Hellblazer: A Peste [paperback] Milligan, Peter; Camuncoli, Giuseppe and Sudzuka, Goran

Hellblazer #31

by Peter Milligan

John Constantine is an unconcerned, somewhat amoral occultist with a British working-class background. He's a hero, of sorts, who manages to come out on top through a combination of luck, trickery, and genuine magical skill.

In this latest volume in the graphic novel series, Peter Milligan (BATMAN, HUMAN TARGET, X-Statix), one of Vertigo's most popular and prolific scribes writes the adventures of Constantine for the first time. John digs his fingers deep into his bumpy past and discovers that old wounds and new loves are both best left untouched. 12 years ago in Liverpool, there was a bloody dockers' strike. Things fell apart when a union leader caved-in to the bosses. Today, John Constantine has a new girlfriend and an extraordinary, horrible new skin A weeping, dark, knobby scab covers part of his body. And it's growing. What's the bizarre link between this skin fungus and a largely forgotten chapter of British Trade Union history?

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction, Fantasy, Comic Book

Paperback

First published November 10, 2009

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Peter Milligan is a British writer, best known for his work on X-Force / X-Statix, the X-Men, & the Vertigo series Human Target. He is also a scriptwriter.

He has been writing comics for some time and he has somewhat of a reputation for writing material that is highly outlandish, bizarre and/or absurd.

His highest profile projects to date include a run on X-Men, and his X-Force revamp that relaunched as X-Statix.

Many of Milligan's best works have been from DC Vertigo. These include: The Extremist (4 issues with artist Ted McKeever) The Minx (8 issues with artist Sean Phillips) Face (Prestige one-shot with artist Duncan Fegredo) The Eaters (Prestige one-shot with artist Dean Ormston) Vertigo Pop London (4 issues with artist Philip Bond) Enigma (8 issues with artist Duncan Fegredo) and Girl (3 issues with artist Duncan Fegredo).

Series:
* Human Target
* Greek Street
* X-Force / X-Statix

Reviews

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vertigo legend Peter Milligan hits the ground running with his introductory run to HELLBLAZER in a story simply called "Scab," in which our favorite anti-hero has moved beyond the mind-bending tragedies of the past few years (which include the death of his sister, the loss & reinvention of his memory, and an onslaught of just about every demonic bad guy you could imagine), found new love, and acquired a mysteriously itchy addition to his flesh that is somehow linked to his past.

To be fair, Milligan has some rather big shoes to fill in taking over HELLBLAZER, and his first direction could have gone just about anywhere. He decided, though, to fastforward, so to write, a bit and posit John in a relatively healthy relationship with a female doctor who's heard some of John's horror stories and even been sardonically warned (by Constantine himself) that she's bound to get hurt if she gets too close to him.

So gone were some of the unnecessary and awkward steps in the process that got Constantine to where he is today, and Milligan is brilliantly aided by artist Guiseppe Camuncoli, who brings a very different, lighter style to the series than has been seen recently. And the pair are accompanied by a rather twisted and innovative conflict: Constantine seems haunted by some dark deeds from his past by a scab that won't stop growing, and Phoebe (his new girlfriend) appears to be haunted by a young toddler whose body seems entirely composed of scab-like material.

Despite the headstart to success, Milligan's run fails to entirely go anywhere. "Scab" is resolved far too quickly and mires itself in labor relations and social commentary about the Thatcher and Blair years in England. The artist's touch remains the most entertaining component of this story, and Phoebe's scabby spectre isn't really provided enough screen time or opportunity to develop as a conflict. As far as resolving its existence, it appears to be nothing that a little petrol can't fix, even though the "kid" is entirely unrelated to the labor union and strikes and, ultimately, the major storyline of "Scab."

This collection, with a notable beginning and an abrupt conclusion, and assisted by a mediocre two-parter about 16th Century England and the black plague (minus Camuncoli, as the artist is replaced by the most pedestrian artists to ever earn the chance to illustrate HELLBLAZER, demonstrates that the new creative team(s) isn't off to the best start. Milligan, who's now doing double duty while he writes the monthly title, GREEK STREET, seems to have always struggled with producing multiple narratives simultaneously. When his monthly series, SHADE THE CHANGING MAN, was good, it was really good, and his ancillary mini-series were merely entertaining at best, and vice versa.

Perhaps, like Constantine's infected skin, Milligan's stretched himself a little too thin. Here's hoping that the writer and the title grounds itself a little bit before the series gets out of control so much so that it cannot be saved by any medical means imaginable.

[Kemper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but typical Constantine collection that features our favorite English magician/con man dealing with his first real girlfriend in years, an outbreak of magical fungal growth over his torso, some ghosts from the Black Plague, and A Very Special John Constantine Christmas. It's as messed up as you'd expect it to be.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another good volume, although a little gross. In the first half, Constantine has literally developed a giant scab covering most of his body, and of course it's not just an allergy. He has to find out what's causing this as he knows it's magical. Toss in some children made of dead skin and you have a creepy Hellraiser tale.

The second half has a tale which deals with ghosts going back to the days of the Black Plague. Another eerie tale.

The art was a little different in this volume, with a little cleaner lines and less of the eerie "foggy" type art. It still worked, and the colors were more vibrant than usual. I was concerned it would come across too light hearted for this book, but it really didn't.

Good stuff, now on to the next volume.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good stepping-in point for the Milligan run, as he launches with a couple classic Constantine concepts.

We all know how this relationship is going to end up.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple of good dialogue lines here and there, but for the most part, Peter didn't really shift the needle with this volume. It's everything we've grown to expect of Constantine, nothing more. SCAB was okay, REGENERATION not so. . .

[Chris Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Milligan has suffered the fate of many eighties 2000AD writers: tempted to America by the big publishers but without quite the same level of power as a Moore or a Morrison, he’s ended up writing superhero books he’s very obviously been deeply bored and uninvested in. It’s no surprise he’s been happy to return to the prog of late where freedom allows him to indulge his skills as a writer within certain parameters. This is the beauty of 2000AD: it basically forms its own constraints for a writer to kick against whilst also demanding a certain kind of story telling which better writers - like Milligan - can then subvert. Hellblazer allows much the same - John Constantine can be whoever the writer wants him to be as long as he’s jaded, cynical, wounded, haunted and charming. That’s why he’s so beloved and that’s also why Milligan manages to take some surprisingly very topical themes to sprinkle with a bit gruesome horror and still make excellent populist comics out of them. These stories satirical aim are still incredibly pertinent in 2021, and if a little let down by all the artists apart from the great Eddie Campbell they’re still as close to subversive as the acceptable/ commercial face of alternative comics could ever be. Milligan feels like a writer relieved to be working in this groove again and that really shows particularly in the dialogue. Very good, shame about some of the very conventional and boring art though

[Fugo Feedback · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lo había arrancado (y colgado) hace bocha, pero finalmente, en mi maratón milliganesca oportunista terminé cayendo de nuevo. En resumen, es un tomo algo introductorio pero bastante entretenido, con un Constantine que no está todo lo magnificent bastard que podría pero sienta las bases para las guachadas que va a hacer en el tomo siguiente. La primera y muy interesante saguita, "Costra", sirve para presentar a la novia nueva de John; la segunda, para meterse en el pasado sucio de Londres y el especial de navidad del final es un chiste corto y sin mucha gracia pero buen ritmo.
Lo que más me gustó del tomo (además de ser un laburo más que correcto de Milligan con dibujos más que llevaderos de Camuncoli y Bisley) es que claramente me dejó con ganas de más.
Con suerte, para cuando conozca al capo de Peter ya me haya terminado la serie y todo.

[Dan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible art; unenjoyable stories. Bad.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sort of a split review: 2 stars for the title story, 4 for the latter two in this volume.

[Billie Tyrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a really downturn for quality in the Hellblazer series. I guess there's some interesting potential in turning JC into a drug addict, though nothing interesting is done with it. All the new characters are boring and/or stupid. No way is it as bad as what Peter Milligan does next with JC, but it's still pretty bad... and boring.

[Brandon Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent start to Milligans run. While I like Giuseppe Camuncoli’s art, I’m not as crazy about Grant’s coloring of it. John also appears a bit too young. The new girlfriend seems like a bit of an odd choice, but I’m interested to see where it goes.

[Indika de Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody hell.. These stories are quite awesome innit?

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with any Hellblazer, I didn't completely understand everything, but I enjoyed the ride, and I enjoyed Constantine sticking it to the people that really needed it (including himself).

[Robert Hudder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hellblazer is really at its best when it is doing social commentary. This did also have the added bonus of reading a bit like a Stephen King short story as well. In all the good ways, of course.

[Evette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, quick, sweet.

[Bene Vogt · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there were many things I imagined Milligan’s run on HELLBLAZER to be, something this very generic was not among them.

[Floreal · Rating 2 out of 5]

mediopelo y encima el dibujo es de feoooo

[Drizztl · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10

[Jaimie · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a new writer and a new lead artist comes a whole new Constantine. Or may be not, since he's still wreaking havoc in the lives of those who get close to him (this time a young doctor named Phoebe) and getting unwittingly caught up in magic he knows nothing of. The plot is a lot simpler than I'm used to in the Constantine series, but it's only just getting started. I have high hopes that we'll move into something a little less pulpy soon and if not what the hell - it's still interesting! The art style throws me a little more than the plot (even though it's quite nice in and of itself), because the Constantine that we are presented with is a little bit too clean cut (revolting scab not withstnading) and a bit young for the battered 40ish we know him to be.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not the John Constantine I know and love. Milligan seems to still be finding his groove in writing Constantine, painting him in broad, hard-boiled detective strokes and leaving out the nuances that make the character so lovable. In the context of setting up the rest of Milligan's ongoing Hellblazer story-line this book is acceptable, but as a standalone graphic novel it leaves much to be desired, both in terms of characterization and story. Not un-enjoyable but a definite low point of the Hellblazer series.

[Mimi Schweid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a love/hate relationship with Milligan. I think this was a great trade. I loved all of the little twists which is something I love about Milligan. I just am not a major fan of some of the things he does with John and woman. I think Phoebe is a fun character and I already know what happens to her but it still messes with my opinion on his choices as a writer. I guess what I'm going with is he makes strong women than kills them off or makes John manipulate them way more than John had been with previous woman.

[Deb Omnivorous Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this tidy little TPB. Set at a latter time in the John Constantine timeline (and I am grateful that I am not a person who has to know exactly 'when' things happen in Hellblazer), this story arc gives John the opportunity to have a standalone story outside the normal Demon stuff. A interesting and diverse collection of secondary characters, a couple of good smaller story arcs (my favorite was Plague Doctor) all make for a satisfying read.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I continue to be surprised by how much I enjoy this book, but most of that comes from the characterization I suppose. Constantine is just such a fun creep. This was a little less interesting than the last one I read because there was less going on between John and his girlfriend - which had been the most compelling stuff.

[Jay Bullman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never read a story where Constantine was in any kind of romantic relationship. Thought the dynamic was interesting. There is no doubt that John is a degenerate but from what I've read so far he seems to overemphasize this aspect of himself. Is he really that bad?

[Lauri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stsenaristi Peter Milligani ja kunstniku Giuseppe Camuncoli esimene etteaste, Hellblazeri ülipika saaga lõpusirge. Constantine'l on uus armastus aga sellise pagasiga härral pole just kõige lihtsam elu. Tugev keskmine tase.

[Niranjan Sathyamurthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scab is actually a set of three short arcs linked by recurring characters, settings and themes. I thought it was nicely done and it didn't end predictably. But it felt incomplete. That is probably just me, though, because I wanted the arcs to be little longer.

[f · Rating 2 out of 5]

A socially conscious and progressive horror comic? An interesting premise that had a lot of unfulfilled Lefty potential. An ok story arc, though.

[James Schneider · Rating 3 out of 5]

Milligan has a decent handle on John, but these are not the strongest Hellblazer stories, and, the delightful Eddie Campbell Christmas bit aside, this is not very strong art.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Milligan presents a very British Hellblazer, but other than that, the stories are pretty mediocre.

[Dony Grayman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tomo 1 de 10 en edición española. Los cinco primeros los publicó Planeta; los restantes, ECC.