#hazel and foxglove

[milfzatannaz]

no thoughts just the girls

[writing-for-life]

The Portrayal of Womanhood in A Game of You

I’ll be honest with you: Writing about The Sandman with a focus on (queer) women surely feels different in light of the recent allegations.

This meta has been languishing in my drafts for a long time, and since I’m currently clearing the pile, I will still publish it. Mostly because these views are mine and not someone else’s. And also because they’re critical to a degree. However, if you feel that these are topics that you currently find hard to engage with, this is the exit sign (I totally get it).

With that out of the road, let’s talk about the women of A Game of You (and why it was always one of my least favourite arcs, despite the fact that my literary and thematic preferences should have made it one of my favourite ones)…

Gender roles are a central theme in A Game of You. Before the arc even moves into these themes on a deeper level, we already get this:

Barbie tells Wanda that she wasn’t allowed to read comics when she was a young girl. And that immediately struck a chord with me upon my first reading as a teenager: I was allowed to read comics, but I still remember getting the side-eye, especially from boys. Somehow, you didn’t belong to their club (even if you arguably knew more about Batman than they did 🤣). The reason Barbie gives us is that reading comics supposedly rendered her “unladylike” (yes, comics were considered “boyish”, at least when I was a teenager, and this is exactly the time we’re talking about here). But it’s not just about how a girl is supposed to act—it’s also about actively excluding her from something that’s only for men/boys. And while the topic of, “What’s a girl supposed (and allowed!) to be like?” isn’t something either particularly dwell on in that moment, Wanda faces the struggle of having to define and fight for her womanhood daily: As a trans woman, she feels resistance on a constant basis. When she talks about Weirdzos from the Hyperman comics, this is actually a nod to DC’s Bizarro, who could be described as Superman’s shadow (there’s a whole story why they were called Weirdzos instead of Bizarros in The Sandman, but that’d lead too far here. You’ll probably find it on Google).

Close enough to the “real thing”, but always “slightly off”

And Wanda carries the shadow of her biology. All the time. There’s no escape for her, no respite, no true support.

We also see this in a scene with Hazel, one of Wanda's neighbours who lives in a lesbian relationship with her girlfriend Foxglove. Hazel noticed that Wanda has "a thingie." Despite the fact that a lot of “weird” things are happening in those panels, part of that is definitely that Wanda has not fully (in Hazel’s eyes) transitioned:

What is she, exactly (not who)?

And that question gets answered very painfully when Wanda, Hazel, Foxglove, and Thessaly come together to free Barbie from being trapped in the Dreaming. Thessaly is sure she can defeat the Cuckoo that holds Barbie captive. However, she needs menstrual blood to perform a ritual that will allow them to traverse the Moon Road into the Dreaming. During this process, Thessaly insensitively refers to Wanda as a man and prevents her from joining the journey with Foxglove and Hazel (and no, this isn’t about “Thessaly the TERF”—I already made my position on that clear and think that whole discussion needs a lot more nuance than fandom is often willing to engage in).

Maiden, Mother and Crone

Thessaly's statement, "This isn’t your route. It can’t be," further highlights the discrimination Wanda faces on a daily basis. She “isn’t” seen as a woman now, and she “can’t” ever be, even if she had reassignment surgery—Wanda would still be seen as a man by the ancient powers that be.

Wanda's struggle, more than any other character's, highlights the ongoing conflict between self-identity and societal perception of women. And that’s unfortunately still a struggle most women face. But Wanda’s character is particularly poignant because she is repeatedly forced to reaffirm her sense of self, only to be torn down again and again. Even Barbie, who always supports her and would probably never knowingly hurt her, says this when Wanda reveals her childhood name:

“Alvin? That's your real name?"

Please imagine what it must feel like if even the ones closest to you refer to your dead name as your “real” name, even if it’s without malicious intent (of course Barbie makes good on that later, but…).

Wanda can never truly find comfort in anyone. She is constantly confronted with the disparity between her self-perception and how the world views her. Ultimately, Wanda's exclusion from entering the Dreaming (and there’s more symbolism in that than you can shake a stick at—not just because she’s denied her womanhood, but also because she is denied entering a place of hope and possibility, and not least because she is denied being capable and having agency: Thessaly repeatedly acknowledges Wanda is important, and that she needs her help. But that’s on her terms, not Wanda’s) leads to her tragic death: The storm caused by drawing down the moon destroys the apartment where Wanda remains to watch over Barbie’s body.

And that’s why Wanda’s arc in the comics will always stay problematic to me (I don’t know how optimistic I can be for the TV series, because we’ve already seen her headstone in BTS shots, even if her overall arc seems to have changed): Dream grants Barbie a boon, which she uses to save the women in the Dreaming, but Wanda is not among them. There is no saving her—not in this world, not in any other.

Wanda's conservative parents bury her with her deadname Alvin Mann (and her second name adds insult to injury, because it is the German spelling of “man”, as in “male”. And again, I’m somewhat glad they have changed this for the series, as seen on said headstone, because I never got why choosing that name was necessary in the first place. Or let’s say: I get it, but I don’t think it was needed and was layered on too thick. Sometimes subtle does it, sorry).

Why is Wanda so consistently shamed, while Hazel and Foxglove's lesbian relationship is regarded not a big deal (I’m obviously not insinuating it should be, see my disclaimer at the bottom of this post)? Although I have to admit there are things about that one that always rubbed me up the wrong way, too: The dumbing down of Hazel (honestly, most of us were not that clueless about reproduction in the 80s and 90s, lesbians or otherwise), the play on butch/femme stereotypes to then clumsily try to turn them on their heads (which did not work for me), the still somewhat male gaze applied to Foxglove (she didn’t have to sleep naked with her tits on display, did she?), the implication that all women somehow end up as mothers (if they don’t end up dead), even if just “accidentally”… There’s a whole lot to be said about the topic of motherhood, and how it gets instrumentalised in several Sandman arcs, but maybe that’s for another time...

To explore that question, I want to have a closer look at Barbie, who is a (in my view, often clumsy) stand-in for the gender-identity of many (CIS) women.

A quick throwback to The Doll’s House

The first signs of Barbie's identity crisis don't appear in A Game of You, but rather in The Doll's House. She is introduced as one half of “Ken-Barbie”: They finish each other's sentences, Barbie lacks a distinct personality and is completely overshadowed by being a “traditional wife” (maybe not the type of trad wife we think about today, and yet…). The fact that she and Ken share names with plastic dolls underscores the artificial nature of their identities and their relationship.

Barbie's dream-life always felt more authentic and meaningful to her than her waking reality—that’s why she is only a shell of herself when she can’t dream (after the vortex interlude with Rose Walker). She is passive, conforms to her father's expectations of being "ladylike" and adheres to “good” CIS- and heteronormative behaviour. And then, after her divorce, she feels uprooted, shows little motivation and relies on Wanda for support. Freeing herself from her shackles could have been a story of reclaiming her power without the layer of implied loneliness (I’ll get to that). Instead, she needs to suffer for a bit…

Barbie being trapped in her dream world also traps her in a state of passivity: Dreams are not real. You can make them real, but that’s not what she does—they are a maladjusted escape for her. And yet (or maybe rather “because”), instead of directly confronting and fighting the Cuckoo, Barbie smashes the Porpentine (much to the Cuckoo's delight).

Upon waking…

Upon waking, Barbie's personality hasn't changed much from the woman we first met. When she goes to Wanda’s funeral, she struggles to defend Wanda from her transphobic aunt despite trying.

However, she engages in a small but significant act of rebellion by crossing out "Alvin" on Wanda's headstone with her favourite lipstick and writes her real name instead.

Barbie then recalls a dream she had while traveling to Wanda's funeral. In this dream, she sees Wanda not as she was in life, but as an idealised version of herself—soft, more curved, and wearing a pink dress. Death stands beside Wanda, symbolising that she is recognised for who she truly is.

And I get it: The idea was to say, “She was always a woman, even to the cosmic powers that be. Eat that, Thessaly and everyone else.” But there’s also the part of me that wants to say, “You know what? She was good the way she was. Perfect in her imperfection. We didn’t need to affirm her womanhood by showing her as a stereotypical woman.” The use of “perfect” and “drop-dead gorgeous” always really rubbed me up the wrong way in relation to the way she was portrayed in that panel. Because it portrays a stereotypical woman: That’s what you look like if you need to/want to pass. And this applies, sadly enough, to all women in one way or another, no matter what gender we were assigned at birth. But if that scene holds meaning to people, I also get it. My more critical take on it is maybe down to my own history (again: disclaimer at the bottom of this post).

Simultaneously, the destruction of the Land in the Dreaming grants Barbie a newfound independence. She is now alone, without her best friend or the friends of her dreams, but these losses have given her freedom. And for a moment, loneliness becomes the ultimate resolution to Barbie's identity conflict. And I found that idea horrible, I’ll be brutally honest with you:

On the final page of A Game of You, Barbie is shown alone, waiting for a bus to an unknown destination. She reflects on her dream of Wanda, where she had the chance to say goodbye to her past life. For a moment, she stands rigidly still, and that moment feels… really long? Separated from her past and facing an uncertain future, she is free from anyone's expectations or desires. And maybe, in that simplicity, she finds freedom.

And maybe, A Game of You challenges the idea that we have full control over our identities. Our self-perception and how others perceive us are always influenced by external factors. And somewhat, I could never quite shake the feeling the story equates the removal of the ties that bind us (in this case: relationships) and/or death with freedom: Wanda only fully realises her identity in death, and Barbie feels most liberated when she is free from past entanglements and future obligations. Whether that notion is truly rejected in the end is probably down to the reader: Barbie turns and runs towards her bus, heading into a future that, while uncertain, maybe also holds a glimmer of hope. Unfortunately, none of the women of The Sandman get off particularly well in that department, and that is a common theme…

Disclaimer: I write this as a CIS bisexual woman in her 40s who has been in relationships with both women and men for 30+ years. Two of them led to marriage/civil partnership: One with a CIS woman, also bi (we were together for 10 years, 3 of them in a CP), one with my now husband (CIS straight man, married for 10 years, together longer, and we have a kid together). I don’t need to tell you this, but I am because I think it is important to disclose my own bias and experiences as a queer woman in the 90s, which include coming out, experiencing bi-erasure and misogyny from both inside and outside the LGBTQ+ community. As such, they will definitely colour the way I read and interpret A Game of You.

[based-bobcat]

I just finished reading Sandman vol #5; 'A Game of You'. (Sandman being my usual Summer read, I take it with me to the beach. I think I've been reading it once a year for for at least decade now.)

I will be completely honest and say that in my first and second readthrough I never really liked it. It was full of normal humans, Morpheus barely showed up and the ending was too dour for my tastes. All in all, I used to describe it as filler. (Sorry)

It was on a later read-through it really clicked for me though. How Gods of old don't actually care for their flock, how regular human lives can be effected by those who don't consider them worth noting, human or otherwise. I fell in love with Barbie's attitude, Wanda's loyalty to her friends, Hazel and Foxglove's love for each other and Thessaly was there too I guess. That humanity will go to bat for on another when the chips are down.

It seems like they want to push back (or even worse skip) A Game of you in the Netflix adaption. Season of Mist will likely be followed by Brief Lives, and although BL is my favorite arcs, I think that is a mistake. The grand bluster of the Gods loses it's shine when you ignore the richness of the regular people. You show A game of You to those suits and producers and all they'll ask is how it feeds in to the main plot. (It does, but subtely). I hope they will only push it back, because Game of You is peak Sandman

I'll always recommend Gaiman's Sandman.

[orionsangel86]

Death and Relationships - Propaganda below!

Some Propaganda...

Death and Lucienne - There's something beautiful about Dream's first raven and second-in-command, someone who died once but never entered Death's realm, finding herself falling for Death. They could easily bond over their mutual exasperation towards Dream. These are arguably the only two people in Dream's life who take zero shit from him and who he actually listens to. Having them hook up would either be really bad for him, or really good, depending on how you look at it. It's a fantastic ship.

Death and Johanna Constantine - This one is just poetic. The mortal who is always flirting with Death due to her profession. It would be relatively easy for Death to cross paths with Johanna - how many brushes with Death has she had after all? It would probably be a complex and bittersweet relationship, but also totally hot.

Death and Lucifer Morningstar - an interesting ship. What do we think about the Devil and Death? Perhaps in this story we have a darker Death, a Death who guides sinners to Hell with sweet satisfaction, knowing she will greet her lover as they are dragged off by demons to eternal torment...

Death and Hob - probably a fandom favourite, Hob caught Death's attention by insulting her inadvertantly to her face. Could her amusement towards his hubris become something more? Could Hob ever accept Death? Even in a way he doesn't expect?

The Corinthian - throwing this in as a crack ship tbh. He's a hot killer who would probably find it amusing to court the sister of his master. Dream would be furious. I doubt Death would go for him, but maybe even she enjoys the odd casual fling?

Death and Wanda - Not gonna lie I want it to be canon. They'd be THE power couple and I have photographic propaganda to support this:

THEY ARE HOLDING HANDS!!! (Don't tell me this is just how Death takes people I KNOW that and I don't care. They are perfect okay!!!)

7. Death and Hazel - I know Hazel is with Foxglove in the comics, but this could easily be an OT3! Plus I also have propaganda to support this:

Let Death be in a polyamorous lesbian throuple for a while. As a treat. She deserves it. :)

8. Death and Dream - Whats the harm in a bit of immortal incest? lol. It was all the rage in Greek mythology... ahem... um... don't come at me okay I have Kirby's backing for this!!!

9. Death and Nuala - Listen I just adore that fairy and want her to be loved. Plus Nuala fell hopelessly in love with Dream - maybe she has a thing for goths? lmao! It's a very cute ship imo. Death would adore Nuala because who doesn't?

10. Death and Desire - Listen, this is also Kirby's fault (and Mason's) so I'm not saying anything more about it! :P

I wanna hear your best ideas so please let me know your thoughts! :)

[dxliriumoftheendless]

happy lesbian week to all lesbians in the sandman fandom!! here are some lesbians in the sandman!!

top to bottom: hazel and foxglove, comics!judy, show!judy, show!judy and bette.

[thesandwomen]

reblog and share in the tags who your favorite female character from the sandman comics or show is and why! ☀️

[sandmanfemslashfans]

[ ID. A graphic in a blue gradient showing Gault, Death, Lucienne, and Johanna from the Sandman Netflix. White text at the bottom reads Sandman Femslash Weekend. End ID. ] (Credit to @seiya-starsniper for the lovely graphic 💖)

Hello, Sandman fans!!! There are so many lovely characters to play with in the fandom, but the mods at @sandmanfemslashfans are particularly fond of the lovely ladies of The Sandman show and comics. In order to celebrate some of our faves, we've decided to put together a small event to celebrate the fantastic femslash pairings in the fandom!

Prompts:

Friday, October 13th

• Bad Luck

• Meet-Ugly

• Inspired by a favorite song

Saturday, October 14th

• Meet-Cute

• Favorite _______ (favorite place, favorite food, favorite article of clothing, etc.)

• Inspired by a book or movie

Sunday, October 15th

• Accident

• Night out

• Inspired by a photo from your camera roll

Rules:

1) NSFW content is allowed! Bring on the smut! All we ask is that you please tag accordingly/use community labels so people who don’t want to see such content can avoid it easily. 2) No gender-swapped versions of male/male ships, so no Dreamling, no Corintheus, etc.

Our askbox is open if you want to shoot us any questions! Looking forward to appreciating some femslash with all of you :D

[b-plot-butch]

I NEVER REALISED FOXGLOVE WAS HOLDING WANDA’S HAND DURING THIS MOMENT 😭💕

[constantineinhell]

[panzerdrako]

Death: The Time of Your Life

Chapter Two Imaginary Solutions

Art by Chris Bachalo

[bestshipsmackdown]

Pre-qualifiers; Group Five: Subsection Four

Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson from Stranger Things

Sissix x Rosemary Harper from The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet

Foxglove x Hazel from The Sandman

Jack x Rose from Titanic

Flora x Mirta from Winx Club

[milfzatannaz]

death and her girls

[writing-for-life]

A Game of You—Shawn McManus

[jaytoons7]

Time to ramble about Martin Strickland, AKA the bastard man!

Oddly enough, I actually have a lot of ideas for him. He's scum, But he's very fun to write for!

TWs: Abuse (Both psychological and physical), Transphobia, Sexism, Murder, Mentions of a car crash This man might as well be a walking content warning

General Info:

The Stricklands weren't always evil rich bastards. Martin's grandparents moved to the US from Ireland, Made a fortune, And got corrupted by capitalism. It stuck for future generations.

His parents were definitely not good people either. Martin just took that shittiness to the next level as he grew up.

He's cishet.

He's both transphobic and lowkey sexist.

The Past:

He went to college to study business. There he met two people, Aria Meadows and Jayden Foxglove (Jay's birth parent. Note: He used he/him and she/her pronouns).

The three became an odd friend group, Although it definitely felt like Martin was third wheeling Aria and Jayden's friendship.

Years went by and the three grew distant once college ended. Martin inherited both his family's wealth and manor. He eventually got married with only the idea of having future heirs in mind.

Once his youngest child was a year old, News went around about a pendant with unnatural abilities. He was determined to get his hands on it.

What he didn't expect was for Aria to already be there. She was on a mission to get the pendant as well. But she also learned about the Strickland's greedy desires and Martin's willingness to keep that family greed alive. She would not let someone with that much darkness in his heart get his hands on this power.

That's when Martin no longer saw Aria as an old friend, But as a threat to his power. So he killed her, Effectively destroying any good he had left in him.

Out of nowhere, Jayden suddenly attacked him. She wasn't a Music Dragon like Aria, But he went with her on this mission due to being friends with her. Out of pure grief and rage, Jayden left the scars on Martin's face.

Martin did manage to get the pendant, But left in a weakened state. Shortly after that, Jayden mysteriously disappeared, With her child being found by James and Hollie Benson.

Family and Business:

Martin had three biological children (Lynnette, Marianne, and Scottie), All AFAB. But he wanted a man and only a man to inherit his wealth. So he took in Benz Rodriguez (Belongs to @capturecharlesau).

Benz was considered the favorite child out of the four. Scottie on the other hand was considered the "black sheep" of the family.

Scottie could not keep up with Martin's impossible standards. While his abuse towards them started out verbal and emotional when they were a kid, They quickly became more physical as Scottie became a teenager once he learned they were nonbinary.

While Martin mostly used his ring hand, He also used wooden rulers when he was feeling extra ruthless...

Speaking of ruthless, He did many morally bankrupt things to keep his wealth growing, As well as to keep people quiet. Blackmail, Extortion, Even murder. Nothing was too low for him.

He likely talked to people like Vivian Arc (Belongs to @bluetorchsky) and Mr. Allwork (Belongs to @capturecharlesau) at least a few times because rich people business and all that.

Once Scottie was 17, They finally had enough of the abuse and ran away from home. Benz left shortly after to create his own path separate from his father.

Martin's Fate:

During the events of Shifted Timeline, Scottie tells Hazel Juniper about the Stricklands to avoid her writing about the Toppats. This was enough to cause an investigation.

Martin's horrid acts were exposed and he was ruined. His wife divorced him, Not because she was any better, But because she only married him for his wealth and she didn't want to get involved in his scandal.

Lynnette and Marianne also left home to go find both Benz and Scottie.

Martin was left with nobody and everybody now knew what he did. The last time he was seen, Was when he was found dead in his crashed car. After investigation, It was revealed that his brakes were cut. It was not an accident...

[freytful]

sandman is really good at doing queer rep thats surprisingly good until the last two pages where its just. OH THAT SUCKS HUH

[lightdancer1]

Linking to my story with Death, Hazel, and Donna/Foxglove again:

Because I happen to really like this one, LOL.