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Hellblazer (Single Issues)
Hellblazer #45
In a last-ditch effort to cure his lung cancer, John Constantine pulls a scam on the forces of Darkness. But it's a gamble that may bring all the powers of Hell down on Earth!
25 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1991
21 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,622 books3,174 followersEnnis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls. Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 26, 2014
THIS IS STRAIGHT-UP THE FUNNIEST SHIT I HAVE EVER READ IN Hellblazer, which is saying much because the last time this bloody series made me crack up was during issue #3, Go For It so it has been a fucking while. And would you believe it, just like with the third issue, this one centered around John Constantine's complicated relationship with the demon kind--but this time around, he interacted with the three big bosses: Satan, Beelzebub and Azazel. Appropriately entitled The Sting, this was an issue that amused me to no end. There were genuine laughs in between while reading this. I was so shocked that Ennis employed a comedic appeal to this story, considering his Dangerous Habits arc was as grim as it gets (though his prose writing is far more straightforward than Delano; their distinct styles are comparable only because I believe they are both in tune of the kind of stories they tell). I'm quite relieved that Ennis decided to make this ridiculously entertaining as possible.
Also, just when I thought I couldn't fall more insanely in love with John Constantine, I FALL EVEN UNDENIABLY HARDER. Srsly, fuck Hellblazer and the giddy fangirl feelings it inspires as well as its uncanny ability to smash my heart into smithereens! Fuck this series!
*beat* I LOVE THIS FUCKING SERIES
SPOILERSSSSS
Why is this so funny, you ask? Well, John Constantine is dying of lung cancer (sad), he says goodbye to his sister and best friend (sadder) and loses another friend but not after he did him a huge favor by saving his soul from the devil's clutches (saddest shit ever but quite touching and uplifting). So...so far, everything is serious (that's why this issue was so refreshing to get to). So while our titular hero is figuring out a way to escape his fate that's he's never going to willingly accept is inevitable, John encounters the pompous archangel Gabriel and had a few choice words with him, gets chummy with a cancer patient waiting for his own death, and dupes Satan into drinking holy water. And yes, the last statement is as funny as it sounds but Satan is understandably NOT goddamn pleased. When we ended the previous issue, John Constantine just slit his wrists and waits for his plan to take place. He was literally bleeding to death while Satan gleefully watches, hoping to snatch John's soul once he perishes in the mortal plane.
But hold on a bloody minute, two other devils (Beelzebub and Azazel) wanted John's soul as well and they have legally binding contracts (as it turns out, John just sold his soul to both of them). Satan's claim is that of insult because John costed him a soul (his friend's Brendan) and got him to unknowingly drink holy water like an idiot. His hurt pride is what motivates him to punish John and make him suffer in Hell while the other two know that John is a prized possession. Basically, it's a riot because both three can claim him but will not give up their own claim. John, though miserably bleeding on the floor, is enjoying the show. He knows that demons will always be selfish and these three have the largest egos of the bunch.
The dialogue is smart and hilarious all throughout especially the arguments among the three baddies and the occasional snarky and unhelpful remarks from John (who isn't bleeding quicker enough so he slits his wrists again just to mock the devils so they can hurry up and make a decision already). In the end, the three knew that none of them will concede and eventually God Himself will get involved and John's soul will ultimately belong to neither of them. Stupid John Constantine and his fool-proof plans! With a begrudging reluctance, the three devils decided that the only way to avoid an all-out war occurring in Hell (they would literally wage a war to get this man's soul, for crying out loud!) is to KEEP JOHN CONSTANTINE ALIVE. That way, no one gets to claim his soul and everything will be just dandy.
The only victor of this resolution is John himself. Not only does he get to live but Satan also guarantees to CURE HIS CANCER. But, Satan asserts, he will make it AS PAINFUL AS FUCKING POSSIBLE. So he LITERALLY SHOVES HIS HANDS INSIDE JOHN AND STARTS SCOOPING THE BLACK TAR OF HIS LUNGS. And then HE BURNS JOHN'S BODY HORRIBLY and replaces it with a new one. And the first thing John does after his resurrection? HE LIGHTS A FAG. Right in front of Satan and the two devils who had just cured him of the cancer that would have killed him. Way to rub it in their faces, you beautiful jerk! Satan then tells John that by the time he does die, he will inflict all kinds of pain and torture on his damned soul--but John brushes him off, saying that Satan HAS TO KEEP HIM ALIVE FROM NOW ON or the entire conflict of contracts will start again among the three and there's going to be an unholy war. Again, John is really rubbing it in.
Not only did he manage to get a second chance at life, he is possibly NEVER allowed to die due to security purposes, AND HE GETS TO PLAY THE DEVIL FOR A FOOL!
And yet John Constantine still thinks the spoils of his victory aren't enough. Before he leaves the seething imbeciles to contemplate how badly they screwed up, John smiles at them and gives them the middle finger.
BECAUSE WHY THE FUCK NOT??!
One last issue to go before I end Dangerous Habits!
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
April 4, 2021
با تشکر از آقای "گارت انیس" عزیز 😇
و بچه های خوب تیم پادکست کمیکولوژی...
کمیک بخوانید که دنیاییه لعنتی... 😢😍
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و بچه های خوب تیم پادکست کمیکولوژی...
کمیک بخوانید که دنیاییه لعنتی... 😢😍
.
.
.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews