When adapting a fictional text, adhering to the source material is generally considered a meritorious feat. More often than not, loyalty to the original material is also one of the things fans of the fandom are not willing to compromise on. God forbid the alteration seem unceremonious in relation to the original! Such an adaptation almost never sees the light of day, and if it does, its creators rarely revel in the attention they attract. When Sandmana genuine understanding of books, more specifically comics, is essential.
How far is Netflix’s The Sandman from its source material?
Netflix version Sandman more or less consistent with the source material. Considering how passionate Nile Gaiman refers to his comic series, an alternative would perhaps be problematic - if not impossible. Moreover, Gaiman was so thorough and deep in his series that major changes, especially in the construction of the world and characters in general, were unnecessary. Of course, there are places where the Netflix adaptation differs from the comic. However, instead of contradicting the comics, these changes improve upon the original storyline as the screen version is taken into account. These deviations from the original material were not only accepted by the fans, but also critically evaluated - what works on the page does not always work on the screen.
Netflix’s John Dee is considerably less villainous
In the comics, Dee is what you would expect from a vicious, power-hungry villain - bestial, cruel, and megalomaniac. Despite all Rosemary’s unconditional kindness (Sarah Niles) is bestowed by Comic D, he decides not to spare her, choosing the typical path of a villain. In the comics, he also spends a lot of time making people at the diner treat him more like a god than a mere mortal. His goal of creating a more honest world in comics is mixed with his desire to avoid the boundaries of mortality.
On the other hand, in the Netflix adaptation of John Dee (David Thewlis) is considerably more sympathetic and rational, though just as pitiful. Unlike Comic D, Dee Thewlis does not kill Rosemary, although he could very easily turn her into a mass of blood and gore like his other victims, removing all evidence of his dangerous and inexplicable powers. What’s more, in Dee Thewlis’s diner, he focuses more on his main goal, which is his misguided ideology rooted in a painful past, than on elevating himself to the status of a god. This change, although minor, adds greatly to the original storyline, humanizing the villain’s character and rationalizing his choices without justifying him.
Having a troubled childhood where his mother wraps him in a supposedly protective shield of lies all his life, John Thewlis simply wants to create a more honest world - a world that his mistaken judgment perceives as a paragon of perfection. Of course, his faulty judgments and preconceived notions of idealism don’t help him in the long run, which ultimately leads to his downfall at the hands of the Dream Lord. The events leading to the destruction of Dee’s comic abilities, if not himself, and the execution of the themes associated with this scene are quite dramatic, not to mention the incredible irony in the series, which allows for a number of interesting interpretations.
No overture
In the comics Lord of Dreams (Tom Sturridge in the Netflix adaptation) doesn’t get stuck in a snow globe just because it was summoned by a group of occult practitioners. Morpheus in the comics is too strong for that. The events leading up to his imprisonment are actually very complex: he creates a new reality in order to save the universe from a pernicious madness. In doing so, Dream finds himself so devoid of his powers that he has almost no chance against practitioners of the occult.
The Netflix show, however, omits the events of Overture entirely, perhaps in order to make the page-to-screen transition as fluid as possible. All we see on TV is that Dream goes on a mission to rescue a nightmarish crook who has wreaked havoc on the world of the living. Said nightmare is on the verge of disintegrating into oblivion as a result of its defiance of its master when the Dream Lord is dragged from his realm into the world of the living, depriving him of his tools and freedom for over 100 years. While the complex version of the story makes for an interesting arc, it might not have worked on screen. The absence of the Overture is a great example of why an adaptation doesn’t have to stick to the source material.
Joanna Constantine or John Constantine?
Aside from book stalwarts, few people know that in the comics, Joanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman), the badass occult female detective who exorcises the princess’ fiancé, is not the one who helped Dream find his sandbag. It is John Constantine who helps Morpheus track down his priceless sand.
In addition, the series also draws a fascinating parallel between the eighteenth-century Lady Joanna, who confronts Dream about his centuries-separated encounters with Hob Gadling, and who makes fans yearn for a possible romantic ship.
Destruction Gregory
Gregory’s destruction also only happens in the series. The comics have a much lighter direction where Dream wakes up in Cain (Sanjeev Bhaskar) and Abel (Ashim Chaudhry) home, where they not only cure him, but also help him become healthy again with the help of assignments he wrote.
Arc of Lucifer
One of the best ways to improve the series over the comics is to have Dream fight the oldest Lucifer game (Gwendolyn Christie) instead of Choronzon (Munya Chavava) that has a helmet. In the comics, Choronzon represents himself. As one of the most action-packed and heartbreaking scenes in the series, The Oldest Game sets the stage for the tension brewing between dreamlord and ruler of hell.
Corinthian
In the comics, the Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook) fails to attract much attention. The show, however, greatly expands his character arc to sketch out a good enough challenge for Dream to solve. After all, as fans will find out in one of the episodes, a serene life is not on the list of Morpheus’ goals.
Overall, The Sandman is a pretty authentic, not to mention entertaining, adaptation. The few places where the show does deviate from the original actually enhance the world-building, not detract from it.
Source: Collider
