#merv (the sandman)

[thenightling]

A theory about Merv

I have a theory about Mervyn Pumpkinhead.  I’d say it’s a headcanon but it’s more a theory. 

  According to the tale of Stingy Jack (the origin of the jack-o-Lantern) we carve Jack-o-lanterns to drive away old Jack and other wandering ghosts.  The Jack-o-lantern is a protection ward against supernatural threats from entering your home. One superstition has it that if you blow out the Jack-o-lantern before midnight on Halloween you invite evil spirits to enter your home for the entire year.  It’s only safe to blow it out after midnight. Another superstition is if you let the Jack-o-lantern burn out naturally you invite good luck for the entire year and have warded your home against evil for the full year.  It is especially good luck if it manages to burn until after sunrise. In The House with a clock in its walls Pumpkin Jack-o-lanterns are used as protection wards all year long. Jack-o-lanterns, at their heart, are symbols of protection.  Now, because we see Mervyn as a Mervyn Turniphead in The Sandman story The Tempest, it’s very clear that his Jack-o-lantern head isn’t just for the aesthetic. In his Turnip form, that is an old school Irish Jack-o-lantern.  That is a pre-Halloween decoration (use for any time of year) Protection symbol against supernatural threats.

So even in present day when Mervyn has a modern Pumpkin Jack-o-lantern head, Mervyn is a walking, talking, protection ward against supernatural threats.  He’s not just the groundskeeper or janitor.  He’s a line of defense.   This does explain why Mervyn stands up to The Furies (The Kindly Ones) the way he does.

And this is also one of the many reasons I, myself, love Jack-o-lanterns.  They aren’t just symbols of Halloween. They are kind of comforting in their protective light. 

[fishfingersandscarves]

and then they all had to clean the castle

[dailydccomics]

Merv Pumpkinhead in Sandman vol 2 #70

[writing-for-life]

Sandman Supporting Characters—Jeremy Haun

I can’t get over dumping Orpheus on the ground. Ouch 😩

[thirtysomethingwolf-blog]

The Sandman + random text VII

[poly-space-nerds]

Hob likes giving gifts to the entities in the dreaming. Matthew, although with a human consciousness, does love shiny things. He sees some book categorizing stuff in the shops and buys it for Lucienne and continues to do so with things that remind him of her. Last time he spoke to Merv, he sounded like he needed more tools. He picks flowers when he sleeps to give to the sweet dreams that visit him at night. Hob understands that none of the dreams and nightmares really need these things, and he could always tell Dream about his citizen’s wants, but he likes giving them things.

the thing is Dream’s starting to get a bit jealous, even if he doesn’t want to say it. Jealous of his own creations? certainly not. And its not that Hob doesn’t want to give Dream anything, he just doesn’t really know what to get the Dream Lord. What do you give to someone who either has everything, or can conjure up anything they want? What is a flower to a king? But then he sees it. A ring with the same cut and beauty as the one Dream wore before, encased in a gold band.

He brings it to Dream without even worrying about the implications. It isn’t until he’s presenting it to his lover that he realizes this could be a proposal. He starts sweating at Dream’s stunned silence only to smile and twirl him in his arms when Dream accepts it. He doesn’t really know what becoming the husband to the King of Dreams and Nightmares entails, but as long as he’s got his lover by his side, he knows things will be okay.

(and whenever Hob shows up with gifts for his people, Dream only has to look at the shining ruby for the jealousy to turn away)

[bludpudding]

hello and welcome to

the series where i take a bunch of sandman characters, throw them into a drag race simulator, and make stupid 100% biased commentary. that’s it, really. (now with the dead boy detectives!)

{Week 1}

quite the ball fondler, aren't we, thomas?

monty, I'm a bit skeptical. you were just born like. yesterday. and spent most of your life in a cage. not exactly sure that's the best option.

crystal? something tells me that her abilities might aid in doing impersonations,,,, maybe,,,, i have faith in her

very cat thing to do.

what's with the birds and rhytmic gymnastics bitch you're birds

she's gonna serve and she fucking knows it!!!

death are you even allowed to do that on stage

oh they're all gonna eat. charles i'm laughing at you (affectionate)

THEY KNOW WHERE THEIR TALENTS LIE

and if i said this was a dumbass choice

guys is he gonna carve himself a new face i'm scared

winning the idgaf war

LUCIENNE ABSOLUTELY GIRL YOU GOT THIS

ESTHER??? OKAY. WHATEVER

oh you know his ass is gonna do a dramatic reveal

CORINTHIAN WHAT DID I SAY. WHAT DID I FUCKING SAY

yk i really thought edwin's gay boy piano recital was gonna take the cake but i was right crystal's got some extra powers

i am. staring at my screen rn. i swear to fucking god. we cannot do this in the first fucking week corinthian don't expect me to give you a welcome home

yk. this is not the first time this match up has happened.

THANK FUCKING GOD SORRY ROSE CORI HAS TO STAY ITS FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE

desire do i even want to know

ABSOLUTELY NOT NIKO WOULD NEVER. WRONG. WRONG. ALL OF YOU ARE WRONG

Relationship Updates

Recap

saw my life flash before my eyes tbh corinthian you're on thin fucking ice

[tampire]

Mervyn Pumpkinhead and Matthew The Raven converse in The Sandman 1x07: The Doll’s House

[balu8]

Dave McKean: Merv Pumpkinhead and Delirium

Source Will Tervay (comicartfans)

Comic Art Gallery of Will Tervay at ComicArtFans.com

[ohraicodoll]

Post-Halloween shenanigans with Merv and Matthew

[thenightling]

I just noticed a possible Easter Egg. I was skimming through episode 9 when I noticed this statue behind Mervyn. There are a few but the one closest to him.. is that Calliope? Does Morpheus still hold a torch?

[writing-for-life]

The Dreaming—Kid Notorious

[maculategiraffe]

been rereading sandman

[marvelsgirl616]

:0

I miss them sm.

[bludpudding]

hello and welcome back to

the series where i take a bunch of sandman characters, throw them into a drag race simulator, and make stupid 100% biased commentary. that’s it, really. (now with the dead boy detectives!)

{Week 2}

yk i do believe she could make a mean wig. out of the human hair of little girls probably but that's neither here nor there

THANK GOD corinthian's making a comeback i was about to file for divorce for like the 9th time this year

since this is a dance competition i feel like we should give them grace because one of them was made human about a week ago and the other is a pumpkin. but NOBODY listens to me

THATS RIGHT DAY TIME DRAMA MAMA. TOP 3 MILFS OF THE DAY

oh it's because she's goth isn't it. mhm. mhm. i see.

THATS RIGHT. THATS RIGHT. IMMEDIATE VENGEANCE NOT FUCKING AROUND TODAY NO MA'AM

see now what did i say about monty getting grace for being a bird. don't get any fucking opinions in this autocracy

you think jenny brought the cleaver on stage

like i cant say im surprised. but. yk. survival of the fittest. bro got butched.

wait is jenny being a butcher a pun on

no.

i'm mad now

carrying on

who's after morpheus? most people i think. me included

is this foreshadowing something

Recap

edwin and crystal are tied for 1st place, corinthian is trying to avoid sleeping on the couch tonight

[morpheusbaby3]

You know what I was thinking? How hard it is to be Mervyn. It's no wonder he's grumpy.

Just imagine, he has to deal with humans and their problems, strange dreams and nightmares, but not catastrophic enough to get Morpheus' attention, so there goes Mervyn on a normal day and comes across something like this: