Way back before I started reviewing John Constantine: Hellblazer, I was skeptical. My first review is, in large part, about that skepticism — I definitely didn’t expect that this series would become one of my favorite runs not just in recent memory, but ever.
REVIEW: The Horror is Reality in John Constantine: Hellblazer #11
John Constantine: Hellblazer is a nasty series. I mean that in the best way possible; I imagine it’s hard to be nasty in mainstream comics, where things are, above all else, meant to sell. But between unicorn semen and a vulgar metaphor made manifest in this penultimate issue, this series has been unrelentingly brash and…
REVIEW: It’s the Beginning of the End in John Constantine: Hellblazer #10
I’ve been reviewing John Constantine: Hellblazer for almost an entire year, and at this point, it feels like I should be running out of things to say about it. I’ve covered how it’s my favorite modern Hellblazer series. I’ve mentioned that its lack of subtlety is one of the many things I love about it,…
REVIEW: John Constantine: Hellblazer #9 is Fantastically Filthy
John Constantine: Hellblazer #9, like the previous issues, is a story about ideas. All stories are to some extent about ideas, but this run of Hellblazer goes a step further, pushing at the boundaries of truth, concepts, and abstracts until all three blur together.
REVIEW: John Constantine: Hellblazer #8 Proves Subtext is for Cowards
John Constantine: Hellblazer #8, like the rest of the series, seems to take its cue from a famous clip of Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace: “I know writers who use subtext and they’re all cowards.”
REVIEW: John Constantine: Hellblazer #7: The Only Time You’ll Read “Gamete Package” in a Comic
John Constantine: Hellblazer has taken us through many seedy aspects of England, but in issue #7, the beginning of a new arc, we go somewhere new: Billingsgate Market, a fish market in Canary Wharf.
John Constantine: Hellblazer is Full of Complications and Compassion
Previous issues of John Constantine: Hellblazer have embraced the series’ legacy with open arms. Writer Simon Spurrier, artists Aaron Campbell and Matías Bergara, colorist Jordie Bellaire, and letterer Aditya Bidikar have crafted a story that is not only horrifying but explicitly political; its villains are demons and devils, yes, but aided by the literal powers…
John Constantine: Hellblazer #5 Perfectly Ends an Arc Without Solving Anything
I appreciate that this series never does exactly what I expect of it, and John Constantine: Hellblazer #5 is no different.
Appearances are Deceiving in John Constantine: Hellblazer #4
Unsurprisingly, four issues into John Constantine: Hellblazer, our titular protagonist doesn’t seem to be taking the directive to be the best version of himself very seriously.
John Constantine: Hellblazer #3 Features a Remarkably Uplifting Ending (For Hellblazer)
John Constantine: Hellblazer #3 wraps up the story of Peckham Rye, but not without enough loose ends and plot hooks to keep readers on the line for the next issue.
In John Constantine: Hellblazer, Missteps Set the Series Up for Something Greater
John Constantine: Hellblazer #2 opens with Noah, the mute boy from the previous issue, proclaiming his dislike for the titular magician. He’s right, but nobody is listening. The room of Ri-Boys and Constantine don’t understand sign language, and despite the absolute truth of what he’s saying and the necessity of these characters hearing it, it’s…
John Constantine: Hellblazer #1: Dark, Dangerous, and Delightful
After the semi-soft reboot of The Sandman Universe Presents: Hellblazer #1, John Constantine is back in London, 2019. He’s tasked with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle: the key to saving the future is to not be such a garbage bag of a person.