Review: The Sandman and the Joys of Being Human

The series deals with themes of fate, freedom, and choice.

Originally a horror comic, The Sandman changed what both fans and normies thought comics could be in the early '90s. The hand of writer Neil Gaiman (American Gods, Coraline, Good Omens) shows in the intelligence, moodiness, and humor of a Netflix series based on his tales of Dream of the Endless, a.k.a. Lord Morpheus.

The best episode is "The Sound of Her Wings," in which Dream's sibling Death grants one man a stay of execution in 1389. What follows is a centennial montage about the joys of being human. "I'll tell you what it's like," says the unlikely immortal to a skeptical Dream. "It's fucking brilliant! It's all changing!" When pressed, he cites the invention of chimneys, handkerchiefs, playing cards. The Sandman deals with themes of fate, freedom, and choice, but an enduring anthropocentrism is at its heart. "I'm here," says Dream, "because I'm interested."