The Hellblazer, Volume 1: The Poison Truth

The Hellblazer (2016)

by Simon Oliver (Writer), Moritat (Artist), Andre Szymanowicz (Colourist)

John Constantine, the hard-hearted Hellblazer returns home to London to face an impossible choice: live an immortal life bonded to a demonic curse, or shift that curse to eight million people--killing each and every one of them! What to do, what to do...

The Hellblazer is back in the first volume of the continued story of one of DC's most iconic and long-lasting characters by writer Simon Oliver (FBP) with art by Moriat (The Spirit).

Collecting: Hellblazer 1-6

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Horror, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction

168 pages, Paperback

First published May 9, 2017

About the author

Simon Oliver was hatched in South London in 1969. Since that date he has consistently strived for mediocrity in a number of fields of employment, from cooking at the legendary Hacienda Club of Manchester in the late 1980's, scuba diving instructor in the planet's more tropical climes, to a career as a camera assistant in Hollywood. With such a spotty and heterogeneous employment record is seemed only fitting that the comic book would industry welcome him with open arms in 2005 for his writing debut in THE EXTERMINATORS.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Until Pia Guerra took over as the artist, this was just constantly teetering on visually boring for me. I know, I know...differert strokes and all, but it was a chore to drag my eyes across the pages there for a while.

Maybe it wouldn't have been bad enough to draw my notice if the story was a bit more interesting, though. I mean, it wasn't terrible but it wasn't all that good, either. Just sort of a bleh plot mixed with blah characters.

I want to like Constantine. I do! And I don't mind that he's morally ambiguous. If anything, that's the one thing this title has going for it. What I didn't like about John this time around was that it seemed like he was constantly trying too hard to sound edgy, which just made him sound like one of those gratingly stupid YouTubers my tweenage daughter likes so much.
You know...the ones who make music videos.


And also, Constantine now breaks the 4th wall?
I guess that would have been a bit more cool (maybe) if I had been really into whatever was happening here.



Anyway, the gist is that Constantine comes back to London, breaks his curse, and sets off to pay back the favor he owes Swamp Thing. Oh, and reunites with Mercury - a powerful psychic that he knew when she was a child. Turns out (thank you, wiki article!) she and her mother are characters from the original Hellblazer series, but you honestly don't need to know that because their backstory is pretty well explained in this. The main thing you need to know is that this kid hates John, has untapped powers, and is the proud recipient of the world's most idiotic haircut.



The first half of this was pretty boring to me, but it picked up enough in the last bit that I wouldn't mind seeing where this all goes. That's not exactly a glowing recommendation, but this wasn't exactly an awesome start, either.

Unless you're really interested in Constantine, skip it.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve read 16 Rebirth titles now and only liked 1 (Tom King’s Batman) – 1! Hellblazer Rebirth makes 17 and takes the score up to 16-1. Rebirth is the worst relaunch EVER!

This should really be called Hellblazer/Swamp Thing Rebirth because ol’ Swampy’s storyline takes up around half the book. John Constantine is back in Blighty for some reason. Swamp Thing is looking for Abby Arcane who’s gone missing in the Rot (rot is an appropriate description for this book!). Some bad guys called Djinns are mad about… something… and one of them started World War 1 which led to World War 2. Fuck me, this is such a rubbish story!

Simon Oliver’s plot is all over the shop. He’s not only incapable of any kind of narrative focus but he’s in no hurry either – a lethal combo for ultimate crapola! There’s so much of this volume that feels unnecessary. Mercury (whoever she is) has very little to do besides at the end of the first issue; there’s another woman who’s some kind of noble who I have no idea what she was meant to be doing; some East End thugs want to harness John’s magic for gambling reasons; Swampy fights some plants. ‘Cos this is filler, filler night!

The main villain is set up so poorly. Gawd knows what he’s after but it’s not interesting and John and Swampy more or less coast for much of the cruddy, baffling story. I couldn’t find a single thing to enjoy about this one, it’s such drek! The book just stops at a certain point too so there’s no real ending which is very unsatisfying – apparently this is part 1 of who knows how many parts. I do know that I’m not coming back for more of this unentertaining garbage though!

I guess Simon Oliver’s got the British lingo down ok though everyone says “as I live and breathe” far too many times. The poison truth is that Hellblazer Rebirth is boring drivel – the worst Hellblazer book I’ve read yet. Simon Oliver’s FBP Vertigo series was unreadable and so is his Constantine. As I live and breathe, Rebirth suuuuuuuuuuucks!

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Constantine has figured out how to end his banishment from London and it requires him to gamble on the lives of all Londoners to end it. The rebirth issue felt more like the Hellblazer of old.

In the main story, we find out Djinns used to be the dominant force on Earth before humans. When humans came along, Djinns were jealous and tried to corrupt humanity. At this point, they've mostly died out. However there are still 2 brothers around with differing opinions on how they should affect humanity. One of these 2 is trying bring London's magic community beneath him. It appears to be in order to control humanity but his true motives haven't been revealed yet. At the same time, the avatar of the Rot, Abby Arcane has gone missing and Swamp Thing is trying to find her. The story ends unresolved, so I guess there will be a volume 2.

It still feels like Hellblazer lite but it is closer than both Constantine series. Moritat and Pia Guera's art are both very solid and fit the series well.

Received an advance copy from DC and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Poison Truth was just too dialogue-heavy and lacking in any sort of action or suspense. In other words - straight up boring! I think John Constantine - and I don't want to dislike him, but he seems to be a limited, not terribly interesting / charismatic character - functions better in a team dynamic (such as the Justice League Dark series) than flying solo, so to speak. The few scenes that did work involved supporting players Swamp Thing and Mercury. In fact, Mercury has one good line ("Nothing lasts forever . . . especially when it's run by bunch of stoned, unwashed idealists.") that came out of left field and made me chuckle. Otherwise, this was a waste of an hour. I should've read Batgirl instead!

[James DeSantis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Whoa talk about boring as can be. While I had a complaint that Hellblazer (The Vertigo one) can be a tad boring or badly paced at times, this volume really shows the difference between actual plotting and nothing. Not to mention the art is pretty bad here. I didn't like this at all and only got about 2/3rds of the way before giving up.

[Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gonna try to do a quick review before I get too far into volume 2 and get everything confused. I really enjoyed this volume. It continues with the more modern feel that was in the previous run but also brings back a lot of more 'classic' stuff and even characters from the very beginning of the series. I'm happy that Mercury is around because although I never really liked the overall story lines in Delano's run, I did really like Mercury as a character. Also it's always great to see Chas and Swamp Thing. The art in the first few issues was not super great, but not really enough to hinder my overall enjoyment. Also the alternate covers for this run are just the most gorgeous things ever.

I'm kind of surprised at all the low reviews for this. I mean obviously to each their own, but the more time I spend looking at reviews of new Constantine stuff the more I feel like some people are not going to be happy with anything and just want to complain. The JLD stuff is too gimmicky [which I mean, is a fair point to be sure, but still], CtH is too modern or not British enough, then Rebirth brings back a lot of the older stuff and takes him back to London and still they find something new to complain about. I can only assume that the plan is 'complain loudly about everything until they take it back over to Vertigo' but like ...you guys, it been what ...six years? I don't think it's gonna happen just because of complaining. I mean obviously people are allowed to not like something and I've definitely been there with other series where it seems like no matter what happens I just want to complain about it, but it was just something I noticed in this particular neck of the woods.

And now for some highlights:


#same


that was such a time


drive-by 'Constantine is bi' reference


L A W L


*facepalm*

[Mik Cope · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wavering between 2 stars as there are some okay ideas in there somewhere and 1 star as it's just so BORING on the whole. Basically, I agree with (reviewer) Wing Kee - some okay ideas, but really badly written and the artwork is just bad.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Not really a fan of John Constantine. Comic was good though. Wonder if Mercury will forgive him or like him. The Dijinn are very interesting. Would be interesting to meet one.

Can't wait to read Hellblazer volume 2!!!!!

[Will Robinson Jr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. I will not say I hate the new DC Rebirth take on John Constantine but it can be a mixed bag for new readers. The Rebirth one-shot for the Hellblazer series does a great job of setting the tone for the series. I really think that artist Moritat's drawing and the colors really fit the mood of the series. The artist change in the last two issues was not cool. I felt like it changed how the story feels. Nevertheless I really enjoyed Constantine's voice. Simon Oliver does a good job balancing the humor and giving us tense moments in the book. I enjoyed the welcomed inclusion of Swamp Thing in the book but once he shows up I feel like I am reading two different books, one for John & one for Swampy. Maybe this was DC Comics way of just reminding fans that Swamp Thing can still get his own rebirth book soon. I hope so because I really love the character. The thing that really disappointed me about this series was Constantine's lack of using magic. He seemed to use it more in the previous books Constantine: The Hellblazer, Volume 1: Going Down & Constantine. Hellblazer Vol.2. The book does have that horror/mystery vibe which I think are key to this series. I hope that vibe continues as we move on to the next volume. So for fans of the character there are some things to love here but it left me still expecting more. All in all it is a good jumping on point for new readers & fans who want to see more of the magical side to the DC universe. For those looking for more of the horror side of DC comics read: Swamp Thing By Scott Snyder Deluxe Edition, Animal Man, Volume 1: The Hunt, Swamp Thing: The Dead Don't Sleep& Martian Manhunter, Volume 1: The Epiphany.

[Wing Kee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow...this us not good.

World: I do not like the art until Pia came along. Before that the art was simply ugly for me. The world building here is play, it calls back on the past of Hellblazer and I enjoyed that (that's what the Rebirth titles have been good at). The idea of the Djinn I like and I'm a sucker for lore.

Story: The writing is pretty bad. Sure I can see Oliver trying to capture the voice of John from the original Hellblazer run and the tone but the pacing and the structure is fragmented and choppy as all fuck. The story doesn't really get into a groove until issue 3 and even then it still slips and galls off it's own rails very often. This is not written well at all. The idea behind the story is good but man the execution is poor.

Characters: John is mostly fine. He's what he is stereotypically portrayed as and that's fine. His personal voice is a bit off but I can get to enjoy this. I think a deeper dive into him is needed before I make a decision. Swampy is always great and having him around I enjoyed. Same with Chas and Mercury. All these past characters make me happy. The characters are fine.

Poor writing made this story so disappointing.

Onward to the next book!

[Brendan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've heard Constantine was one of the great characters but from this book I find it severely lacking in scope and character. The story is messy and the artwork is way cartoon for the darker traits of the character. I just couldn't get into this book, it drawn out and uneventful, Constantine didn't have a purpose or reason which takes away from the storyline. I won't be going out of my way for the next book but I'll give it a go to see if they can course correct.

[Alex Sarll]

John Constantine's first solo series, Hellblazer, ran for 300 issues, before being cancelled as part of DC's regrettable lunge towards brand synergy. Since then, the magician and scoundrel's had three relaunches in as many years: the abominable Constantine, the much more entertaining Constantine: The Hellblazer, and now The Hellblazer. No potential for confusion in those titles! Simon Oliver, the writer this time out, at least had form on the original book, writing a spin-off miniseries for John's cabbie sidekick Chas - and he soon pulls him back in here, as well as dealing with the curse which was keeping John out of London in the previous series*. He does get the fractious relationship between the two down nicely, but from there he seems to take the mandate of the Rebirth reboot to heart, merrily chucking in element after element from the old Hellblazer to prove that this is The Real Thing! Sadly, with each callback, it feels more and more like trying too hard. Yeah, Map was a great addition from Warren Ellis' run, but the Tate Club? They were first named in Mike Carey's run, which already felt a bit like autocannibalism had set in, so to see them hawked up again...and as for Mercury, well, I'd got the two overlong stories where John hangs out with Travellers sufficiently tangled that for one horrible moment I thought Oliver was nodding back to the interminable Paul Jenkins era. Now, obviously you may feel differently regarding the merits of these particular elements, but the point is, there are too many nods and too little that's new. And when there is, a supernatural creature John's not faced before...he takes the piss out of the character who identifies it, calls the threat a fairy story. Wouldn't John know better than that after all he's seen? As for the mileage obtained from a racehorse called Boris Johnson's Knob...yes, Constantine has always been a character who lends himself to political satire, and yes it's been a cackling knee to the goolies as often as a sly stiletto blow, but there are limits. And there remains the occasional irritating bit of Getting Britain Wrong: a beer called 'London's Pride', you say? This is by no means the disaster of the first relaunch series, but it still can't help feeling like a bit of a diluted retread compared to the original book. Nor does the inconsistent art help establish a tone; sometimes John looks suitably weathered and his world appropriately shady, but by the end of the collection he's a fresh-faced chap in a sunny meadow, which hardly suits.

*John's desire to flee the US is presented as a result of the Trump presidency, still yet to become a reality at the time of initial publication. So yes, a comic about a wizard did a far better job of predicting that particular shitstorm than all those oh-so-clever psephologists and pundits. This is one of the reasons I read more comics than non-fiction.

(Netgalley ARC)

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the better half of the Rebirth books. It isn't great, not yet, but it could be. I feel like Oliver has a good handle on the character of Constantine, and he draws on his past without leaning on it so heavily that newer readers will be lost or feel like they're missing much. The story, on the other hand, is decent, but not remarkable. Right now, it feels a bit drawn out, because this volume seems to be only the first half of the story. And I'm getting the impression that this could have all been done in one volume, instead of two. But who knows, maybe I'll get through volume two and scenes that feel inconsequential now will seem more important in retrospect. But the basic premise is interesting enough, and it doesn't feel like anything that Constantine has done a few dozen times, so that's nice. I think this book has potential, because Oliver has good ideas and a good hand with characterization. It just needs a tighter story.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

DC has had more wardrobe changes in the past 10 years, it seems, than Madonna had in 1986. I honestly can’t keep track of all the new manifestations and reboots. DC New 52. DC Rebirth. DC Future State. Now there’s a DC Black Label. Whatever. I’m done.

The DC Universe Rebirth version of Hellblazer isn’t bad. It isn’t great, either, which is basically how I’ve felt about the previous several attempts at the John Constantine, Hellblazer revamps. It’s far better than the Ray Fawkes series, and it’s mildly better than the James Tynion IV series. That’s not saying much.

Simon Oliver’s series, starting with Volume 1, “The Poison Truth”, is somewhat of a return to the old-school Constantine. No superheroes. No metrosexual tendencies. Just good ol’-fashioned crumpled shirt-and-tie, disheveled hair, and constant cigarette dangling from his lips.

I respect and admire Oliver’s attempt to reconnect with some old characters from the Vertigo days. Constantine reunites with Mercury, who, last we saw, was a precocious tweenager living with a bunch of nomadic hippies in the English countryside, back in the early-‘90s. Mercury’s all growed up now, and she has very few nice things to say about Constantine. (Join the club, Mercury.)

Constantine recruits her to help Swamp Thing find Abby Arcane, who is the current Avatar of Rotworld. (A lot of this story, I think, is connected to events from Swamp Thing Volume 7: “Season’s End” and Justice League Dark Volume 4: “A Costly Trick of Magic”.)

Meanwhile, Constantine is being hunted by an inhuman duo who, it turns out, are members of the race of Djinn. The Djinn, apparently, existed before humans. They ruled the world but were nearly wiped out by God’s force of Angels. A few survived. One of them, named Marid, wants to see the Djinn dominant again.

While I enjoyed the story, I wasn’t taken in by the artwork by Moritat in the first few issues. I liked the artwork by Pia Guerra, who takes over in the last two issues, much better. Personal taste, I know.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, I didn't dislike this as much as everyone else, but this Rebirth storyline was a little all over the map for me.

The main plot-something about the Djinn plotting their return muahaha-goes off in several directions, and not all of them were ones that I could follow. It felt like I was supposed to know who people were and what they were referring to, but there was too much random. I mean, I don't read Hellblazer on the reg, but who the Hell is Mercury?

The story simultaneously felt like it had too much filler AND not enough explanation. Half-written but also over-written.

Also, even before I checked the credits it was very apparent that the entire artistic team had been replaced between parts 4 and 5. Constantine is suddenly clean-shaven, Mercury (no really, WHO is Mercury??) looks like a completely different person. The entire color palette is different.

For example, before:

.

(Oh by the way, Swamp Thing is in this too. I'm also not sure why.....)

After:



And, yes, the second team is better (what is going on with the shape of Constantine's cranium in that first panel?), although the first team made better visual jokes. I think that is partly why this landed at three stars for me. Enough witty moments and a good story are in here somewhere.

It's not a great starting point for those new to Hellblazer, however.

[Lör K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free copy provided by Netgalley in return for an honest review

Rating: 3 / 5

Publication Date: 04th April 2017
Review Date: 03rd April 2017

DNF @ 50%

I was really excited when DC Entertainment sent me a copy of this comic. I was really excited to delve into Hellblazer and rediscover a character I really loved and the Rebirth phase is something I’ve seriously been looking forward to.

It took me from March 29th to April 03rd to get 50% through this and I just couldn’t bring myself to finish reading this.

This starts off really, really well. The whole game of chicken was really well done and it dragged my attention right into the book, and I was totally enamoured by this comic. And then it just… drags on. There’s nothing of excitement for so much in this comic and I found myself sighing and finding literally anything else to read other than this because I just couldn’t focus on it and didn’t want to finish it.

Constantine’s character is brilliant, he’s the traditional John Constantine of comics before and it’s brilliant to see in this comic. However, the story is just poor, which is a real disappointment and I hate myself for saying this.

A comic should draw you in and keep you drawn in, and unfortunately, this one just does not do that. It’s a real shame; maybe I went into this expecting too much from it. Maybe I’ll try this again at some point but for now, I’m shelving it as did not finish and moving on with the other things I want to read.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Rebirth title. Another 3 stars.
There are parts of this that really work (John and Swampy/Chas/Maps) and parts that really don't (Clarice & Marid sections drag appallingly) and this sums up Rebirth as a whole really.
An opening one-shot sets everything up for newer readers (or those who have lost track since New 52) and Constantine has lost none of his snark. The plot is well-conceived and flows nicely, although I did tire at the OTT 'Britishness' and political posturing. What worked under Moore, Gaiman and Morrison feels forced here, especially in the age of satire, and just comes across as someone doing a crap impression of Ben Elton (when it's not Ben Elton obviously).
Art is great and really stylish in parts, but doesn't really rise above the narrative.
JC should never have left Vertigo, and every time the odd 'naughty word' is masked by cutesy skulls that fact is drilled into my cranium.

[Seth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really love the character John Constantine and the movie, tv show, cartoons etc. But this new version just seems a tad on the PG and friendly side, I really do prefer the wreck of a human being from the original Hellblazer series.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Swamp Thing is my favorite and the only thing I really enjoyed about this collection.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! It's not, like, Dangerous Habits good, but it's definitely stronger than the short-lived "Constantine" run. I really loved that Oliver brought back characters from waaaaaay back in the Jamie Delano days, and I will always love the Swamp Thing/John Constantine combo. I didn't entirely love Pia Guerra's art on the issues she was penciler for, although it may have been the coloring that really threw me -- the shading and all looked very flat to me.

[charlotte, · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rep: bi mc

[Joe Kucharski · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a long, longtime fan of John Constantine, the Hellblazer, whose last contact I had with the character, outside of Arrow, was Hellblazer #300, I was both anxious and guarded when the advance preview of his Vertigo-less Rebirth series from DC Comics and NetGalley arrived. Overall, this first collection of Rebirth issues is fairly entertaining, albeit straightforward, gluten-free with no additives, essentially, Hellblazer-lite.

For this first volume of The Hellblazer, entitled “The Poison Truth”, writer Simon Oliver, who once visited John in the surface-level-enjoyable Chas: The Knowledge, brings John back to London (Living NYC, presumably, due to the New 52? Ah, DC) where he immediately gets mixed up in conning his way out of a demon’s curse that, similar to the story in Chas, ends abruptly and simply. Again, Hellblazer-lite.

Oliver’s script then splits off into two paths. John and a telepathic girl named Mercury go looking for an ancient Djinn that has been lurking in the shadows of history laid out in a tale that seems to have been gleaned from Helene Wecker’s fun novel, The Golem and the Jinni, while the always-welcome guest-star Swamp Thing, who is actually presented more like a co-star bringing about a fun if accidental update to The Brave And The Bold, goes on a quest for his wife, Abbey, who is now also an elemental (see again: New 52? Then again, perhaps not). Unfortunately, this first collection comes to it culmination just as both streams head deeper into their trajectories. Let’s hear it for the modern-day cliffhanger. Although, having John and Mercury arrive in Paris doesn’t quite have the same punch as, say, Rey presenting Luke with his lightsaber, but admittedly, I am curious to see what happens next.

The artwork is also split in twain between Moritat, who provides a cartoony, almost European design, and Pia Guerra, formerly of Y The Last Man, whose crisp, clean work is always a delight to see. John Cassady provides covers that, although not as strong as Hellblazer classic artists Glenn Fabry and Tim Bradstreet, are right in line for this Hellblazer-lite.

Six issues and Oliver’s work is fun but a better pacing needs to be developed for upcoming issues as too much time is spent within on characters not named John Constantine. A lot world building, or revisiting, going on that, hopefully, will lead to a big payoff that might even have the potential of Paul Jenkins’ finale run.

Hey, at least John hasn’t been neutered from his Silk Cut habit.

[Storm · Rating 1 out of 5]

*I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**

I have never been interested in reading a John Constantine comic book before, but I thought I would give this volume a try in the spirit of Rebirth and all.

I will say I successfully made it through the end, but I was in no way tied to John Constantine as a character or really the plot. I really struggled with buy in for John’s character and didn’t find him to be too appealing.

Normally I include a plot summary but I’m not even going to attempt to summarize, because I would butcher it.

A major plot point of this series of issues does involve the Swamp Thing and I will say that was the more intriguing part of the story, but I did feel like there was a lot of information that I was missing from previous plot lines or just knowledge I would have had as a Swamp Thing or John Constantine reader.

I wanted to complete it in order to have an idea of who these characters are and I am interested in learning more about Swamp Thing, so maybe I will try a volume of that soon.

I really have no idea if this volume stayed true to John Constantine’s character for fans of him, but I would be interested to hear if there are better issues I could read that might be more enjoyable.

[Leona Lecturopata · Rating 3 out of 5]

En realidad 2'5/5, ni fu ni fa.
¿Me lo he pasado bien leyéndolo? Sí, lo reconozco, pero es una historia demasiado descafeinada que recuerda poco al Hellblazer original.

[Alex E · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a fan of the original Hellblazer series back before he was in the DCU, when he was a staple of Vertigo. So when I read the new 52 version of Constantine I was... disappointed.

This volume really had me for the first half as it seemed that the Vertigo version of Constantine was back. He's a scheming, lying, selfish prick, and he's not inexplicable young like in the new 52. Whats more is that this series seems like it was bringing in all the history of Constanine back, instead of starting new and "fresh". References to old storylines and old characters appearing led me to believe that it was all back on the table.

Unfortunately the quality of the story dips significantly in volume 1's second half. First of all, there's really not any kind of resolution or at least natural stop, which is fine if you are telling a longform story, but at least have the first volume conclude in some way. This just .... ends. And the story itself is a half hearted attempt at a supernatural mystery but without the nuance or depth that it would require for it to be very good.

I gave this 2 starts because the first half and Moritat's art really had a good thing going. Unfortunately the art becomes as mediocre as the second half of the story as the book flounders towards an ending. Hopefully the second volume pulls out of the tailspin that we are currently in.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little bit of a generous 3 stars, if only because this wasn't bad, but I'm not particularly drawn to read more. A big part of this was that I didn't love the work of either of the artists on these issues. Although John Constantine is still characterized as an asshole, he's sympathetic, which moves his character closer to the Harry Dresden type than the original John Constantine. So, if you're looking for a really gritty Constantine with social and political commentary, this isn't it. If you're looking for an intriguing urban fantasy, then this would probably hit the spot. This first trade lays out the groundwork for what seems like will be a good storyline. It manages multiple storylines rather well, and John, Swamp Thing, and Mercury are all likeable with backstories, though I couldn't help but wonder if this team-up was contrived to draw in more readers.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always liked John Constantine, but have never been a devoted follower. Still, I pop in every once in a while to check on the cheeky bastard. Finding this on Comixology Unlimited offered a perfect opportunity to do so.
John's back in London after a relatively pleasant exile in NYC. After endangering every human soul in the city, Swamp Thing calls in a favor: Help him find his ex, the Avatar of the Rot. It is not, of course, that simple...
This is a fun iteration of the character and his milieu, though not nearly as freaky and creepy as others have been. Still, it has style to spare, great art, and pitch-perfect dialogue. The characters, too, are a treat and a half. Sadly, this volume is not a complete story arc, and what is here meanders a bit. Good stuff, but a little tightening and better curating could have put this over the top. Oh, well...

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Occult detective" John Constantine has always been one of the "cooler" characters in the DC universe: a mouthy punk in a trench coat, chainsmoking Silk Cuts as he lacerates friend and foe alike with deadpan barbs, sneaky cunning and a willingness to use and/ or sacrifice anything and anyone he needs in order to survive. Deeply cynical about pretty much everything, yet deep down fundamentally driven by a heartfelt desire to do some good in his life.

The series has benefitted from some really great writing talent, from creator Alan Moore, to Regulars Warren Ellis, Garth Ennis, Brian Azzarello and Jamie Delano (to name a few), crafting stories about this lovable, humanist antihero that created a loyal cult following

The DC Rebirth of The Hellblazer makes sure to hit all the marks that signify "John Constantine, cheeky chappie Brit magician"  – sarcasm! pissing people off! references to him being queer! manipulation! british slang! – but somehow it ends up as less than the sum of its parts. The story is decent enough: Constantine heads back from New York after a demon-based exile, risks all of London to break the curse that kept him out of the UK, after which he helps Swamp Thing with a favour and works to foil an apocalyptic Djinn scenario. But it lacks a certain verve, a spark, a sense of drama - it's a little like listening to someone describe a Hellblazer story, rather than taking part in it.

Similarly, the art by Moritat is attractive enough, but doesn't do the characters justice, and the female characters are almost identical aside from hairstyle (one character, Mercury, looks drastically different from panel to panel: here with prominent nose and pillow lips, there with button nose, delicate mouth and anime eyes).

It's a decent enough stab at the character and the story is good enough to while away a few hours with a cuppa; and it has definite potential to develop into something darker, richer, and more thought-provoking.

Provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Constantine's first ongoing series as part of the New 52 was...not great. His second was much, much better but was cut short by Rebirth, making way for the newly title 'The Hellblazer' by British writer Simon Oliver with art by Moritat.

The Rebirth issue begins by helping to explain away why John was trapped outside of England for his past two series, allowing him to get back to his old turf and begin making waves. Oliver brings in Mercury, a side character from one of the earliest arcs of the Vertigo series as a sidekick, as well as the Swamp Thing who has a mystery of his own to solve (one I find personally more interesting than the main story, but that's probably because I like Swampy).

The story is pretty basic in terms of Constantine; if anything, it feels a bit incomplete, as the flashbacks involving the Djinn and their plan moves into the second, currently running arc. I can see Oliver is playing the long game, but I would have thought this might have felt more complete as a first story rather than being no closer to solving anything at the end than we were at the beginning.

Moritat's art is serviceable, if unremarkable. He did really well on All-Star Western capturing the ye olde style very well and keeping very down to Earth, but unfortunately his work here detracts from any of the mystical elements that we might get instead.

This is still a damn sight better than the first Constantine series, and I appreciate that Oliver is attempting to recall the old Vertigo days, but this one's a swing and an almost-hit, rather than a home run.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, DC certainly has made a mess of their continuity. Because in this volume we seem to pretty much have the classic Constantine back. But it's simultaneously admitting that the New York volumes happened. Whatever, I'm happy that we appear to have a Constantine with 300 issues of history again.

Meanwhile, the story really feels like it could have been in the classic Hellblazer comic. Most delightfully that's due to the return of Mercury and a bunch of character work that feels like a follow-up to Hellblazer, Volume 3: The Fear Machine, one of the best and most neglected Constantine stories.

But Oliver is also spending lots of time on mythology, creating a new backstory for the world that's entirely intriguing.

Two problems with this volume: (1) it's not a complete story -and- (2) the casual usage of classic Hellblazer characters will probably be confusing to new readers. (But I love it.)