Sandman and The Vision

 

This is another relatively simple looking cover that required a bit of prep work before a new guest star could be added in, here's a look behind the scenes:

If this was not the Sandman and Vision that you were expecting to see, maybe tomorrow's cover will be a little closer - make sure you come back to check it out!

Sandman Mystery Science Theatre 3000

 

When Shagg Matthews, Master Podcaster and Patron of this blog, suggested this combination, I thought that is was too crazy not to try.  I wasn't sure if I could pull it off until I saw this great cosplay by Adam Bakes.  Thanks for the idea, Shagg!

Sandman Vs. Sandman in: "This Town Ain't Big Enough!"

 

Ever since I paired these two way back in STF #59, I have received requests for a follow up tale. Well, consider your wish fulfilled... 11 years later!  Sorry about the long wait, you might say I slept on this one for a while...

Sandman and Sleeping Beauty Vs. Freddy Krueger

 

Happy Halloween! Looks like Freddy has found the perfect victim for his particular brand of night terrors.  Little did he know she was under the protection of one Wesley Dodds... but will the mystery man have what it takes to save the princess?

Freddy previously crossed paths with a different Sandman in STF #1016...

Cloak and Dagger and Sandman

 

In Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, it was explained that dreams were a peek into variant versions of yourself.   Since we are still in what Marvel is calling The Multiverse Saga, that certainly opens up the possibility of Nightmare finally making his MCU debut.  Perhaps in a third installment of Doctor Strange, or maybe as the villain in a Midnight Sons type of movie featuring Blade, Moon Knight, Ghost Rider, Elsa Bloodstone and so on. 

Sandman and Spider-Man in: "Night Terrors!"

 

Warner Bros seems to want to get aggressive with their DC Comics movie release schedule going forward, as they have announced four theatrical films a year along with two straight to HBO Max releases for lesser known properties.  I think an HBO Max movie or series would be a perfect place to adapt Sandman Mystery Theater, the excellent 90's series featuring the original Sandman.  It's all right there on the page, the stories are even broken down into four-issue installments.  Even reading it back in the day, I felt like it was written with an eventual live action treatment in mind.

Spidey and Wesley Dodds first met in STF #1287...

Captain America and Sandman in: "A Debt to Yesterday!"

I like the concept art that I am seeing for Falcon & The Winter Soldier.  The Falcon's new costume looks great, the most comic accurate so far.  It should  be even more impressive when he has the wings and shield out.  Baron Zemo apparently will be donning his famous purple head mask at some point in the series as well. 

The Human Torch and Sandman

I think it's time for DC to consider a period piece for their next streaming show.  My choice would be the original Sandman.  The great 90's series Sandman Mystery Theater was a favorite of mine and with its story arcs would be the perfect template for such a show.  It could be very cool if they stick close to the source material.

Sandman and Sherlock Homes

I was disappointed to hear that Benedict Cumberbatch has signed on to star in a new series, further closing the door on the likelihood of new Sherlock episodes from him and Martin Freeman.  I'll just have to get my Holmes fix elsewhere.  Elementary has gotten better each season and the seems to be continuing.  Robert Downey Junior has hinted that he is ready for a third cinematic outing as the character.  Then there's the upcoming Will Ferrell/John C. Reilly comedy - but I can't say the trailer for that made me laugh once.

Sandman Vs. the Hulk

Fans have been wondering when of if we were going to get a version of the Grey Hulk in the movies.  He certainly has been evolving - first becoming far more verbose after Being in Hulk form for two years in Thor: Ragnorok, and then refusing to emerge after a Thanos butt-whuppin' in Avengers Infinity War.  Promotional images of the next Avengers film indicate that we may be getting a different kind of hulk the next time around - but not Mr. Fixit or the early Grey version.  To me it looks as though they are heading towards the Professor Hulk of Peter David's run, with full un-torn uniform and Banner's intellect intact.  It will be interesting to see exactly where they are going and how they handle it.

Sleepwalker and Sandman in: "While the City Sleeps!"

When I would read the JLA/JSA team-ups of my youth, one character looked cooler than the rest.  Wesley Dodd's non-traditional superhero garb really stood out against all the ore "modern" looks.  The hat, the creepy gas mask, the green and purple combo usually reserved for villains - it all worked perfectly!

Sandman and Daredevil

The hype for season 2 of Netflix' Daredevil is building, with the official trailer about to drop any moment now.  Most superhero series tend to have a shaky start, sometimes taking a whole season before finding their footing,  Daredevil was an exception to that rule in my opinion, it hit the ground running with quality output from episode one and never looked back.  That leaves me very excited for what's next and I hope they can keep up the pace with the new characters (Elektra, The Punisher) that they are adding to the roster.

Sandman and Spider-Man in "Secrets of a Slumbering Spider"

Call me crazy, but I am really hoping to see Spider-Man's armpit webs when he makes his Marvel movie debut.  Sure, they are a little weird and don't seem to serve any useful purpose - but I always thought they were kind of cool.  Besides, they need some way to clearly differentiate int from the previous cinematic costumes.

Green Hornet and The Sandman

I am hoping that Marvel's Agent Carter mini-series does well, because that could open the door for more period piece comic adaptations.  Who wouldn't want to see a live action Sandman Mystery Theater with Wesley Dodds solving crimes and dealing out justice in the late 30's?  Well, I would anyway!  Perhaps a period Green Hornet show could help undo the damage done by the Seth Rogen film.

Sandman And Rorschach

These guys have the right idea.  If you want to put together a cool crime fighting costume, most heroes opt to look like circus performers.  Sure, it may allow for freedom of movement, but there's a big risk of being a fashion disaster.  These guys  simply grabbed a hat, trench coat and face-concealing mask for their ensemble, and it works!  They are two of the cooler looking street level characters in comics.

The Sandman and Dick Tracy

These are two characters that would be ripe for a live action period piece detective show.  I have often wanted to see Dick Tracy series that really takes its time with the villains (rather than cramming the entire rogues gallery into one film, as Warren Beatty did) and presents Tracy's world in a way that is fantastical but not overly cartoonish.  Sandman Mystery Theater was one of my favorite titles of the 90's and its four-issue arcs would be perfect for translation to the small screen.  With programs like Boardwalk Empire or the upcoming Los Angeles striking a chord with audiences, perhaps the time is right for the adventures of Wesley Dodds and Diane Belmont.

Sandman and Sandman

The Sandman is such an iconic name in comics.  It has been used by such a wide variety of characters, each one cool in their own way.  While I really like Neal Gaiman's Dream and Jack Kirby's 70's hero, the above two are my favorites to bear the name.  Wesley Dodds was the first and greatest to use it.  I have always loved his gas mask and trench coat look and became an even bigger fan after reading the excellent Sandman Mystery Theater series (which really should be turned into a TV show one of these days, it's perfect for it).  Flint Marko has always been in the top tier of Spider-Man's villains for me and his powers are as versatile as they are visually interesting.  I like that he is somewhat of a sympathetic bad guy as well.  It would be less fun if he went completely good, but it's nice to see some shades of grey in there.

The Thing and The Sandman

As a big fan of the suit and gas mask outfit that Wesley Dodds is most well known for, I always favored it over the far more traditional superhero outfit that he wore for a time when he took on a sidekick, Sandy. That said, those tales feature some great early Jack Kirby artwork, so there is still certainly a lot to appreciate there. Sandman, along with the rest of the JSA is apparently being given a rest for a while while the DC Reboot launches. I hope it isn't too long before they see action again - they are great characters still with a lot of story potential.

Batman and The Sandman (Wesley Dodds)

I was always fascinated with the Justice society when I was a kid and could only read about them in reprints or JLA crossovers. The character that most intrigued me was the Earth-Two Sandman. He had the coolest look - business suit, cape and gas mask! Sheer awesomeness, I felt like if there were such a thing as real superheroes, they might dress like Wesley Dodds. I was not a fan of the the Kirby redesign, which made him look far more generic.

In my later years, I became a fan of the character all over again with the Vertigo Sandman Mystery Theater series. This is an excellent gritty series and features some of the best character work around with Dodds and his flame, Diane Belmont. I highly recommend it.