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After much anticipation, Netflix's The Sandman is officially out and streaming on the platform. It features the King of Dreams, Morpheus, as he sets out to save and restore order to the Kingdom of Dreaming.
Based on the DC Comics series of the same name by Neil Gaiman, the show stars a wide variety of stars and characters.
Netflix's x DC's The Sandman also features the comic book company's long mainstay, Mark Hamill. Famous for portraying the Joker in animated DC projects, he plays the role of Mervyn Pumpkinhead here.
With fans being fascinated with the character, it's great to see Hamill shine more in DC's live-action projects.
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With Mervyn Pumpkinhead being a standout in the series, there is no better time to look at his origins in the comics.
Who is Mervyn Pumpkinhead, and how does he fit into The Sandman universe?
Portrayed by Mark Hamill, Mervyn Pumpkinhead first appeared in The Sandman #5 and was created by Neil Gaiman. Being a Janitor of Dream, Pumpkinhead has a jack-o-lantern for a head and resembles a scarecrow.
Smoking cigars with a wise-cracking personality, Pumpkinhead is a charming one.
According to Fandom, his job is to keep the maintenance of the Kingdom of Dream. He's tasked with constructing and demolishing many constructs in the dream.
However, he finds his job a bit unnecessary, considering the Kingdom of Dream can take the shape of whatever it wants to be.
In a previous incarnation, Mervyn also had a turnip for a head. Being a comic relief character, this was because pumpkins weren't very well known back in Europe in the distant past.
"I travel briefly by bus. I sit at the front and talk to the driver."
Pumpkinhead would also drive a bus during Dream's absence in the Kingdom of Dreams. When Morpheus returns and gets on a bus, he sees that the driver is Pumpkinhead.
He would also fight against the Furries but sadly be destroyed before being reincarnated as the New Dream in the Wake.
The story of Mervyn Pumpkinhead is quite deep, and The Sandman does a great job at showcasing the relationship between him and Dream. The cigar-smoking jack-o-lantern has a great sense to him, and with Hamill's talents at the forefront, it creates a delightful watch.
Mervyn Pumpkinhead was also previously portrayed by Kevin Smith in the audio-novel version of these comics. Smith also brought his own charm to the character and gave a memorable voice work performance.
The Sandman universe is filled with many supernatural elements that make this classic story by Gaiman such a treat to read. The Netflix series has opened to great reviews by bringing a great sense of gravitas to the comic book world.
It's nice to see a project deemed unfilmable is getting a great reception. Readers can check out The Sandman as it is streaming on Netflix.
