The Original Sandman (Wesley Dodds) Appreciation 2021

[The no face guy]

As long as Wesley (Sandman) is part of the next JSA run, I'll be happy.

Count me in on a solo or mini series run as well, cool character all around.

[DrNewGod]

Still one of the coolest costumes. Wish DC would utilize this character more.

Agreed. Always that Kirby blew it by putting him in the skin-tights.

[MajorHoy]

Agreed. Always that Kirby blew it by putting him in the skin-tights.

Actually, the change over to the gold-and-purple outfit (and the addition of Sandy) happened in Adventure Comics #69 (December 1941)


Simon & Kirby didn't take over the Sandman feature until issue #72 (March 1942).

[Adset]

While I don’t think we’ll ever get this fully collected in standard trades, I’m holding out hope we might get a two compendium set that collect the whole series... one day. Seems like a more economical way for DC to release some large runs that sales-wise don’t quite warrant a bunch of trades or omnis.

[Jadeb]

I loved Mystery Theater, but I feel like Wagner and Davis did that perfectly. I'd love to see Dodds in the next stage of his career where he has the more colorful suit and cape and hangs around with the JSA. Also keep Dian as his support in some way, whether as driver or doing research, legwork, etc.

It’s weird, lose the pulp trappings and my interest in the character disappears completely. Wes is interesting to me specifically because he’s not a conventional superhero, and the later incarnation strikes me as the definition of a generic superhero, even with the Sandy twist thrown in.

It’s hard for me to imagine Wagner’s chubby, tormented character donning yellow tights and running around in broad daylight.

[DrNewGod]

Actually, the change over to the gold-and-purple outfit (and the addition of Sandy) happened in Adventure Comics #69 (December 1941)


Simon & Kirby didn't take over the Sandman feature until issue #72 (March 1942).

Ah. Who then was the offending scallywag that had me erroneously dumping on The King all these years?

[j9ac9k]

It’s weird, lose the pulp trappings and my interest in the character disappears completely. Wes is interesting to me specifically because he’s not a conventional superhero, and the later incarnation strikes me as the definition of a generic superhero, even with the Sandy twist thrown in.

It’s hard for me to imagine Wagner’s chubby, tormented character donning yellow tights and running around in broad daylight.

FWIW, I was referring to him still wearing the hat and gasmask, just with the green suit and cape - he should still resemble a pulp hero. The purple and yellow generic superhero costume was bleh.

[MajorHoy]

. . . It’s hard for me to imagine Wagner’s chubby, tormented character donning yellow tights and running around in broad daylight.

From Sandman Mystery Theatre #31 (October 1995):

[Robotman]

Ah. Who then was the offending scallywag that had me erroneously dumping on The King all these years?

For years I also thought Kirby and Simon were the creators who changed him over to the purple and yellow suit. They actually joined the comic afterwards. Though, they were responsible for the 1970s reboot of the character, which implied that the new Sandman was the actually dream king. Which could have influenced Gaiman to take his version of the character to that direction.

While I love the fedora and gas mask version of Sandman and really dislike the purple and yellow costume change, I can’t blame DC too much. The “mystery men” phase of comics was old news in the era of Superman. Larger than life heroes wearing brightly colored spandex was all the rage.

I had a question. When did Wesley first get his prophetic dreams power?

[Jadeb]

From Sandman Mystery Theatre #31 (October 1995):

I’d forgotten about this. What a great bit in a great book.

I really need to revisit the series — I hope they put the whole run up on DC Universe Infinite when it launches.

[MajorHoy]

Wes in "Golden Age Gallery" section from All-Star Squadron #43 (March 1985):

[signalman112]

Splash page from SECRET ORIGINS #7 by Michael Bair.

SecretOrigins7Sandman.jpg

[MajorHoy]

A few pages of the first Golden Age Sandman story, originally in Adventure Comics #40 (July 1939), but these are from when it was reprinted in Justice League of America #94 (November 1971).




NOTE: the Tarantula was also in the first story arc for Sandman Mystery Theatre.

[MajorHoy]

And here are the other pages of that first Sandman story originally published in Adventure Comics #40 (July 1939):

[MajorHoy]

Originally from DC Comics Presents #42 (February 1982),



To be continued . . .