique interpretation of Death made the character an instant fan favorite in the comics, and Gaiman wrote two different storylines for her. The first was in 1993 titled Death: The High Cost of Living which revealed that Death takes human form once a century, to remain grounded and in touch with humanity. The concept makes for a great comic series, and an attempt to make it into a film was previously in development at New Line with Guillermo Del Toro on board as producer.
The second storyline, Death: Time of Your Life, was published in 1996 and saw returning characters from The Sandman, Donna Foxglove and her partner Hazel McNamara make a deal with Death to spare the life of Alvie, Hazel’s son. In 2003, writer Jill Thomas wrote Death: At Death’s Door, which was a child-friendly and humorous approach to the character. All three of these series could be combined to form the basis of a series focused on Death and exploring more deep human themes that the character lends itself to, a kind of modern update of the great series Dead Like Me from 2003.
The Books of Magic
DC Comics
No, that isn’t Harry Potter, that is Timothy Hunter who was created seven years before the Boy Who Lived’s first book was published. Long before Warner Bros. had Harry Potter, they had Timothy Hunter, who was created by Neil Gaiman in the comic miniseries The Books of Magic in 1990, which eventually became a long-running series in 1994. The series focuses on Timothy Hunter, a 12-year-old boy who is destined to grow up to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world. He is given an extensive tour of the DC magical universe by various magic users before being able to decide if he should embrace or reject his destiny. The later series explored Timothy’s family, his friends, and his training to become a powerful sorcerer.
While the original comic used characters like Zatanna, Doctor Fate, The Phantom Stranger, and more characters which likely couldn’t be used in a series spinning out from The Sandman, characters like Dream himself, Death, Johanna Constantine, and more could fill the roles that help guide Timothy.
The comics ran a total of 79 issues, so there are plenty of stories to tell that could help make a new corner for the growing universe, one seen through the eyes of a young boy who has a heroic destiny in a world filled with a powerful magical being. While Warner Bros. figures out what to do with Harry Potter (and the controversy surrounding author J.K. Rowling), they have a prime replacement.
Sandman Mystery Theater
Vertigo
Arguably one of the most interesting titles, Sandman Mystery Theater was a 70-issue series from 1993 to 1999 that focused on the original Golden Age hero Wesley Dodds (who first appeared in 1939), who used the moniker of Sandman. The series was approved due to the popularity of The Sandman comics by Gaiman, and DC wanted to put the spotlight on the original Sandman. The series is a pulp adventure story, with Dodds being a vigilante who uses a gas mask to knock his enemies out.
While The Sandman does sever ties to the DC Universe, with it being a fictional thing that exists within the series, it is possible for Wesley Dodds and his adventures as Sandman to still exist. The comic sees Dodds and his girlfriend Dian Belmont (daughter of the District Attorney) encounter several often grotesque foes and has more in common with pulp detective stories than superhero adventures, and the relationship has a lot in common with Nick and Nora Charles in The Thin Man films.
The 1930s makes for a unique setting to expand The Sandman universe, by both exploring the time period where Dream was held captive but also tackling issues like the end of the Great Depression, the rise of Fascism and the looming threat of World War II, racism, and other topical issues of the day. In many ways, it could give DC the avenue to explore their Golden Age superhero in the setting in which they were created, something they have never quite had before, all while being able to touch on the real issues of the time to match the mature thoughtful storytelling audiences come to expect from The Sandman.
