5 ways Netflix's 'The Sandman' is different from the comics
Despite the significant hurdles created by the sheer nature of the plot, the Netflix adaptation of The Sandman is astonishingly accurate to Neil Gaiman's comics. While undoubtedly not flawless, the 10-episode season that showrunner Allan Heinberg and executive producers David S. Goyer and Gaiman created from the first 16 issues of the comics definitely makes an effort to honor and uphold the spirit of the originals.
How do you film a comic book series that has won awards but is thought to be unfilmable? The creative team behind The Sandman on Netflix changed a few things, but they mainly stuck loyally to the renowned source material.
Dream, portrayed by Tom Sturridge, is the monarch of the dreaming realm and the protagonist of This Sandman. The dream is first imprisoned by magic-hungry humans at the start of the series. Years after his escape, he must deal with the turmoil that developed in both his realm and the waking world while he was away in order to bring order to the Dreaming. The date of Dream's escape from the late 1980s to the present day is one of the most obvious alterations the series makes early on, putting the rest of the plot in 2021 — with some flashbacks, of course.
Shifting comic storylines around
The Sound of Her Wings, the sixth episode, makes a less successful attempt to blend humorous tales. The episode's first half is a very accurate reproduction of the comic book issue of the same name, in which Dream and Death (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) are shown strolling around and talking about mankind. Men of Good Fortune, from issue 13 of the series, is faithfully adapted in the second part of the episode. There, we discover the details of Dream's once every century encounter with the eternal human Hob Gadling (Ferdinand Kingsley).
The first 16 issues of The Sandman's comic book, which feature storylines from both Preludes & Nocturnes and Doll's House, are covered in the first season. Most of the time, it follows the "one issue each episode" rule, but because there are only 10 episodes, certain plots have to be rearranged.
This works better in certain situations than in others. In the fourth episode, "A Hope in Hell," Dream travels to Hell in search of his helm. To heighten the dramatic tension, this episode borrows a plot point from Passengers, the comic book issue that comes after A Hope in Hell, in which John Dee (David Thewlis) breaks out of a mental hospital in search of Dream's ruby.
Going off-panel
Heinberg and Gaiman stated in an interview with Den of Geek that one of the most fascinating aspects of the adaptation process was the ability to depict The Sandman events that don't occur on the page but are nevertheless significant. For instance, Gaiman argues that since comics aren't the finest medium for musical performances, we never see Hal perform in drag in the comics. The performance takes advantage of the chance to introduce fresh material by including some of Hal's songs and hiring John Cameron Mitchell, who wrote, directed, and starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, to play Rose Walker's landlady, a drag performer.
The closing exchange between John and his mother Ethel Cripps (Joely Richardson) in the third episode of the program is another fantastic new element. In the comics, Ethel leaves John her protection amulet as she passes away off-page. In the performance, Ethel hands John the amulet immediately before passing away as the shields vanish. Prior to that, she and John had an insightful chat about Dream.
No major DC tie-ins
The Sandman is still a DC comic, even if there aren't many references to the Justice League in it. For instance, Scarecrow and other Batman villains are housed at Arkham Asylum with John Dee. In addition, he is the supervillain known as Doctor Destiny, who gets up to a lot of wicked pranks in other DC comics and has a grotesque, scabby, and generally terrifying look. Instead of taking this route, the Sandman series solidifies John as a person and changes his history.
Lyta and Hector and Rose and Jed
The majority of this plot is featured in The Sandman on Netflix, however there are some changes. Lyta is now a close friend of Rose's and is going in search of Jed alongside her. Jed assumes the role of the fictitious Sandman after becoming imprisoned by a brand-new nightmare called Gault. It's a moving decision that highlights his need to get away from his controlling adoptive father. As it brings together characters from significant early strands of The Sandman and provides us another opportunity to observe the repercussions of Rose's function as the dream vortex, I especially loved the link between Lyta and Rose.
More of the Corinthian
The way The Sandman introduces the nightmare known as the Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook) early in the narrative is one of the largest and greatest ways in which it departs from its inspiration. The program makes the correct choice to cast him as a villain from the beginning. He is definitely the season's major adversary, as evidenced by his confrontation with Dream in the opening episode and his manipulation of Rose and Jed during the serial killer conference. His appearance in the comics is limited to The Doll's House arc, which works well as we advance through the books.
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