Flashback: When Neil Gaiman's 'The Sandman' toyed with DC's legacy on Netflix."

Anyone who's combed through the mesmerizing pages of Neil Gaiman's graphic novels knows that "The Sandman" doesn't just float in a cosmic realm of fantasy; it subtly tiptoes through the rich legacy of DC Comics. Yet, on Netflix's adaptation of this cult favorite, it seemed the DC ties became, well, a bit more elusive.

When The Dream Meets Gotham

As the ending credits for "The Sandman" roll, eagle-eyed viewers are greeted by the emblematic logo of DC Entertainment. A nod to the origins, "The Sandman" was drenched in the ink of Vertigo, a DC Comics imprint, from 1989 to 1996. But the live-action narrative on Netflix witnessed a conscious shift, distancing itself from certain emblematic DC icons and refashioning others.

For instance, in the comics, our sinister villain John Dee lurked in the shadows of Arkham Asylum - yes, that Arkham in Gotham City. On screen, however, the foreboding corridors of Gotham's infamous institution are replaced by a more generic mental health facility. What's more, John Dee's uncanny semblance to DC's Doctor Destiny gets a regular Joe makeover.

But wait, there's more! Our beloved chain-smoking, trench coat-wearing John Constantine? He's been reimagined as Johanna Constantine. A gender-flip, with just the right sprinkle of legacy.

Behind Gaiman's DC Departures

Despite the fan theories, Gaiman clarifies that these DC tweaks weren't driven by a capricious DC universe state, nor Netflix's streaming competition with HBO Max. Instead, for Gaiman, it was about evolving the story organically. “‘The Sandman’ itself started out in the DC Universe, the comic, and then it just sort of wound up wandering off into its own place,” Gaiman told Variety. He endeavored to frame a series where you didn't need to be a 1989 DC encyclopedia.

And for those speculating a surprise Justice League cameo? Gaiman cheekily puts it to rest: “Well, a) No and b) That hasn’t been the lineup of the Justice League for about 29 years, at this point."

Yet, in the midst of establishing its distinct identity, Gaiman's tribute to DC couldn't be more evident. A vibrant dream sequence sees young Jed envisioning himself as the classic superhero Sandman, a brainchild of Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. This tip of the hat to DC's golden age was, as Gaiman puts it, an "enormous dream."

After all, love letters to the past can take many forms.

Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.

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