Question concerning Sandman: Doll's House

[4AD_Punk]

Yes, I'm one of those who is finally getting around to reading Sandman nearly a decade later. I just finished A Doll's House and I have a question concerning one of the chapters.

Who is the man that is apparently immortal that Morpheus meets yearly to share a drink with?

At first I thought it was John Constantine considering the present-day portrayal: an Englishman with dirty blond hair huffing on a cigarette. However, I remembered Morpheus barely became acquainted with Constantine in Preludes and Nocturnes when he attempts to regain his pouch. And I'm not sure if Constantine is immortal or not.

Anyways, can anybody tell me who this guy is supposed to be?

[tyroc]

The guy(cant' remember his name off hand) was from an earlier story where in 1388 or 1288/89 Dream and Death are in this little pub and the guy is telling all his friends that he thinks that death is only an option and that if you truly choose not to die you won't die. His friends all tell him he is full of it and Dream comes forward and says in that case I will meet you here in 100 years and we will see how it goes. All of his friends get a good laugh and sure enough he lives the 100 years and meets up with dream. At first he is not sure if Dream is some kind of demon or whatever but then he tells Dream of his last 100 years and the successes he had.
Dream asks him if he wants to keep going and the guy and Dream agree to meet again at the same pub in 100 years.

Another 100 years pass and this time life wasn't so good. He lost a wife and son, and although he cannot die he can starve. Dream again asks him if he wants to continue on and even after the hardship he continues to want to live. they agree to meet again and so on. After a few more meetings the guy finally asks Dream why they are meeting and is it because Dream just wants a friend? Dream becomes enraged and tells him he has no need for friends so the guy says then if that is the case we will see if you are here in 100 years. So of course he is and they are friends. yay.

The guy pops up from now and then. His story takes place somewhere within the issues 8-16 I think.

I don't want to give the good stuff away so will let you read the rest for yourself. One of the last issues (after Morpheus's death) deals with the guy. This was one of my favorite storylines in the run.

[4AD_Punk]

Originally posted by tyroc
The guy(cant' remember his name off hand) was from an earlier story where in 1388 or 1288/89 Dream and Death are in this little pub and the guy is telling all his friends that he thinks that death is only an option and that if you truly choose not to die you won't die. His friends all tell him he is full of it and Dream comes forward and says in that case I will meet you here in 100 years and we will see how it goes. All of his friends get a good laugh and sure enough he lives the 100 years and meets up with dream. At first he is not sure if Dream is some kind of demon or whatever but then he tells Dream of his last 100 years and the successes he had.
Dream asks him if he wants to keep going and the guy and Dream agree to meet again at the same pub in 100 years.

Another 100 years pass and this time life wasn't so good. He lost a wife and son, and although he cannot die he can starve. Dream again asks him if he wants to continue on and even after the hardship he continues to want to live. they agree to meet again and so on. After a few more meetings the guy finally asks Dream why they are meeting and is it because Dream just wants a friend? Dream becomes enraged and tells him he has no need for friends so the guy says then if that is the case we will see if you are here in 100 years. So of course he is and they are friends. yay.

The guy pops up from now and then. His story takes place somewhere within the issues 8-16 I think.


Thanks for the backstory tyroc, but this story is what I read in Doll's House.

However, I was curious of his name because I was wondering if he was supposed to be a character from regular DC continuity like Hector or Lyta.

[Rokk_Krinn]

Rodger is not a regular character from DC Continuity. He's an archetype found in mythology - the man who cuts a deal with Death - but is an original character created by Neil. I am not, however, going to give you any more on his character as he does appear periodically through the Sandman mythos. :)

Oh, and John Constatine's immortality is debatable. He's really not immortal but at the same time in the "Books of Magic" original mini-series, variations of John - or perhaps John himself - popped up at various times in the future.

[Clix776]

Hob Gadling is his name, as you know, and you know everything you need to know about him at this point. You'll see him several more times as you move your way through the series, and as far as I know, he never turns up outside of Sandman. He may occur elsewhere in the Sandman associated books (The Dreaming and whatnot) but I never had an urge to keep up with those.

What it boils down to, 4AD-Punk, is that you aren't missing something. That story is actually the first time you meet Hob Gadling.

Have a Great Day,
Gary E. Poisson

[tyroc]

Originally posted by 4AD_Punk
Thanks for the backstory tyroc, but this story is what I read in Doll's House.

However, I was curious of his name because I was wondering if he was supposed to be a character from regular DC continuity like Hector or Lyta.


whoops.