Dark Entries

Vertigo Crime

by Ian Rankin, Werther Dell'Edera (Illustrator)

International best-selling crime writer Ian Rankin (Rebus) and artist Werther Dell’Edera (Loveless) present a chilling, locked-room mystery starring John Constantine!When the macabre location of hit reality show “Haunted Mansion” starts attacking the contestants, Constantine is hired to investigate. Locked in with a cast of celebrity wannabes and monitored by a deadly figure from his past, John must figure out who (or what) is pulling the strings before he gets cancelled — permanently!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Horror, Fiction, Mystery, Fantasy, Crime

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

AKA Jack Harvey.

Born in the Kingdom of Fife in 1960, Ian Rankin graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1982 and then spent three years writing novels when he was supposed to be working towards a PhD in Scottish Literature. His first Rebus novel was published in 1987; the Rebus books are now translated into 22 languages and are bestsellers on several continents.

Ian Rankin has been elected a Hawthornden Fellow. He is also a past winner of the Chandler-Fulbright Award, and he received two Dagger Awards for the year's best short story and the Gold Dagger for Fiction. Ian Rankin is also the recipient of honorary degrees from the universities of Abertay, St Andrews, and Edinburgh.

A contributor to BBC2's Newsnight Review, he also presented his own TV series, Ian Rankin's Evil Thoughts, on Channel 4 in 2002. He recently received the OBE for services to literature, and opted to receive the prize in his home city of Edinburgh, where he lives with his partner and two sons.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/ianrankin

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Big Brother type house and it's contestants are being haunted by ghosts so the show's producer gets Constantine in to investigate. Things become stranger as none of the contestants can remember how they came on the show or much about their past. Then about the halfway point things get very Hellblazer and the story takes off.

I've never read Ian Rankin or a John Constantine: Hellblazer book so this was something of a gamble. Fortunately Rankin keeps the pace ticking over very nicely and the story shoots along with the tension expertly mounting up. The reality television spectacle is parodied well - it really is Hell - and the contestants become better characters with the reveals throughout the story.

The only weak point here is the artwork. Werther Dell'endera does scratchy black and white scrawls that reminded me a bit of Manga books but with sloppier drawing. If the publishers had hooked Rankin up with a decent artist I think this could be a 5 star book, as such the artist lets the book down with his sub-standard work. Definitely going to check out more of Rankin's work though.

[Shawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, this was okay. I'll try not to be spoilerish. I was reading Alan Moore's SWAMP THING off the spinner racks back when J.C. first showed up (I still remember when he was so mysterious that there were theories he was meant to be Jesus Christ!) and kept reading his book, HELLBLAZER, up until shortly after Garth Ennis left (I stuck around for Eddie Campbell's short run but was unimpressed by Ennis' return). It is the nature of monthly comics that at some point, no matter how flexible the character is, the reader reaches burnout from repetition. In superhero comics, that used to correspond to adolescence or the late teenage years, but with adult comics for adults, well, you just end up stepping away at some point.

Because, yeah, Constantine is a great character - a mid-80's reinvention of the occult detective as working class con-man sorceror and slick operator, grizzled and cynical, he's a misanthrope who's repeatedly forced to save a world he's not sure deserves saving. Also, he's not above sacrificing the occasional confederate in service of his larger plans, so to know Constantine is to usually end up dead (and occasionally damned). He's a bit of a tarnished knight noir character, good at what he does, who moves among all social classes, which means there's lots of directions stories can go - demonic plots, quiet ghost stories, political conspiracies, sordid crime tales.

A good friend bought me this and I buzzed through it in one evening. Ian Rankin seems to be a name writer or something, but hey, I can't read everything and I tend to lose track of current popular writers. He has a solid take on Constantine's voice: wryly acerbic and always needling the powerful, yet compassionate (if blunt) with those in need, he doesn't suffer fools gladly. The rough, sketchy, black and white art by Werther Dell'Edera is effective - at times starkly atmospheric, occasionally too vague or lazy, generally servicable (he reminds of a less shadowy, vaguely manga-inspired version of Keith Giffen's style when he was ripping off José Muñoz, crossed with Clive Barker's, uhhh, "sketchwork" - the visual conception of the Cannibal Killer in particular looked very "Barker-ish"). The basic idea is that Constantine is hired to be injected into a popular, horror-themed BIG BROTHER type show because the contestants are suffering horrifying visions unrelated to the actual contest. Constantine disadains television in general, and hates reality tv in particular (just like me), so things go as one might expect until...

To tell you the truth, I liked the set-up until the big plot twist at the halfway point (which is ruined by the GOODREADS synopsis - perhaps I'll talk to them about that). Even after the rather goofy and illogical (if not unprecedented - this story does resonate with the tone of some older, if less auspicious, HELLBLAZER scenarios) twist, I was willing to play along and the read is not unenjoyable, it just sacrifices the chance for real-world scares on the altar of tricky plots, modern pulpy dark fantasy concepts and an unfortunate character revelation rather late in the game that screams "comic booky" (HELLBLAZER and the related spin off are comic books - I'm not a big fan of the term graphic novel and like "comic book" because it keeps the form humble - but they are supposed to be written for adults, and yet the modern age seems to be willing to accept more and more adolescent conceptions in their adult genre fictions).

In the end, a quick read that, at least in the character moments, feels like a visit with an old friend who hasn't changed much - which is just fine, familiar and predictable being sides of the same coin. I'd be interested in knowing what someone felt for whom this is their first introduction to Constantine.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Constantine, tempted by a fat wad of cash, agrees to troubleshoot the latest tv reality show, ratings phenomena 'Haunted Mansion'. Or so he's told. The contestants are isolated in a rambling mansion, filled with secret passages and tricked up fake paranormal effects. So far the show has wowed the viewers with a slew of strange happenings. The only problem is... none of the fake spooks and tricks have been triggered so far. So what are the contestants reacting too?
Lots of writers have written Constantine, some good, some pretty dire, but main stream crime writer Ian Rankin really does get the character pretty much pitch perfect. He turns in a good story too, well suited to the style of Constantine. Reality shows and a celebrity obsessed media are easy targets for satire and Rankin pulls no punches, some subtle but mostly ... not so much. Werther Dell'edera's art fits the bill nicely too. Its simplistic composition and spare lines are raw on the eye but bang on the money for projecting the emotional tone of the piece. This is a quick read, despite its 200 plus pages. It's one of those pocket sized graphic novels Vertigo likes putting out.

[Syeda Sumayya Tariq · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel is about John Constantine trying to do find out the real deal behind the unscripted hauntings in a reality horror show. But as he works it out, horrors from his past come running at him, jaws open, literally ;)⁣
⁣
I really, really enjoyed reading it. It was all really cool. Couldn't even guess what was coming at the end. Definitely recommended if graphic novels are your game :)⁣

[Sud666 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark Entries tries to bill itself as an old school John Constantine story. It doesn't quite measure up. That is not to say it is not interesting and it does display a small shadow of the angst driven "real" JC stories (such as Hellblazer vol 1 and on).

JC is brought in by a tv company that is doing a reality show. 6 contestants are in a "haunted" house and will be recorded by camera. Except that the house may really be haunted. JC is brought in to be an "extra" on the show. It then devolves into what is going on in the house? Who is this tv company? It is part ghost story and part supernatural thriller. I enjoyed the ending and the "twist" was actually well done. The artwork is merely ok-it's black and white. Nothing special but not bad. Sadly the same can be said for the story-nothing special (and JC has some GREAT stories from better writers) just a good story trying to recapture the old style. It fails. But it IS a good story-better than many of the NEW 52 versions. Recommend for any JC fans.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting, putting Constantine as a game show contestant in hell. Very refreshing, considering how unpopular Constantine is, in hell. Story could have been better though, it kind of went downhill after Constantine revealed to Keene that all the other contestants were dead, that and Brian McArthur, and the room with a window into Limbo, and a lot of other stuff. They could've been handled better, pace wise. Either way, this was a good read, shouldn't have taken me all this long to read it.

[Titas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Constantine’s popularity is off the scale!
Dark Entries is a John Constantine story. Yes, the one and only John Constantine. But don't worry because it doesn't require any previous plots or base to read about him. Just to make sure you are on board, Constantine is a British exorcist. But in the most kick-ass way without any faith or holiness. Now that it is said, lets talk about the story.

John is called by a TV production house to check a reality TV show set on the basis of 'fear', in which willing contestants stay in a locked house and are watched 24 hours like Big Brother. But unlike that show, this one's publicity explores and showcases the horror among the participants induced by the show runners. But what if the house decides to have so fun on its own and tries to scare the people in ways which are beyond the production?

This is a classic example for novels of horror, ghost, exorcism, monster, spooky genre! Ian Rankin starts the story as if the plot is small and easy and just another Haunted-house story. But with one after another surprisingly enjoyable twists it becomes so huge and so epic (from Heaven to Hell all the way) that it is beyond explanation!
Somehow it simultaneously roams around the fields of murder mystery, thriller, suspense with excellent balance and grabs 200% attention of the reader's mind. The writing is so smooth as if we have already been reading about this long ago. The characters, the twists, action, the dialogues are top notch! No, seriously top notch! And Mr John F'ing Constantine is at his best in the book luv! (Satan can go n' eat his heart out. Wait, does he have one?)

And what can I say about the art?! There are just clean black and white lines. That is all. not even any shades of them. Werther Dell'Edera's drawing is crisp, clean, cutting edge, sexy, smooth and immensely enjoyable! The monsters, the action sequences, the spookiness are on a whole a treat for the eyes. His art walks on the line between simple and complex art and still stands out from all of them!

A must read for any horror or suspense or graphic novel lovers! And unmissable for Constantine fans!

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Hellblazer story starring John Constantine. What starts off as another reality TV show turns into something much different, and I can't say much more without adding spoilers. Let's just say Constantine once again finds himself in some trouble and he deals with the best way he knows, by the skin of his teeth! Some parts were a little silly but sometimes half the fun of the story is its absurdity. Great story for any Constantine fan or fan of Ian Rankin.

[George K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Τρίτο κόμικ της σειράς Vertigo Crime που διαβάζω, το οποίο όμως ξεφεύγει από τα στενά όρια του αστυνομικού, μιας και πρωταγωνιστής είναι ο John Constantine, ή αλλιώς Hellblazer, ένας ντετέκτιβ παραφυσικών φαινομένων με ξεχωριστές δυνατότητες. Η αλήθεια είναι ότι παίζει να είναι η πρώτη φορά που ασχολούμαι με τον συγκεκριμένο χαρακτή��α, μιας και στο παρελθόν δεν έτυχε να διαβάσω κάποιο κόμικ με αυτόν πρωταγωνιστή και δεν έχω δει καν την ταινία με τον Keanu Reeves. Θα επανορθώσω όμως!

Δεν θα πω και πολλά για την πλοκή, για να μην χαλάσω κάποιες ωραίες εκπληξούλες, απλώς έχουμε ένα διαφορετικό τηλεπαιχνίδι, στο οποίο συμμετέχουν κάποιοι νέοι, που υποτίθεται ότι δεν γνωρίζονται μεταξύ τους και οι οποίοι, όντας κλεισμένοι σε μια μεγάλη έπαυλη, χωρίς επαφή με το εξωτερικό περιβάλλον, καλούνται να αντιμετωπίσουν τα διάφορα περίεργα που συμβαίνουν στο σπίτι. Ο καθένας από αυτούς έχει από ένα τρομακτικό μυστικό και φαίνεται ότι το σπίτι το γνωρίζει. Οι υπεύθυνοι του παιχνιδιού δεν ξέρουν ακριβώς τι συμβαίνει, γι'αυτό και καλούν έναντι αμοιβής τον John Constantine, να συμμετάσχει στο παιχνίδι και να ανακαλύψει τι γίνεται. Όμως τα πράγματα δεν είναι καθόλου όπως φαίνονται...

Ούτε Ian Rankin είχα διαβάσει μέχρι τώρα (αν είναι δυνατόν!), ούτε κόμικ με ήρωα τον John Constantine, παρ'όλα αυτά το απόλαυσα πραγματικά. Η ιστορία μου κίνησε το ενδιαφέρον από την αρχή και το κράτησε μέχρι το τέλος, μιας και η πλοκή είχε αρκετό μυστήριο και ωραίες αποκαλύψεις, ενώ και ο χαρακτήρας του Constantine ήταν ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέρων, κυνικός και σαρκαστικός. Το σκίτσο μου φάνηκε αρκετά καλό και απόλυτα ταιριαστό με το ύφος της ιστορίας, με απλά και καθαρά ασπρόμαυρα σχέδια, δίχως αχρείαστες λεπτομέρειες και σκιές.

Συμπερασματικά, πρόκειται για ένα ωραίο, ευκολοδιάβαστο και χορταστικό κόμικ, που πιστεύω ότι θα ικανοποιήσει τόσο τους φαν του συγκεκριμένου ήρωα όσο και αυτούς που θέλουν να διαβάσουν μια ιστορία μυστηρίου με μπόλικα υπερφυσικά στοιχεία. Το μόνο σίγουρο είναι ότι στο άμεσο μέλλον θα πιάσω κάποια από τα πιο γνωστά έργα με ήρωα τον John Constantine (ακούω προτάσεις!) και εννοείται ότι θα διαβάσω επιτέλους και βιβλία του Ian Rankin.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up Dark Entries as an Ian Rankin fan, with no knowledge of the John Constantine character. I was unaware of his existence beyond this book, and so the discovery that the cover lies completely - that this is a fantasy, not a crime novel - annoyed me utterly.

The premise as described in the blurb is that of an "occult detective" investigating strange goings-on in a Big Brother-style reality TV house. I count Ben Elton's Dead Famous as one of my favourite novels, so I was expecting something vaguely similar. I was sorely disappointed. Basically, half way through it turns out that all of the contestants are actually dead and in Hell, changing the entire genre of the book. I felt completely cheated. Last month, I described The Colorado Kid by Stephen King as "a bait and switch of a book". It promises hard-boiled crime and resoundingly doesn't deliver, but when all's said and done, it's still a crime novel. Dark Entries doesn't even end up in the same ball park as advertised.

I've given it 3/10. Rankin does some good things with the characters' back-stories, and his "story within a story" on Constantine's history with the cannibal Brian McArthur was something I'd happily read as a standalone. The line art is serviceable, though the artist's obsession with the lewder elements of the female form was cringeworthy, the "Hell" characters were interchangeable, and the action scenes towards the end became steadily more difficult to follow.

All-in-all, a total disappointment, and not one I'd recommend to anyone.

[Ill D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Surprisingly devoid of any crime, Ian Rankin’s Dark Entries was strangely printed under the now defunct Vertigo Crime Imprint. Perhaps not crime-ridden in regards to the events that unfold, our beloved John Constantine is present with all his established charisms of rakism and unfiltered roguishness that could very well fit into a story of a more illegal nature. With our hero in the picture the only thing left to establish is the setting. And, weirdly enough, it’s a demented take on The Truman Show that sets the stage for this contradictory story to take place.

Not at all too wildly different from the degeneracy of modern reality T.V. John Constantine accepts an offer to join a ribald programme for a hefty bribe. What initially seems quite un-Constantine in themes, finds itself meshed into a story that (with some alterations sure) could fit into any of the early works of his canon. A simplistic palette of white and black occasionally expands to a wider application of color and styles namely: bristling greys and mangled manga to enflesh this tale before our eyes.

Some 200 pages later, my eyes had run over a disappointingly convoluted and excessively long take. Weak characters that were as unmemorable as the plot quickly melted from my psyche before the next comic reached my aching fingers. It’s not horrible just for the record. Nor is it particularly horrible.
After giving it a moment of reflection here’s my final two cents: Dark Entries is a John Constantine story for fans of John Constantine. If you’re in the fan club, I’m sure you’ll dig it. If you’re not in the club, you’ll probably be bored just like I was.

No thumb rating here.

P.S. I think there’s some subtle references to OutLaw Star and The Shining in here.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before DC pulled the plug on their adult-oriented horror line, Vertigo, they were still doing some really interesting things. In 2009, Vertigo started a Vertigo Crime series, a digest-sized hardcover graphic novel series written by well-known authors in the crime/mystery genre.

The first in the series, “Dark Entries”, was written by Ian Rankin, a popular British mystery writer best known for a series of novels featuring his detective John Rebus.

“Dark Entries” featured a character very well-known to fans of Vertigo: John Constantine.

Straddling a very wobbly line between neo-noir and straight-out horror, “Dark Entries” is also a satirical criticism of reality-TV.

Constantine is approached by the producer of a popular British reality show called “Haunted Mansion”, in which six attractive 20-somethings are stuck in an old house rigged with all kinds of funhouse pyrotechnics meant to scare the crap out of them. The cameras are rolling, and the contestants are being scared, for sure, but there’s one problem: the producers aren’t the ones doing the scaring. Something else is in the house with them.

Enter “John”, a music promoter, as a last-minute contestant. It doesn’t take Constantine long to figure out what is going on, but it may be too late for him to do anything about it.

“Dark Entries” is a creepy, funny thriller that references such disparate sources as Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None”, “Final Destination”, and “Hellraiser”. The fact that it stars Constantine is just an added bonus.

[Xenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3+/5

Content warnings:
Graphic: death, body horror
Moderate: cannibalism, self harm, sexual assault, murder, suicide
Minor: addiction, car accident, child death, drug abuse, sexual content

[Michael J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I've come across a comics work by detective fiction writer Ian Rankin, and it's a really good one. (If you're not familiar with Rankin's crime novels featuring Scottish Inspector John Rebus, make a note to self to check them out.) Back in 2009-2010 DC/Vertigo experimented with a series of five original graphic novels in a $20 digest-sized hardcover format under the Vertigo Crime label. That really doesn't fit this story, which is more horror than anything else.
Rankin has a good feel for the nuances and snappy retorts of occult detective John Constantine, and this has the feel and flavor of how I best remember the character. The story is an engaging detection/mystery in which Constantine solves the riddle through interviews and his wits rather than resort to magic. This also takes a well-deserved swipe at reality television and the lure of instant celebrities.
Lured by an enormous amount of cash by a devious television producer of reality series, Constantine agrees to become a mole inside the corridors of the "Haunted Mansion", a hit show similar to Big Brother. Beyond the scary props designed by the production team, the contestants are being attacked and haunted by sinister visions that have nothing to do with the script. Constantine's job is to figure out who's pulling the strings.
Things take an interesting turn mid-way through this over-200-page story, but it's such a fascinating spin on the plot that I would spoil too much by sharing more. Let's just say that Constantine has been in these kinds of situations before.
The black-and-white art style employed here by Werther Dell'Edera is much more minimalist and sketchy than what I am used to seeing from him, but it works effectively here in this smaller-sized format. There's a cool twist in the actual formatting of the book in that at the turning point in the story the pages go from white borders to black borders.

[David]

A strange experiment, not wholly successful, and one which seems to have been quietly suppressed by Rankin himself: the book is not listed among his published works anywhere that I’ve seen in the last decade. It moves in some of the same directions as Ben Elton’s slightly earlier Dead Famous, but the graphic novel form doesn’t permit quite the same detail of story development. It is interesting to see Rankin working with a character already made famous by several other writers. The graphics themselves (by Werther Dell’Edera) are more effective in close-up than in “long shots.” This May be a regular problem with the graphic novel form; I have read, at most (I think) ten or a dozen, including at least four graphic renditions of Shakespeare.

[Nate]

Rankin wrote this John Constantine comic in 2009, published under the Vertigo Crime imprint. I guess because it's not part of Hellblazer proper it wasn't included in the newer Hellblazer collections, all of which I read. So this is my first time reading this little book.

It's a solid story about a horror reality show in which Constantine gets involved. Of course the supernatural comes into play, in a way you may be able to guess, but the journey to that reveal - halfway through the book - is compelling. Feels like something Delano might have done during his run. The second half does stumble a bit even though I like how everything is resolved. I also appreciate that Rankin, a novelist by trade, doesn't overwhelm with text where many novelists writing comics do.

[Zachary Rawlins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish I could give it a three and a half - it doesn't quite merit a four, but it was better than a three. This is the second of Vertigo's ambitious hardback illustrated crime novels that I have had a chance to read, and the first to concern an existing character, Hell's Rake himself, John Constantine. Ian Rankin is a more than passable modern crime writer, and I have enjoyed a few of his books in the past, though his reoccurring detective character is not my fav.

This was a double-treat - a Constantine book not burdened by his overcomplicated past or DC's editorial demands, and an Ian Rankin book that didn't have the Scottish detective he normal works with. The actual plot is combination of classic haunted house story mixed with reality TV, with a distinctly infernal bent. It moves fast, the art is appropriate and simple, and the characters are surprisingly well-developed in a short amount of time. I really enjoyed this, and hope that Vertigo continues to publish this line.

[Robert Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps I liked this a it more than I should have. I was not at all familiar with the paranormal detective John Constantine, so I was a bit taken aback with where this story led... namely a reality tv show in Hell. The artwork, one by Werther Dell'Edera, was basic pen & ink drawing, competent but unremarkable, it looked hurried. Had the art detail been fully realized, given real color, nuance and attention, it would have improved the product greatly. But, despite it's rushed look, the story was fun nonetheless. It doesn't appear as if a sequel is forthcoming, so this appears to be a one-off endeavor by Ian Rankin & Werther Dell'Edera.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever concept that gets a little bogged down as it progresses but a generally entertaining and genuinely fun little book. Rankin does a nice job with John Constantine even if the ride is a little more broad than nuanced. Who needs nuance in hell, anyway?

As with a number of these neo-noir graphic novels, the art teeters on the edge between appropriately bleak and annoying sparse. Sometimes it's really difficult to tell what a panel is trying to tell me, though it generally becomes clear a few panels later.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crime writer Ian Rankin (the Inspector Rebus series) turns his talents to writing a John Constantine graphic novel. Constantine is pulled into investigating the odd occurrences happening on the set of a reality television show that are scaring the daylights out of the contestants. Of course, Constantine runs up against his own hellish personal demons. Edgily drawn in stark black and white by Werther Dell'edera, this collaboration works really well and I'd enjoy seeing Rankin do more of this kind of thing.

[Yonai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inteligentan strip na temu modernog društva, kulturoloških razlika i "reality" programa koji su postali dominantna forma kič/šund medijske svakodnevnice. Ovaj strip sam svojevremeno preveo za jednog domaćeg izdavača, ali strip zbog procene tržišta nikad nije izašao u štampu. Topla preporuka za sve koji vole stripove o Džonu Konstantinu. Sveden i efektan crtež i dobra radnja koja tera na razmišljanje šta nas u stvari čini ljudima.

[Fugo Feedback · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pensaba leerme TODO Hellblazer antes de que terminara la serie. No logré ni el 5% de mi objetivo, pero en el camino me encontré con esta historia autoconclusiva bastante interesante. Premisa misteriosa muy bien llevada (le pegué a algunas revelaciones y me sorprendieron bastante otras) y dibujo funcional a la trama. Sin duda un comic bastante más interesante que esta infundada reseña.

[Richard · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first half of this was really good. But once we found out what was going on, the whole thing fell apart. Completely.

As for the art, I thought there were a few nicely designed layouts near the start, although the character work was muddy. Once the demons start showing up, it's a disaster.

[Perri · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first horror-type Graphic novel, the first half especially was chilling. The idea of a hit reality show based on viewers watching participants being terrorized? Doesn't seem that outrageous in today's world

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Constantine one-shot elevated by an excellent author

[Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super quick read, satisfyingly suspenseful, starring one of my favourite anti-heroes, John Constantine.

[Rodolfo Santullo · Rating 3 out of 5]

En algún momento del 2009, la línea editorial Vértigo desarrolló la idea "Vertigo Crime": una serie de novelas gráficas policiales que utilizaban -o no- personajes de la línea. No tuvo larga vida ni fue especialmente prolífica (13 libros entre 2009 y 2011), pero permitió dar rienda suelta a guionistas con una marcada veta dentro del género -Brian Azzarello, Peter Milligan, Andy Diggle- así como invitó a autores reconocidos dentro de la literatura negra a experimentar con el noveno arte. Tal es el caso de Ian Rankin -autor de la saga del inspector escocés John Rebus- quien hacía con el libro que hoy nos toca sus primeros pinitos como guionista. El resultado es... tibio. Rankin toma a John Constantine como protagonista -a quien conoce bien y desarrolla mejor- y lo mete en una historia de reality show embrujado, uno donde sus participantes están dentro de una casa de horror pero que de repente comienza a asustarlos sin tomar en cuenta la participación de técnicos y productores. Durante más de medio libro, Rankin lleva bien el misterio y la tensión -incluso, hace una gambeta con una linda vuelta de tuerca apenas pasando la mitad- pero para la hora de cerrar está bastante cerca de fallar rutilantemente montado sobre variados deus ex machina. No lo ayuda en nada el dibujo casi que amateur del italiano Dell'edera (a quien no conocía de antes ni volví a ver después) quien hace todo lo posible para arruinar el asunto (apenas zafa en narrativa y es apenas de verdad). Rankin no volvió a escribir comics, que yo sepa. No se perdió mucho, la verdad.

[Kinan Diraneyya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Entries is one of these self-contained graphic novels featuring characters from DC comics in an alternative, more relaxed universe. Specifically, Dark Entries tells the story of how Constantine was invited to contain a situation where the haunted house on a horror reality show began to act on its own. While it is immediately given away that the gentlemen who invited Constantine had a lot more in mind than a simple exorcism, I found the plot developments that followed to be least expected and quite enjoyable.

The story follows a dozen or so contestants, neither of which remembers how he/she agreed to join the show and each of which is haunted by his/her own demon. The characters are well-flushed for the book's short length, and their dialogs are generally amusing. Constantine enters the house briefly after his arrival and begins interacting with its tenants to investigate the strange happenings. The focus periodically shifts to the showrunners and viewers as well, showing a few supporting characters that also contribute to the plot.

Dark Entries is the kind of read that you finish saying: "That was fun. I was entertained". It is a very light read with a simple, satisfying conclusion. The book's 215 pages read faster than two Hellblazer issues, and its art, although simple, is easy on the eye. I think this is a great read for anyone who enjoys light horror mysteries and specifically anyone who is a fan of Constantine.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ian Rankin and Werther Dell’edera combine to toss mystic John Constantine into reality show horror with this graphic tale. Hired by a TV producer to inspect a supposedly haunted set, Constantine is skeptical of the spiritual haunts in a horror house soundstage. Struck by the appearance of one of the female contestants, John agreed to enter the show and unravel the truth. Once inside, he learns the cast is amnesiac about how they arrived on set and plagued by personal demons. Probing their hidden connection reveals a deeper secret - one with horrific afterlife consequences for all those trapped within the house. Rankin’s script is one part horror, one part mystic, and three parts social commentary. His Constantine avoids the reality show rabble, but becomes engulfed by the public frenzy for such “entertainment.” The parallels between the show and true hell are the driving best of the whole story. Dell’edera offers a mixture of black and white ideals to move the tale along. While his John is effective, many of the supporting cast are ill-defined. Dark Entries is enough to give Constantine fans a fix, but does little else to get one’s foot in the door of comic book horror.

[Susan Beamon · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Constantine, the occult detective and only man to get out of Hell alive, is a familiar character. He goes where no one wants to go and does what no one even thinks about doing. In this graphic novel he gets involved with a reality show. In my opinion, reality shows are about as real as professional wrestling. Never the less, they are very popular and cheap to produce.
The reality show is called Dark Entries, sort of a haunted house idea. It claims to show how we deal with fear. Stunts are staged to scare the inhabitants, who are locked in with no way out. Only some of the stunts are not gags set up by the production crew and they aren't just scary. John is hired to find out what is going on.
John enters the show as a "surprise contestant". He quickly figures out the other contestants are not living. From then on, it a typical John Constantine story. It leads to its gory finish, with John using his wits to keep from staying on location forever.
Be advised, this is NSFW, so enjoy it at home.