One of the artists on The Sandman has used the character of Morpheus to promote wearing masks during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.Marc Hempel drew a picture of Morpheus sporting a jet-black facial mask, with his messenger raven Matthew asking him about its purpose. "While it's true that I don't actually need to wear it, Matthew, I can't help but feel as though it makes me look really cool," Morpheus responds. Hempel tagged his illustration with a #MatthewAndMaskedMorpheusMonday caption, and the picture drew the attention of The Sandman's co-creator Neil Gaiman, who wrote, "I am the original writer of Sandman and I endorse this picture."
The Sandman centers on the adventures of Morpheus -- better known as Dream of the Endless -- and his exploits in the Dreaming. The series has gained critical acclaim over the years and is one of the first titles launched under DC's now-defunct Vertigo Comics banner.
The Sandman has recently found new life as an audio drama series, which is produced and narrated by Gaiman and features James McAvoy as the voice of Morpheus. A Netflix adaptation of the series is also being developed by Gaiman and David S. Goyer and will adapt the first three volumes in the series.