Netflix: Everything you need to know about The Sandman

To many, this is the comic that Borges would have written if, in fact, Borges had devoted himself to it. And, as a (very) hasty synthesis, it’s not bad. That’s why sandman, The cartoon that distinguished English screenwriter Neil Gaiman, The Argentinian author shares with the work the fine goldsmith not only in his use of the word, but also in his repetition of some existential and metaphysical themes, such as the mechanics of the universe; The intervention of the gods in human affairs, the circularity of time, the essence of eternity, immortality and dreams, and the idea of ​​the infinite as an ever-expanding library.

According to Gaiman, sandman is “the best” Mix Between modern myths and dark fantasy, where contemporary fiction, historical drama and ancient fiction seamlessly intertwine. And he does so while visiting people and places influenced by Morpheus, the king of dreams, during his efforts to correct the cosmic and human wrongs he made during his vast existence. Phrases that defined the plot arc of the first season of Sandman, the long-awaited series that premiered on Netflix today.

Screenwriter and producer David S. According to Goyer—similar to the Batman trilogy filmed by Christopher Nolan—”sandman It is an extremely complex narrative and at the same time, it is very easy for the viewer to follow. That is the biggest strength of the double condition series. In fact, it is none other than Neil’s authoritative voice, a quality that has made him coveted as a writer by millions of fans around the world. Living up to that voice has been the biggest win of the series.”

Since the comic was released in January 1989, sandman managed to forge itself as a metanarrative universe filled with symbols filled with multicultural references and nurtured by an exuberant literary tradition, all filtered by the author’s sophisticated and elegant British phlegm. From Shakespeare to Cervantes, Lewis Carroll, Mark Twain, Dickens, Chesterton, Tolkien, Michael Moorcock, H.P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury, Borges himself, fairy tales, Central European legends, passing through texts Arabian Nights, the Wizard of Oz, mass media, the rebellious power of punk and gothic romanticism, the poetry of Elvis Costello, David Bowie and Tori Amos, various contemporary philosophical currents, but also Wiccanism and the occult; mythology and religions; Science and Reason: Everything has its place.

“To me,” Gaiman once assured in a display of false modesty, “it was just the story of a dysfunctional family.” Concepts embodied in anthropomorphic personalities of the Eternal Family (not to be confused with the Marvel superhero), dreams, death, desire, delirium, despair, fate, and destruction. They are immortal and eternal beings, which cut across all cultures, whether human or alien. They have existed since there was “something” and will continue to endure when there is nothing left. They affect the daily life of any living being and, in part, are fickle to the emotional vicissitudes of beings who love, hate, fear or neglect them.

Of the seven eternals, only four would be said to be present in this season. sandman: Dream, Death, Desire and Despair, played by Tom Sturridge, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park and Donna Preston, respectively. Casting that rocked social networks: Gaiman himself was responsible for justifying and celebrating each actor’s choice. “I love living in a time where nothing I did 35 years ago feels weird. sandman LGBTIQ+ characters were included long before that term even existed. It’s a great thing for a non-binary actor like Mason Alexander Park to be able to play a non-binary character like Desire. And if Death is depicted as African-American, it is because Kirby Howell-Baptiste’s interpretation is sublime, magical, perfect. I know because I saw over 800 auditions for this role. And Strijd is the Sandman, at least my Sandman.”

Seeking to represent the new social agenda regarding gender issues, the Netflix series broke the hegemonic mold. White librarian Lucien became African-American Lucien; Paranormal investigator John Constantine (played by Keanu Reeves and Matt Ryan, in the Arrowverse films and TV series, respectively) turned into demonologist Johanna Constantine; Lucifer (the same character that Tom Ellis stars in the Netflix series) abandoned his masculine statute to assume the feminine form, and even biblical brothers Cain and Abel changed their ethnicity to Pakistani Pashtuns. Changed.

“The open mind with which Neil approached this work three decades ago meant respecting what needed to be kept and what needed to be changed,” Goyer said. Where not much could be done was, by order of Warner, in talks with DC’s superhero universe, whose only screen would appear to be HBO Max. Except for a few occasional winks, which remained as color elements, all references to Justice League were removed. John Dee is no longer the arch-villain who has put Superman and Batman in check, but a mentally unbalanced man who makes Hannibal Lecter look like a harmless little lamb; Lita Hall is not Wonder Woman’s daughter, and Hector Hall was never the son of Hawkman and Hawkwoman.

For the rest, the series carefully follows the established discourse in the comic. the Sandman, with Suno beginning to rebuild his life and his kingdom, the relationship with his comrades and his subjects, correcting mistakes, by action or omission, provoked both sides of the vigilante, during the century he imprisoned Was a human arrogant, fond of the mystical arts. “This is just the beginning,” said Tom Sturridge. Wait until you see the extraordinary group of humans, gods and mysterious beings that will arrive in the next season. From Shakespeare to Marco Polo, passing through Robespierre. More Cain and Abel, more Lucifer and more Johanna Constantine. I really can’t wait.”

Dream (Tom Sturridge): Also known as Morpheus or the Sandman, in reference to the character in Celtic folklore, who spreads magical sand over the eyes of sleeping people to make them dream. He is the king of dreams and his domain is Reverie, the realm where all human beings dream. Produced by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith and Mike Dringenberg, it debuted The Sandman No. 1, in January 1989.

Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste): Dream’s elder sister, she is the most sensitive, sympathetic and intelligent of all the Eternals. Produced by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg, it debuted the Sandman in August 1989.

Desire (Mason Alexander Park): The smallest in eternity, the cruel embodiment of everything that is lusted for. He can appear as male, female, both, or neither as he wishes. The brainchild of Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg appeared on the Sandman in November 1989.

Disappointment (Donna Preston): The Desire’s twin, she is the most influential in Eternal. Produced by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg, it made an appearance in the Sandman in November 1989.

Matthew the Raven (voiced by Patton Oswalt). In his human form, Matthew was created for the comic by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. swamp Thingin November 1972.

Lucien (Vivienne Achempong): Reverie’s librarian and Suno’s personal assistant. Paul Levitz and Nestor Redondo created Lucien, the original version of the character, which was featured in the comic. Tales of Bhoot Mahal in May 1975.

Cain (Sanjeev Bhaskar) and Abel (Asim Chowdhury): According to the Old Testament the son of Adam and Eve, he is the guardian of The House of Mystery and the House of Secrets, the physical and spiritual realms within Reverie. The can was created by Bob Haney, Jack Sperling and Joe Orlando; and first appeared in the comic house of mysteryin August 1968. Abel, produced by Mark Heinerfeld, Bill Drout and Joe Orlando, debuted in the September 1969 issue of DC Special magazine.

Merv Pumpkinhead (Voz de Mark Hamill): In charge of the doorman and maintenance of the Ensoñacion. The scarecrow, with the pumpkin for the head, usually serves as the comic element of the series. Produced by Neil Gaiman and Sam Keith, it appeared the Sandman in May 1989.

Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook): The nightmare that Reverie escaped. Charming and dangerous, he acts as a serial killer on Earth. Created by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg, he debuted in comics the Sandman in November 1989.

Lucifer (Gwendoline Christie): The King of Hell, elegant and ruthless, corresponds to the figure of the fallen angel of Christian tradition. Produced by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith and Mike Dringenberg, it appeared on the pages of April 1989 the Sandman,

Three Witches (Nina Wadia, Dinita Gohil and Saud Fares): The mythological archetypes known as Greek Furies, Roman Fates, Baltic Laimas or Nordic Norns. In the series they are presented as female entities capable of predicting the future and providing clues to find people and lost objects. Created by Alex Toth, he was featured in the comic the witching hour in February 1969.

Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman): The cynical demonologist and exorcist, the heir to a lineage that has always been associated with the mystical arts and the dream itself. The original version of the character, John Constantine, was created for the comic book by Alan Moore, Rick Veitch, and John Totalben. swamp Thing in June 1985.

John D (David Thewlis): Mentally unbalanced, he has a gem that allows dreams to come true. Created by Gardner Fox and Mike Seckowski, he appeared in the July 1961 comic book league of justice,

Lita Hall (Razane Jamal): The young widow, who is reunited every night, in her dreams, with her dead husband, Hector Hall (played by Lloyd Everitt). Created by Roy Thomas and Ross Andrew, Lita appeared in February 1983 amazing lady, Hector, created by Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway, makes his comic book debut All-Star Squadron in September 1983.