Presentation for DePaul Pop Culture's 2021 CELEBRATION OF SUPERHEROES

1. No Land Above The Law: Pulp
Tropes in SANDMAN
MYSTERY THEATER
Gordon Dymowski
DePaul Pop Culture Conference 2021

2. HELLO!
I am Gordon Dymowski, New Pulp
author and past Conference
participant
You can find me at
http://www.gordondymowski.com
and my work at
http://bit.ly/GDymAuthor
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3. About SANDMAN MYSTERY
THEATER
◈ Based on Golden Age character
created by Garner Fox
◈ SMT started in midst of Gaiman’s
SANDMAN run (1994) as
DC/Vertigo
◈ Written by Matt Wagner,
influence by then-renaissance in
crime fiction and pulp literature
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4. Our Lead: Wesley
Dodds/Sandman
◈ Robin Hood archetype (Johnston
McCulley Zorro/post-Zorro)
◈ Gentleman Thief (Frank L. Packard –
Grey Seal)
◈ Driven by internal forces (Norvell
Page – the Spider)
◈ Relationship with Morpheus
(Gaiman’s Sandman)
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5. Dian Belmont – Co-Lead
◈ Resembles many pulp female
leads - more equal partner
than simple romantic interest
(Thin Man/Hammett)
◈ Maturity to relationship
(unlike classic pulp) SMT
explores Dodd’s actions on
their relationship and
self/other perceptions
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6. Lieutenant Anthony Burke –
Antagonist
◈ Reflects “corrupt cop” noir
trope (including racism)
◈ “Ally and enemy” (Arsene
Lupin/LeBlanc, Wayman-
Jones/The Black Bat,
McCulley/post-Zorro)
◈ Uneasy acceptance of
Sandman and his role
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7. Highlights of Series
◈ Exploration of “sins of the family” as well as themes around
sexuality, race, and gender
◈ Backdrop: Pre-WW2 New York (series takes place 1938 – New
Years Eve 1939)
◈ Middle of run – exploration of Golden Age DC Characters
(Hourman, Starman, Crimson Avenger) through pulp/noir lens
◈ Sandman Midnight Theater one-shot (written by Gaiman and
Wagner) kicks off exploration of Morpheus/Dodds relationship
towards end of run
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8. How Can I Learn/Read More?
◈ Reimagining the Golden Age
paper
◈ First seven arcs are available in
trade
◈ Two larger collections (Books)
available
◈ Email:
Gordon.Dymowski@gmail.com
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