Why Death Being Black Is Pitch Perfect for Neil Gaiman’s Upcoming ‘Sandman’ Series on Netflix

It sounds like its own Sandman story: “Death and Casting.”

Neil Gaiman confirmed his upcoming Sandman series at Netflix had begun shooting 8 days ago on Thursday.

He also announced that actress Kirby Howell-Baptiste was cast as Death. Upon the announcement that the actress, who is Black, would portray Morpheus’ sister and another member of The Endless, the usual gang of Twitter idiots were unsurprisingly outraged.

KIRBY HOWELL-BAPTISTE (she/her) is DEATH, Dream’s wiser sister. (1/13) pic.twitter.com/Ho5OrejyOg

— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) May 26, 2021

*sees that Kirby Howell-Baptiste will play Death in the Netflix #Sandman show*

1st thought – Oh that’s a really interesting choice. I think she’ll be good.

2nd thought – Oh god the worst parts of comic fandom about to go ballistic aren’t they? pic.twitter.com/OjzkSD7dYN

— Council of Geeks (@councilofgeeks) May 26, 2021

Entertainment Weekly: Howell-Baptiste (Cruella, The Good Place) will play Death, one of the most iconic Sandman personages and a nerd-crush character for the ages. Even if you haven’t read The Sandman, you may still recognize Death’s classic outfit of black tank top, Egyptian eye tattoo, and ankh necklace; it heavily influenced Goth fashion as the ’90s became the 2000s, and remains a popular cosplay to this day.

Was going to talk about how Kirby Howell-Baptiste deserved more screen time in Cruella, but her being cast as Death in Netflix’s Sandman adaptation is way more interesting https://t.co/JNuaDLWT7S

— Charles PM (@CharlesPulliam) May 26, 2021

Death first appeared in issue #8 of The Sandman (titled “The Sound of Her Wings”), where she cheers up a morose Dream by taking him with her on her daily tour of the dying; it’s often credited as an early turning point for the series that helped elevate it from dark fantasy to genre-breaking, zeitgeist-shaping work.

Any adaptation of The Sandman is going to have a lot riding on its depiction of Death (Kat Dennings recently played her in the Audible adaptation).

Morpheus aka the Sandman’s sister Dream first appeared in the first issue of The Sandman.| CREDIT: DC ENTERTAINMENT

Gaiman explained why the choice Howell-Baptiste was really the only one for him: “Hundreds of talented women from all around the planet auditioned, and they were brilliant, and none of them were right,” Gaiman said in a statement. “Someone who could speak the truth to Dream, on the one hand, but also be the person you’d want to meet when your life was done on the other. And then we saw Kirby Howell-Baptiste’s audition and we knew we had our Death.”

The  fictional character, like Sandman and other members of The Endless have appeared as all races, ethnicities, and even genders, depending on who they were interacted through the years.

For all the incels out there whining about the casting of a black actress in the role of Death, here’s a Sandman page where Morpheus visits an African queen. WOW, ALMOST LIKE SHE PERCIVES HIM TO LOOK SIMILAR TO HERSELF. HOW ABOUT THAT. pic.twitter.com/vOnSJm2HTW

— Matches Malone (@TheDreamKing_) May 26, 2021

People who are mad about DEATH being casted by a black actress, didn’t read or understood Sandman’s universe ????????‍♀️ https://t.co/NbCkayuV5n

— Lala (@LalaBerekai) May 26, 2021

And most people get it.

I admit, I too like her classic goth/80s punk look best, but, just like her siblings, Death can appear in many different forms. So calm the fuck down and don’t judge until you watched the show. We’re getting a SANDMAN adaptation, goddammit!!!! Now bring me TRANSMETROPOLITAN!

— KultKommando (@KultKommando) May 28, 2021

“You lived what anybody gets. You got a lifetime. No more. No less.”  Death, from The Dreaming: Waking Hours #6 – DC Black Label – published March 2021.

@neilhimself I think everyone has forgotten that the most important thing about the casting of Death in Netflix’s The Sandman is that she can successfully bounce a loaf of bread off of Tom Sturridge’s head. pic.twitter.com/ltca3H0dBl

— Amanda Pike (@DarklingAlchemy) May 28, 2021

These new casting announcements seem to confirm the first season of the Netflix series will focus on adapting the first two Sandman graphic novels – Preludes & Nocturnes and The Doll’s House. However, Gaiman previously confirmed the Netflix series is a far looser adaptation than the Audible audio drama, so fans shouldn’t necessarily expect the plot to unfold in the same way.

Above: Gaiman’s Introduction to The Dreaming #39 (1996).

The Sandman is an adaptation of the DC horror/fantasy comic created by Neil Gaiman, Mike Dringenberg and Sam Keith. Gaiman is executive producing the series along with Allan Heinberg and David Goyer. Heinberg is also serving as showrunner.

The haters have been pointed in their pernicious barbs like this one:

Where is Death in this picture? I’ve looked but don’t see anyone who looks like her.

— Harvey Starter (@HarveyStarter) May 27, 2021

How is a Black actress playing the personification of death disrespectful to fans? @neilhimself created the character and is happy to see Death played by a wonderful actress. That should be good enough for fans, especially those who have actually read Sandman. https://t.co/ruMbET9u0u

— Screen Queens (@screenqueenz) May 27, 2021

But Gaiman’s bit back himself as when he responds to the following: “Why sell out? Just stand by your work or do you lack the intestinal fortitude? It irks me more that you just don’t even give a fuck.”

Gaiman said: I give all the fucks about the work. I spent 30 years successfully battling bad movies of Sandman. I give zero fucks about people who don’t understand/ haven’t read Sandman whining about a non-binary Desire or that Death isn’t white enough. Watch the show, make up your minds.