The Sandman is not a new phenomenon revived by Netflix, but has been one of the most successful comics of DC Comics aside from Superman, Batman and company. Joe Simon and Michael Fleisher were the first to bring it to life, but at that time the production did not reach the echo that the company intended. It was not until Neil Gaiman took control of it that he managed to build a specific lore for him, of a darker and more terrifying nature, and that it did not take long to obtain the approval of his readers .
Contrary to the most important figures in North American publishing, it does not fit into the superhero genre, but rather horror and science fiction stories influenced by elements of aesthetic culture, occultism, religious symbols and fantasy. classical mythology. In it, gods, demons and humans faced off in an unparalleled fight from a perspective far removed from the childishness that characterized the comics of the time.
The curious thing is that the initial success has taken 3 decades to make the leap to television . But the wait has been worth it, since the adaptation will remain quite faithful to the original, with a raw and adult atmosphere in which topics such as drugs, violence or death are dealt with, something that does not make it advisable for children. .
Have you seen the series and want to move on to the books? Do not worry, because we are going to explain what events you have seen in the series that was captured on paper and what the hypothetical future seasons can bring us.
What books does The Sandman Netflix series cover ?
Without going into spoilers for those who have not seen the series or, on the contrary, do not know the books, we will not reveal what happens, but simply establish a comparison. The first season of the series will be based on the first two volumes of the books , Preludes and Nocturnes and A Doll’s House . That is, it is seen from chapter 1 to 16 of the books.
In total, there are more than 10 books:
- Dreamland , from chapter 17 to 20
- Season of mists, from chapter 21 to 28
- Fables and reflections , from chapter 39 to 31, although its special edition also includes chapters 38, 39, 40 and 50.
- I play to be you , from chapter 32 to 37
- Brief Lives , from chapter 41 to 49
- The End of the Worlds , from chapter 51 to 56
- The benevolent ones , from chapter 57 to 69
- The wake , from chapter 70 to 75
That would be the main series, but it’s not the only one out there . Among the most recommended spinoffs, we find:
- The Song of Orpheus , which tells of the son of Dream.
- Eternal Nights , which are various short stories of the Eternals.
- Overture , which is a prequel to the main saga and explains some events of Preludes and Nocturnes , which will allow us to know more about everything that happens before starting the series.
At the moment we have to make do with the 10 chapters of the first season , in which the first 16 chapters of the comics are told. Allan Heinberg, the showrunner of the Netflix series, has assured that they are currently writing the possible scripts for the second season. Making calculations, they could need at least 4 seasons more than 10 chapters to cover the entire production of Neil Gaiman.
Analysis of Neil Gaiman ‘s The Sandman
Without a doubt, we are facing one of the main comic works of the 20th century . He has accumulated, among other awards, 26 Eisners, several Hugos and a World Fantasy Award. There are many reasons to enjoy it and its Netflix adaptation has managed to perfectly capture the drawings and stories of the comics.
His way of interpreting dark fantasy is exceptional. Despite portraying fictional events, she does not hesitate to deal with earthly, emotional and human themes , something that makes her more intriguing and interesting. Despite the fact that it tells several stories at the same time, they are presented in a coherent way, which suggests that Netflix intends to renew it soon, especially if we take into account that it has become the quintessential summer series.
