Who Is Sandman? Origin, Powers and Key Facts

Sandman is a Marvel comic book character, the alter ego of William Baker, with over 1,308 comic issue appearances. Former enemy of Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, Sandman reformed after realising he was unhappy with his life. He joined the Avengers and later Silver Sable's Wild Pack. Sandman eventually returned to crime after being brainwashed by the Wizard, but sometimes still displays desire to better himself.

Who is Sandman?

Character biography William Baker was born in Queens , New York . At three years old his father abandoned him and his mother, a cleaning lady. In these early years she took her son to Coney Island beach. He lost himself happily in sand sculptures, a craft he would use in secondary school under the encouragement of his teacher (and first crush), Miss Flint. In preparatory school, a boy named Vic and his two pals bullied William until he learned to fight using opponents' motions against themselves, a technique he performed as if he "slipped through their fingers like sand." Vic and his buddies posed no match to William, who wore them down and who they even befriended throughout high school. At this time, William, a football player on his school's team, used football to channel his anger to apply it to what he sensed as a nascent change in himself. While playing football he adopted the moniker "Flint", the last name of his affection, Miss Flint. Vic incurred a large debt to a mob.

Key facts

Sandman is of radiation origin and first appeared in "Nothing Can Stop The Sandman". The character is published by Marvel. With 1,308 recorded issue appearances, Sandman ranks among the most featured characters in comics.