Legends of Tomorrow: Who is The Sandman?

Secret Files and Origins: The Sandman

Arrowverse super-producer Marc Guggenheim recently released a surprise tease for the Legends of Tomorrow component of this Fall’s line-wide crossover, which has yet to be named. The tweet, which you can see here, was a shot of a mask, which longtime DC comics fans might recognize as belonging to The Sandman a longtime part of DC Comic’s stable of superheroes. With the Sandman set to make a debut during what is sure to be the biggest crossover yet, we thought we’d look at just exactly who is… the Sandman?

The Sandman made his debut in 1939’s Adventure Comics #40, created by Gardner Fox and Bert Christman. In his crime fighting identity, socialite Wesley Dodds was the sharp-dressed nightmare of the underworld. One of the DC Universe’s first generation of heroes, his most distinctive features were his gas gun, which could compel criminals to speak the truth and put them to sleep (hence… the Sandman), and his distinctive mask. Dodds also had prophetic dreams, which were later revealed to be a result of his interactions with Dream, the literal embodiment of the concept of dreams, because comics are amazing and themes are important.

While this incarnation of the character is the more enduring, even becoming a founding member of the Justice Society of America, he was later updated by Mort Weisinger and Paul Norris in 1941, where he was given a yellow and purple jumpsuit, as well as a sidekick Sandy, the Golden Boy. In terms of his adventures, The Sandman was a close relative of the other “mystery man” of the day, like The Green Hornet and the Shadow. This came through not only in his attire and weaponry but also his enemies. Rather than the doomsday traps and evil magicians that characterized the rogue’s galleries of other heroes, The Sandman spent his evenings fighting gangsters and spies alongside his high-society girlfriend, Dian Belmont.

Within the timeline of the DC Universe, Wesley Dodds was a “Golden Age” precursor to characters such as Batman and Superman in the “modern age”. Perhaps most interestingly, the character’s Golden Age exploits were recounted in a film noir style in a title called Sandman Mystery Theatre, a lesser-known title that gave the character a unique film noir aesthetic, and lasted for 70 issues.

As the Silver, then Modern age of superheroes (the 1960’s through the present day) DC editorial quickly began to see the value of having these elder statesmen of the DC Universe around to write about. The resulting storyline is perhaps the best possible example of the kind of simultaneously amazing and insane stories found only in comics. In The Last Days of the Justice Society of America, Wesley Dodds was revealed to be one of the members of the team who, facing a wave of destructive energy from another dimension, chose to enter the so-called “Ragnarok Dimension” and fight an endless battle against mythical foes at the end of World War 2. They then emerged decades later, thus explaining how so many men who were in their forties in the 1940s were still alive today with little more than gray hair.

More from Comics

While many characters from this period enjoyed a lengthy revival and activity after their return, The Sandman unfortunately did not, and he was returned to his natural age by the time-warping villain known as Extant. Afterwards, he used his prophetic dreams to assist other former JSA members, but soon after died, sacrificing his life to prevent the machinations of the villainous sorcerer Mordru.

This did not mark the end of the legacy of the Sandman, however, partially because, c’mon, this is comics, and because of the aforementioned sidekick, Sandy the Golden Boy. Mostly overlooked by stories concerning Wesley Dodds, Sandy Hawkins, who went by the title of “Golden Boy”, was retconned to have been transformed into a monster made of silicate matter, and imprisoned, basically preserving him into the modern era. And yes, the silicate matter, and his ability to transform back and forth from a dust, rock, and sand, makes him a literal Sandman. At first going by simply Sand, he joined up with his precursor’s comrades in the JSA’s modern incarnation, at first in a military-style outfit and then in a truly impressive modern redesign of Wesley’s original suit.

There were also other individuals to wear the mantle of Sandman. There is, of course, Dream, whose starring role in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman saga has endeared him to fans for decades. Additionally, in the 1970’s comics legend, Jack Kirby created another character called the Sandman, this one Garrett Sandford, who fought to protect the “Dream Dimension” alongside sentient and heroic nightmares Brute and Glob. That sounds insane, but Jack Kirby’s raw energy makes it a fun read.

Despite these other incarnations, Guggenheim’s tweet, highlighting the mask, indicates that we’ll be seeing some version of either the Wesley Dodds or Sand Hawkins iterations of the character. Which, based on the weird but somehow vital corner of the DC Universe they live in, seems like a recipe for a fascinating crossover. In conclusion, it seems only right to sign off with the poem Wesley Dodds used to strike fear into the hears of his enemies.

Must Read: 100 greatest superhero stories

“There is no land beyond the law

Where tyrants rule with unshakable power!

‘Tis but a dream from which the evil wake

To face their fate, their terrifying hour!”

Home/Comics