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{{Short description|Comic book character}}
{{Multiple issues|inappropriate tone =December 2007|original research =June 2008|unreferenced =June 2008}}
{{Infobox character
{{Superherobox <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
⚫
| name = Hob Gadling
| image =
| series = [[Sandman (Vertigo)|The Sandman]]
| caption =
⚫
| first = ''[[Sandman (Vertigo)|The Sandman]]'' vol. 2, [[The Sandman: The Doll's House|The Doll's House]], issue #13, "Men of Good Fortune"
⚫
| character_name = Hob Gadling
| publisher = [[DC Comics]]
| creator = [[Neil Gaiman]]
⚫
| full_name = Robert Gadling
⚫
| debut = ''[[Sandman (Vertigo)|The Sandman]]'' vol. 2, [[The Sandman: The Doll's House|The Doll's House]], issue #13, "Men of Good Fortune"
| occupation = Soldier, businessman, slaver
| creators = [[Neil Gaiman]]
| nationality = British
| alter_ego =
⚫
| full_name =Robert Gadling
| species = <!-- optional -->
| homeworld = <!-- optional -->
| alliances = <!-- optional -->
| aliases = <!-- optional: actual identities the character uses, not nicknames -->
| supports= [[Dream (DC Comics)|Dream]]
| powers = [[Immortality]]
}}
}}
⚫
'''Hob Gadling''', also known as '''Robert''', '''Robbie''', or '''Bobby''', is a fictional character from the ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|Sandman]]'' [[comic book]] series by [[Neil Gaiman]]. Gadling first appears in issue #13, "Men of Good Fortune". A soldier who has recently fought in the [[Hundred Years' War]], Gadling argues with friends about the nature of death in an inn located in what will become modern-day [[London]]. He develops significance both as a recurrent character in the series and friend to [[Dream (DC Comics)|Dream]], appearing in a total of seven issues spanning six hundred years.


Hob Gadling appears in the [[Netflix]] drama series ''[[The Sandman (TV series)|The Sandman]]'' (2022), portrayed by [[Ferdinand Kingsley]].
⚫
'''Hob Gadling''', also known as Robert or Bobby, is a [[fictional character]] from the ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|Sandman]]'' [[comic book]] series by [[Neil Gaiman]]. Gadling first appears in in issue #13, "Men of Good Fortune", from ''[[The Sandman: The Doll's House|The Doll's House]]'', illustrated by [[Michael Zulli]]. A soldier recently fighting in [[Hundred Years' War]], Gadling argues with friends about the nature of death in an inn in what will become modern-day [[London]]. He develops significance both as a recurrent character in the series and friend to [[Dream (DC Comics)|Dream]], appearing in a total of seven issues spanning six hundred years.


==Background==
== Appearances ==


Gadling first appears in 1389, sitting in a smoky tavern in what will eventually become London's East End. Gadling is arguing that if he refuses to die, he will have eternal life. Dying, he argues, is merely a habit, something that people do simply because everybody does. It is, as Gadling puts it, "a mug's game." This catches the attention of [[Dream (DC Comics)|Dream]] and [[Death (DC Comics)|Death]], who are passing by for reasons not explicitly stated but that can be guessed by a fragment of their conversation: Death wants to show her brother the way of mortal life.
Gadling first appears in vol. 2, "[[The Sandman: The Doll's House|The Doll's House]]" issue #13, "Men of Good Fortune" in 1389, sitting in a smoky tavern, the White Horse, in what will eventually become the [[East End of London]]. Gadling is arguing that if he refuses to die, he will have eternal life. Dying, he argues, is merely a habit, something that people do simply because everybody does. It is, as Gadling puts it, "a mug's game". This catches the attention of [[Death (DC Comics)|Death]], who encourages [[Dream (DC Comics)|Dream]] to listen. Death agrees, at the request of her brother, who says that "it might be amusing" to grant Gadling eternal life.<ref name="Men of Good Fortune">{{cite book |last=Gaiman |first=Neil |title=The Sandman: The Doll's House |year=1990 |publisher=DC Comics |chapter=Men of Good Fortune |location=New York |isbn=0-930289-59-5 }}</ref> Dream strikes up a conversation with Gadling who agrees to meet him again in the same inn once every hundred years.


⚫
They do so, and Gadling recounts each century of his life. In the century following his initial appearance and meeting with Dream, Gadling continues fighting as a soldier and gets into the new field of printing (1389–1489 AD). In the next century, he becomes rich, marries and is knighted (1489–1589 AD). Over the course of the next three hundred years, he falls into disgrace following the premature death of his wife and child (1589–1689 AD), enters the slave trade to again become wealthy (1689–1789 AD), and exits it after [[Dream (DC Comics)|Dream]] comments on its immorality (1789–1889 AD).
Death agrees, at the request of her brother, who says that "it might be amusing" to grant Gadling eternal life. Dream strikes a conversation with Gadling who agrees to meet him again in the same inn once every hundred years. They do so, and Gadling recounts each century of his life. In the penultimate meeting in 1889, Gadling suggests to Dream that the true purpose for meeting was friendship. Dream rejects the suggestion angrily and walks out. In 1989 Dream acknowledges that the two are friends.


⚫
In 1789, their meeting is interrupted by the arrival of magician Lady Johanna Constantine, ancestor of [[John Constantine]], who says she heard it rumoured that once every hundred years, the [[Devil]] and the [[Wandering Jew]] meet there in that very same tavern.
⚫
While preparing for a visit to hell, Dream visits Hob in his dreams sometime in 1990. He gives Hob a bottle of rare Chateau Lafitte 1828 which remains in the waking world.


{{Anchor| friendship }} In the penultimate meeting in 1889, Gadling suggests to Dream that the true purpose for meeting was friendship. Dream rejects the suggestion angrily and walks out. In 1989 Dream, freshly escaped after decades of captivity, returns, stating that it is impolite to keep a friend waiting, confirming their friendship.<ref name="Men of Good Fortune" />
Hob Gadling appears without Dream for the first time in volume eight of the Sandman series, "The Worlds End", in which he features in a story framed by the perspective of Brant Tucker.


⚫
In issue #22, collected in "[[The Sandman: Season of Mists|Season of Mists]]", Dream visits Hob in his dreams while preparing for a visit to Hell. He gives Hob a bottle of Château Lafitte 1828, which remains material in the waking world.
⚫
The narrative later reunites Hob and Dream in [[The Sandman: The Kindly Ones|The Kindly Ones]]. Having lost his latest girlfriend in a car accident, Hob is devastated and begs Dream to use his "magic" to resurrect her. Dream states that such an act is impossible, but offers Hob the comfort of making her killer aware, while dreaming, of that which he has destroyed. As they leave Hob warns Dream that he has the stench of death upon him, which Dream responds with an ambiguous smile and thanks.


He next appears in issue #53, "Hob's Leviathan", which recounts a portion of Hob’s biography independent of the Dream King; the story, which takes place on a ship called the ''Sea Witch'' in the first half of the 20th century, forms a section of the frame narrative which comprises "[[The Sandman: Worlds' End|Worlds' End]]". In it he shares an adventure with a girl named Peggy; Peggy and Hob appear again, albeit briefly, during the Blitz in issue #32 of ''The Dreaming''.
He returns in the final story arc "The Wake", wherein Death, reflecting that Hob may have reconsidered his pact for eternal life since Dream’s death, offers him an end. He refuses the offer.


⚫
The narrative later reunites Hob and Dream in issue #59 of "[[The Sandman: The Kindly Ones|The Kindly Ones]]". Having lost his most recent significant other in a car accident, Hob is devastated and asks Dream to resurrect her, remarking that "it never gets easier, people you love not being there any more".<ref>{{cite book|last=Gaiman|first=Neil|title=The Sandman: The Kindly Ones|year=1996|publisher=DC Comics|location=New York|isbn=1-56389-204-9|chapter=Kindly Ones: 3}}</ref> Dream states that such an act is impossible, but offers Hob the comfort of making her killer aware, while dreaming, of that which he has destroyed. As they leave Hob warns Dream that he has the stench of death upon him, which Dream responds with an ambiguous smile and thanks.
== Appearances ==


Hob’s final three appearances occur in issues #70 ("Chapter One, Which Occurs in the Wake of What Has Gone Before"), #72 ("Chapter Three, In Which We Wake"), and #73 ("An Epilogue, Sunday Mourning") of "[[The Sandman: The Wake|The Wake]]". In "Sunday Mourning", Hob attends a [[Renaissance fair|Renaissance festival]] with his African-American girlfriend Guenevere and reminisces guiltily about the slave trade. Disgruntled by the inaccuracy of the event, he spends most of the afternoon drinking in a derelict tavern, somewhat similar to the one in which he first met [[Dream (DC Comics)|Dream]]. While there, he is visited by [[Death (DC Comics)|Death]] who, reflecting that Hob may have reconsidered his pact for eternal life since Dream's death, offers him an end. He thanks Death for the offer but ultimately refuses, saying "I'm not ready to die. Not today. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Anyway, Gwen'd kill me."<ref name="Sunday Mourning">{{cite book|title=The Wake|year=1997|publisher=Vertigo|isbn=978-0865680975|author=Neil Gaiman|author2=Michael Zulli|chapter=An Epilogue, Sunday Mourning}}</ref> The issue concludes with Hob dreaming of walking on a beach with Dream and [[Destruction (DC Comics)|Destruction]].
⚫
In the century following his initial appearance and meeting with Dream, Gadling becomes rich, marries and is knighted (1389-1589 AD). Over the course of the next three hundred years, he falls into disgrace following the premature death of his wife and child (1589-1689 AD), enters the slave trade to again become wealthy (1689-1789 AD), and exits it after [[Dream (DC Comics)|Dream]] comments on its immorality (1789-1889 AD).


He also makes an appearance in ''The Sandman Presents: [[Dead Boy Detectives]]'' spinoff, where Gilles De Rais tricks Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine into tracking Gadling down in an attempt to harvest his immortality. De Rais' plot is foiled when he is tricked into turning down Hob's particular brand of eternal life in favour of the extended feeling of childhood the Dead Boy Detectives experience, overlooking the fact that they have no life to steal.
⚫
His 1789 their meeting is interrupted by the arrival of magician Johanna Constantine, ancestress of [[John Constantine]], who says she heard it rumoured that once every hundred years [[Devil|The Devil]] and [[Wandering Jew|The Wandering Jew]] meet in a tavern. He also mentions a more polite man named Jack Constantine, who was killed by Night Walkers.

The first and last meetings each have a scene where snippets of conversation around the inn can be seen; though the scenes are in 1389 and 1989 respectively, the conversations are very similar. For example, "No, of course the [[Black Death|plague]] isn't God's punishment" matches "Don't be a pillock, Darren, of course [[AIDS]] isn't a punishment from God", as well as criticisms of two unpopular and resistance-inducing [[tax per head|poll taxes]], one [[Peasants' Revolt#Poll tax|instituted in the 1380s]] under King [[Richard II of England|Richard II]], the other [[Community Charge|instituted in the 1980s]] under Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]]. This statement of 'the more things change, the more they stay the same' is echoed in the penultimate issue in [[Daniel Hall|Daniel]]'s [[Latin]] phrase: "[[List of Latin phrases (O)|Omnia mutantur, nihil interit]]" (figuratively translated as "everything changes, yet nothing is truly lost"). There are also overheard fragments of those who believe that those in poverty live better than the rich.


==Characterization==
==Characterization==
Gadling, like [[Element Girl]], is one of several humans in [[The Sandman (DC Comics/Vertigo)|The Sandman]] series who do not age.
Gadling, like [[Element Girl]], is one of several humans in ''[[The Sandman (DC Comics/Vertigo)|The Sandman]]'' series who do not age.


By 1989, Gadling comes to regret his involvement in the [[Atlantic slave trade]], an occupation Morpheus advised him to forgo centuries before. Having apologized repeatedly to his 20th century girlfriend in "Sunday Mourning", he is told by Gwen to drop the subject. When he responds "You can't just forget about it", she answers "Sure you can, Robbie. You know how? You just forget about it",<ref name="Sunday Mourning" /> echoing the structure of Gadling's own earlier thoughts on death in "Men of Good Fortune": "The only reason people die, is because everyone does it. You all just go along with it. It's rubbish, death. It's stupid. I don't want anything to do with it."<ref name="Men of Good Fortune" />
Gadling regularly ponders the nature of his blessing. Sometimes this pondering is whimsical - at Morpheus's wake, a slightly drunk Gadling comments to the [[centaur]] Chiron: "I once worked out that I'd spent over six years all told, just pissing. Six years of piss"<ref>{{cite book|last=Gaiman|first=Neil|title=The Sandman: The Wake|year=1997|publisher=DC Comics|location=New York, NY|isbn=1-56389-279-0|page=62}}</ref> In contrast, a poignant scene in volume nine sees Hob weeping next to the grave of the latest of his wives to die: "I thought we'd have longer. It never gets easier, people you love not being there any more."<ref>{{cite book|last=Gaiman|first=Neil|title=The Sandman: The Kindly Ones|year=199g|publisher=DC Comics|location=New York, NY|isbn=1-56389-204-9|page=|chapter=Kindly Ones: 3}}</ref>


==Creation and concept==
The last time we see Hob, indeed, he seems to be more ambivalent about his gift. In issue 73 in he attends a [[Renaissance Fair|Renaissance Festival]] with his current girlfriend, Guenevere, who is black. 'Robbie' repeatedly voices regrets and even apologizes for his earlier involvement in the [[Atlantic slave trade]], an occupation Morpheus advised him to forgo centuries before. Gwen tells him to drop the subject, and when he responds "You can't just forget about it", she answers "Sure you can, Robbie. You know how? You just forget about it"<ref>{{cite book|last=Gaiman|first=Neil|title=The Sandman: The Wake|year=1997|publisher=DC Comics|location=New York, NY|isbn=1-56389-279-0|page=99}}</ref>, echoing Gadling's own method of achieving immortality<ref>{{cite book|last=Gaiman|first=Neil|title=The Sandman: The Doll's House|year=1990|publisher=DC Comics|chapter=Men of Good Fortune|location=New York, NY|isbn=0-930289-59-5|page=}}</ref> .
⚫
Gaiman has said that he based Gadling's speech pattern on that of British actor [[Bob Hoskins]], particularly in the film ''[[The Long Good Friday]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bender|first=Hy|title=The Sandman Companion|year=2000|publisher=Titan Books Ltd|isbn=1840231645|page=247}}</ref> He has been regularly portrayed as a man of middle height with slightly receding reddish-brown hair, but only in "Sunday Mourning" did artist [[Michael Zulli]] base his appearance on a specific person: [[Ian Anderson (singer and musician)|Ian Anderson]], lead singer of rock band [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=McCabe |first=Joseph |title=Hanging Out With the Dream King |publisher= Fantagraphics Books |year=2005 |isbn=9781560976172 |pages=160}}</ref> Over the course of the series, Hob has been penciled by [[Kelley Jones]], [[Michael Zulli]], [[Bryan Talbot]], and [[Marc Hempel]]; inked by [[Malcolm Jones III]], [[David Giordano]], [[Mark Buckingham (comic book artist)|Mark Buckingham]], and [[D'Israeli (cartoonist)|D'Israeli]]; and colored by [[Steve Oliff]] and Daniel Vozzo.


==In other media==
Gadling also has much to say about the inauthenticity of his surroundings: 'It's just someone's idea of the English [[Middle Ages]] crossed with bloody [[Disneyland]].' When Guenevere complains she can't play a queen because of her race, Hobb mentions how [[Catherine of Aragon]] was actually black due to the Moors mixing with Spaniards. "Take it from me, if Catherine of Aragon had lived in Alabama in 1950, she would have been at the back of the bus."<ref>{{cite book|last=Gaiman|first=Neil|title=The Sandman: The Wake|year=1997|publisher=DC Comics|location=New York, NY|isbn=1-56389-279-0|page=96}}</ref> He spends most of the afternoon drunk in a disused and derelict tavern, vaguely similar to the one in which he first met [[Dream (DC Comics)|Dream]] and [[Death (DC Comics)|Death]]. Here he encounters Death again, who tells him of her brother's demise and offers him a way out. He asks her many questions about what happens next and the nature of life and death, all of which she avoids answering. He admits to being tempted by her offer of death: 'There'd be an awful neatness to dying here, wouldn't there? ...like coming full circle'. Eventually, however, and after a long pause for thought, he declines: 'I'm not ready to die. Not today. Not yet. Maybe not ever.' But there is a wistfulness in him we haven't seen before. Ultimately, though, he chooses to live, and we suspect he always will. The encounter reveals that Gadling believes in [[reincarnation]], and considering the nature of belief in the Sandman universe, this may be what happens when he dies.
* Hob Gadling appears in the 2022 [[The Sandman (TV series)|TV series based on ''The Sandman'']], portrayed by [[Ferdinand Kingsley]]. Just like previously, he was granted immortality and agelessness by Death; with Dream meeting him on the same day once a century, to see if he would be ready to accept dying. Despite the ups and downs of each century, Hob refuses to die; even pondering if Dream feels lonely, with his immortality an excuse for friendship. Dream took offense in their 1889 meeting, shortly afterward missing their next meeting due to being detained. Hob was happy to see Dream make up from missing the correct year, by showing up on the right day as Dream followed the directions left for him to their new meeting place after [[Doctor Destiny|John Dee]]'s defeat and spending the day with Death. Dream admitted, albeit indirectly, that he did consider Hob a friend.


* Hob Gadling appears in the Audible original audio drama ''[[The Sandman (podcast)|The Sandman]]'', voiced by Matthew Horne.
'Sunday Mourning' is the last episode of ''Sandman'' to be set in a contemporary setting, the final two taking place in ancient China and Shakespearean England respectively. There is a feeling that Hob, as the only human we've followed this long and this closely through the series, is the last modern character we see. On the last page, he relates a dream to Gwen in which he met [[Dream (DC Comics)|Dream]] and [[Destruction (DC Comics)|Destruction]] on a beach, and they walked off into the sunset together. When Gwen asks how it ended, he fobs her off with the cliché that 'they all lived happily ever after'. We are left with the feeling that neat, happy endings of that kind are only to be found in dreams - Gadling may live ever after, but the happiness is not guaranteed.


==Inspiration==
==See also==
* [[Wandering Jew]]
⚫
Gaiman has said that he based Gadling's speech pattern on that of British actor [[Bob Hoskins]], particularly in the film ''[[The Long Good Friday]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bender|first=Hy|title=The Sandman Companion|year=2000|publisher=Titan Books Ltd|isbn=1840231645|pages=247}}</ref> He has been regularly portrayed as a man of middle height with slightly receding reddish-brown hair, but only in 'Sunday Mourning' did artist [[Michael Zulli]] base his appearance on a specific person: [[Ian Anderson (singer and musician)|Ian Anderson]], lead singer of rock band [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]]{{citation needed|date=November 2012}}.


==References==
==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gadling, Hob}}
[[Category:DC Comics immortals]]
[[Category:The Sandman (comic book)]]
[[Category:British comics characters]]
[[Category:Characters created by Neil Gaiman]]
[[Category:Characters created by Neil Gaiman]]
[[Category:DC Comics immortals]]
[[es:Hob Gadling]]
[[Category:DC Comics fantasy characters]]
[[Category:DC Comics male characters]]
[[Category:Fictional knights]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from the 16th century]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from the 17th century]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from the 18th century]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from the 19th century]]
[[Category:Fictional characters from the 20th century]]
[[Category:Fictional soldiers]]

Latest revision as of 16:10, 1 September 2024

Hob Gadling
The Sandman character
First appearanceThe Sandman vol. 2, The Doll's House, issue #13, "Men of Good Fortune"
Created byNeil Gaiman
In-universe information
Full nameRobert Gadling
OccupationSoldier, businessman, slaver
NationalityBritish

Hob Gadling, also known as Robert, Robbie, or Bobby, is a fictional character from the Sandman comic book series by Neil Gaiman. Gadling first appears in issue #13, "Men of Good Fortune". A soldier who has recently fought in the Hundred Years' War, Gadling argues with friends about the nature of death in an inn located in what will become modern-day London. He develops significance both as a recurrent character in the series and friend to Dream, appearing in a total of seven issues spanning six hundred years.

Hob Gadling appears in the Netflix drama series The Sandman (2022), portrayed by Ferdinand Kingsley.

Appearances

[edit]

Gadling first appears in vol. 2, "The Doll's House" issue #13, "Men of Good Fortune" in 1389, sitting in a smoky tavern, the White Horse, in what will eventually become the East End of London. Gadling is arguing that if he refuses to die, he will have eternal life. Dying, he argues, is merely a habit, something that people do simply because everybody does. It is, as Gadling puts it, "a mug's game". This catches the attention of Death, who encourages Dream to listen. Death agrees, at the request of her brother, who says that "it might be amusing" to grant Gadling eternal life.[1] Dream strikes up a conversation with Gadling who agrees to meet him again in the same inn once every hundred years.

They do so, and Gadling recounts each century of his life. In the century following his initial appearance and meeting with Dream, Gadling continues fighting as a soldier and gets into the new field of printing (1389–1489 AD). In the next century, he becomes rich, marries and is knighted (1489–1589 AD). Over the course of the next three hundred years, he falls into disgrace following the premature death of his wife and child (1589–1689 AD), enters the slave trade to again become wealthy (1689–1789 AD), and exits it after Dream comments on its immorality (1789–1889 AD).

In 1789, their meeting is interrupted by the arrival of magician Lady Johanna Constantine, ancestor of John Constantine, who says she heard it rumoured that once every hundred years, the Devil and the Wandering Jew meet there in that very same tavern.

In the penultimate meeting in 1889, Gadling suggests to Dream that the true purpose for meeting was friendship. Dream rejects the suggestion angrily and walks out. In 1989 Dream, freshly escaped after decades of captivity, returns, stating that it is impolite to keep a friend waiting, confirming their friendship.[1]

In issue #22, collected in "Season of Mists", Dream visits Hob in his dreams while preparing for a visit to Hell. He gives Hob a bottle of Château Lafitte 1828, which remains material in the waking world.

He next appears in issue #53, "Hob's Leviathan", which recounts a portion of Hob’s biography independent of the Dream King; the story, which takes place on a ship called the Sea Witch in the first half of the 20th century, forms a section of the frame narrative which comprises "Worlds' End". In it he shares an adventure with a girl named Peggy; Peggy and Hob appear again, albeit briefly, during the Blitz in issue #32 of The Dreaming.

The narrative later reunites Hob and Dream in issue #59 of "The Kindly Ones". Having lost his most recent significant other in a car accident, Hob is devastated and asks Dream to resurrect her, remarking that "it never gets easier, people you love not being there any more".[2] Dream states that such an act is impossible, but offers Hob the comfort of making her killer aware, while dreaming, of that which he has destroyed. As they leave Hob warns Dream that he has the stench of death upon him, which Dream responds with an ambiguous smile and thanks.

Hob’s final three appearances occur in issues #70 ("Chapter One, Which Occurs in the Wake of What Has Gone Before"), #72 ("Chapter Three, In Which We Wake"), and #73 ("An Epilogue, Sunday Mourning") of "The Wake". In "Sunday Mourning", Hob attends a Renaissance festival with his African-American girlfriend Guenevere and reminisces guiltily about the slave trade. Disgruntled by the inaccuracy of the event, he spends most of the afternoon drinking in a derelict tavern, somewhat similar to the one in which he first met Dream. While there, he is visited by Death who, reflecting that Hob may have reconsidered his pact for eternal life since Dream's death, offers him an end. He thanks Death for the offer but ultimately refuses, saying "I'm not ready to die. Not today. Not yet. Maybe not ever. Anyway, Gwen'd kill me."[3] The issue concludes with Hob dreaming of walking on a beach with Dream and Destruction.

He also makes an appearance in The Sandman Presents: Dead Boy Detectives spinoff, where Gilles De Rais tricks Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine into tracking Gadling down in an attempt to harvest his immortality. De Rais' plot is foiled when he is tricked into turning down Hob's particular brand of eternal life in favour of the extended feeling of childhood the Dead Boy Detectives experience, overlooking the fact that they have no life to steal.

Characterization

[edit]

Gadling, like Element Girl, is one of several humans in The Sandman series who do not age.

By 1989, Gadling comes to regret his involvement in the Atlantic slave trade, an occupation Morpheus advised him to forgo centuries before. Having apologized repeatedly to his 20th century girlfriend in "Sunday Mourning", he is told by Gwen to drop the subject. When he responds "You can't just forget about it", she answers "Sure you can, Robbie. You know how? You just forget about it",[3] echoing the structure of Gadling's own earlier thoughts on death in "Men of Good Fortune": "The only reason people die, is because everyone does it. You all just go along with it. It's rubbish, death. It's stupid. I don't want anything to do with it."[1]

Creation and concept

[edit]

Gaiman has said that he based Gadling's speech pattern on that of British actor Bob Hoskins, particularly in the film The Long Good Friday.[4] He has been regularly portrayed as a man of middle height with slightly receding reddish-brown hair, but only in "Sunday Mourning" did artist Michael Zulli base his appearance on a specific person: Ian Anderson, lead singer of rock band Jethro Tull.[5] Over the course of the series, Hob has been penciled by Kelley Jones, Michael Zulli, Bryan Talbot, and Marc Hempel; inked by Malcolm Jones III, David Giordano, Mark Buckingham, and D'Israeli; and colored by Steve Oliff and Daniel Vozzo.

In other media

[edit]
  • Hob Gadling appears in the 2022 TV series based on The Sandman, portrayed by Ferdinand Kingsley. Just like previously, he was granted immortality and agelessness by Death; with Dream meeting him on the same day once a century, to see if he would be ready to accept dying. Despite the ups and downs of each century, Hob refuses to die; even pondering if Dream feels lonely, with his immortality an excuse for friendship. Dream took offense in their 1889 meeting, shortly afterward missing their next meeting due to being detained. Hob was happy to see Dream make up from missing the correct year, by showing up on the right day as Dream followed the directions left for him to their new meeting place after John Dee's defeat and spending the day with Death. Dream admitted, albeit indirectly, that he did consider Hob a friend.
  • Hob Gadling appears in the Audible original audio drama The Sandman, voiced by Matthew Horne.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Gaiman, Neil (1990). "Men of Good Fortune". The Sandman: The Doll's House. New York: DC Comics. ISBN 0-930289-59-5.
  2. ^ Gaiman, Neil (1996). "Kindly Ones: 3". The Sandman: The Kindly Ones. New York: DC Comics. ISBN 1-56389-204-9.
  3. ^ a b Neil Gaiman; Michael Zulli (1997). "An Epilogue, Sunday Mourning". The Wake. Vertigo. ISBN 978-0865680975.
  4. ^ Bender, Hy (2000). The Sandman Companion. Titan Books Ltd. p. 247. ISBN 1840231645.
  5. ^ McCabe, Joseph (2005). Hanging Out With the Dream King. Fantagraphics Books. p. 160. ISBN 9781560976172.
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