Rise and shine, y’all! THE SANDMAN SLEPT HERE is back. Paul Kien, Max Romero, and Ryan Daly discuss Sandman Mystery Theatre issues #17-20. The creative team of Wagner, Seagle, and Davis tell a whip-cracking tale of a murder and revenge with a western twist. Who is the Scorpion and why is he killing rich industrialists? Who is the ambitious Texan Terry Stetson, and what secret does he hide (besides the fact that his name is obviously a lie)? Has the Sandman met his match in his first costumed supervillain? And how much longer can Wesley keep the truth of the Sandman from his lover, Dian Belmont, before she discovers the secret on her own? Find out the answers in “The Scorpion”. Plus, Paul, Max, and Ryan respond to listener feedback and play another round of the Dream Sequence. Tune in!
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
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
- 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 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fwpodcasts.bsky.social
- Support The Fire & Water Podcast Network on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts
Music: “Red River Valley” by Gene Autry
Thanks for listening! Join the fight… for Justice!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This was an interesting storyline, with the Scorpion being a masked criminal with an unusual weapon that kills – very pulpish – and some skill with the weapon and handling poisons that almost brings him up to the level of Wesley. The nice thing is that despite all Wesley’s advantages and skills, he’s not at JSA level yet, and so his challenges are not only dealing with criminals, but also the police, and pretty much anyone that could interfere or oppose him. The challenge level is high, and so are the stakes for The Sandman at this level.
Also great to see how competence and incompetence in the police force are balanced to give Wesley and the Scorpion breaks, but also put them both in jeopardy, making for an interesting triangle of “sides” that isn’t always balanced in these stories.
It was also delightful to see how the flirting between Wesley and Dian are adult, yet don’t cross over into crass language. Wonderful building of tension and adds a bit more of that rom-com feel that acts as a welcome relief in this dark and sometimes storyline.
Great discussion!
As you all say, after exsanguination, child abuse, incest, and DEATH, I think I needed an arc with a silly cowboy villain. Whew! Pretty cool. Nothing to add to the discussion of the story other than to say I find the Wes/Dian interactions so charming!
As for questions-
Favorite animal villains. Love the Lizard in the lab coat too! Love the Dave Stevens’ Catwoman in Who’s Who. But I think I have to go old school Cheetah, not the lycanthrope in Perez but the rich woman in the cat suit.
Favorite Western – The Magnificent Seven. My buddies always play ‘who would be who in the Magnificent Seven’. Everyone wants to be James Coburn. I also really like The Quick and The Dead, a sort of modern Sam Raimi take on the Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns.
Thanks for the great show and happy birthday to the show!
Random question: Heard on the pour . That shag pays you guys
Does he pay like a normal job
Or do guys get a per episode expense account?
Also how did shag or rob get to agree to be on the net work did he pull the Homer Simpson bit with donuts and in this back issue or what ?
This story was indeed a lot of fun, while still thought-provoking. You guys nailed it with the theme being “money”, or I might say “wealth.” There were so many scenes showing the thoughts and acts of the privileged, and how they take their way of life for granted. Wes does not, nor does Dian, but they’re surrounded by those who do. The Scorpion’s motivation was not that the investors cheated his family, but that they didn’t know how to deal with that life. It’s like the stories of lottery winners who make awful choices. Sudden wealth can be very self-destructive, leading to Terry’s anger and jealousy of those with wealth that are living well. Fascinating reading.
One technical issue kept bugging me, and I just looked again in issue #20 to verify I wasn’t imagining it. When Terry brands something, the burn has the same shape as the brand, but it shouldn’t. The burn should be the mirror image of the brand. And yet, that burn image is the same throughout the story. Or am I missing something? Honestly, I normally don’t look to catch things like this, but it just jumped out at me.
Another high point of this arc is how Wagner and Seagle play with superhero tropes. Instead of Wes worrying about hiding his identity when fighting Scorpion, he instead shows his chops and goes all out as best he can without his weapons, knowing his life is at stake. Rather than Wes thinking “oh if only I could tell Dian who I really am, but I can’t”, he’s wracked with guilt about his dishonesty and really is convincing himself to tell her, and figuring out how to continue fooling her. (Which he isn’t, another great reversal of the “snoopy girlfriend” trope.) I also continue to thrill at how “golden age Batman” this Sandman is, between his Bruce Wayne level wealth, butler-and-confidante, noir villains and stories, and downright awesomeness in a fight. Such a treat. (Wait. Does liking this series count as a “Batman phase”?)
My favorite animal themed villain has to be the Scorpion. No, not this Scorpion, Marvel’s Scorpion. His look, his powers being similar to Spider-Man’s but not identical, and definitely being a “guy in an animal suit.” Doc Ock is a very close second, and tomorrow I might flip them. Catwoman or Black Cat might edge them both out if they weren’t now in the “anti-hero” category.
As a kid, I watched reruns of “The Cisco Kid” and “The Lone Ranger” after church every Sunday morning. They were both so cool, and the Ranger would easily be the favorite just because he was more of a superhero with his mask. But have no doubt, Cisco held his own in my heart. Nowadays I think I’d say favorite western is Back To The Future Part 3, even if it’s shelved in the sci-fi category, over half of the movie is a full-on western. But going to other extremes, I’ll also mention Unforgiven and Blazing Saddles. Hope those choices don’t give you tonal whiplash.
Fantastic episode, my Sandmen!
I think I have to agree with the Lone Ranger .
And also for favorite western I think I’ll go for an early John Wayne movie the lucky Texan .
Great show, guys. The story was good, but I feel I need to jump right to the questions:
First, the easy one. My favorite animal themed villain: Paul’s got it right, it’s Doc Ock. Even my nine-year-old agreed.
Regarding westerns, I’m torn. For TV, I was named after the James Garner character Bret Maverick, so I have an affection for the original Maverick series. But I love Justified as a modern western. It’s hillbilly Shakespeare based on Elmore Leonard books. Plus, Deadwood is a near perfect show.
For movies, I’m not a John Wayne fan – mostly because he was such a fraud. So, I lean towards Clint’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. But for rewatching, the Quick and the Dead may be my favorite. And no list is complete without Blazing Saddles.
An entertaining episode as always gents. But I’m disappointed. No matter how many times the word was said, not ONCE did we hear that famous musical sting when the word “whip” or “the whip” was uttered. C’mon Ryan! You can’t let that die!
Favorite animal-themed villain? It’s honestly probably Catwoman. Who doesn’t love her? Like Max, I am a big fan of the original gangster version of Killer Croc. And a fan of the Lizard, until they made him a crocodile man who eats his own kid. Yikes! Edited to add: I almost forgot Razorback, even though Ryan mentioned my love for him! I’m still going to stick with Catwoman.
Favorite western? Dang, that’s tough. For pure Hollywood fun, I love Tombstone, and have it committed to memory since my college roommate owned the VHS and we watched it literally every day for at least two years. For something a little grittier with more to say, I’d say either The Outlaw Josey Wales or Unforgiven. But I also love Open Range. For a more classic film, Shane, High Noon, The Searchers…see, I can’t pick!
Another great episode, guys! I love the pacing of Wes and Dian’s romance, especially how it’s balanced with Wes being wracked with guilt over his dishonesty, and Dian slowly piecing together his dual identity. I can’t wait to see how this plays out in the next arc.
I also really enjoyed how the Scorpion’s logic for his crimes doesn’t quite hold together. The way he assigns blame for his family’s downfall is off, which makes him all the more interesting as a character.
As for my favorite animal-themed villain, I’d go with the Cheetah, especially when Greg Rucka is writing her.