The Sandman is finally coming to the screen, courtesy of Netflix, and fans seem to be thrilled to see Neil Gaiman's opus brought to life at last. Among the many iconic moments and beloved characters fans can't wait to meet all over again, there's at least one figure who seems to have a bigger role in the story.
When comic book adaptations come out, there are a lot of things fans find themselves concerned about. The people who care the most about the source material often wonder how their favorite concepts and characters will make the transition. The on-screen version of a character often becomes the default in the eyes of the public.
Neil Gaiman's The Sandman is one of the most hotly anticipated comic book adaptations of modern memory. Unbound from any of the big cinematic universes or existing brands and reaching the screen for the first time, the series is sure to be an event for comic book fans. One of the most interesting things about the upcoming adaptations is how it breaks the mold of the superhero format. The Sandman isn't about beating up bad guys or learning how to use power responsibly. It's about esoteric personified representations of abstract concepts living out their eternal lives as people. But, just because fans shouldn't be going in expecting a superpowered fistfight or dueling laser light shows, doesn't mean there won't be a few nasty villains running around. And there's no villain nastier than The Corinthian.
The Corinthian is a minor figure in The Sandman comic books. He's one of the antagonists of the second collection of the series, The Doll's House. He's a nightmare created by Dream to serve as a grim reflection of humanity's worst elements. He's a living embodiment of the evil that lurks in human hearts and the fear of that darkness that haunts their dreams. He resembles a normal man on the outside. He dresses well and most would even say he's conventionally handsome. He always wears a pair of dark sunglasses that disguise his eyes, which are actually two additional mouths. He's a cruel, heartless bestial man who seeks only to do harm to whatever he encounters, and he does his best to find his way into the world of the living. In the iconic audiobook production, the character was portrayed with sincere malice by Riz Ahmed. In the upcoming series, Logan star Boyd Holbrook seems poised to steal the show in the role.
All of Dream's creations exist in the liminal space known as The Dreaming. A realm of fantastical imagination, populated not only by everything that's ever been dreamed but by every character from every story ever told. The Corinthian hated being confined to The Dreaming and worked tirelessly to escape his containment. At some point before the events of the story, he succeeded and appeared on Earth with the plan to kill a young man. The Corinthian enacts nightmarish acts of violence at every opportunity, but he is far from invincible. Dream discovered the nightmare's plan, found him in the waking world, and dragged him back to The Dreaming. However, before he could enact his punishment, Dream was dragged away by other matters.
Years later, Dream was captured by mortals during an occult ritual with the intention of picking up his sister Death. With Dream missing, countless creatures were able to freely leave The Dreaming, including The Corinthian. Upon his escape, he set to work as a more traditional serial killer. He targets young men, slaughtering them with a knife and consuming their eyes. He's a terrifying villain, an immense physical threat who is also capable of embodying fear. The Corinthian gradually gains supporters who are enamored with his violent ways, a group calling themselves The Collectors. He's even able to gather a convention for the kind of horrific humans The Corinthian was made to reflect. As he gathers power and continues his vicious activities, Dream is forced to hunt down his creation.
In the comics, The Corinthian is a fairly minor figure. He's a danger to some of the characters, but to Dream, he's an annoying loose end. In the series, however, he seems primed to be the main antagonist. It's hard to tell from the trailers, but his villainous narration lends a chilling sense of malice to the events. There will undoubtedly be a lot packed into The Sandman, it borders on a work of anthology. If fully loyal to the source material, The Corinthian will likely be restricted to an episode or two. In a more cinematic venue, however, a main villain as gruesome as the murderous nightmare will serve the story well. Whether he's the overarching enemy that the heroes must defeat or a momentary distraction on an endless quest, The Corinthian is set to be one of the most bracing villains in comic book adaptation history.