Sandman Mystery Theatre

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Sandman Mystery Theatre is a comic book series published by Vertigo, the mature-readers imprint of DC Comics. It ran for 70 issues between 1993 and 1999 and retells the adventures of the Sandman, a vigilante whose main weapon is a gun that fires sleeping gas, originally created by DC in the Golden Age of Comic Books. Unlike most other superheroes, the Sandman possesses no superhuman powers and relies on his detective skills and gas gun.

In this film noir-like series by writers Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle, Wesley Dodds (the Sandman) and his girlfriend Dian Belmont (daughter of the District Attorney) encountered several, often grotesque, foes in multi-issue storylines. The team of Dodds and Belmont were a nod to Nick and Nora Charles of The Thin Man novel and movies.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 Art and controversy 2 Themes and Guest Stars 3 Differences 4 Dream 5 New series 6 Collected editions 7 References

[edit] Art and controversy

The art was provided by a rotating series of artists, a new art team on each story arc. The first artist was Guy Davis, who defined the visual look of the character. Davis changed Dodds from the traditional portrayal as a tall, square-jawed figure, making him shorter, round-faced and slightly overweight. He also gave Dodds a pair of round spectacles, visually echoing the round eyepieces of the gas mask he wore as the Sandman.

Davis also redesigned the Sandman costume. In the original 1930s comics, the Sandman wore a green suit, purple cape, orange fedora and blue-and-yellow gas mask. For Sandman Mystery Theatre, the color palette was toned down to gray, olive green and brown. The super-heroic trappings were downplayed in favor of a "real-world" sensibility, such as a trench coat instead of the cape.

A minor controversy developed around the second storyline, "The Face." A coloring error resulted in Asian characters being portrayed with bright yellow skin. The editor apologized for the error in the letter column of a subsequent issue.

[edit] Themes and Guest Stars

Set during the late 1930's, before Dodds became a founding member of the Justice Society of America, this series dealt with mature themes such as abortion, racism, and antisemitism, as well as historical themes such as the rise of Nazism and international appeasement. As the series progressed Wesley encountered in his adventures other "mystery men" of the era, including the Crimson Avenger, Starman, Blackhawk and Hourman. A probable reference is made to Ted Grant, Wildcat, where the Sandman interrogates a boxer outside a gym and the man mentions the name Ted. A reference is made to Detective Jim Corrigan, later to be known as The Spectre. Dr. Mid-Nite, alias Dr. Charles McNider is also mentioned as the physician that treated Wesley in one issue.

Dodds and Belmont would themselves guest star in the popular comic Starman (set in the present day), appearing as older versions of themselves.

[edit] Differences

The series introduced many changes to previous representations of Sandman's early years that caused readers to argue that it took place in an alternate universe.^{[citation needed]} However these changes were reflected in modern continuity^{[citation needed]} proving they were in fact retcons. A significant change in the series was Wesley Dodd's portrayal as a playboy socialite^[1] to a quiet man who is considered odd by others. However not all of the retcons introduced in Sandman Mystery Theatre have been reflected in modern continuity. One such retcon is the character of Sandy Hawkins being nothing more than a fictional comic book character with Dian Belmont instead acting as Sandman's sidekick "Sandy" on at least one occasion.^[2] Also, Dian's death had previously been recounted in All-Star Squadron #18, but in this new continuity she lives well into old age and remains Dodd's companion for life.

[edit] Dream

The revival of the character was due in part to the success of a later, related, character, created by Neil Gaiman, Dream, whose adventures were then being published under the title of The Sandman (hence the need for a more elaborate title for the older character's adventures). Dream made numerous cameo appearances in Wesley Dodds's dreams throughout the series.

The two characters met briefly in a one-shot special, Sandman Midnight Theatre, co-written by Gaiman and Wagner.

[edit] New series

DC published a new five-issue limited series, Sandman Mystery Theatre: Sleep of Reason, set in 2007 and featuring a new character taking up the Sandman mantle. ^[3]

[edit] Collected editions

The comics have been collected in a number of trade paperbacks:

• Sandman Mystery Theatre:
  • The Tarantula (by Matt Wagner, with art by Guy Davis, collects #1-4, 112 pages, May 2005, ISBN 1563891956) ^[4]
  • The Face and The Brute (by Matt Wagner, with art by John Watkiss and R.G. Taylor, collects #5-12, 208 pages, November 2004, ISBN 1401203450) ^[5]
  • The Vamp (by Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle, with art by Guy Davis, collects #13-16, 104 pages, July 2005, ISBN 1401207189) ^[6]
  • The Scorpion (by Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle, with art by Guy Davis, collects #17-20, 104 pages, May 2006, ISBN 1401210406) ^[7]
  • Dr. Death and the Night of the Butcher (by Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle, with art by Guy Davis and Vince Locke, collects #21-28, 208 pages, April 2007, ISBN 1401212379) ^[8]
  • The Hourman and the Python (by Matt Wagner and Steven T. Seagle, with art by Guy Davis and Warren Pleece, collects #29-36, 200 pages, March 2008, ISBN 1401216773) ^[9]

[edit] References