The Sandman: 25 Things You Missed

When it comes to comic books being adapted for the big screen, Neil Gaiman’s fan favorite series The Sandman has been a long time coming. A movie adaptation had been in the works for some time, but struggled to find the light of day. Thankfully The Sandman finally made its way to screens in episodic form on Netflix and we are all the better for it, as it is arguably one of the best comic adaptations of recent times, and stays (mostly) true to the source material. It even has some pretty fun and quirky Gaimanisms in there too! Because of how closely it sticks to the source material, the show makes a number of references to the text, but also leaves some things fairly quiet. It is also packed full of Easter Eggs and hidden call backs that you may have missed on the first viewing.

That’s why we thought we would comb through the sand and look for some hidden dreamy treasures as we uncover 25 or so things you might have missed. That includes the true meaning and powers behind some of the major objects in the show, the comic book fate of some particular characters, references to the world of DC and some of its biggest locations, some hidden setups for a likely second season, some references to major DC villains (and how they relate to the Justice League), references and links to other characters, comics and shows, some hidden symbolism and just some general pieces of fun trivia that you might not have known about the comic book, show and the characters that make up The Sandman. So without further ado, these are 25 things you might have missed in The Sandman!

What did you make of the series? Do you want to see a second season? How does it compare to the comics? Any we missed? Let us know in the comments below and make sure to subscribe today for all this and more.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:41 Dream Ruby
1:47 Doctor Destiny
2:33 Arkham Asylum
3:02 The Diner
3:46 John Dee’s Parents
4:32 Roderick Burgess
4:58 Dream’s Helm
5:25 Lucifer
6:03 The Corinthian
6:46 Matthew the Raven
7:34 Lady Constantine
8:20 Classic Sandman
8:49 Gilbert
9:03 Mr Sandman
9:41 The Collectors
10:10 Family Man
10:26 The Fates
10:44 Circe
11:12 Cain and Abel
11:37 Nada
12:40 Lucien
12:59 1989
13:21 Shakespeare
13:43 Gaimanisms
14:26 Dream Baby

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Written by: Aiden M
Narrated by: Patrice Scott @Patricesroom
Edited by: Patrice Scott @Patricesroom

[ScreenRant]

Which chapter of The Sandman is your favorite?

[claffert]

I could be wrong, but I never interpreted "The Collector's" as actually being part of a formal "group", per se. I interpreted them as using the word "collector' as a euphemism for "serial killer" and the convention was just like most other conventions where folks attend just due to their common interest, not due to being part of an actual organization.

[hfztt]

26) All the end credits are layed upon art by Dave McKean who did the cover art for the Sandman comics. Gaiman dedicated the 10th volume, and the final chapter of the saga, to McKean, and its nice to Gaiman includes his long timefirend and collaborator in this new incarnation of the story as well.

[flightoffantasy]

I love how they do Dream going WTF to the Corinthian's mouth eyes like Dream didn't literally design him with those features

[stellarosemberg]

Actually, in the comics Shakespeare wrote two plays for the Sandman: Midsummer Night's Dream and The Tempest.

[Ph.Tran]

I didn’t realize how much I would love the sand man

[williamrust]

In the books, Lucien mentioned to Vasylli that the last time he lost a book, the continents weren't in their present shapes - Implying that he's been a librarian for more than 10, 000 years, so Lucien's life as a raven, was some time before that.

[tashinacalmbrook]

The "Lucifer opening that bar" storyline wasn't scrapped, it happens much later after he leaves Hell and so of course it wasn't included in the show. I'm glad they didn't use the same actors or confirmed any crossover because that Lucifer series is, despite being fun in it's own way, nothing compared to the comics it's actually based on and only uses interesting characters and concepts for a series that always felt to me like a weird supernatural "CSI LA"...

[Iaanboi]

When I started this show I thought it was trying too hard and over packing episodes but I stuck around and wound up falling in love. Gotta buy the comics now

[lorenzo]

Loved all the Silver Age images of the Flash's Rogues Gallery at Gault's monitor room in Jed's dream (like Pied Piper, etc)

[the_shadow_realm]

My highlight was every scene with princess Barbie and Martin Tenbones in the Land

I really hope they do A Game of You in Season 2.

[twilitetide]

Nice vid and IMO like Good Omens, these works needed the evolution of streaming series. Movies are too short, and television pre-streaming wouldn't have allowed for the visuals and creative freedom. And Sandman is outstanding bring on Season 2!

[AadamSaleem]

Chapter 3 Chapter 5 and Chapter 6 was so good I really really hope there is a second season

[robhogg]

24: I'm pretty-much sure that, in the letters pages of one of the comics issues, Gaiman confirmed that the Sandman's aesthetic was based on Robert E Smith of The Cure, rather than himself.

[Carcerian]

This actor seriously needs to play Robert Smith of the Cure in a bio-pic :D

[halogalaxy]

I didn’t mind the changes from the comics and the show, but I wish they kept in brute and glob or dream saving rose from Funland and the final showdown between dream and the Corinthian.

[pedropedro]

episode 6, at 48:03, left corner of the screen, half framed, there is the poster of "...And the Madness of the Crowds", a film that exists within Sandman's universe. That poster appears in The Sandman issue 17

[Gambit]

I Hope Netflix gets to allow a full run of this...if they are still financially viable (their management has really screwed over A LOT of people...and it is only going to get worse)...but considering they are cutting Directly into the viewing base with the final season of Locke and Key being released a week after should have been a 1-3 episodes a week release, and it definitely does the series a disservice to release them all at once like this. Netflix already has shown they will do Weekly releases....but their algorithm seriously has it backwards on which type of series to do it with.
This is a Tentpole series that should have been released AFTER the final season of Locke and Key to give that audience something to chew on....bc THIS is that thing.

[VicenteMarinho]

There’s another sandman before the Kirby one, 1938 sandman, the dude with the gas mask and the sleeping gas gun. So Gaiman’s is the 3rd volume, not second. But the only commercially successful one, I believe.

[DaniF-]

The friendship between Dream and Bob every 100 years encounter, bravo bravo