Comics vs. Show: Compare and Contrast

[MisterGlass]

In the first episode they approached the comic portrayal of Dream, though the structure of that story makes it easier to hold him at arm's length.  But even then, they drew back a bit from the comics.  For example, they showed him in the Dreaming without his helm just as the episode started.  I suppose they wanted to make it clear that the protagonist isn't a skull-headed creature.  It would have been much more dramatic and disorienting to have him just appear in the circle.  They did recreate that magnificent overhead image, at least. 

[QuantumMechanic]

23 hours ago, Chicago Redshirt said:

I don't think Gaiman lost confidence in the story he originally told. I think that the softening of Dream is likely the result of Netflix executives who were worried that a story about an oddball stick-in-the-mud goth tyrant douchebag god would not pull in viewers. And Gaiman compromised to get the story made as best he can with Netflix-level cash.

Said worry which is validated by the reaction to even the softened Dream here and in other fora.