The Sandman audio adaption New York Comic Con panel report

Neil Gaiman is the prolific author and narrator The Sandman, gave audiences the lowdown on the second season of DC and Audible’s groundbreaking radio drama adaptation Thursday at New York City Comic Con. Although the panel did not contain any spoilers, we do know that Hell can make for strange companions.

Gaiman was joined on the panel by Dirk Maggs, actor James McAvoy (Morpheus), and Kevin Smith (Merv pumpkinhead). Moderator of the panel was actress and friend, Lisa Sullivan. SandmanTiffany Smith is a superfan.

DC Comics released the darkly comical The Sandman Horror series comics from 1989 through 1996. Summer 2020 saw the release of the first season. The story follows the adventures of Morpheus Lord of Dreams who was held on Earth by a cult for many decades. Morpheus has to rebuild his kingdom, collect the tools of trade, a helmet and ruby and make a sand bag. He travels to far-flung reaches of the universe and beyond. His journey takes him to the far reaches of reality and beyond, where he encounters many characters such as Death (Kat Dennings), Lucifer (Michael Sheen).

The premiere season The SandmanIt was a New York Times bestseller. The first season adapts three volumes from the previous seasons. The Sandman (“Preludes & Nocturnes,” “The Doll’s House,” and “Dream Country”). Season two, released September 22, focuses on the graphic novels “Season of Mists” and “A Game of You.” While we still don’t know the release date for season three, we do know it will adapt the graphic novels “Brief Lives” and “Worlds’ End.”

They discussed the topic of how The SandmanGraphic novels were an influence on them personally, as well as how they felt the series had influenced them. They also wanted to contribute in the massive undertaking of audio adaptation. Aside from being an obvious fan of the series, Maggs also pointed to the story’s scope and the diversity of locations as drivers for his involvement. He also gave an overview of all the places we travel to in the second season, saying, “In Act II you’re in ancient Greece, you’re in Hell, you’re in 19th Century San Francisco, first-century Rome, French Revolution … it’s everywhere.”

Smith’s reasons for joining the production go a bit deeper. He said, “I always associated reading Sandman with a time in my life before I did anything before I did art myself.” He added, “If you’re creative, it’s fuel.” Smith also credited Gaiman with helping empower him to create his famous 1994 film Clerks: “Oddly enough, he’s sustained me for the last 27 years of my career.”

McAvoy was also a co-moderator and asked some sharp questions. He wondered how the graphic novel series got overlooked, when many Gaiman projects were successfully adapted. Maggs had been employed by the BBC at the time that he tried to obtain the graphic book. Maggs called The Sandman adaptation “an overnight success that took 30 years.”

Gaiman said he’s happy to see comics serialized and returned to their logical home in audio. He said, “Comics and audio have been a thing since the 1940s. Superman got kryptonite from the radio.”

McAvoy explained how hard it was for actors to play Morpheus, who is constantly changing. “Sometimes his journey is very much in the backseat, it’s almost like he’s the host or presenter. To keep track of it is really quite a feat.”

The second season sees Morpheus return to Hell in order to rescue an old love that he lost to the Underworld. (Yeah, that’ll go well.) Lucifer also comes across him, a meeting that ends up leaving him with the keys to the Underworld. Lucifer’s abdication of his responsibility opens the door to a host new characters. Joining the cast in season two are actors Regé-Jean Page (Orpheus), Kristen Schaal (Delirium), David Tennant (Loki), and Niamh Walsh (Nuala).

Maggs discussed the biggest challenges in adapting season 2. She noted that updating Wanda Mann’s trans character Wanda Mann, voiced by Reece Lyons was difficult. “With her story, there was a fair amount of trial and error. Everything was to be treated with respect. Wanda has my greatest pride. [her roommate]Barbie is much more open about their resistance to abuse and bullying than other Barbies. That was the part keeping me up at night.”

Gaiman agreed and added, “I love the fact that we can get a trans performer to play a trans character.”

Maggs claimed that season 1 was the one they felt had hit a nerve. The SandmanIt was because so many actors were interested in being a part the series. Kevin Smith was one of the people who moderated the New York Comic Con. Sandman panel in 2020.

Smith remembered the moment Maggs told him he was interested in reading for the part. He said he knew he’d be reading for Merv Pumpkinhead because he would “ruin anything else.” Smith also threw a dash of gratefulness Maggs’ way for letting him use his normal voice, “Merv Pumpkinhead sounds very Jersey.”

You can find all the information you require here Sandman-heads out there, you’ll have more than your fill this year, as Gaiman’s epic is also getting a live-action treatment at Netflix.

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