The following are known mortals:
Roderick Burgess Roderick Burgess (1863–1947), born
Morris Burgess Brocklesby and known also as
The Daemon King, was the Lord Magus of The Order of the Ancient Mysteries. His magical fraternity was based in "Fawney Rig" in
Sussex, and was initially funded by his inherited industrial wealth. Burgess is a magician rather in the vein of the real
Aleister Crowley, and within the
DC world is Crowley's rival. The series begins with Burgess' attempt to capture and bind
Death, which fails, capturing
Dream instead. Burgess keeps Dream trapped in a glass globe for the rest of his (Burgess') life, attempting to bargain with Dream, but Dream remains silent. Burgess dies from a heart attack still attempting to get a response out of Dream. His order passes the globe and Dream to his son Alex. Burgess is a bald-headed, slightly pot-bellied man with a large hook nose. He is ultimately self-centred; his sole purpose for the Order is to bring money and power to himself, and he is consumed by his desire to achieve immortality. His relationship with his son is only briefly touched on, though it is implied that it is unhealthy, with Burgess pushing his son to spend his life pursuing his father's dreams. In the podcast, Roderick Burgess is voiced by
Stephen Critchlow.
Charles Dance portrays the character in the television series
The Sandman on
Netflix. This version of the character dies of a brain hemorrhage instead of a heart attack.
Alex Burgess Alex Burgess is the son of Roderick Burgess, mother unknown (but probably
Ethel Cripps, and therefore half-brother of
Doctor Destiny). He is taught by his father, and takes part in his rituals. Upon Roderick Burgess' death, Alex inherits his estate, including his magical order. He keeps Dream imprisoned, as his father did, trying to bargain for power and immortality in exchange for Dream's release. The Order of the Ancient Mysteries enjoys a resurgence in popularity in the 1960s, but by the 1970s it is in decline again. Alex passes ownership of the Order on to his boyfriend, Paul McGuire, and becomes obsessed with his prisoner and with his father. Finally, in 1988, Dream escapes and puts Alex into a nightmare of "eternal waking", in which he is forever dreaming he is waking up, and each waking degenerates into another horrible nightmare. This nightmare lasts for years, ending only with Dream's death in
The Kindly Ones. Alex is quite tall and near-sighted. He has brown hair which he wears in a variety of styles throughout his life, but by old age he is bald and has come to resemble his father very closely. His relationship with McGuire is deep and heartfelt, but his obsessions with his father and with Dream eventually come to rule his life. In
The Wake, he appears again as the child that we see in his first appearance. Alex is in many ways a tragic figure, perhaps the first statement of the theme that
Desire explores in
The Wake: "The bonds of family bind both ways". Had Alex not been born the son of his father, inheriting the imprisoned Dream, his life might have been much happier. However, he is finally able to find some measure of fulfillment in his old age, following Dream's death and also attends his funeral. His name almost certainly derives from
Anthony Burgess's
A Clockwork Orange, the protagonist of which is named Alex, but could also be a nod to
Aleister Crowley, whose original middle name was Alexander and who was mentioned in the first issue. In the podcast, Alex Burgess is voiced by
Blake Ritson. Alex appears in
The Sandman episode "Sleep of the Just", portrayed by
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as a young man,
Laurie Kynaston as an adult, Benedick Blythe as an elderly man in season one, and by
Geoffrey Beevers as an elderly man in season two. Unlike the comics, Dream later releases Alex from his "eternal waking" prior to creating the second Corinthian. Upon waking up, Alex calls for Paul, who runs in to Alex's bedroom to see Alex awake as they embrace each other.
Ruthven Sykes Ruthven Sykes is a bespectacled Afro-Caribbean man with short hair. He is
Roderick Burgess' second-in-command of the Order of the Ancient Mysteries until November 1930, when he steals a number of treasures (including Dream's helmet, ruby and pouch of sand) and £200,000 in cash from the order and flees to San Francisco with Roderick's mistress,
Ethel Cripps. In December 1930, he trades the helmet to the demon
Choronzon for an amulet that looks like an eyeball on a chain. This amulet protects him from the magics of Burgess until 1936 when Ethel Cripps leaves him taking the amulet with her. He is then killed. In the podcast, Ruthven Sykes is voiced by
Oris Erhuero. In the Netflix series, Ruthven Sykes is portrayed by
Ansu Kabia.
Ethel Cripps Ethel Cripps, also known as
Ethel Dee, is the mother of
John Dee. She was the mistress of
Roderick Burgess until she fled with
Ruthven Sykes. Her last joy was her son, John Dee, whom she sought for 10 years. She discovered that he had become a living corpse, which happened because of his use of the Sandman's Ruby. At this time, she was 90 years old, and it was alluded that she had been kept alive by an amulet in the shape of an eye which granted its user protection, the amulet that
Ruthven Sykes had been given by the demon
Choronzon in exchange for Dream's helmet. Sykes, who had been second in command in The Order of Ancient Mysteries, needed protection from
Roderick Burgess who was seeking retribution for Sykes' treachery of the theft of the £200,000 and Dream's magical items, which were in possession of the Order at the time he fled with Ethel Cripps to San Francisco in 1930. "Magical War" was declared upon them, and Ruthven knew he would need a way to protect himself from the hexes Burgess sought to put upon him. In 1936, Ethel walked out on Ruthven, taking with her the amulet of protection and Dream's Ruby. While in his possession, the amulet protected Sykes from Burgess' hexes, but without it, he died a messy and painful death, with his insides exploding out of him. The amulet continued to protect Ethel while Choronzon was still in possession of Dream's helmet. After Dream escaped and sought to regain his items, he descended to Hell to find his helmet. He had to battle Choronzon to regain it. After his victory, the compact was withdrawn and the power of protection the amulet possessed ended which also ended the life of Ethel Dee. In the podcast, Ethel Cripps is voiced by Karen Bartke. In the Netflix series, Ethel Cripps is portrayed by
Joely Richardson as an older woman and by
Niamh Walsh as a younger woman. Unlike the comics, Ethel gave the Amulet of Protection to her son before dying.
Wesley Dodds Wesley Dodds, also known as
Sandman, is the original costumed crimefighter who used the name. According to Gaiman, he was merely filling a hole in the universe in a similar way to a process of evolution, in which animals fill up a niche—for instance, what should fly. He is first seen in
The Sandman series in a two-panel cameo in issue #1, and another cameo in issue #26. Dream occasionally appeared in dream sequences in Dodds's own series,
Sandman Mystery Theatre. The two finally met for real in Gaiman's
Sandman Midnight Theatre. Dodds appeared out of costume during
The Sandman: The Wake (#72). The reason for his prophetic visions is explained as him being embodied with a small portion of Dream's essence. His reasoning for assuming his role as The Sandman is given as nightmares of Dream in his helmet that plague him
until he begins his career as a crimefighter, after which "Wesley Dodds sleeps the
sleep of the
Just." In the podcast, Wesley Dodds is voiced by
Ray Porter.
Johanna Constantine Lady Johanna Constantine is an 18th-century supernatural adventuress. Dream encounters her several times, once to ask her to recover the head of his son,
Orpheus – a mission she performed so successfully that part of its aftereffects was the ending of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror. In the
Hellblazer Special: Lady Constantine graphic novel, an ancient evil refers to Johanna Constantine as 'the Constantine', the 'laughing magician', and the 'constant one', all titles that have been used (usually by other ancient evils) to describe
John Constantine. The evil taunts her, saying "did you think to trick us with a new form?" There is the implication that throughout all times there have been recurring incarnations of Constantine who contain the spark of magic. In the story Johanna Constantine learns that "the
Devil and the
Wandering Jew" meet once every hundred years in a London pub; this meeting is actually between Dream and Hob Gadling, as she discovers when she interrupts the meeting. The story's conclusion shows Johanna Constantine inheriting a property she calls "Fawney Rig", after the con job wherein a gilded ring is sold as though it were solid gold, the implication being that she attained the property through trickery. This property was later owned by Roderick Burgess, the mage who captures Dream in the beginning of
The Sandman. In her middle age, Johanna Constantine is charged by persons unknown with the key to a box containing the sigil of America, allegedly created by Destiny. This is stolen and hidden in the future by the wanderer, Mad Hettie. Hettie both blackmails ("I knows about you and the little Corsican") and bribes Johanna for her silence, promising her that she would live to age 99. This promise proves true, with Johanna dying at age 99 while getting out of her wheelchair when she hears the song of her old companion Orpheus. Johanna is an ancestor of
John Constantine, as revealed in the miniseries
The Sandman Presents: Love Street. She is also mentioned in the
Doctor Who novel
The Man in the Velvet Mask, set in an alternate post-Revolutionary France. In the podcast, Johanna Constantine is voiced by
Joanna Lumley.
Jenna Coleman was cast as two versions of Johanna in the TV adaptation of
The Sandman: one in the eighteenth-century that encountered Dream and Hob Gadling and another in the present day where she is an occult detective just like John. In this show, Johanna serves the exact same role as John in the comics. Dream once saw into her nightmare regarding a previously botched exorcism that dragged her friend
Astra Logue to Hell.
John Constantine John Constantine is a
con man and
magician. He is a descendant of Johanna Constantine who accompanies Dream on a quest to find his pouch of sand. John Constantine has his own series,
John Constantine: Hellblazer, which occasionally has guest appearances by Cain and Abel. He is also prominently featured in another series,
Swamp Thing, from which he originated. In the podcast, John Constantine is voiced by
Taron Egerton.
John Dee John Dee, also known as
Doctor Destiny, is a
DC Comics villain whose powers were derived from his use of Dream's Ruby. He was incarcerated in
Arkham Asylum, with other
Batman villains such as
The Scarecrow and
The Joker, until freed by the amulet given to him by his mother, Ethel Dee, former mistress to Roderick Burgess. He had previously fought the
Sandman (Garrett Sanford) alongside the
Justice League. John originally named himself 'Doctor Destiny' to protect his mother's surname, but after her death changed it back. The Ruby had drained away his mental and physical state until he was no longer able to sleep or dream without it. This had the unpleasant effect of turning him into a browned, living corpse. Being able to control dreams, he used the ruby to bring out the 'darkness' and 'bestiality' of many people across the world. He originally sought power, money and mostly the restoration of his human body, but the madness brought about by overuse of the relic drove him to savage, monstrous acts of depravity using the ruby. To quote: "I think I'll dismember the world and then I'll dance in the wreckage." While doing this, over a period of 24 hours he focused the energy of the ruby on several people in a cafe, one of them a friend of Rose Walker and an ex-lover of Foxglove. He used them as puppets, horribly having them murder and degrade each other as if they were toys, until all were dead. Dream double-bluffed him into destroying the ruby, which Dee believed to be Dream's life. It actually only stored some of his energy, and with it released Dream instead became even more powerful than before. Easily overpowering Dee, Dream decided not to destroy him, and instead returned him to Arkham. Dee was finally able to sleep and his sadism and depravity faded as he now could again dream. He has since appeared in
Justice League and
Justice Society stories, having retained some residual power from the ruby. Even worse, since he has managed to replicate its power perfectly, the second ruby is now out of his grasp. However, since the new ruby is attuned to him, he has since not regressed to his previous vicious persona, mostly seeking the dominion of dreams or the waking world through dreams. In the podcast, John Dee is voiced by
William Hope. John Dee appears in the Netflix series, portrayed by
David Thewlis. This variant has a more expanded, different role. He does not kill Rosemary when they drive together, but he leaves her the Amulet of Protection he received from his mother. John does not possess his comic variant's shriveled appearance, simply looking like a weak middle aged man. Additionally, his use of the ruby is different: he still kills the people in the diner but the ruby's power is more specific: he uses it to remove people's ability to lie. Dream later defeated him. Taking pity, Dream places him in a dreamless state and returns him to the institution that he escaped from.
Unity Kinkaid Unity Kinkaid first appears as one of the victims of the sleepy sickness that follows Dream's capture in the first collection of issues in the series,
Preludes and Nocturnes. Following his capture, she sleeps until he escapes. While asleep, she gives birth to a daughter named Miranda Walker. It is later shown that the father of Miranda was
Desire. Unity is later identified as a "vortex of Dream": a rare entity with the ability to telepathically combine the dreams of other beings and who can thus cause the destruction of the Dreaming. The only time Dream is allowed to take a human life is to kill a vortex. Desire's intervention transfers the vortex to Unity's granddaughter Rose Walker in the hope that Dream will kill one of their relatives and thus incur the vengeance of the
Furies. Before Dream can kill Rose, Unity reclaims the vortex and dies in her stead. Unity is of medium height, with reddish-brown hair that she wears long and loose, in the final dream-meeting between herself, Rose, and Dream; as the old woman of waking life, she has grey hair and wears a curiously old-fashioned dress. In the podcast, Unity Kinkaid is voiced by
Sue Johnston as an old woman and by Tracy Wiles as a young woman. In the Netflix series, Unity is portrayed by Sandra James-Young. This version is a
Black British woman.
Lyta Hall Hippolyta "Lyta" Hall is a major character, the mother of
Daniel. During Dream's captivity, pregnant Lyta and her husband were held captive in a dream-realm controlled by Brute and Glob, two of Dream's minions. In this pocket realm, Lyta remained pregnant for two years, giving birth to her son Daniel only after Dream destroys the pocket realm (and Lyta's husband) and frees her. When Dream tells Lyta that the child she gestated in dreams will one day belong to him, Lyta swears she will protect Daniel at all costs. When Daniel goes missing, Lyta is convinced that Dream has stolen him and seeks revenge, unwittingly setting into motion the events of Dream's death at the hands of the Three while unaware that the real culprits were Loki and Puck. Though her son Daniel would end up becoming the new Dream and give her mother a mark that would help keep her safe. In the podcast, Lyte Hall is voiced by Laura Lefkow. Lyte Hall is portrayed by Razane Jammal in the Netflix series. She has a more minor role in the Doll's House arc as it focuses less on her and Hector.
Miranda Walker Miranda Walker is the daughter of
Unity Kinkaid and Desire and the mother of
Rose Walker and
Jed Paulsen. When she split from her ex-husband Burt Paulsen, he gained custody of Jed. Miranda and Rose later met up with Unity upon her waking from the sleepy sickness. Following Unity's death, Miranda bought a house in Seattle and moved there with Rose and Jed. In the Netflix series, Miranda Walker is portrayed by
Andi Osho. This version is a Black British woman. She was seen in a flashback where she told Jed that her now ex-husband demands custody of him. Unlike the comics, Miranda later died at some point from an illness and was impersonated in Jed's dreams by Gault.
Jed Walker Jed Paulsen, created by
Joe Simon and
Jack Kirby, first appeared in
The Sandman, vol. 1, #1, where he was protected from nightmare monsters by the titular hero. In
Cancelled Comic Cavalcade #2, he was revealed to be the
Earth-1 equivalent of Kirby's
Kamandi. In
Neil Gaiman's
revisionist version of
The Sandman,
Jed Walker is the brother of
Rose Walker, the son of Miranda Walker and Burt Paulsen, and the maternal grandson of
Unity Kinkaid and
Desire. He was raised by his paternal grandfather
Ezra Paulsen and then taken and imprisoned by his abusive
Aunt Clarice and Uncle Barnaby at the behest of Desire following the death of Ezra and the death of Burt. Once Rose rescues him, he is revealed in
The Wake to have become close to her. In the podcast, Jed is voiced by Mack Keith-Roach. In the Netflix series, Jed (named
Jed Walker) is portrayed by Eddie Karanja while a younger version of him was portrayed by Aryel Tsoto. This incarnation of the character is Black British. A flashback shows that he and Rose were separated when his father obtained custody of him upon divorcing Miranda. When Gault was taking refuge in Jef's brain, he operated as the superhero Sandman where he fought villains like Johnny Sorrow, Phantom of the Fair, Doctor Death, and Pied Piper. Unlike the comics, Jed was taken to the convention by the Corinthian after he killed Clarice and Barnaby.
Rose Walker Rose Walker is a fictional character from the
Sandman series written by
Neil Gaiman. She makes her first appearance in issue #10, part one of ''
The Doll's House'' story arc. Rose Walker is the daughter of Miranda Walker and Burt Paulsen, the older sister of Jed Paulsen, and the granddaughter of Unity Walker and Desire. She is a young blonde with red and purple-dyed streaks in her hair. In later issues, she is shown as having red hair with a blonde streak. In
The Kindly Ones, several characters remark that Rose looks much younger than her actual age; Rose's responses to these comments imply that while she may not be a true immortal, she is aware that she is aging more slowly than normal. It is also revealed that Rose is the granddaughter of Desire. In the podcast, Rose Walker is voiced by Shey Grayson. In the Netflix series, Rose is portrayed by Vanesu Samunyai. This version is a Black British girl. A flashback was shown where she and Jed were separated when his father wanted custody of Jed upon divorcing Miranda Walker.
Burt Paulsen Burt Paulsen is the ex-husband of
Miranda Walker and the father of
Rose Walker and
Jed Walker. When Burt and Miranda split, he took custody of Jed and moved to Florida. Burt later died in a car crash causing his father
Ezra to watch over Jed. Burt was also revealed to have a sister named
Clarice who took Jed in following Ezra's death. In the Netflix series, Burt doesnt' appear or is referred to by name. His voice in a flashback is provided by an uncredited actor. Rose mentioned to Hal that Burt wasn't an nice person when she told him about the social worker Eleanor Rubio stating that Jed is living with his father's "friends".
Ezra Paulsen Ezra Paulsen is a
fisherman who is the grandfather of Jed Paulsen and Rose Walker and the father of Burt Paulsen. During this time raising Jed in solitary after Burt died in a car crash, he was later killed by an unspecified sea beast causing Jed to end up in the custody of his
Aunt Clarice and Uncle Barnaby.
Clarice and Barnaby Clarice and
Barnaby are elderly
farmers living in Upstate Georgia and are the aunt and uncle of Jed and Rose who were introduced in
The Sandman vol. 1, #5, created by
Michael Fleisher and
Jack Kirby. The pair mysteriously show up on Dolphin Island a few hours after the drowning death of Jed's grandfather
Ezra and the death of
Burt who was the younger brother of Clarice. They take him to live with their own children Bruce and Susie. Clarice and Barnaby later treated him as a personal slave not unlike
Cinderella, with minimal food even as he does all the cooking and beat him up if he is not fast enough with each of the chores, was precise with the chores, or looked at him the wrong way. Eventually, their treatment of him is revealed to have become much more abusive—after he runs away from home, Barnaby placed him in a basement dungeon with no toilet as Clarice threw food near him. Both of them threatened to break Jed's bones if he ever did anything to offend them again. This is told in issues 5 and 6 of the first series
The Best of DC #22 and recapped in Rose's diary in issue #11 of the Gaiman series. In issue #12, their mysterious appearance is revealed to have been because they were being paid an $800 monthly stipend by social services at the manipulation of Jed's maternal grandfather Desire. In issue #14, they are revealed to have been accidentally killed by Dream when he was dealing with Brute and Glob where the side effect of Dream collapsing the pocket dream dimension unleashed a powerful blast that opened the basement door and killed Clarice and Barnaby. In the podcast, Clarice is voiced by Julia Winwood. In the Netflix series, Clarice and Barnaby are portrayed by
Lisa O'Hare and
Sam Hazeldine. In this show, they have the last name of
Farrell, are shown to be younger than their comic book counterparts, and live in Homeland, Florida. Clarice is more kinder than in the comics while Barnaby still mistreats Jed since claiming him following the death of Barnaby's brother-in-law while terrifying Clarice into complying with him like threatening to throw her into the trunk of the car with Jed as well. They have no other children. They were later visited by the social worker Eleanor Rubio who wanted to check up on Jed on Lyte Hall's behalf. Barnaby later figured out that Jed snuck a note in Eleanor's bag and vowed that Jed will truly be sorry when he is done with him. Clarice and Barnaby are later killed by the Corinthian before Barnaby can use his belt on an imprisoned Jed for screaming Rose's name. Then the Corinthian make off with Jed and later told him that Barnaby would no longer "be a problem".
Daniel Hall Daniel Hall is the son of
Lyta Hall, and the successor to the role of
Dream of
the Endless. In the Netflix series, Daniel was portrayed by an uncredited infant in season one and two and by
Jacob Anderson as an adult in season two.
Barbie Barbie is introduced as one of Rose Walker's housemates in ''The Doll's House
, later the protagonist of A Game of You''. In the podcast, Barbie is voiced by Laurence Bouvard. In the Netflix series, Barbie is portrayed by
Lily Travers.
Ken Ken is one of Rose Walker's housemates in
The Doll House. In the Netflix series, Ken is portrayed by
Richard Fleeshman.
Nimrod Nimrod is a former orthodontist who became a
serial killer. He came up with a "Cereal Convention" that would be a secret gathering for other serial killers. Nimrod started by doing something to draw out the Corinthian so that he can speak at it and booked a hotel in Dodge City, Georgia. It was also mentioned that he and his fellow organizers Fun Land and Flay-By-Night tried to get
Family Man to attend only to hear that he died. When the Boogeyman turned out to be an imposter since the real one is dead, Nimrod assisted the Corinthian in killing the imposter. Following the Corinthian's defeat at the hands of Dream during his event, Nimrod and the other serial killers had their delusions removed by Dream. It is unknown what happened to Nimrod after that. In the Netflix series, Nimrod is portrayed by
Kerry Shale. He met with Fun Land and Good Doctor at a restaurant in
Huntsville, Alabama where they had to do a copycat crime in order to draw the Corinthian to them so that he can attend their "Cereal Convention" in Georgia. After the Corinthian was defeated and Dream brought up the clarity of the serial killers' crimes while removing their delusions, Nimrod is among the serial killers that exited the hotel. He went to his car where he committed suicide by gunshot which startled a departing Rose Walker.
Fun Land Fun Land is a pedophile and serial killer that uses amusement parks as his hunting ground and has the real name Nathan Diskin. He helped Nimrod organize a Cereal Convention (which was a cover for a serial killer gathering) in Dodge City, Georgia. When he tried to target Rose, she was saved by Dream who subjected him to a dream where his victims forgave him. After the Corinthian was defeated and Dream brought up the clarity of the serial killers' crimes, Fun Land's fate was unknown after that. Fun Land later appeared in
Batman: The Widening Gyre, where he is still targeting children. In the Netflix series, Fun Land is portrayed by
Danny Kirrane. He met with Nimrod and Good Doctor at a restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama where they had to do a copycat crime in order to draw the Corinthian to them so that he can attend their "Cereal Convention" in Georgia. When Fun Land tried to target Rose Walker and Jed Walker, he was killed by the Corinthian who stabbed him in the back.
Flay-By-Night Flay-By-Night is a serial killer. He was a known surgeon who in his serial killer life skinned his victims. During the Fall of 1989, Flay-By-Night attended the Cereal Convention (which was a cover for a serial killer gathering) in Dodge City, Georgia which he helped organize with Nimrod and Fun Land. When the Boogeyman turned out to be an imposter since the real one is dead, Flay-By-Night assisted the Corinthian in killing the imposter. Following the Corinthian's defeat at the hands of Dream during his event, Flay-By-Night and the other serial killers had their delusions removed by Dream. It is unknown what happened to Flay-By-Night after that. In the Netflix series, Flay-By-Night has a genderbent counterpart called the
Good Doctor who is portrayed by
Jill Winternitz. She met with Nimrod and Fun Land at a restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama where they had to do a copycat crime in order to draw the Corinthian to them so that he can attend their "Cereal Convention" in Georgia. After Corinthian was defeated and Dream brought up the clarity of the serial killers' crimes while removing their delusions, the Good Doctor is among the serial killers the exited the hotel. She went to her car and called up the police to turn herself over to them.
Philip Sitz Philip Sitz is an
editor of
Chaste magazine. He aspired to become a serial killer and attended the Cereal Convention (which was a cover for a serial killer gathering) to learn how to become one by passing himself off as the late serial killer Boogeyman. When the Corinthian found out that the Boogeyman was an imposter, he, Nimrod, and Flay-By-Night drove him into the nearby woods and killed him. In the Netflix series, Philip Sitz is portrayed by
Lewis Reeves. He is a blogger who aspired to be a serial killer. When the fact about him posing as the Boogeyman was found out, the Corinthian lured him to a secluded part of the hotel where he was stabbed to death by the Corinthian, Nimrod, and Good Doctor.
Erasmus Fry Erasmus Fry is an author who found Calliope on Mount Helicon and managed to trap her. With Calliope as a prisoner, Erasmus raped her for inspiration. Some years later, he gave Calliope to Richard Madoc. A later news report mentioned that Erasmus has died. Though Madoc assumed that he died of old age, he actually poisoned himself after his publisher declined to bring one of his books back into print. In the podcast, Erasmus Fry is voiced by Toby Longworth as an old man and by Harry Myers as a young man. In the Netflix series, Erasmus Fry is portrayed by
Derek Jacobi.
Richard Madoc Richard Madoc is a struggling author suffering from an impenetrable writer's block who regains inspiration by imprisoning and repeatedly raping Dream's ex-lover Calliope after he obtains her from his mentor Erasmus Fry. Dream punishes Madoc with an overwhelming flood of ideas, whereupon he destroys his fingers trying to record them in his own blood. In her January 2025 piece for
Vulture, Lila Shapiro noted that after the
sexual assault and misconduct allegations against Neil Gaiman were publicized, readers drew similarities between him and Madoc; Shapiro contrasted this with their previous association of Gaiman with Dream. Following his punishment, Madoc has an acquaintance, Felix Garrison, go to his house and declare Calliope free. He consequently loses the inspiration and the identity of Morpheus. In
The Wake, Madoc is one of the attendees of Morpheus' funeral while dreaming, and it is implied that Madoc's mind is slowly healing after Morpheus' death. Madoc is voiced by
Daniel Weyman in the podcast and portrayed by
Arthur Darvill in the Netflix series, which did not show him to be a director or a playwright.
Maddison Flynn Maddison Flynn is a young woman who first appears in Nightmare Country who has had her connection to the Dreaming tampered with by unseen forces. Consequently, she has not been able to enter the Dreaming proper since she was a young child. For much of her adult life she has been plagued with visions of the Smiling Man, a rogue dreamlike entity that she wrote off as a product of depression. She would paint pictures of the entity to cope; an act which drew the attention of both the Corinthian and unseen forces who seek to eliminate those who have had contact with the entity. She is targeted by a pair of demonic assassins who send one of her classmates who they had murdered as a proxy to kill her when they are ordered to back down by their employer. After a confrontation where the Corinthian is forced to call in Morpheus for help she is badly wounded by her reanimated friend and ends up in Limbo where she is made an offer by Morpheus to help the Corinthian track down the Smiling man in return for a second chance at life. She agrees and is directly taken to the Dreaming to get a new body to throw off her pursuers. During a botched scrying ritual involving the witch Thessaly to find out the truth being her supposed death, Maddison in protected from being seen by a combination of the Dreaming's defences and the Corinthian. She returns to the waking world in the shape of a white cat and begins track a young man from her support group named Max who also had been seeing the Smiling Man. The pair team up with the Witch Thessaly after being lured into a trap and are able to escape with the help of Lucien. Thessaly later performs a ritual to summon the spirit of the Prince of Pain; a servant of Desire who indirectly confirms they have some involvement with current events. The investigation is brought to a premature end by Morpheus who has deduced the involvement of Desire and Despair in these events and, refusing to play the twins game returns Maddison and the Corinthian to the Dreaming. He erases the Corinthian's memory and offers Maddison permanent residence in the Dreaming until they can deduce the level of tampering that has been done to her; having compared her to something akin to a Dream vortex with how supernatural beings are drawn to her. Unfortunately once left alone on the balcony of the castle she is abducted by the Smiling Man.
Foxglove Foxglove (
Donna Cavanagh) is a writer and musician who first appears in
A Game of You. She is mentioned in
Preludes and Nocturnes as the girlfriend of Judy, one of the patrons at the diner who dies in the story concerning John Dee, titled "24 Hours". In
A Game of You, she lives with her partner Hazel and the two help
Thessaly rescue Barbie. In
Death: The Time of Your Life, Foxglove has become a
pop superstar after being seen by a promoter in
Death: The High Cost of Living. She is raising a child with Hazel named Alvie. Alvie dies of
cot death, leading Hazel to make a deal with
Death. However, even in the world of the Endless there is no such thing as a free lunch, and another character's life has to be sacrificed for the child's. In the podcast, Foxglove is voiced by Reece Lyons.
John Hathaway John Hathaway is the senior
curator of the
Royal Museum. He steals the Magdalene
Grimoire from the museum's collection to aid
Roderick Burgess in his attempt to gain immortality after his son Edmund dies. He commits suicide in 1920 using a dagger from the museum after an inventory reveals his theft. His suicide note, implicating Roderick Burgess in a multitude of crimes, is never found.
Hazel McNamara Hazel McNamara is Foxglove's lover. She appears in
A Game of You and
Death: The High Cost of Living. She has a son named Alvie from her one heterosexual encounter. It is likely that Alvie is named after Wanda (see below). In
Death: The Time of Your Life Alvie dies of
cot death and Hazel makes a deal with Death to bring him back. Augustus had banned the nobility from working as actors upon the stage, but he made an exception for Lycius, who had few other opportunities.
Joshua A. Norton Joshua A. Norton is an English-American declaring himself "Emperor of the United States" in "Three Septembers and a January", after Dream gives him his delusion as part of a challenge issued by his three younger siblings: Despair, who tries to make him fall into her realm by making his life increasingly difficult; Delirium, who makes a half-attempt to drive him insane; and Desire, who uses the King of Pain to tempt him with a real palace and a Queen. In the end, Joshua Norton lives a happy and dignified life. When he dies, thousands come to see him off. In the podcast, Joshua A. Norton is voiced by
John Lithgow.
The King of Pain The King of Pain, according to
Herbert Asbury's book
The Barbary Coast: An Informal History of the San Francisco Underworld, is an itinerant healer in 19th century San Francisco who sold
aconite liniment. In
The Sandman #31 ("Three Septembers and a January", reprinted in
Fables and Reflections), the King of Pain is Desire's undead minion. He tries to tempt Emperor Norton into betraying his dignity for his desires (in the form of Worldly Power, Wealth, An Estate, and A Noble Wife). Norton retains his dignity and refuses the offers, saying that he is content ruling his city and that he has all he needs.
Mark Twain Mark Twain is an American writer who shares his
story about a jumping frog with Emperor Norton.
Thomas Paine Thomas Paine is an English radical who, after participating in the
French Revolution, is imprisoned in the
Luxembourg Palace and briefly encounters Johanna Constantine. In the podcast, Thomas Paine is voiced by
Arthur Darvill.
Louis de Saint-Just Louis de Saint-Just is the Orator of the French Revolution and supporter of the Terror, he is deposed after Orpheus sings a song that saps his ability to articulate.
Maximilien Robespierre Maximilien Robespierre is the leader of the
Committee of Public Safety and instigator of the
Reign of Terror during the
French Revolution. An extreme dreamer, he seeks to destroy the head of Orpheus due to his wish to destroy all myths, but is in turn destroyed by it when he was apprehended and executed without trial by guillotine. In the Netflix series, Maximilien Robespierre is portrayed by
Jonathan Slinger.
Marco Polo Marco Polo is the famous 13th-century explorer and trader. He is lost in a part of the Dreaming that connects to the real world, and encounters Rusticello, a friend of his future self; Fiddler's Green; and Dream, who gives an otherwise forbidden passage home. Upon waking Marco is unable to remember any of his encounters.
Rustichello da Pisa Rustichello da Pisa is the publisher of Marco's autobiography, who encounters his friend in a dream in the
Desert of Lop.
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare is the famous 16/17th-century English playwright. Dream gives him the inspiration for many of his plays in exchange for Shakespeare writing two plays for him: ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Tempest''. In the podcast, William Shakespeare is voiced by
Arthur Darvill. In the Netflix series, William Shakespeare was seen under the name of "Will Shaxberd" and is portrayed by
Samuel Blenkin in season one and by
Luke Allen-Gale in season two while an older William Shakespear is portrayed by
Will Keen.
Hamnet Shakespeare Hamnet Shakespeare is the son of William Shakespeare who is often overlooked by his father. It is implied that
Titania may have taken him into the realm of Faerie (this is confirmed in a brief cameo in
The Books of Magic).
Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe is a famous 16th-century playwright who is depicted discussing Shakespeare's terrible writing and Marlowe's
Faust. Shakespeare tells Marlowe, "God's wounds! If only I could write like you!"
Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer is the famous 14th-century poet and author of
The Canterbury Tales is seen in the White Horse Tavern in AD 1389 in part four of ''The Doll's House
, where Dream first meets Hob Gadling. It is mentioned in the tavern that people do not want "filthy tales in rhyme about pilgrims", a reference to The Canterbury Tales''.
Anne Hathaway Anne Hathaway is married to William Shakespeare.
Susanna Shakespeare Susanna Shakespeare is the older daughter of William and Anne Shakespeare.
Judith Quiney Judith Shakespeare is the younger daughter of William and Anne Shakespeare.
Thomas Quiney Thomas Quiney is a pub waiter and future husband of Judith.
Ben Jonson Ben Jonson is a poet and friend of William Shakespeare.
Minor mortals Danielle Bustamonte Daniel Bustamonte is a resident of Kingston, Jamaica and a victim of the "
sleepy sickness" that results from Dream's capture. He falls asleep in 1926, then wakes up sometime before 1955, staying awake much of the time but unable to speak. He recovers fully on September 14, 1988, when Dream escapes.
Ellie Marsten Ellie Marsten is a resident of Toronto, Canada and a victim of the "
sleepy sickness" that occurs during Dream's capture. She sleeps continuously for decades, awaking only four or five times a year, and recovers in an insane asylum on September 14, 1988, when Morpheus escapes. Her waking memory is basically founded on the book
Through the Looking-Glass by
Lewis Carroll.
Stefan Wasserman Stefan Wasserman is a victim of the "
sleepy sickness" that results from Dream's capture. He joins the army during the First World War at 14 and goes over the trenches shortly before he catches the sickness. Stefan commits suicide in 1918 at age 16 because he cannot sleep. His body was inhabited by the dormant spirit of the
Corinthian.
John Hathaway John Hathaway is the senior curator of the Royal Museum who gave Roderick Burgess the Magdalene Grimore following the death of his son Edmund during the Battle of Jutland. After it was noticed that some artifacts from the Royal Museum were missing, Hathaway made out a suicide note and then committed suicide. It was mentioned that the suicide note was never found since Roderick used a spell to burn it. In the podcast, John Hathaway is voiced by
Anton Lesser. In the Netflix series, John Hathaway is portrayed by
Bill Paterson.
Compton Compton is Roderick Burgess'
butler.
Nurse Edmund Nurse Edmund is Alex Burgess'
caretaker at the time he is put under Dream's curse. In the Netflix series, Nurse Edmund is portrayed by Stacy Abalogun.
Paul McGuire Paul McGuire is a good friend and lover of
Alex Burgess. Originally a
gardener at the estate, Paul eventually takes over the Order of Ancient Mysteries. After accidentally breaking the seal which freed Dream and placed Alex in a "nightmare of eternal waking", Paul later ran the Wych Cross Retirement Home where he met Rose Walker. In the Netflix series, Paul McGuire is portrayed by
Christopher Colquhoun at age 32, Gus Gordon at ages 18–42, and by Tedroy Newell as an old man.
Ernie and Frederick Ernie and
Frederick are two of the men guarding Dream when he escapes from his imprisonment. In the Netflix series, Ernie is a woman and portrayed by Naomi Cooper-Davis and Frederick is portrayed by Jordan Long.
Dr. Roger Huntoon Dr. Roger "Piggy" Huntoon is a doctor in
Arkham Asylum and former schoolmate of Constantine's. He used to perform electroshock therapy on Constantine, back when he was institutionalized.
Rachel Rachel is an ex-girlfriend of
John Constantine's who stole Dream's pouch of sand from Constantine and became addicted to its effects. In the podcast, Rachel is voiced by Sandra-Mae Luykx. In the Netflix series, Rachel is portrayed by Eleanor Fanyinka and depicted as Johanna Constantine's ex-girlfriend.
Nada Nada is a beautiful African queen, cast into hell by the Dream King (known to her as Kai'ckul) when she refuses to become his queen. Her story is revealed in the beginning of ''The Doll's House''. An argument over her unfair punishment prompts Dream's initial actions in
Seasons of Mist, and eventually Dream begs her forgiveness and lets her choose her own fate. Nada chooses to be reincarnated as a baby boy in Hong Kong (
Nada means "nothing" in Spanish and Portuguese and other related languages). In the Netflix series, Nada is portrayed by Deborah Oyelade in season one and by Umulisa Gahiga in season two.
Rosemary Rosemary is a nurse and the mother of two daughters who picked up John Dee. When they arrived at a warehouse where Ethel Cripps hid the Dreamstone, John shot Rosemary. In the Netflix series, Rosemary is portrayed by
Sarah Niles. This version is a Black British woman. Unlike the comics, she survives her encounter with John Dee where he spared Rosemary's life and left her the Amulet of Protection that he originally possessed.
Judy Judy is a young lesbian who is one of the victims of John Dee using Dream's ruby in
Preludes and Nocturnes. At the time of her forced suicide at the hands of John Dee while at a diner in Mayhew, she was trying to reconcile with her girlfriend Donna (Foxglove). She was found dead from self-inflicted wounds the next morning. In ''The Doll's House'', she was revealed to be the best friend of Rose Walker. In the Netflix series, Judy is referred to as
Judy Talbot and is portrayed by
Daisy Head. Unlike the comics, Judy died from blood loss upon her wrists being slit.
Marsh Marsh is a
mail carrier and
truck driver who stopped at a diner in Mayhew. He was one of John Dee's victims in
Preludes and Nocturnes. He would later be found dead from bloodloss by the next morning. In the
Netflix series, Marsh is referred to as
Marsh Janowski and is portrayed by
Steven Brand. Unlike the comics, he worked as a diner
cook.
Gary and Kate Fletcher Garry Fletcher and
Kate Fletcher are a husband and wife who were diner patrons in Mayhew. They were one of John Dee's victims in
Preludes and Nocturnes. Garry was imposing while Kate was a businesswoman who puts up with Garry. They were later found gutted the next morning. In the Netflix series, Garry was portrayed by James Udom and Kate was portrayed by
Lourdes Faberes. Garry served as the
Vice-president at Vangaurd and Kate served as the
CEO of Vanguard. Unlike the comics, Garry was found stabbed in the neck and Kate was found with a slit throat.
Mark Mark is a patron at a diner in Mayhew who was one of John Dee's victims in
Preludes and Nocturnes. He was found dead from blood loss the next morning. In the podcast, Mark is voiced by
Ray Porter. In the Netflix series, Mark is referred to as
Mark Brewer and is portrayed by
Laurie Davidson.
Bette Munroe Bette Munroe is a waitress at a diner in Mayhew who was one of John Dee's victims in
Preludes and Nocturnes. She was found beheaded the next morning. In the Netflix series, Bette is portrayed by Emma Duncan. Unlike the comics, she died from blood loss when she stabbed her own eyes with two screwdrivers.
Hal Carter Hal Carter is a drag queen living in the house Rose Walker was staying at in
The Doll House. In the Netflix series, Hal is portrayed by
John Cameron Mitchell.
Chantal and Zelda Chantal and Zelda: Apparently lesbian roommates in the house Rose Walker was staying at in ''The Doll's House''. They dress in white and collect dead spiders. Of the two, Zelda relies on Chantal for confidence, and rarely if ever speaks. When they dream, Zelda dreams of her childhood, where it is implied that she collected bones. Chantal's dreams are self-repeating loops, trying to explain something of nothing. In a later issue, Zelda is dying from AIDS which she contracted from Chantal, who has already died, having originally contracted it from an organ transplant. They are identified with
Stheno and Euryale, the
Gorgon sisters of
Medusa. In the Netflix series, Chantal and Zelda are portrayed by
Cara Horgan and Daisy Badger respectively.
Cereal Convention Attendees The
Cereal Convention Attendees are the serial killers who attended the "Cereal Convention" at the Empire Hotel somewhere in Dodge City, Georgia. When the Corinthian was defeated, Dream removed the delusions from the serial killers. •
Candy Man: A practicing psychiatrist in Connecticut who participated in the Sanity Clause Panel. •
Carrion': A serial killer who participated in the "Make It Play" panel. In the Netflix series, Carrion is portrayed by Jimmy Essex. •
Choirboy: A serial killer who participated in the "Make It Play" panel where he mentioned his experiences with hefty ransoms. In the Netflix series, Choirboy is portrayed by Joe Frost. •
Connoisseur: A serial killer who was known for targeting eight transsexuals. In the Netflix series, Connoisseur is portrayed by J.P. Conway. •
Dark Angel: A serial killer who participated in the "Women in Serial Killing" panel. •
Dog Soup: A serial killer who attended the "Make It Play" panel and participated in the "Women in Serial Killing" panel. In the podcast, Dog Soup is voiced by Julia Winwood. •
El Dorado: A serial killer who participated in the "Sanity Clause" panel. •
Grass Widow: A serial killer who attended the "Women in Serial Killing" panel. In the Netflix series, Grass Widow was portrayed by Desiree Burch. •
Hello Little Girl: A serial killer who attended the "Make It Play" panel. In the Netflix series, Hello Little Girl is portrayed by Daniel Tuite. •
Moon River: A shy serial killer whose hunting grounds are disco nights. In the Netflix series, Moon River is portrayed by Daniel Quirke. •
Psycho Killer: A serial killer who participated in the "Sanity Clause" panel. •
Death Stalker: A serial killer who appears in the Netflix series portrayed by Gianni Calchetti. •
Myth America: A serial killer who appears in the Netflix series portrayed by Zora Bishop. • An unidentified serial killer who participated in the "Religion" panel and identifies himself as a just god. He was identified as
Adonai in the Netflix series where he was portrayed by Kirris Riviere. • An unidentified serial killer who sings to himself that participated in the "Religion" panel and claims that God told him to start "collecting". He was identified as
The Crooner in the Netflix series where he is portrayed by Matthew Sim. • An unidentified serial killer who participated in the "Religion" panel and sees himself as a Born Again Christian. He was identified as
The Hammer of God in the Netflix series where he was portrayed by David Menkin. • An unidentified serial killer who has an obsession of shredding magazines and people where he attended to find someone who has the same obsession as he does. He was identified as
The Shredder in the Netflix series where he was portrayed by Dickie Beau. After Corinthian was defeated and Dream brought up the clarity of the serial killers' crimes while removing their delusions, the Shredder entered his car and weeped in remorse. • An unidentified serial killer who doesn't believe in anything, hates humanity, hates himself, and boasts that he drowned 171 of his victims. He was identified as
The Water Boy in the Netflix series where he was portrayed by Michael Walters. There were also some other serial killers who were invited, but their status was unverified: •
The Bone God •
Brother Chip •
The California Widow •
Christian •
Cincinnati Oyster •
The Devil of Kentucky •
The Devil of Oregon •
The Dutch Uncle •
The Faggoteer •
Flesher Felix Garrison Felix Garrison is a surgeon who provided Richard Madoc with a trichno-bezoar. When Madoc got filled with too much inspiration by Dream, he had Felix go to his house and declare that Calliope is free. In the podcast, Felix Garrison is voiced by Cliff Chapman. In the Netflix adaption, his role is given to a college student named
Nora (portrayed by
Amita Suman).
Don Don is the owner of a tabby kitten in "Dream of a Thousand Cats". In the Netflix series, Don is motion-captured by Jeffrey Mundell and voiced by
David Tennant.
Don's Wife '''Don's Wife''' is the unnamed wife of Don and the owner of a tabby kitten in "Dream of a Thousand Cats". In the Netflix series, Don's wife was credited as
Laura-Lynn where she was motion-captured by Louise Williams and voiced by
Georgia Tennant.
Paul and Marion Paul and Marion are the owners of the Siamese cat that appear in the story "Dream of a Thousand Cats". When their pet had kittens with a tomcat, Paul had the kittens drowned. In the Netflix series, Paul and Marion were motion-captured by Mark Osmond and Nicole Evans and voiced by
Michael Sheen and
Anna Lundberg.
Rebel Human Rebel Human: In the story "Dream of a Thousand Cats", Dream in the form of a black cat told the Siamese Cat about how this golden-haired human had led the uprising against the giant cats by dreaming that they were the masters and not them. In the podcast, the Rebel Human was voiced by Andrew James Spooner. In the Netflix series, the Rebel Human was motion-captured by Bruno Aversa and voiced by
James McAvoy.
Breschau Breschau is a cruel ruler who was condemned to Hell and enjoyed his torment much to the dismay of Lucifer.
Bernie Capax Bernie Capax is a lawyer who has lived for 15,000 years and had befriended Destruction at some point. A brick wall later fell onto Bernie and his soul was claimed by Death before Dream and Delirium could reach him and inquire about Destruction's location. In the Netflix series, Bernie Capax is portrayed by
Lenny Henry. In this show, he lived for 12,000 years and perished in an accident where the crane carrying a pile of bricks had its wire breaking and they fell on him. Dream and Delirium learned of Bernie's death from his son Donnie when they visited Bernie's apartment.
Etain Etain is a woman who had befriended Destruction at one point. In the podcast, Etain is voiced by
Jill Thompson.
Eurydice Eurydice is the lover of Orpheus where her history remains intact. In the podcast, Eurydice is voiced by
Clare Corbett. In the Netflix series, Eurydice is portrayed by
Ella Rumpf.
Superheroes Mister Miracle Mister Miracle (
Scott Free) informs Dream that his ruby is no longer kept at Justice League headquarters. (#7,
Preludes and Nocturnes)
Martian Manhunter Martian Manhunter ('''J'onn J'onnz''') is the last member of the original Justice League lineup. He gives Dream the details of the
storage unit where the JLA's old trophies, including the ruby, are kept. (#7,
Preludes and Nocturnes) Also makes an appearance in Vol. 2 issue #71 (
The Wake) attending the original Dream's funeral. In the podcast, Martian Manhunter is voiced by
Reginald D. Hunter.
Sandman / Hector Hall Sandman (
Hector Hall) is the dead father of
Daniel Hall and successor to Garrett Sanford whose death is noted. Hall's only previous appearances as the Sandman were in
Infinity Inc. #49–51. (#11–12, ''The Doll's House''). In the podcast, Hector Hall is voiced by
Ray Porter. In the Netflix series, Hector Hall is portrayed by
Lloyd Everitt. This version ended up in Lyte Hall's dream after dying in a car crash.
Element Girl Element Girl (
Urania Blackwell) is coming for an upstairs neighbor who has fallen off a ladder, Death visits Element Girl and senses her longing to die. She is unable to take her. Though Death informs Element Girl that
Ra (the
sun) can take her power back so she can die. (#20,
Dream Country) In the podcast, Element Girl is voiced by
Samantha Morton.
Batman / Bruce Wayne Bruce Wayne attends the funeral of Dream in
The Sandman: The Wake.
Superman / Clark Kent Clark Kent attends the funeral of Dream in
The Sandman: The Wake.
Doctor Occult Doctor Occult attends the funeral of Dream in
The Sandman: The Wake.
Phantom Stranger Phantom Stranger attends the funeral of Dream in
The Sandman: The Wake.
Supervillains Scarecrow The Scarecrow (
Dr. Jonathan Crane) is an
Arkham inmate who attempts to dissuade his friend
John Dee from escaping, saying Arkham is a better home for their kind than the outside world. He is portrayed as a nervous, paranoid, babbling academic, trying to make jokes to psychologically test his prison guards, and unable to sleep for fear of rats. After Dream returned John Dee to Arkham Asylum, Scarecrow interacted with him where he mentioned the terrible sleeping conditions here. Dream proceeds to give Scarecrow and the other imnmates a peaceful sleep alongside the other victims of John Dee's mayhem.
Darkseid Darkseid is the ruler of
Apokolips. He was seen attending the funeral of Dream in
The Sandman: The Wake. ==Other beings==