Wake up, Sleepyheads! It’s the first (official) episode of THE SANDMAN SLEPT HERE. Join Ryan Daly, Paul Kien, and Max Romero as they discuss the first four issues of Sandman Mystery Theatre. See how creators Matt Wagner and Guy Davis introduced a new generation of readers to the Golden Age pulp hero Wesley Dodds, aka the Sandman! What dark and sinister dreams keep Wesley awake at night? Who is the evil kidnapper known as “The Tarantula”? And what makes Wesley’s paramour, Dian Belmont, so dang awesome?!! Also, another installment of The Sandman Slept Here’s regular feature “The Dream Sequence”. Don’t sleep on this exciting new podcast!
Have a question or comment? Looking for more great content?
- Leave comments on our website: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/sandman0/
- Images from this episode: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/podcast/sandman0g/
- Email the show at: justicesocietypresents@gmail.com
- Keep up with all #JSApril participating podcasters and bloggers: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com/JSApril
Subscribe to THE SANDMAN SLEPT HERE as part of the JUSTICE SOCIETY PRESENTS Podcast:
- Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/justice-society-presents/id1549429702
- Don’t use Apple Podcasts? Use this link for your podcast catcher: https://feeds.feedburner.com/jsapresents
- Also available on Spotify, Audible, and Amazon Music
Follow JUSTICE SOCIETY PRESENTS on social media:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jsapresents
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/jsapresents
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jsapresents/
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jsapresents.bsky.social
- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@jsapresents
This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK:
- Visit the Fire & Water WEBSITE: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com
- Like our Fire & Water Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork
- Follow Fire & Water on Twitter/X: https://x.com/FWPodcasts
- Follow Fire & Water on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fwpodcasts.bsky.social
- Support The Fire & Water Podcast Network on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts
Music: “Embraceable You” by Fred Rich
Thanks for listening! Join the fight… for Justice!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
I’d say my favorite song with dream in has to be if I can dream by Elvis Presley but the monkees day dream believer is a close second. Might wanna check the site somthing weird is going on
AHA, it finally dropped! And every time I try to listen to this thing uninterrupted, SOMETHING interrupts me. FINALLY finished it and kudos to all the podcastsers of this show.
At the time that this came out, I did not buy it. Certainly picked up the 1st issue due to the Neil Gaiman Sandman connection, but it was not what I was into at the time.
Now that I’m actually back into pulp era stuff, and varying shades of mystery stories on different media, it certainly has a different cast. I may begin picking up these stories by TPB depending on the storyline.
As for the Dian Belmont / Dian & the Belmonts mention, yes it was hilarious at how my timeline blindspot brought me to the wrong conclusion. However, it also felt like it was delivered by “the detective” to a witness, helping crack that case. Or maybe that was just the effect of me reading these issues in advance so they’re fresh for future installments.
Keep up the good work!
Regarding the question about a song — there were a number of songs that sprang to mind: Dream On (Aerosmith), You Make My Dreams (Hall & Oates), Don’t Dream It’s Over (Crowded House).
But ultimately I settled for a song that my wife & I both share fondness for: “Together In Electric Dreams” by Philip Oakey. Fun and catchy song, and challenging to sing despite its seemingly novelty-esque crafting.
Great episode guys. You make me want to buy the compendium, or at least read along on DCU Infinite Ultra (the Multi-Alien). I’m warming to the Guy Davis art. It’s still a bit weird to see these characters referenced as handsome and pretty when in my opinion, they aren’t drawn that way, but it’s the Davis’ lens, and I just have to get used to it. It does suit the period and the syle of story he’s drawing for sure.
I was a big fan of Matt Wagner’s “Faces” arc in LOTDK too Ryan. And yes, even for high school-age me, the sex part was kind of shocking, and appreciated! An underrated gem in my opinion, like most of the early LOTDK arcs.
Great dream song selections gents. Cindy, Dani and I got to see Heart in concert last year, and Nancy killed it on “In Dreams”. Great song.
For my personal favorite dream song, from around the same era as “Masks”, I’d have to go with Queensryche’s “Silent Lucidity”. It’s essentially a parent telling their child they’ll protect them when they’re having nightmares, and instructing them on how to control their dreams. I once thought to tie that into a “last Batman story” I had formulated in my head, but Neil Gaiman (HIM again!) did something very similar with his “last Batman story” in “Whatever Happend to the Caped Crusader” after the Batman R.I.P. storyline. It’s not like I was going to be asked to write Batman anyway, but hey…a man can dream!
Hey guys! I’m so used to hearing you three on dig shows that it really feels like an all-star podcast to have you together. Love it.
I collected Wagner’s Grendel series for years, and there’s plenty of parallels here as Matt indulged in lots of mature content, and his Hunter Rose version was very grounded in street level crime. And he absolutely had cops that were flawed or downright terrible people. This works together for a fascinating series. Say, did any of you read his Grendel/Batman minis? The second was good, but the first is an all-time favorite comic of mine.
The artwork is great for this period and evokes the movies of the time, where Dian would fit right in. I think she fits that era’s standard of beauty, and I adore her sharing lead status with Wes.
Speaking of Wes, something was nagging at me about his depiction when I realized I was seeing a resemblance with Watchmen’s Nite Owl, Dan Dreiberg. Kinda nerdy, big goggles, gadgets, atypical physique for a superhero, that’s a lot of parallels. It may be just me, but I have to wonder if it was on purpose.
For a song, I have to say “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” by Eurythmics. A haunting melody with a video that was required viewing for the MTV generation.
Thanks again, Sandmen! Sweet dreams.
What’s a dig show, pray tell?
Note to everyone: I saved the comments from before the website migration. So while they have disappeared from here we will definitely be reading them on the next episode. Thanks for your patience while we are working on upgrading/fixing the website.
Here are the comments that were deleted due to the website migration:
Clinton Robison says:
May 15, 2025 at 4:51 am
Excellent first (non-zero) episode, gents. Well worth the multiple year wait. Or mere months wait. However long it’s been. Time is wonky to those who sleep the sleep of the just.
All real atrocities aside, I think we should all agree the true crime in this story is the coffee getting spilled on Dian. (OK, maybe not but I gotta try and stay on brand, right?)
Joe Lewallen says:
May 15, 2025 at 7:48 pm
Hello! I’ve really been enjoying the JSA in the 90s podcast, so when the trailer for the Sandman trailer came up, I was intrigued. I didn’t read the comic in the 90s, but I like Matt Wagner’s writing from Mage and Grendel. I found a trade on eBay with the first 12 issues for 8 bucks. Really liked it, and bought the Compendium. Thanks for posting the pages from the first appearance. Looking forward to going through this series with you.
Song: Dreaming by Blondie (RIP drummer Clem Burke). Runner up: (All I Have To Do Is) Dream, cover by R.E.M. for the Athens, GA Inside/Out Soundtrack
Bucky749 says:
May 16, 2025 at 1:34 am
Great episode number one .
And now to answer you song question this was tuff
My runner up is day dream believe the monkees version not the original though I have heard that version as well . My favorite song with dream in the
Lyrics is “if I could dream “ by the king him self Elvis Presley.
Here’s an idea there anime or cartoon I forgot which called magi natio and the hero was called the final dreamer .
So why not call you end segment share our dreams or sleepy questions I was gonna say call it final question but that might work .
David Ace Gutierrez says:
May 16, 2025 at 11:38 am
Oh, man did you guys did another bang up job! Loving the show! Please move to daily!
Sean says:
May 16, 2025 at 2:42 pm
Max, Paul, and Ryan,
Thanks for another great episode! I’m really excited to get an episode so quickly after the debut.
The opening arc does an incredible job world building. We get to know Wesley, Dian, supporting characters, and the city right up front. It also lays out the conceit of the show, which is an unflinching look at street level crime. It’s not always an easy read, but it’s a rewarding one.
Is it too late to recommend that the listener feedback section be called “Passing Gas”?
Clinton Robison says:
May 17, 2025 at 5:08 am
“Passing Gas,” Sean? Huh. Go with what you know, I guess?
Noah Tarnow says:
May 16, 2025 at 3:40 pm
Fantastic first official episode. Your thoughtful analysis and insight is some of the more intelligent comic book analysis I’ve heard recently. I loved this series at the time—for me, a DC zombie who had almost no experience beyond the Big Two—it felt so different from anything else on the stands. It was dark and gritty, with just the right dose of superhero intrigue—an excellent variation of the Watchmen-style “What if superheroes were real?” theme, which I (still) love like crazy.
My favorite dream song is probably “Bob Dylan’s Dream” (by Dylan, of course), as I recounted in an episode of F&W’s much-missed “Pod Dylan.” But I also need to give a shout-out to “Dream Police” by Cheap Trick and “Moonage Daydream” by David Bowie, my favorite songs respectively by two of my all-time favorite musical acts. What does that say about me?
comicfoil says:
May 17, 2025 at 9:40 am
So glad I saw this promoted on Bluesky. You all discussing Sandman Mystery Theatre immediately became my new favorite podcast to listen to. This Vertigo series is one of the best comic book runs I can claim to have own. Each time I read it, I discover new aspects to a storyline, some character, or in Guy Davis’ astounding art. Looking forward to hearing what revelations you might find with each new episode.
And I’ll add my recommendation to include in your discussions the Sandman Midnight Theatre one-shot as well as the short stories from Vertigo Winter’s Edge #1 & 2.
Craig MacDonald says:
May 17, 2025 at 4:02 pm
I bought the SMT Compendium a while back and looking forward to volume 2. The Tarantula arc I originally had in trade paperback along with three other volumes which I sold to cover the cost of the compendium. Anyway, great first episode. Not sure if you’re aware but Matt Wagner also wrote a Madame Xanadu series for DC. It’s collected in 4 trades and the second trade “Exodus Noir” is a team-up story with Wesley Dodds and Dian Belmont.
Tim Price says:
May 18, 2025 at 9:09 am
What a great podcast line-up. I’m used to hearing each of you on different shows, so having you together feels like an F&W all-star show. Great job, guys!
This is my first time reading the series, and it’s off to an excellent start for me. I collected a lot of Wagner’s Grendel, and this feels related to his Hunter Rose version specifically. The last series of that I remember is Behold The Devil, which goes to some dark places no surprise, and very street level crime noir. This series definitely plays to Wagner’s strengths, with Wesley’s dreams bringing just a touch of the supernatural that Matt likes to play with. Oh, and have any of you read his Grendel/Batman minis? The second is good, but the first is an all-time favorite of mine.
The artwork is perfect for this as a period piece. When I think of the movie stars of that era, the characters here would fit right in, making Dian a great leading lady. It’s wonderful to see they’re making her the co-star of this series. I thought her take of “only your daughter” showed Dian’s insight into what her father “meant” as opposed to what he “said”. She knows him and the men of the time to tell the difference. She’s kinda stealing the series for me, which is great.
As for Wes himself, something was nagging at me and I finally realized, his appearance is remarkably similar to Watchmen’s Nite-Owl, Dan Dreiberg. A little nerdy, not the typical hero build, science-y, willing to mix it up in a fight, and even their goggles have parallel imagery. What do you guys think? Either way, I’m liking it, and excited to read more! I would dare say this series is establishing Sandman as the post-Crisis Golden Age Batman.
Thank you for starting this podcast and encouraging me to start this series. Pleasant dreams, gentlemen.
Well, I had time to write that feedback, but forgot I hadn’t finished listening to the episode! LOL! So I’ll throw in “Sweet Dreams” by Eurythmics. Solid haunting song with a music video that was required watching for the MTV generation. And Max! You’re a Cubs fan, too? Yay!
Dave Tomko says:
May 19, 2025 at 7:32 am
Great first episode! It’s been a while since I read this story, and I completely agree with what you all said on the podcast—Diane is absolutely the standout.
I’d say the cover design definitely screams ‘90s. Definitely not “Image-Extreme ‘90s,” but more in line with the grunge/alternative album art of the time. A lot of what Vertigo was doing with their covers had that same vibe, and very much in the vein of graphic designer David Carson.
Since others were asking about what you might cover down the line, I was wondering the same. Will you review the Starman “crossover,” the 2007 mini-series Sandman Mystery Theatre: Sleep of Reason, or as a previous poster mentioned, Wes and Diane’s appearance in Madame Xanadu?
Really looking forward to the next episode!
Oh, and for songs, I’d throw in “Dreamer in My Dreams” by Wilco.
I don’t really know a lot about Sandman, so this is a fun and enjoyable way to expand my knowledge base. Thanks for that. As for songs about dreams, I’ve got a number of faves (“Dream On” by Aerosmith, “Dream Police” by Cheap Trick, “Dreamer” by Supertramp, etc.), but ultimately the one closest to my heart is the Cass Elliot version of “Dream A Little Dream of Me”. Looking forward to the next episode!
Loved this series and this opening arc sure showed that Wagner wasn’t afraid to lean into the sleaze.
I appreciated that Wagner also kept the feel of the world real. Racial slurs and sexism/homophobia/etc. all were considered ‘normal’ back then. I am glad Wagner didn’t wash away the social dirt from the environment.
In particular, Lt. Burke is an interesting character. Hard-boiled cop for sure. Would definitely beat a confession out of someone. And isn’t the nicest guy as you say, using racially charged language and kind of being a prick. But he also is later shown to be an Italian-American, someone who hides his heritage and even ‘Americanized’ his name. There has to be some self-hatred in him, either hating his native culture … or hating that he feels he needs to hide it. Hearing him slur other races while wearing the name Burke makes him complicated, a sinner on a number of fronts. (And yes, as an Italian-American myself with few and far non-Mafia Italians in comics, I find him very intriguing.)
Can’t wait to hear more.
Great show, guys. Man, these are some grim stories. Make sure you get a hug after reading these.
Regarding a song about dreams: the only choice is Dan Hartman’s “I Can Dream About You” featured in the movie Streets of Fire. In the film, the song is performed brilliantly by the Sorels. A fictional quartet of Stoney Jackson, Robert Townsend, Mykelti Williamson and Grand L. Bush. Watch this video instead of the one featuring Dan Hartman. https://youtu.be/vzBOG-QW3_E?si=vmQkAN5TH5EFuMCA
This is a very enjoyable show! You three make a great team. I don’t know why everyone is picking on Ryan. Max has killed just as many podcasts! (Is it true that Max’s microphone is red with yellow and black stripes?) Paul will make you two see it through to the end!
I am not a fan of the Davis artwork. I’ve got a few issues and I’ve read a trade or two in the library, but still can’t warm up to it. I respect it, and I glad that DC took a chance on it, but it’s not for me. I anticipate your analysis, however, so I’ll certainly keep listening!
Among my favorite dream songs is Dream, written by Johnny Mercer and recorded by many. And speaking of music, I am disappointed that you did not keep DC celebrity and star of his own comic (with his wife) Ozzie Nelson performing your intro and outro music!
Apologies for being so late to the party, but now that I finally had a chance to listen it would be wrong not to say well done on a great show. I’ve only read the first arc so far, but I do have pretty much the whole series, so I will get there. Now I really have an incentive.
I quite (UK ‘quite’, not US) like the Guy Davis art, but I just don’t get those dopey noses… they’re so out of place, so loose.