There are more living personifications of Death than anyone could reasonably be asked to keep up with, but a handful of special cases stand out. When a fan favorite iteration of the concept makes the leap to a new medium, it’s a big deal that the new crew handles it with the respect it deserves.
After a long processand multiple false starts, Neil Gaiman’s classic comic book seriesThe Sandmanfinally got an on-screen adaptation. There was a lot that the crew needed to get right to keep fans happy, and luckily, this take on the concept nailed just about every aspect with flying colors.
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The Sandmantakes theexpected approach when it comes to adapting the original source material. Its first season is a direct translation of the first two collections of the 1989 comic book series. Some changes were made to tie everything together, making it feel like a more cohesive season of TV, but it’s essentially the same stories. Just like the comics, the first collection hits something of a crescendo before it properly ends. In the comic, it comes in the sixth official issue. In the show, it’s theheavily foreshadowed fifth episode. Either way, the most nightmarish moment in the franchise thus far and one of the most powerfully unpleasant issues of a comic ever released needs to be followed with a break. Nothing says relaxation like a walk in the park with Death herself.
Death is at least the second most important character for any version ofThe Sandmanto get right.She’s Dream’s older sister, easily the most balanced and even-handed voice in his eternal life, and one of the most beloved comic book characters of all time. Though the idea of casting death as a charmingly upbeat figure is a bit cliché at this point, the version introduced inThe Sandmanis one of the seminal iterations of the trope. In the comics, Death is a soft-spoken force of charisma who dominates every frame she occupies. She has an ironic Joie de Vive that manifests as a simultaneous adoration of all new experiences and a deeply felt respect for all those who live. Unlike Dream, who often makes the mistake of seeing mortals as inconvenient distractions or selfish insects, Death knows the best and worst of us, and she loves us all the same.Comic book fans ofthe last 33 years have lived in peace, hoping quietly that when it all ends, they’ll hear the sound of her wings. Any adaptation of the character will have big black boots to fill, and the version on Netflix succeeds.
Episode six of Netflix’sThe Sandmanborrows the perfect title of the issue that introduced the character; “The Sound of Her Wings”. In both iterations, Dream, rendered unfulfilled after his century in captivity and successful revenge quest, seeks counsel from the person he trusts most, his big sister Death. Shetakes him on a fewof her local jobs and happily imparts her wisdom. She explains that the Endless exist to serve mortals, not the other way around. Through watching her on the job, Dream comes to understand his purpose, and returns to the Dreaming with new ambition. Death, for her part, isn’t in the show for very long, but she makes a massive impression on her brother and an even greater one on the audience. Large parts of the original comic dialogue are preserved, but, even when changes are made, the original spirit is maintained perfectly. This is a triumph of the writing, partially courtesy of original scribe Neil Gaiman, but it’s also a triumph of performance.
WhenKirby Howell-Baptiste was castin the role of Death, certain unacceptable garbage portions of the fanbase raised complaints. The character’s original design was inspired by model and costume designer Cinamon L. Hadley, a personal friend of both Gaiman and artist Mike Dringenberg. This means that she’s typically portrayed as a pale white woman, but Howell-Baptiste’s performance speaks for itself. She’s perfect. She’s received nothing but overwhelming and well-earned praise from nearly every critic. Her genuine warmth and empathy is stirring, her sense of humor is charming, and she perfectly embodies the smiling face all of us hope to see at the end. It’s tough to find the words to praise Howell-Baptiste’s performance. There’s a lot of great work inThe Sandman, but her performance as Death is one of the best comic book characters on screen in years.
The Sandmanhas been extremely well-received, and there’s a goodchance of a second season. There are a lot of things to look forward to if that does get greenlit, but one of the most notable things to garner hype is the return of Death to the small screen. With a character like Neil Gaiman’s Death, execution is everything, and it’s hard to imagine a fan feeling anything less than joy. Whether fans get more of this fantastic adaptation ofThe Sandman, the show’s take on Death is a triumph. Our time with her may be short, but that’s part of what makes it beautiful.
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