Sanderson Hawkins (New Earth)

Sandy Hawkins was the ward of original Sandman Wesley Dodds, and he is the nephew of Dodd's lifelong partner, Dian Belmont. After a bizarre accident, Hawkins was able to transform himself into a pure silicon or sand form.

History

Sandy, the Golden Boy

Sanderson Hawkins was the sidekick to the original Sandman, using the name of "Sandy, the Golden Boy." Like Batman's Robin, he was an orphan who was adopted by the hero he fought beside, although Sandy had one prominent surviving relative: Dian Belmont, the Sandman's love interest.^[2]

Sandy was a member of the Young All-Stars, a team that was later absorbed into the All-Star Squadron. He was later turned into a silicon-based monster by one of his mentor's failed experiments, a "silocoid gun" that exploded and bombarded him with radioactive silica particles. Sandy was kept in suspended animation for many decades while the Sandman searched for a cure.

Sand

After being turned back to normal by Sandman and the Justice League, Sandy found he had the ability to transform himself into sand as well as other powers over earth derived from his ability to control silica compounds and the generation and control of seismic energy. He changed his code name to Sand and led as the first chairman of the modern incarnation of the JSA for a time. As Sand, Hawkins uses a gas mask and 'gas gun' similar to that of his mentor. After Wesley Dodds' death, he also inherited his mentor's prophetic dreams.^[3]

Due to his years in suspended animation, Sand has occasionally found it difficult to adjust to life in the 21st century and remains a somewhat withdrawn member of the superhero community. His home Dodds Mansion (also known as the JSA Brownstone) was inherited from his late mentor and has served as the headquarters for the modern Justice Society of America.

For a while, Sand was involved in somewhat of a romantic triangle within the JSA. Kendra Saunders (aka Hawkgirl) confided in Sand that she was upset about the recent return of Hawkman and her apparent pre-destined fate to be his lover. As Sand attempted to comfort her, Kendra kissed him--both unaware that Carter Hall, the newly resurrected Hawkman, was outside the window at the moment of the kiss.^[4] Later on, the three apparently resolved their differences, but it became quite apparent that Sand did in fact have strong feelings for Kendra.^[5]

During the "Princes of Darkness" adventure in JSA, Sand was thought to have been destroyed while preventing multiple earthquakes on Earth,^[6] but was in actuality put into a limbo state. His body was trapped beneath the Earth while his soul was trapped in the fragment of Dreamtime once inhabited by Sandman. He was eventually saved and is now back with the JSA (part of his salvation lay with Hawkgirl; Doctor Fate informed her that she was Sand's mental bridge, due to his still-existent feelings for her). After his return, Sand seems to have much more control over his powers, using them in new and varied way that he didn't before including levitating rock and generating lava.

Sandman

Hawkins takes up the mantle of Sandman wearing an outfit similar to Wesley Dodds' original costume.^[7] Sand became the JSA's "Recon Man" doing more detective work in the process. Apparently, his prophetic dreams now come in the form of nightmares, and he now wears a mask that appears to be a cross between his old mask, Wesley Dodds mask, and the Helm of Dream of the Endless.

The Kingdom

When the JSA meet Gog, the god-like being gives Sandy 24 hours of blissful, dream-filled sleep. In return he has no more precognitive nightmares; just good dreams. The downside, however, is that his ability to track, find, and stay ahead of criminals and killers before they do any serious damage is gone. Sandy is still able to feel the pain of the planet Earth and is the one to discover that Gog is fusing with the Earth, and that if he stays for 7 days from the time of his arrival, he will permanently fuse with the planet. Should Gog ever leave, he will destroy the planet.

When the rebellious half of the JSA shows up to tell the other half what Gog is doing to the planet, a battle ensues. For the JSA's defying Gog and his will, he undoes all the "miracles" he has done for them. Thus, Sandy's night terrors return to him.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

• Geokinesis: Sand can mentally manipulate the earth and soil in his vicinity, causing it to rumble, change shape, levitate, or burst forth to attack his enemies. He is also able to produce seismic waves which have the effect of small, localized earthquakes. Sand can transform the consistency of earth and rock, tap into lava flows, and create shapes out of solid rock.
  • Accelerated Healing: He can immerse himself in earth or produce waves of sand to heal himself from grave wounds.
  • Silicate Form: Sand has the ability to transform into a malleable sand-like substance which can be hardened, dispersed, or shaped according to his will, something akin to a type of geokinesis limited to sand and small rock particles. Even if his body is blown apart, he is capable of reforming it.
  • Silica Phasing: Sand can pass his molecules through solid objects that contain traces of silica and is able to travel through the earth as easily as one would swim through water.^[8]
  • Earth Affinity: Sand is mentally and empathically tuned to the Earth. He can feel when it's in pain and all that happens on it. The Earth in its way speaks to him, and he discerns knowledge from what it tells him.
  • Self-Sustenance: he doesn't need air and is immune to his gas gun.
  • Decelerated Aging: Because his silicon form, he is still young, even having been born before World War II.

• Precognitive Nightmares: Sand possesses a limited form of precognition, which manifests as occasional prophetic nightmares. This ability was psychically passed to him by his mentor, Wesley Dodds, and derives from a fragment of the literal Sandman of folklore, Morpheus (a connection maintained by the current dream lord, Daniel Hall).

Abilities

• Criminology
• Investigation: Sandman was trained as a detective though this is an ability which he rarely uses, relying more on his nightmares.
• Leadership: Sandman has led the JSA on many missions and because he is the only one able to see his precognitive nightmares he alone must lead the team to whatever evil that plagues his dreams.
• Martial Arts

Weaknesses

• Vulnerability to Seismic Activity (Formerly): Due to his powers Sand is sensitive to seismic disturbances causing him considerable pain.
• Vulnerability to transmutation: As a permanent silicon-being he can be transmuted by matter manipulation powers (various characters with these powers generally can't transmute organic tissue, then it is really a problem for Sand).
• Night Terrors: His precognitive nightmares are profoundly horrifying and don't allow him to dream as well. They are persistent and will not dissipate until after he has solved the problem but even then only for a couple of days or so. These situations cause increased insomnia and sleep deprivation in him.
  

Paraphernalia

Equipment

• Gas Masks

• Wirepoon Gun: A harpoon/grapple invention allowing him to grapple up or down buildings and cliffs.

Weapons

• Gas Gun

Notes

• Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-Two era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and no longer apply.
• Infinity Inc. ads implied Sandy would be a member of the team, but the idea was dropped out.^[9]
  

Trivia

• His devices and his uniforms were constructed out of silica-compounds by the TylerCo company (owned by his teammate Hourman), allowing Sanderson to bring them with him when he alters his shape.
• As a Silicon Monster, Sand had a new set of powers.^[10]
  • Silicate Form
  • Geokinesis
  • Size Alteration
  • Energy Absorption and Energy Projection: As a silicon monster, he could absorb energy and redirect it against a target.

Related

• 288 Appearances of Sanderson Hawkins (New Earth)
• 81 Images featuring Sanderson Hawkins (New Earth)
• 7 Quotations by or about Sanderson Hawkins (New Earth)
• Character Gallery: Sanderson Hawkins (New Earth)

Footnotes

Justice Society of America member This character is or was a primary member of the Justice Society of America in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice Society of America members" category.

All-Star Squadron member This character is or was a member of the All-Star Squadron in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "All-Star Squadron members" category.

Justice League member This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice League of America members" category.