The DCU, despite only having one project in the can, has already built up an amazing amount of hype. DC is riding a wave of success lately; Creatures Commandos has given viewers the DCU’s blueprints, and is beloved by fans and critics. The Penguin is one of the most decorated comic shows ever, and even though it’s not a part of the DCU, it shows that fans want more from comic book media than people in spandex whomping on each other. DC has many great comics that it can adapt that follow The Penguin’s lead, but there’s one that is perfect for the DCU: Sandman Mystery Theatre.
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Sandman Mystery Theatre was published by DC’s Vertigo imprint, where the publisher put out their mature readers’ comics, running for 70 issues from 1993 to 1999. Set in the late ’30s and early ’40s, Sandman Mystery Theatre was an excellent blend of crime noir and superheroes. It’s perfect for fans who want more crime drama a la The Penguin.
Sandman Mystery Theatre Blends Superhero and Detective Stories Seamlessly
Sandman Mystery Theatre, by Matt Wagner, Steve Seagle, and Guy Davis, brought readers the adventures of the Golden Age DC hero the Sandman. Sandman was Wesley Dodds, a wealthy New York socialite whose prophetic dreams drive him to become a superhero. Armed with a gas gun, his fists, and his detective skills, Dodds would eventually join the Justice Society of America, fighting alongside the greatest heroes of the ’30s and ’40s. However, before that, he made his name as a detective and vigilante. Sandman Mystery Theatre concentrates on his solo adventures before he joined the team, solving mysteries and staying one step ahead of the police, who eventually grow to appreciate his skills.
Sandman Mystery Theatre takes the pulp roots of superheroes — two-fisted detectives like Mickey Spillane — and makes them the focus. While other members of the Justice Society and Golden Age supervillains eventually appear in the book, it is first and foremost a detective comic. Dodds finds himself dealing with serial killers, rapists, corrupt cops and government officials, and organized crime, doing his best to solve the most horrible crimes imaginable. Dodds is a great detective and a good fighter, but he’s no Batman; he doesn’t win because he’s the best fighter in the world, he wins because he’s smart and adaptable.
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Sandman Mystery Theatre is a warts-and-all look at New York City of the 1930s and ’40s. The book doesn’t shy away from the social issues of the day — racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, abortion, the rise of Nazism, and the international appeasement that defined that era. Besides Dodds, the character that gets the most page space is his girlfriend Dian Belmont, the daughter of the District Attorney who eventually becomes Sandman’s de facto partner in solving mysteries. Dian is as smart and capable as any of the men in the cast, but the fact that she’s a woman sees most people look down on her. The only person who believes in her is Wesley, and the ups and downs of their relationship is one of the best parts of the book.
Sandman Mystery Theatre is a window into the world of the DC Universe. Already, Gunn and Safran’s DCU has used the real world as inspiration for its stories — if there were superhumans, you best believe there would be an Amanda Waller. If Themyscira was real, there would totally be a group of men who banded together to call them misandrists and try to impugn them. Something like G.I. Robot would be used in WWII. Sandman Mystery Theatre would take this approach to the next level. Fans already got a glimpse of Golden Age DC in Creature Commandos and Sandman Mystery Theatre is the best way to follow up that look. Plus, it even plays into the DC Multiverse if the DCU decides to introduce Earth-2 to the movies. It’s a win-win for DC Studios.
Sandman Mystery Theatre Will Prove That the DCU Is Different From the MCU
The MCU has spent almost twenty years setting up what superhero stories are in the minds of the general public. One of the failures of the old DCEU was that it tried to buck the trends set up by the MCU. However, fans have gotten tired of many of the MCU’s old tropes. While the franchise is definitely still successful, it’s not as unassailable as it used to be. Fans want something different and the new DCU is giving it to them. Creature Commandos succeeded because it found a way to do what the MCU did without copying it, while also going in its own directions.
The DCU needs to set itself apart from the MCU even more in the coming years and a project like Sandman Mystery Theatre is exactly the way to do that. It has a lot of what made the MCU successful — great characters, good humor, and engrossing plots — but it’s completely different from it in every other way. It combines great detective stories with deft social commentary, and following the comic could take the superhero genre in completely different directions.
The Pengiun shows that fans are ready for something different and Sandman Mystery Theatre‘s noir stylings fit what that show did perfectly. Sandman Mystery Theatre is tailor-made for streaming; its four-issue story arcs are episodic in nature and each season of the show can adapt several, all the while building Wesley and Dian, as well as the Golden Age heroes of the DC Multiverse. It’s the perfect next step for the DCU.
