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Constantine (2013)
Constantine, Volume 2: Blight
The star of Justice League Dark and Hellblazer--the longest-running Vertigo series--John Constantine has suffered a major loss at the hands of a former protégé. With his vault of mystical weapons now in the hands of his greatest enemies, John Constantine must battle with Sargon and the Cult of the Cold Flame with all he has left -- his wits!
Collecting: Constantine 7-12
Collecting: Constantine 7-12
144 pages, Paperback
First published August 12, 2014
49 people are currently reading
261 people want to read
About the author
Ray Fawkes
467 books84 followersRay Fawkes is the critically-acclaimed author of the comics and graphic novels Underwinter, Intersect, One Soul, The People Inside, The Spectral Engine, Possessions, and Junction True, as well as Batman: Eternal, Constantine, Justice League Dark, and Gotham by Midnight (DC), Wolverines (Marvel), Black Hammer '45 (Dark Horse), Jackpot! (AfterShock) and more. He is an Eisner, Harvey, and Shuster award nominee and a YALSA award winner.
Ray has been making comics for over 20 years, starting with and continuing the tradition of DIY fiction as well as working for many major comics publishers in the U.S. and Canada.
Ray has been making comics for over 20 years, starting with and continuing the tradition of DIY fiction as well as working for many major comics publishers in the U.S. and Canada.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
September 15, 2015
I liked this better than the first volume. I felt it was chaotic and at times difficult to follow. The resolution of the Cold Flame arc felt a tad anticlimactic to me. I did like how it tied into the Justice League and Forever Evil arcs. It was nothing to shout about, although it gets some brownie points with the Zatanna cameo (I love her)! And it was good to get closure on Necro Nick.
I'm wishing I had written my review sooner! But maybe I didn't have much to say anyway.
I'd probably give it 3.25/5.0 stars.
I'm wishing I had written my review sooner! But maybe I didn't have much to say anyway.
I'd probably give it 3.25/5.0 stars.
December 10, 2014
WTH did I just read? This one is impossible to follow if you're not reading all the tie-ins. It did have good art though.
March 8, 2015
This is another volume that makes me wonder if the people who design DC's Nu52 graphic novels actually read comics. Because, like too many of the Nu52 graphic novels, it's a barely comprehensible mess.
It starts out with two issues that are the conclusion of the Cold Flame story from the previous volume. Why aren't they there? I don't know. It would have been kind of nice to have that story complete. But here, they're just standalones that barely make sense (though part of that is on Fawkes who doesn't seem to be working hard at keeping readers up to speed).
Then we have four issues that are part of the big Blight crossover, and won't make a lick of sense without it.
The result is a big waste of a volume. You have to buy it to learn what happened to the Cold Flame, but then you can rip out the back two-thirds of the book.
The saddest thing is that designing TPB collections right isn't rocket science. Clearly, volume 1 of Constantine should have included issues 1-8. Then DC, could have directed readers to Forever Evil: Blight for issues 9-12, then volume 2 would have picked up with issue 13. Why can't DC do that? I don't know, unless they really don't care about their stories making sense.
It starts out with two issues that are the conclusion of the Cold Flame story from the previous volume. Why aren't they there? I don't know. It would have been kind of nice to have that story complete. But here, they're just standalones that barely make sense (though part of that is on Fawkes who doesn't seem to be working hard at keeping readers up to speed).
Then we have four issues that are part of the big Blight crossover, and won't make a lick of sense without it.
The result is a big waste of a volume. You have to buy it to learn what happened to the Cold Flame, but then you can rip out the back two-thirds of the book.
The saddest thing is that designing TPB collections right isn't rocket science. Clearly, volume 1 of Constantine should have included issues 1-8. Then DC, could have directed readers to Forever Evil: Blight for issues 9-12, then volume 2 would have picked up with issue 13. Why can't DC do that? I don't know, unless they really don't care about their stories making sense.
September 4, 2020
Felt a little tired, the transition form the smaller stories to the Forever Evil line...
May 24, 2015
This is a one star mess, given a bonus star because GOD takes the form of a Tiny terrier dog....get it? God=doG! Innovation.
Also Swamp Thing.
Some of the worst writing in New 52 yet...and that's saying something. Also, I picked up the third volume too, and the last panel of issue 12 ends on a cliffhanger, but in the start of 13? Everything is hunky dory...WTF?
Also Swamp Thing.
Some of the worst writing in New 52 yet...and that's saying something. Also, I picked up the third volume too, and the last panel of issue 12 ends on a cliffhanger, but in the start of 13? Everything is hunky dory...WTF?
December 3, 2018
Another idiotic book from DC, who seems determined to squeeze every dime it can out of its readers by tricking them into buying paperback collections that are completely unreadable.
Just like with Justice League Dark: Vol. 4, this is a collection of issues that are individual chapters of a much larger crossover, meaning trying to read them in this order will only drive you insane. The exception here, which is arguably more frustrating, is that this is the only collection that features issues 7 and 8 of Constantine, which wraps up the storyline from issues 1-6. What they very obviously should have done is collect issues 1-8 in one paperback, skip issues 9-12 altogether, and then pick up again with issue 13. But I guess they want money more than they want to make sense.
In any case, the wrap up to the story from the first 6 issues is lackluster and borderline unfollowable, so it's not a great story anyway, making this volume extra trashable. Skip it!
Just like with Justice League Dark: Vol. 4, this is a collection of issues that are individual chapters of a much larger crossover, meaning trying to read them in this order will only drive you insane. The exception here, which is arguably more frustrating, is that this is the only collection that features issues 7 and 8 of Constantine, which wraps up the storyline from issues 1-6. What they very obviously should have done is collect issues 1-8 in one paperback, skip issues 9-12 altogether, and then pick up again with issue 13. But I guess they want money more than they want to make sense.
In any case, the wrap up to the story from the first 6 issues is lackluster and borderline unfollowable, so it's not a great story anyway, making this volume extra trashable. Skip it!
October 29, 2014
Disappointing. I hate when they expect you to keep up with everything going on in the universe just to understand what's going on in the one trade you want to read. I'm too old for this shit.
So, the Cult of the Cold Flame storyline basically disappears and we're thrust into the Forever Evil storyline, and very little makes any sense. This trade suffers from the same issues as some of the other new 52s I've read-throwing too many names into a story that's supposed to be a fresh slate. If the goal is to get noobs into DC, having them figure out who the hell the Nightmare Nurse is isn't the best way of going about it.
I did give this an extra star for issue 12, where they canonically state that John is bi and was in a polygamous relationship. Also, the artwork in that issue was fantastic, and it seemed like we were getting back to a comprehensible storyline.
So, the Cult of the Cold Flame storyline basically disappears and we're thrust into the Forever Evil storyline, and very little makes any sense. This trade suffers from the same issues as some of the other new 52s I've read-throwing too many names into a story that's supposed to be a fresh slate. If the goal is to get noobs into DC, having them figure out who the hell the Nightmare Nurse is isn't the best way of going about it.
I did give this an extra star for issue 12, where they canonically state that John is bi and was in a polygamous relationship. Also, the artwork in that issue was fantastic, and it seemed like we were getting back to a comprehensible storyline.
March 8, 2017
Well, I got the feeling this would have been a nice story, but you're only seeing a part of it, seeing it's a cross-over with Pandora (which I don't have....) and to make matters worse -> the ending is probably in that one!! :S
So, pretty okay story, but I suggest you get the other one so you can get the full story ;)
So, pretty okay story, but I suggest you get the other one so you can get the full story ;)
March 28, 2018
I've just lost all patience with this iteration of Constantine. I actually liked the first volume of this, but after I read it I realized I needed to go back and read JLD before continuing and now I'm just sick to death of all the stupid crossovers. The first two issues in this continue on from the last volume and the rest are ONCE AGAIN part of a crossover. Are all of DC's titles just ridiculous money-grabs like this? Because it's absolutely awful.
Actually the only thing I ever really cared about in JLD/Constantine was the whole Nick-Zatanna-John relationship [I know, a love triangle I like? Ridiculous. But it's more of a hate triangle anyway] and unfortunately that got drawn into this whole crossover thing so IDEK what's going on with that anymore. We did get this flashback though
so ...yay lol. I have a feeling I'm going to continue to hate this run but I'll probably skim through it anyway. Sigh.
Actually the only thing I ever really cared about in JLD/Constantine was the whole Nick-Zatanna-John relationship [I know, a love triangle I like? Ridiculous. But it's more of a hate triangle anyway] and unfortunately that got drawn into this whole crossover thing so IDEK what's going on with that anymore. We did get this flashback though
so ...yay lol. I have a feeling I'm going to continue to hate this run but I'll probably skim through it anyway. Sigh.
March 24, 2015
A failure as a collection - it collects 6 total issues, 2 involving a previous storyline and 4 involving another (as well as tie-in issues that aren't included or even referenced). It is a disjointed, un-entertaining mess.
The DC collections department drops the ball. Again.
The DC collections department drops the ball. Again.
March 10, 2017
Wow this book is a turd.
World: The art is colorful but at the same time messy. I can't distinguish characters and actions and panels they all blur together cause of the detail, it's not presented well and does not help the writing portray personality and emotions. The world building here is choppy as all fuck and the reason is because trade does not include the Pandora issues making the world building incomplete.
Story: Wow we got an incomplete story here cause the Pandora issues were not included here. Even with that the story is choppy as hell and the development of the plot and characters messy. It's not an interesting book to read when the reader keeps scratching their head and wondering if they have missed something (and they have). Dialog is bland and the story was just a boring mess.
Characters: John is a good anti-hero character but here we don't get anything except for the most basic characterization of this character. Add to that the villains of the book are paper thin in their motivations and don't even get me started on the romance.
Poorly written, poorly illustrated, this book makes me sad that Constantine is like this now.
Onward to the next book!
World: The art is colorful but at the same time messy. I can't distinguish characters and actions and panels they all blur together cause of the detail, it's not presented well and does not help the writing portray personality and emotions. The world building here is choppy as all fuck and the reason is because trade does not include the Pandora issues making the world building incomplete.
Story: Wow we got an incomplete story here cause the Pandora issues were not included here. Even with that the story is choppy as hell and the development of the plot and characters messy. It's not an interesting book to read when the reader keeps scratching their head and wondering if they have missed something (and they have). Dialog is bland and the story was just a boring mess.
Characters: John is a good anti-hero character but here we don't get anything except for the most basic characterization of this character. Add to that the villains of the book are paper thin in their motivations and don't even get me started on the romance.
Poorly written, poorly illustrated, this book makes me sad that Constantine is like this now.
Onward to the next book!
February 19, 2015
No better than the first volume unfortunately. I mean, not to be too harsh, it was OK, just nothing special. I really didn't like the art style in it. It changed between two very different styles of art for no obvious reason, one of which was good, but one I really didn't like.
I actually think I liked the plot in this volume better than the first, and that's saying something because it does the thing which I hate, which is to go directly off stories told in other titles so if you are just reading this title whole chapters of the story are missing. I'm all for stories crossing over and influencing each other but I also want to be able to read one title and be able to to get a story form it. It also doesn't really have an ending. Not a very satisfying read. But I did enjoy the last issue in this volume. I wish the whole book had been written and drawn like that.
That was a bit confused, but those are my thoughts. I probably won't be continuing on with this one.
I actually think I liked the plot in this volume better than the first, and that's saying something because it does the thing which I hate, which is to go directly off stories told in other titles so if you are just reading this title whole chapters of the story are missing. I'm all for stories crossing over and influencing each other but I also want to be able to read one title and be able to to get a story form it. It also doesn't really have an ending. Not a very satisfying read. But I did enjoy the last issue in this volume. I wish the whole book had been written and drawn like that.
That was a bit confused, but those are my thoughts. I probably won't be continuing on with this one.
January 24, 2021
A hot, hot mess of a story. (And I'm being very generous with those two stars.) Seriously, this is one of the worst "Constantine" stories I have ever read, mainly because I didn't know what the hell was going on. Writer Ray Fawkes is all over the place, jumping from unfinished storyline to unfinished storyline. Some of this feels like continuations of stories from other comic series, most especially "Justice League Dark". Honestly, if I haven't also been reading that series, none of this would make sense. Seriously disappointing, but I will keep calm and carry on with the series because I dig Constantine so much...
August 15, 2022
Horrible beyond words. A classic modern DC book in that it starts in the middle of a story then switches to the middle of another story then skips forward again. And the stories we see fragments of are just long-winded exchanges of light shows. Unreadable.
September 13, 2015
Part of the Blight crossover. You need to read the individual stories running through four books in the correct order for this to make any sense at all.
Constantine spends a lot of time pining for Zatanna, the woman he once loved, and may still. We get more detail on Constantine's early days with Zatanna and Nick Necro, and apparently they had some sort of triad relationship going on. That's cool and restores Constantine's bisexuality to his New 52 persona.
Although Constantine is not as dark as he was in Hellblazer, and a lot of the story seems to make him a powerful mage who relies on parlor tricks, I still enjoyed this book. Constantine is one of my favorite characters, and a lot of his old seedy side still remains.
Art by Aco and others is really good, just wish there was more consistency with them from issue to issue.
Constantine spends a lot of time pining for Zatanna, the woman he once loved, and may still. We get more detail on Constantine's early days with Zatanna and Nick Necro, and apparently they had some sort of triad relationship going on. That's cool and restores Constantine's bisexuality to his New 52 persona.
Although Constantine is not as dark as he was in Hellblazer, and a lot of the story seems to make him a powerful mage who relies on parlor tricks, I still enjoyed this book. Constantine is one of my favorite characters, and a lot of his old seedy side still remains.
Art by Aco and others is really good, just wish there was more consistency with them from issue to issue.
February 18, 2015
In this volume, John starts progresses through some interesting mage warfare and then is abruptly abducted into an unexplained DC Event called Forever Evil. From that point on, a collective conscious monster that named itself Blight does things that make no sense and are uninteresting in the context of this title. Other characters are visible but mostly bound to the walls of elaborate magick-sucking devices. Eventually Constantine does what he always does, but in a much more contrived and hijacked sort of way. I blame the editors and broader "creative direction" more than the people whose names appear on the front of this book.
June 12, 2016
Suffered very badly from collecting issues of a comic which were clearly only a few of the chapters of a story; when one issue ends with Constantine about to get eaten in NYC, and the next one starts with him et cie. being at the borders of heaven thanks to the (unshown) intervention of someone (now healed) who was last seen lying on the ground a tatty mess, it's not a good impression.
Also, was rereading Hellblazer: Original Sins and I have to say this version of Constantine is one hell of an anemic wretch. I am not impressed.
Also, was rereading Hellblazer: Original Sins and I have to say this version of Constantine is one hell of an anemic wretch. I am not impressed.
May 8, 2017
Who the hell thought it was a good idea to turn Constantine into an action hero?!
Some of the many problems in this collection: a story arc that has huge chunks of the story missing; characters appearing and disappearing with no explanation; a Constantine that is slinging around spells like bullets instead of conning his way out of trouble; and, worst of all, Constantine sounds like an American.
Honestly, I'd rather re-watch the awful Keanu Reeves movie than read this crap.
Some of the many problems in this collection: a story arc that has huge chunks of the story missing; characters appearing and disappearing with no explanation; a Constantine that is slinging around spells like bullets instead of conning his way out of trouble; and, worst of all, Constantine sounds like an American.
Honestly, I'd rather re-watch the awful Keanu Reeves movie than read this crap.
September 6, 2016
Well, DC has managed to do it again. This book was rolling along just fine. Constantine's fight with The Cold Flame gets interesting so of course it's time for a crossover that doesn't make sense, obliterating the flow of Constantine's narrative completely. Another good book ruined by bad editorial decisions.
April 1, 2015
Remember the guy Constantine stole his trenchcoat from? Yeah,he is back. Its connected to Forevel evil blight. If you havent read the volume 1 dont buy this. If you want to know what fully happened buy the forever evil one,it includes 9-12 of Constantine and this one has 7-12 which includes the sequel of vol.1
3.5 points
Fun fact:Lights went out while i was writing this
3.5 points
Fun fact:Lights went out while i was writing this
November 30, 2015
I'm not sure Ray Fawkes is the right writer for Constantine... but perhaps it's because this is a crossover title, which I don't tend to pick up regularly. I much prefer Constantine to stand alone, separate from the world of superheroes, and his involvement here required so much exposition that I found myself unable to enjoy a lot of the story.
September 18, 2018
Finał walki z Sargonem, który ukradł Constantinowi cały magiczny arsenał zajmuje tylko ćwierć tego wydania. Reszta to powielenie zeszytów załączonych w Justice League Dark, w którym magowie walczą z Blight w trakcie forever evil. Bez znajomości pozostałych serii ten tom kupy się nie trzyma. Kolejna ofiara polityki wydawniczej DC.
February 10, 2015
Fawkes is a great writer, but he's being hampered in this series by having to play into the wider DC Universe. It's as though he can't get a arc out before he's squashed by some stupid crossover that doesn't effect the book at all.
June 23, 2016
For the life of me, I can't understand how it is so hard for DC to comprehend why these characters from the occult side aren't well-suited to goofy event titles. The level of nonsense required to try to make this book work is what is truly legendary here.
November 19, 2014
Familiar read to Hellblazer... Boring, unfollowable, but pretty. The first volume was a much stronger showing...
March 29, 2016
I am not even going to pretend that I am interested in this series any more.
May 22, 2016
More costumes - gag. John is pretty great though.
June 21, 2017
Read the first issue. Not impressed, thought I'd give vol 2 a chance, couldn't finish it. Not worth my time. Was a big fan of the original Vertigo comics. This was a sad shadow of those.
June 30, 2015
Crossoveritis!
December 14, 2019
Pierwszy tom Constantine'a czytałem już jakiś czas temu, ale z tego co pamiętam była to średnia lektura, nie mająca jakichś "dobrych" momentów, wartych zapamiętania. Zasiadając do drugiego tomu miałem nadzieję, na coś podobnego, ale już pierwszy zaprezentowany tu zeszyt wyprowadził mnie z błędu.
Drugi tom był jednych na gorszych doświadczeń w ramach New 52. Naprawdę, lektura ciągnęła się jak gil z nosa, mając niby swoje "momenty", ale za każdym skończonym zeszytem w mojej głowie układało się słowo "meh". Wiem, że przygody Johna są dosyć specyficzne, przez co nie trafi on do szerszej publiki, ale mając w pamięci (i czytając ponownie ostatnio) długaśną serię z Vertigo, nie mogę wyjść ze zdumienia jak to wszystko tutaj s...partolono.
Kult Zimnego Ognia znów bruździ i to na potęgę, bowiem świry postanowiły zwerbować wszystkich, którzy posiadają jakieś połączenie z magią albo wcielić ich w swoje szeregi. Jest jeszcze kwestia kobiecej postaci o nazwie Sargon, która... wykorzystuje seksualnie Constantine'a. Pomijając kwestię, czy faceta rzeczywiście może coś takiego spotkać, to raczej nie widziałem, aby bohater za nadto oponował.
Głównym zadaniem w tym tomie według Johna jest odnalezienie Zatanny, którą łajdak... kocha. Tyle, że w między czasie dochodzi do wydarzeń opisanych już w Forever Evil. Najwięksi ziemscy bohaterowie zawiedli, Justice League Dark upadło i to na barkach Constantine'a leży zadanie odbudowania grupy, do której werbuje Swamp Thinga, Pandorę, Phantom Strangera i tą przeklętą pielęgniarkę. Niestety, więcej życia mamy w kostnicy niż w interakcjach pomiędzy członkami nowego zespołu.
Tym bardziej, że w pokłosiu za Forever Evil na ziemię trafia był zwany Blight, a który spuszcza bohaterom niezłe manto. To też było nie dość, że wyprane z dynamizmu i emocji, to tak chaotyczne, że musiałem się naprawdę skupić. To ponowie historia rozdzielona na kilka serii, przez co Ci którzy nie zamierzają dotykać innych zeszytów, zgubią się tu totalnie. I jeszcze warstwa wizualna pozostawia sporo do życzenia. Zwłaszcza te kadry z tymi "błyskawicami", które czynią taki bałagan, czasami utrudniający rozumienie tego co się dzieje na poszczególnych stronach.
Czy drugi tom miał jakieś plusy? Zeszyt w którym grupa trafia do przedsionka Nieba. Obecność Spectre, jednego z aniołów i samego Boga pod postacią uroczego pieska uchroniła ten tom przed soczystą, jedną gwiazdką. Także zakończenie daje nadzieję na coś lepszego, choć w sumie nie będzie to żadną sztuką.
Drugi tom był jednych na gorszych doświadczeń w ramach New 52. Naprawdę, lektura ciągnęła się jak gil z nosa, mając niby swoje "momenty", ale za każdym skończonym zeszytem w mojej głowie układało się słowo "meh". Wiem, że przygody Johna są dosyć specyficzne, przez co nie trafi on do szerszej publiki, ale mając w pamięci (i czytając ponownie ostatnio) długaśną serię z Vertigo, nie mogę wyjść ze zdumienia jak to wszystko tutaj s...partolono.
Kult Zimnego Ognia znów bruździ i to na potęgę, bowiem świry postanowiły zwerbować wszystkich, którzy posiadają jakieś połączenie z magią albo wcielić ich w swoje szeregi. Jest jeszcze kwestia kobiecej postaci o nazwie Sargon, która... wykorzystuje seksualnie Constantine'a. Pomijając kwestię, czy faceta rzeczywiście może coś takiego spotkać, to raczej nie widziałem, aby bohater za nadto oponował.
Głównym zadaniem w tym tomie według Johna jest odnalezienie Zatanny, którą łajdak... kocha. Tyle, że w między czasie dochodzi do wydarzeń opisanych już w Forever Evil. Najwięksi ziemscy bohaterowie zawiedli, Justice League Dark upadło i to na barkach Constantine'a leży zadanie odbudowania grupy, do której werbuje Swamp Thinga, Pandorę, Phantom Strangera i tą przeklętą pielęgniarkę. Niestety, więcej życia mamy w kostnicy niż w interakcjach pomiędzy członkami nowego zespołu.
Tym bardziej, że w pokłosiu za Forever Evil na ziemię trafia był zwany Blight, a który spuszcza bohaterom niezłe manto. To też było nie dość, że wyprane z dynamizmu i emocji, to tak chaotyczne, że musiałem się naprawdę skupić. To ponowie historia rozdzielona na kilka serii, przez co Ci którzy nie zamierzają dotykać innych zeszytów, zgubią się tu totalnie. I jeszcze warstwa wizualna pozostawia sporo do życzenia. Zwłaszcza te kadry z tymi "błyskawicami", które czynią taki bałagan, czasami utrudniający rozumienie tego co się dzieje na poszczególnych stronach.
Czy drugi tom miał jakieś plusy? Zeszyt w którym grupa trafia do przedsionka Nieba. Obecność Spectre, jednego z aniołów i samego Boga pod postacią uroczego pieska uchroniła ten tom przed soczystą, jedną gwiazdką. Także zakończenie daje nadzieję na coś lepszego, choć w sumie nie będzie to żadną sztuką.
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