The Sandman bonus episode appears to make a dig at JK Rowling

The bonus episodes of Netflix show The Sandman appear to make a dig at JK Rowling.

On Friday (19 August), two weeks after the Neil Gaiman adaptation was released, a surprise "two-part story collection" was added to the streaming service.

The episode, which has caused excitement among fans of the show, covers two storylines from the comic books, “Dream of a Thousand Cats” and “Calliope”.

In the episode, which was written by Catherine Smyth-McMullen, former Doctor Who actor Arthur Darvill plays author Richard Madoc.

One scene, set in August 2020, is set during Richard’s book launch, in which we hear that “every major studo wants a piece of him – film, broadcast, streaming”.

One character asks “who’s the frontrunner”, to which another replies: “Whoever lets him write and direct.”

The character then references the Harry Paotter author, stating: “They won't even let Jo Rowling write and direct,” to which the other replies: “Jo Rowling needs a new agent. Tell her to call me.”

In recent years, Rowling has made headlines for sharing her views on transgender rights.

She was first met with a backlash in June 2020 after calling out an article’s use of the phrase “people who menstruate”.

“I’m sure there used to be a word for those people,” she wrote, adding: “Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”

While there was a contingent of Twitter users who supported Rowling for her tweet, there were plenty – including numerous celebrities – who criticised her comment as “anti-trans” and “transphobic”, pointing out that transgender men, as well as non-binary and non-gender conforming people can also menstruate.

In the show, the reference to Rowling’s “need” for a “new agent” came two months after she would have sent the tweets.

Rowling has recently found herself involved in a high-profile argument with author Joanne Harris after claiming she didn’t support her when she received death threats over her views on transgender people.

Rowling’s accusations centre around Chocolat writer Harris’s position as head of the Society of Authors union and Rowling’s controversial opinions on trans politics, and came after British-Indian author Salman Rushdie was stabbed on stage in New York on Friday (12 August).