Hob Gadling
| Hob Gadling | |
|---|---|
The Sandman vol. 2, The Doll's House, issue #13, "Men of Good Fortune" | |
| Created by | Neil Gaiman |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Robert Gadling |
| Occupation | Soldier, businessman, slaver |
| Nationality | British |
Hob Gadling, also known as Robert, Robbie, or Bobby, is a fictional character from the
Hob Gadling appears in the Netflix drama series The Sandman (2022), portrayed by Ferdinand Kingsley.
Appearances
Gadling first appears in vol. 2, "
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
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 "
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
Gadling, like
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
Gaiman has said that he based Gadling's speech pattern on that of British actor
In other media
- Hob Gadling appears in the 2022 TV series based on The Sandman. 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; Dream admitted, albeit indirectly, that he did consider Hob a friend.
- Hob Gadling is voiced by Matthew Horne in the Audible original audio drama.
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0-930289-59-5.
- ISBN 1-56389-204-9.
- ^ ISBN 978-0865680975.
- ISBN 1840231645.
- ISBN 9781560976172.
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