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Hellblazer #4
Hellblazer: The Family Man
John Constantine is an unconcerned, amoral occultist with a British working-class background. He's an anti-hero who manages to come out on top through a combination of luck, trickery and genuine magic skill.
V FOR VENDETTA illustrator David Lloyd provides painted artwork for the tale of an encounter with a strange woman who is the embodiment of the world's horrors. This volume also features some of Constantine's earliest adventures including his first victory in the long war with the demon Nergal.
Collects Hellblazer #23-24 and #28-33.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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518 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Delano
462 books349 followersJamie Delano aka A. William James began writing comics professionally in the early 1980s. Latterly he has been writing prose fiction with "BOOK THIRTEEN" published by his own LEPUS BOOKS imprint (http://www.lepusbooks.co.uk) in 2012, "Leepus | DIZZY" in April 2014, and "Leepus | THE RIVER" in 2017.
Jamie lives in semi-rural Northamptonshire with his partner, Sue. They have three adult children and a considerable distraction of grandchildren.
Jamie lives in semi-rural Northamptonshire with his partner, Sue. They have three adult children and a considerable distraction of grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
August 26, 2015
[It completely slipped my mind to review this volume collection last year so here we go]
Comprised of eleven issues, The Family Man has to be my most favorite volume of all the Hellblazer collections so far. The reason is because Delano's story arc concerning the serial killer who targets happy families and his cat-and-mouse game with John Constantine definitely remains as one of the most chilling and memorable things I have read in Hellblazer. I'm currently in Ennis' run, but nothing in Ennis' stories so far can compare as far as unsettling and disturbing goes. This story Delano crafted asked some hard questions about the moral repercussions and emotional decay that entails taking a life, and the writer had something philosophical albeit bleak to offer.
This isn't a perfect collection, however. Grant Morrison contributes two issues (#25-26) for this volume which was...not that great, and this is coming from someone who would defend a lot of Morrison's more complex and ambitious comics like Batman Incorporated which I think tends to be deeply misunderstood by Bat-fans themselves. Neil Gaiman also has a standalone issue (#27) which was as Gaimanesque as one could expect and I really, really hope he'd write for Hellblazer again down the pipeline. Another standalone issue includes the opening issue #23 which was a nonsensical yet delightfully quirky story about a man who has grown to love the fictional worlds he reads and collects that he was becoming less of a real person in his life.
Aside from that, we get a very intimate look concerning John's relationship with his father in issue #31. The poignancy of this issue will unmistakably move readers, that I can guarantee. For his form of bereavement, John makes amends with his father whom he shared a very tumultuous relationship with growing up. He hasn't seen the old man in years and it's quite sad that it was only through his demise that they were reunited. Once again indirectly responsible of the death of a loved one, I thought John would maintain his cowardly ways and just walk away from this. After all, that's the John we met when the series started--and we loathed him for it. But the beauty of being a human being is that we evolve constantly, and John has grown and changed in the course of the many frightening experiences he faced where the true measure of his character has been tested and eventually refined.
I think The Mourning of the Magician is the perfect follow-up to the grim story arc that was the Family Man. In that story, we see John kill a man for the first time and it has left him questioning everything that was sacred to him, and everything he wanted to stand for. I don't think John ever considered himself a hero but I know he wants to be a good man who chooses the right things. Killing a man, though it was a bastard who deserves it and John did it out of self-preservation, was still a very significant moment because Constantine acknowledges that taking a life is no small potatoes. It will change you in a way you can never come back from. So understandably, I thought we'll get a darker John out of this, suffering from the burden of such an action. But no, Delano decided to provide us something bittersweet and uplifting here in this issue. But I think I'm getting ahead of myself now. The true star of this volume, of course, is the transcendent main story arc that started with issue #24 and continued on from issues #28-30.
For The Family Man, it feels more personal than it should, most probably because serial killings are intimate in some level, especially when crimes against humanity like this can threaten what we know about the safety of social constructs versus the savage inclinations of the human nature. It would be just awesome for Hellblazer to tackle this and with a character like John Constantine who lives and makes decisions left and right with shades of gray. Basically, a serial killer is on the loose and he massacres happy families. That's how the issue begins, showing us a family having a normal day and then shit got real fast. After that, we shift the narrative focus on out titular hero. John's friend from the previous issue, the shop keeper/procurer of rare and priceless things/fictional-character-trying-to-be-a-real-person named Jerry O'Flynn gets taken and so John decides to squat in his mansion for a while.
It's worth mentioning that John has great respect for O'Flynn because, judging from their interactions from the previous issue, there is a certain fondness they share for each other. So he feels the need to probe his friend's life just to amuse himself--and ends up discovering a repugnant secret. As it turns out, his friend has been supplying information to this customer who turns out to be a serial killer. I felt John's horror and sickening feelings as the truth creeps its way in.
Of all the story arcs featured in Delano's run of Hellblazer so far, I think The Family Man had the most solid conclusion and most probably because it stayed true to its core; a grounded psychological drama that explored our main character's ongoing struggle towards forces beyond comprehension, let alone his control, and his conflict with a monster in human form: a serial killer who had committed heinous crimes that spanned for decades which could be interpreted as merely a tragic result of the most common (and often underestimated) suffering of all: a childhood under neglectful and emotionally absent parents.
The old argument of nature vs. nurture definitely plays a vital role in the narrative for this last issue of the Family Man arc entitled Fatality. Here we get the climactic confrontation between Constantine and Morris and it was every bit as thrilling, dangerous and heart-pounding as I thought it would be. The collision was both meaningful and absurd, an ill-fated meeting between two men who have been consumed and tortured by their own inner demons for a long time--but only one of them survives the encounter. Understandably, it's John because he is the titular hero of this series, but the victory is not sweet or worth relishing at all. It was yet another rude awakening for Constantine as he eventually embraces the futility of it all. It's been hinting towards that end, actually, since the very first issue of this arc, that John is going to have to murder Samuel Morris (I mean, just look at the goddamn issue cover so me stating this is not a spoiler) because it was the only scenario that could possibly play out where John will get away with his life. But John, in spite of his often reckless and arrogant ways that cost some of his friends' lives, is inherently a good man who cannot imagine taking another human being's life with his own hands. This display of vulnerability makes him more relatable, to be honest.
The resolution of the entire arc was proverbially devastating. As a story and speaking about it objectively, it was predictable yet it did not make the finale act any less powerful and thought-provoking at all. Under the right conditions, anyone can kill another human being. There is a strength to it so brutal and brittle all at once--to be able to make that haste decision that it's either you or that person who must live. It made me think about how I will act in a similar situation and whether I will choose to kill or be killed. In context of all the events that have happened in John's life as I follow him diligently in this series, I think this could be considered a game-changer but one that is on a more intimate level where the pressure will solely rest on John's psyche, and it could determine his succeeding actions in the next cases he will take on.
I'm glad that Delano approached this sort of story with sensitivity and a deep understanding of the weight it carries. He could have easily wrote a story where killing people is something badass and casual that heroes do, as most action-oriented comics would portray. He didn't completely discard the social and moral impact of such an act, thankfully, which only further elevated The Family Man story arc in my eyes. I think this would be the highest compliment I could give him for his run of Hellblazer because it is the first time that I've read something of his work in this series that does not always have to be a grand spectacle like his Fear Machine arc. He should write more stories like this, and put John in compromising situations that will force his character to grow and evolve.
In a nutshell, the four-issued The Family Man arc is extraordinary and definitely my most favorite of Delano's stories and this volume is a guaranteed collectible.
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
DO READ MY REVIEWS AT:
Comprised of eleven issues, The Family Man has to be my most favorite volume of all the Hellblazer collections so far. The reason is because Delano's story arc concerning the serial killer who targets happy families and his cat-and-mouse game with John Constantine definitely remains as one of the most chilling and memorable things I have read in Hellblazer. I'm currently in Ennis' run, but nothing in Ennis' stories so far can compare as far as unsettling and disturbing goes. This story Delano crafted asked some hard questions about the moral repercussions and emotional decay that entails taking a life, and the writer had something philosophical albeit bleak to offer.
This isn't a perfect collection, however. Grant Morrison contributes two issues (#25-26) for this volume which was...not that great, and this is coming from someone who would defend a lot of Morrison's more complex and ambitious comics like Batman Incorporated which I think tends to be deeply misunderstood by Bat-fans themselves. Neil Gaiman also has a standalone issue (#27) which was as Gaimanesque as one could expect and I really, really hope he'd write for Hellblazer again down the pipeline. Another standalone issue includes the opening issue #23 which was a nonsensical yet delightfully quirky story about a man who has grown to love the fictional worlds he reads and collects that he was becoming less of a real person in his life.
Aside from that, we get a very intimate look concerning John's relationship with his father in issue #31. The poignancy of this issue will unmistakably move readers, that I can guarantee. For his form of bereavement, John makes amends with his father whom he shared a very tumultuous relationship with growing up. He hasn't seen the old man in years and it's quite sad that it was only through his demise that they were reunited. Once again indirectly responsible of the death of a loved one, I thought John would maintain his cowardly ways and just walk away from this. After all, that's the John we met when the series started--and we loathed him for it. But the beauty of being a human being is that we evolve constantly, and John has grown and changed in the course of the many frightening experiences he faced where the true measure of his character has been tested and eventually refined.
I think The Mourning of the Magician is the perfect follow-up to the grim story arc that was the Family Man. In that story, we see John kill a man for the first time and it has left him questioning everything that was sacred to him, and everything he wanted to stand for. I don't think John ever considered himself a hero but I know he wants to be a good man who chooses the right things. Killing a man, though it was a bastard who deserves it and John did it out of self-preservation, was still a very significant moment because Constantine acknowledges that taking a life is no small potatoes. It will change you in a way you can never come back from. So understandably, I thought we'll get a darker John out of this, suffering from the burden of such an action. But no, Delano decided to provide us something bittersweet and uplifting here in this issue. But I think I'm getting ahead of myself now. The true star of this volume, of course, is the transcendent main story arc that started with issue #24 and continued on from issues #28-30.
For The Family Man, it feels more personal than it should, most probably because serial killings are intimate in some level, especially when crimes against humanity like this can threaten what we know about the safety of social constructs versus the savage inclinations of the human nature. It would be just awesome for Hellblazer to tackle this and with a character like John Constantine who lives and makes decisions left and right with shades of gray. Basically, a serial killer is on the loose and he massacres happy families. That's how the issue begins, showing us a family having a normal day and then shit got real fast. After that, we shift the narrative focus on out titular hero. John's friend from the previous issue, the shop keeper/procurer of rare and priceless things/fictional-character-trying-to-be-a-real-person named Jerry O'Flynn gets taken and so John decides to squat in his mansion for a while.
It's worth mentioning that John has great respect for O'Flynn because, judging from their interactions from the previous issue, there is a certain fondness they share for each other. So he feels the need to probe his friend's life just to amuse himself--and ends up discovering a repugnant secret. As it turns out, his friend has been supplying information to this customer who turns out to be a serial killer. I felt John's horror and sickening feelings as the truth creeps its way in.
Of all the story arcs featured in Delano's run of Hellblazer so far, I think The Family Man had the most solid conclusion and most probably because it stayed true to its core; a grounded psychological drama that explored our main character's ongoing struggle towards forces beyond comprehension, let alone his control, and his conflict with a monster in human form: a serial killer who had committed heinous crimes that spanned for decades which could be interpreted as merely a tragic result of the most common (and often underestimated) suffering of all: a childhood under neglectful and emotionally absent parents.
The old argument of nature vs. nurture definitely plays a vital role in the narrative for this last issue of the Family Man arc entitled Fatality. Here we get the climactic confrontation between Constantine and Morris and it was every bit as thrilling, dangerous and heart-pounding as I thought it would be. The collision was both meaningful and absurd, an ill-fated meeting between two men who have been consumed and tortured by their own inner demons for a long time--but only one of them survives the encounter. Understandably, it's John because he is the titular hero of this series, but the victory is not sweet or worth relishing at all. It was yet another rude awakening for Constantine as he eventually embraces the futility of it all. It's been hinting towards that end, actually, since the very first issue of this arc, that John is going to have to murder Samuel Morris (I mean, just look at the goddamn issue cover so me stating this is not a spoiler) because it was the only scenario that could possibly play out where John will get away with his life. But John, in spite of his often reckless and arrogant ways that cost some of his friends' lives, is inherently a good man who cannot imagine taking another human being's life with his own hands. This display of vulnerability makes him more relatable, to be honest.
The resolution of the entire arc was proverbially devastating. As a story and speaking about it objectively, it was predictable yet it did not make the finale act any less powerful and thought-provoking at all. Under the right conditions, anyone can kill another human being. There is a strength to it so brutal and brittle all at once--to be able to make that haste decision that it's either you or that person who must live. It made me think about how I will act in a similar situation and whether I will choose to kill or be killed. In context of all the events that have happened in John's life as I follow him diligently in this series, I think this could be considered a game-changer but one that is on a more intimate level where the pressure will solely rest on John's psyche, and it could determine his succeeding actions in the next cases he will take on.
I'm glad that Delano approached this sort of story with sensitivity and a deep understanding of the weight it carries. He could have easily wrote a story where killing people is something badass and casual that heroes do, as most action-oriented comics would portray. He didn't completely discard the social and moral impact of such an act, thankfully, which only further elevated The Family Man story arc in my eyes. I think this would be the highest compliment I could give him for his run of Hellblazer because it is the first time that I've read something of his work in this series that does not always have to be a grand spectacle like his Fear Machine arc. He should write more stories like this, and put John in compromising situations that will force his character to grow and evolve.
In a nutshell, the four-issued The Family Man arc is extraordinary and definitely my most favorite of Delano's stories and this volume is a guaranteed collectible.
RECOMMENDED: 9/10
DO READ MY REVIEWS AT:
February 14, 2016
My favorite volume so far. Things start off when Constantine finds out an old friend of his is actually an escaped character from fiction novels. Sherlock Holmes and many other characters show up to take him back home. The real trouble starts later. This friend was a procurer of rare items. One of his clients collects true crime items, such as serial killer memorabilia. So a deal is made; in exchange for the items, he'll find victims for the serial killer. The serial killer is known as the Family Man, as he targets entire families.
As usual Constantine ends up right in the middle of things. So we have John dealing with a human adversary rather than a demon for a change. The main problem I had with the storyline is John's trouble handling the human adversary. For such a powerful magician the human killer gives him more trouble than most magical monsters have. That being said, this was a very good storyline.
Then we have a weird one shot story where a person is reincarnated as a dog and goes on a killing spree. Kinda scary but a little silly. Then the volume ends on a low note with a confusing story that seemed a little pointless.
Still, The Family Man storyline was excellent overall. Good volume.
As usual Constantine ends up right in the middle of things. So we have John dealing with a human adversary rather than a demon for a change. The main problem I had with the storyline is John's trouble handling the human adversary. For such a powerful magician the human killer gives him more trouble than most magical monsters have. That being said, this was a very good storyline.
Then we have a weird one shot story where a person is reincarnated as a dog and goes on a killing spree. Kinda scary but a little silly. Then the volume ends on a low note with a confusing story that seemed a little pointless.
Still, The Family Man storyline was excellent overall. Good volume.
July 18, 2012
Good news: WAY better than The Fear Machine. The serial killer story in Family Man is well done and quite interesting in some places. If it weren't for the references to Scotland, you could almost pretend that The Fear Machine had never happened. I like how the story arc shows the buildup and aftermath in ways that are only tangential to the serial killer. The first issue reminds me of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next books, and the last issue of the arc revisits Constantine's sister and niece who were introduced in the beginning of the series.
Just like The Devil You Know, though, the last couple issues collected here are questionable - the first one involves Constantine facing off against someone who lodged their soul in a dog to wreck havoc on humankind. I'm thinking this was unintentionally hilarious. The second one could have been put together with the woeful issues from The Devil You Know in a collection titled, "Hellblazer: Really Ridiculous Woo-Woo Introspective Shit."
Just like The Devil You Know, though, the last couple issues collected here are questionable - the first one involves Constantine facing off against someone who lodged their soul in a dog to wreck havoc on humankind. I'm thinking this was unintentionally hilarious. The second one could have been put together with the woeful issues from The Devil You Know in a collection titled, "Hellblazer: Really Ridiculous Woo-Woo Introspective Shit."
April 19, 2012
Hellblazer Book 4: "Family Man" collects Hellblazer issues #23, #24, and #28-33.
Aside from a few stutters and stalled moments, this is another of the great old Hellblazer stories by Jamie Delano. (By the way, the reason issues #25-27 are skipped is probably because they were guest-written issues that aren't really part of the storyline.) This is the story of John's encounter with a serial killer who calls himself The Family Man -- how John encounters him, gets bound up in trying to stop him, and finds himself growing more and more aware of a chilling familiarity in him.
This book also contains a crossover with Sandman, one of the subtlest, coolest, most low-key crossovers in comic book history: John intercepts an invitation that causes The Family Man to miss the Corinthian's convention (from The Sandman Vol. 2 The Doll's House). This is probably in response to the crossover in which John appeared in Sandman #3, helping Morpheus recover his bag of sand from one of John's old girlfriends.
This is a gripping tale, peering into the inherent violence of humanity's animal nature, looking at the morality of violence to prevent violence, taking the protagonist into dark places to look into dark mirrors. The story lingers a bit now and then, when it perhaps should be moving along, but otherwise is a great Constantine story. In addition to the twisted but oddly sympathetic psychology of the antagonist, another thing I love about "Family Man" is how it shows the human elements to John -- common fear of violence, a need for intimacy when confronted with the necessity of death, and just the simple fact that he's really not any good at all at physical literal fighting. It allows us once more to see not just the tough, hard veneer John has developed around himself, but also to see the real man inside.
Unfortunately, Delano's last storyline about the Golden Boy (issues #34-#40) have not yet been collected in trade form, so there is no Book 5 yet. Therefore the next one is Book 6 (Hellblazer Dangerous Habits), the first book of Garth Ennis' well-loved Hellblazer run.
EDIT (April 2012): There will finally be a trade for the missing issues #34-#40! It looks like it will be called "Dead Boy's Heart". ISBN as yet unannounced.
Aside from a few stutters and stalled moments, this is another of the great old Hellblazer stories by Jamie Delano. (By the way, the reason issues #25-27 are skipped is probably because they were guest-written issues that aren't really part of the storyline.) This is the story of John's encounter with a serial killer who calls himself The Family Man -- how John encounters him, gets bound up in trying to stop him, and finds himself growing more and more aware of a chilling familiarity in him.
This book also contains a crossover with Sandman, one of the subtlest, coolest, most low-key crossovers in comic book history: John intercepts an invitation that causes The Family Man to miss the Corinthian's convention (from The Sandman Vol. 2 The Doll's House). This is probably in response to the crossover in which John appeared in Sandman #3, helping Morpheus recover his bag of sand from one of John's old girlfriends.
This is a gripping tale, peering into the inherent violence of humanity's animal nature, looking at the morality of violence to prevent violence, taking the protagonist into dark places to look into dark mirrors. The story lingers a bit now and then, when it perhaps should be moving along, but otherwise is a great Constantine story. In addition to the twisted but oddly sympathetic psychology of the antagonist, another thing I love about "Family Man" is how it shows the human elements to John -- common fear of violence, a need for intimacy when confronted with the necessity of death, and just the simple fact that he's really not any good at all at physical literal fighting. It allows us once more to see not just the tough, hard veneer John has developed around himself, but also to see the real man inside.
Unfortunately, Delano's last storyline about the Golden Boy (issues #34-#40) have not yet been collected in trade form, so there is no Book 5 yet. Therefore the next one is Book 6 (Hellblazer Dangerous Habits), the first book of Garth Ennis' well-loved Hellblazer run.
EDIT (April 2012): There will finally be a trade for the missing issues #34-#40! It looks like it will be called "Dead Boy's Heart". ISBN as yet unannounced.
October 11, 2014
The strangeness of a Constatine comic is what makes you love it all the more. It takes more than a few pages to actually get a grip of the events that are unfolding. But when you do, the richness of the story is amazing! Hellblazer: The Family Man is something similar, which opens with a story that takes time to make head or tail of, but eventually moves to something more pulsating. This time, John Constantine is no longer facing demons, but rather tackling a serial-killer, a demon of another kind. Only this one makes Constantine scared! It's a thrilling story, a cat and mouse chase, that has Constantine on the run, which writer Jamie Delano presents with aplomb. The last few stories though in this comic have a lesser intensity to them, especially the last one, but it acts as a nice way to cool things down. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
October 21, 2010
The main storyline here, about Constantine's face-off with a serial killer, is fascinating and kind of great -- it's really interesting to see him faced with an entirely different, human kind of fear. We've seen him deadly afraid many times, before and after, but rarely rattled the way he is here.
As with so many of these early Hellblazer collections, the art is lackluster if not plain awful at times. The exception in this collection is Sean Phillips's art for the story "Mourning the Magician," which is also a wonderful little foray into Constantine's family life, and a great reminder that Gemma has always been pretty awesome. The coloring's still hasty and not so great, but otherwise this is a good issue for art and story.
As with so many of these early Hellblazer collections, the art is lackluster if not plain awful at times. The exception in this collection is Sean Phillips's art for the story "Mourning the Magician," which is also a wonderful little foray into Constantine's family life, and a great reminder that Gemma has always been pretty awesome. The coloring's still hasty and not so great, but otherwise this is a good issue for art and story.
July 20, 2009
A vast improvement ovr the last collection by Delano. Some of these were very good but I enjoy storylines with more of an occult element, demons and such, as to me that is the point of the character and series. The Family Man was good but not what I expect to read with this character. My favorite issue by far was Mourning of the Magician, which was the only one with art worth mentioning, even though still not excellent.
November 3, 2016
the best volume so far
November 19, 2024
I have said it before in my Hellblazer reviews, and I will say it again: this comic would not be allowed to be made today, especially in the mainstream. Mind you, when the original issues came out, this was straight-up DC Comics, not Vertigo, not Black Label, not with some other mature marker.
This time, there is no supernatural veneer to evil. Constantine hunts and is being hunted by a "good old-fashioned" serial killer in the British tradition. And let me tell, you, the comic pulls all the stops, not by being overly gory or graphic, oh, no - it hits you with punch, after punch, after punch, all the while making Constantine feel the same pain and angst as the reader does. He questions the morality of his own actions and the meaning of various types of justice, even as the comic makes you question them yourself.
***SPOILERS***
Furthermore, it uses the tragedies tracked by Constantine to add depth to his character. The Family Man murders his father, Thomas Constantine, which opens up a gaping wound into the character's past, and the follow-up story doubles down, making it abundantly clear that Constantine is not simply a pretty "bad boy", but an anti-hero through and through.
There are also some delicious references and Easter eggs, for instance the Serial Killer Convention where the Family Man was invited as a guest of honor but did not attend (Sandman #14, "Collectors"), and here we learn why he did not attend and where his invitation ended up. There is what I THINK is a reference to Alan Moore, but more than that, issue #23 presages the creation, decades later, of comics such as Fables and The Unwritten.
All in all, my one negative remark on this volume are the seemingly pointless fillers of issues #32 and #33, which I believe were used to wind down the all too painful and entirely human drama of the comic and reset the reader for Constantine's further adventures.
This time, there is no supernatural veneer to evil. Constantine hunts and is being hunted by a "good old-fashioned" serial killer in the British tradition. And let me tell, you, the comic pulls all the stops, not by being overly gory or graphic, oh, no - it hits you with punch, after punch, after punch, all the while making Constantine feel the same pain and angst as the reader does. He questions the morality of his own actions and the meaning of various types of justice, even as the comic makes you question them yourself.
***SPOILERS***
Furthermore, it uses the tragedies tracked by Constantine to add depth to his character. The Family Man murders his father, Thomas Constantine, which opens up a gaping wound into the character's past, and the follow-up story doubles down, making it abundantly clear that Constantine is not simply a pretty "bad boy", but an anti-hero through and through.
There are also some delicious references and Easter eggs, for instance the Serial Killer Convention where the Family Man was invited as a guest of honor but did not attend (Sandman #14, "Collectors"), and here we learn why he did not attend and where his invitation ended up. There is what I THINK is a reference to Alan Moore, but more than that, issue #23 presages the creation, decades later, of comics such as Fables and The Unwritten.
All in all, my one negative remark on this volume are the seemingly pointless fillers of issues #32 and #33, which I believe were used to wind down the all too painful and entirely human drama of the comic and reset the reader for Constantine's further adventures.
April 9, 2019
Original Sins
The Devil you Know
The Fear Machine
As usual, Thar be spoilers.
Now before the main event (The Family Man) we have one quick issue to review:
Larger than Life: Returning to London after the events of the Fear Machine, John is broke, so he tracks down an old mate, Jerry the Dealer. But something's going on with Jerry. And why are there all these strange characters floating around his house? The story for the most part makes for a good in between meals snack. It's also the first story where we see John wearing his iconic trenchcoat. The art is decent, colourful, with good shadow and detailing. The plotline is at its core, both lighthearted and a fun little dive into the line between fiction and reality. The end is particularly funny and if you can recognise all the characters sprinkled throughout, you get a cookie :D
And now....
The Family Man: A serial killer is stalking London's streets. A vile little weasel of a man that targets families, slaughters them like cattle. Meanwhile John is still staying in Jerry's place. Except he's about to find something that will drag him into a collision course with the killer. This is quality Delano; setting up a slow burn, giving the reader just enough to go on to get them potentially interested. What makes this one particularly good is the shock twist that happens towards the end which changes everything we knew about something from the last story. A good start.
Thicker than Water: Feeling the guilt of letting a family die to the Family Man because of him, John begins his search for the killer. Except the killer is a former cop, and he's also looking for John. And he's going to start with John's family. Delano again uses split perspective to get into the minds of both John and the killer (Sammy Morris) and Sammy's head is a vile place to be. Delano's prose paints a vile, misanthropic sociopath with no humanity in him. And when Morris goes after John's dad, we realize how in over his head John really is.
Sick at Heart: John's come to a decision. He's going to kill the Family Man. He's going to get a gun he's going to shoot the fucker. But then he finds out his dad is dead, and the Family Man's close. The noose is tightening. It's around here, that the cat-and-mouse of the plot really kicks in. It's also the first time we see John's antics actually affect someone who's an innocent party, in this case both his mate Chas and his dad. Another thing that you have to consider is that this is Britain, where firearms are strictly regulated. So John purchasing an illegal gun is a big deal.
Fatality: It all comes down to this. The final confrontation between John and Sammy Morris. And only one of them is coming out alive. I haven't really talked about the art much throughout this review, so let's talk about it some more. The use of lighting and shadows is top notch, giving the atmosphere of the arc as a whole a very grim, sinister vibe like a thriller. The characters are all distinct and unique with every character given enough variation to look different from one another. Which makes the ending all the more satisfying but also shocking. It shouldn't be a surprise what happens but the way it plays out is tense, cathartic and also very human.
Mourning of the Magician: It's Thomas Constantine's funeral and the family's gathered to mourn. Except Gemma, John's niece keeps seeing Thomas alive, sitting at the foot of her bed. The first thing you'll notice is the change in artist and its a mixed bag. There's a lot of use of flat colours and black to focus the eye on setpieces. The characters look a little blocky, the detail on their faces at range is a little lacking but extremely well done on some closeups. There's some nice background shots but overall I'm 50/50 split. If anything, the plot serves as a sort of goodbye for John, a way for him to reconnect with his family and gives us some human moments out of the dodgy bastard. We also get some backstory on John's life before Newcastle and it goes to show what sort of person he'll become.
New Tricks: Bodies are being found around London and that's got John curious. Which is going to lead him into the path of a very nasty dog. This one isn't actually done by Delano, but rather by guest writer, Dick Foreman and it shows. Gone are the poetic internal monologues. This version of John's also a little rougher around the edges in terms of speech and behaviour. He's a shitstirrer through and through and overall this is a fun issue, lighthearted and just silly enough without feeling goofy.
Sundays are Different: It's a Sunday and John's feeling.....good. He doesn't buy his ciggys. He buys a bag of apples. He takes a walk. He's nice to people! What is going on?! The first thing you'll notice the most throughout this issue is the change in art style. It starts out bright and fuzzy and friendly but as the story progresses, it changes. It's hard to describe without giving things away, so I'll leave it up to you to work it out. The second thing is that around the halfway mark, things get WEIRD. As in surreal, stream of consciousness weird. Everything is told through second person perspective which makes for a disorienting change, putting you in the driver's seat and as you get towards the end, it becomes clear that this is another one of Delano's more political pieces, on technology, the future and communication. Interesting, but a bit of a dud.
And so we come to the end of Delano's run. Well, not really. In Vertigo's original print run of Hellblazer, some of the comics were printed out of order (singletons were thrown into Rare Cuts) and some weren't even printed at all. Case in point, the end arc of Delano's run, issues 34-40. To that end, if you really want to read those, I suggest finding the individual issues or look up the reprinted graphic novels done a few years ago. If you want a quick capsule overview, basically Delano's run ends as most subsequent writers would write John: he wanders off into the proverbial sunset, leaving behind most if not all of the people he grew close to, either by breaking off friendships or getting them inadvertently killed.
And perhaps that's as good a place as any to finish. With John wandering off, looking for his next thrill ride.
See ya next time for when we start Garth Ennis's run.
The Devil you Know
The Fear Machine
As usual, Thar be spoilers.
Now before the main event (The Family Man) we have one quick issue to review:
Larger than Life: Returning to London after the events of the Fear Machine, John is broke, so he tracks down an old mate, Jerry the Dealer. But something's going on with Jerry. And why are there all these strange characters floating around his house? The story for the most part makes for a good in between meals snack. It's also the first story where we see John wearing his iconic trenchcoat. The art is decent, colourful, with good shadow and detailing. The plotline is at its core, both lighthearted and a fun little dive into the line between fiction and reality. The end is particularly funny and if you can recognise all the characters sprinkled throughout, you get a cookie :D
And now....
The Family Man: A serial killer is stalking London's streets. A vile little weasel of a man that targets families, slaughters them like cattle. Meanwhile John is still staying in Jerry's place. Except he's about to find something that will drag him into a collision course with the killer. This is quality Delano; setting up a slow burn, giving the reader just enough to go on to get them potentially interested. What makes this one particularly good is the shock twist that happens towards the end which changes everything we knew about something from the last story. A good start.
Thicker than Water: Feeling the guilt of letting a family die to the Family Man because of him, John begins his search for the killer. Except the killer is a former cop, and he's also looking for John. And he's going to start with John's family. Delano again uses split perspective to get into the minds of both John and the killer (Sammy Morris) and Sammy's head is a vile place to be. Delano's prose paints a vile, misanthropic sociopath with no humanity in him. And when Morris goes after John's dad, we realize how in over his head John really is.
Sick at Heart: John's come to a decision. He's going to kill the Family Man. He's going to get a gun he's going to shoot the fucker. But then he finds out his dad is dead, and the Family Man's close. The noose is tightening. It's around here, that the cat-and-mouse of the plot really kicks in. It's also the first time we see John's antics actually affect someone who's an innocent party, in this case both his mate Chas and his dad. Another thing that you have to consider is that this is Britain, where firearms are strictly regulated. So John purchasing an illegal gun is a big deal.
Fatality: It all comes down to this. The final confrontation between John and Sammy Morris. And only one of them is coming out alive. I haven't really talked about the art much throughout this review, so let's talk about it some more. The use of lighting and shadows is top notch, giving the atmosphere of the arc as a whole a very grim, sinister vibe like a thriller. The characters are all distinct and unique with every character given enough variation to look different from one another. Which makes the ending all the more satisfying but also shocking. It shouldn't be a surprise what happens but the way it plays out is tense, cathartic and also very human.
Mourning of the Magician: It's Thomas Constantine's funeral and the family's gathered to mourn. Except Gemma, John's niece keeps seeing Thomas alive, sitting at the foot of her bed. The first thing you'll notice is the change in artist and its a mixed bag. There's a lot of use of flat colours and black to focus the eye on setpieces. The characters look a little blocky, the detail on their faces at range is a little lacking but extremely well done on some closeups. There's some nice background shots but overall I'm 50/50 split. If anything, the plot serves as a sort of goodbye for John, a way for him to reconnect with his family and gives us some human moments out of the dodgy bastard. We also get some backstory on John's life before Newcastle and it goes to show what sort of person he'll become.
New Tricks: Bodies are being found around London and that's got John curious. Which is going to lead him into the path of a very nasty dog. This one isn't actually done by Delano, but rather by guest writer, Dick Foreman and it shows. Gone are the poetic internal monologues. This version of John's also a little rougher around the edges in terms of speech and behaviour. He's a shitstirrer through and through and overall this is a fun issue, lighthearted and just silly enough without feeling goofy.
Sundays are Different: It's a Sunday and John's feeling.....good. He doesn't buy his ciggys. He buys a bag of apples. He takes a walk. He's nice to people! What is going on?! The first thing you'll notice the most throughout this issue is the change in art style. It starts out bright and fuzzy and friendly but as the story progresses, it changes. It's hard to describe without giving things away, so I'll leave it up to you to work it out. The second thing is that around the halfway mark, things get WEIRD. As in surreal, stream of consciousness weird. Everything is told through second person perspective which makes for a disorienting change, putting you in the driver's seat and as you get towards the end, it becomes clear that this is another one of Delano's more political pieces, on technology, the future and communication. Interesting, but a bit of a dud.
And so we come to the end of Delano's run. Well, not really. In Vertigo's original print run of Hellblazer, some of the comics were printed out of order (singletons were thrown into Rare Cuts) and some weren't even printed at all. Case in point, the end arc of Delano's run, issues 34-40. To that end, if you really want to read those, I suggest finding the individual issues or look up the reprinted graphic novels done a few years ago. If you want a quick capsule overview, basically Delano's run ends as most subsequent writers would write John: he wanders off into the proverbial sunset, leaving behind most if not all of the people he grew close to, either by breaking off friendships or getting them inadvertently killed.
And perhaps that's as good a place as any to finish. With John wandering off, looking for his next thrill ride.
See ya next time for when we start Garth Ennis's run.
April 19, 2018
This volume is definitely of the more human horror kind. Serial killer and John mix it up. It is good to read books that are from the 80s in the 10s. It reminds me of some of the big issues that were brought by austerity and conservatism. I hated globalization. I still have problems with it but it is undeniable that companies try to keep the markets and by extension the countries they operate in, nominally peaceful. It is also true that there is more hidden poverty and underemployment now.
But these books were written before all this came to pass. The pain was on the street and Constantine and his writers show some of the issues whether they are part of the backdrop of the stories or part of the main plot. You can see the roots of our current situation by going back and reading the fiction of the 80s and 90s. Twenty and thirty years have passed and some things have shown to be true while other fears have fallen flat.
For that reason alone, I recommend reading this series.
But these books were written before all this came to pass. The pain was on the street and Constantine and his writers show some of the issues whether they are part of the backdrop of the stories or part of the main plot. You can see the roots of our current situation by going back and reading the fiction of the 80s and 90s. Twenty and thirty years have passed and some things have shown to be true while other fears have fallen flat.
For that reason alone, I recommend reading this series.
October 11, 2020
*3.5. Another solid Constantine Trade. I still enjoy Jamie Delano’s writing but I found myself skipping certain parts. Overall I still enjoyed it but I skipped quite a few cause I felt those stories weren’t as interesting or engaging. This volume is definitely a mix up, a bit more misses compared to the previous volumes I’ve read but still enjoyable.
August 23, 2024
💔
There are things that we rather not do , but what about avenging the death of innocent lives? Even then one shouldn’t take life.
It’s just johns life. Sobstory of a life and still when he does any action he thinks about how he is actually saving humanity and he is too!
People with this kinda morality are rarer to find indeed🚬
There are things that we rather not do , but what about avenging the death of innocent lives? Even then one shouldn’t take life.
It’s just johns life. Sobstory of a life and still when he does any action he thinks about how he is actually saving humanity and he is too!
People with this kinda morality are rarer to find indeed🚬
December 4, 2024
Jamie Delano's final set of issues as head writer on Hellblazer consists of a series of one offs. John Constantine hunts down a serial killer, faces a band of junkyard hell hounds, and confronts the ghost of his disapproving father. The art and page layouts have gotten fairly samey at this point, but I do like the sketchier, more impressionistic visual style used in "Mourning of the Magician."
November 7, 2024
A lyrical tactile mash up of frantic energy and nuts. I am confident that something happens, the broad color scheme yells inside your eyeballs. This is not a breezy read; you climb a mountain you're glad its over because you can enjoy the view.
July 15, 2025
Delano's writing is better suited to focused character-driven arcs and standalones than sprawling occult nonsense. The Family Man story transcends the usual serial killer hunt and is Hellblazer at its most compelling yet.
December 31, 2018
Amazing writer
July 19, 2019
Going to miss Delano
September 5, 2020
I had never realized the connection with the Family Man in this Constantine story arc and the missing guest of honor in the serial killer con in the Sandman saga. 🤯
July 23, 2021
Wow, what a story.
Constantine faces an all-too-human adversary in The Family Man. He's not the same on the other side of the bridge.
Constantine faces an all-too-human adversary in The Family Man. He's not the same on the other side of the bridge.
December 16, 2025
4 pelo neil gaiman
April 13, 2019
The Family Man has absolutely nothing to do with the Constantine you meet in the first issue, it is a classic detective comic, and while it alters Constantine's background in an irreversible way, this background was almost entirely ignored by every other writer who took over the series (which is great), hence, I don't recommend it as a cannon (nor a good) volume.
Even if this story didn't age as badly as every classic crime comic, it would still deserve a bad rating, because this is not what I signed up for when I picked it off the shelf, Constantine doesn't solve human murder crimes, he finds demons and incinerates them. But regardless of what is expected from Constantine, this story is bad.
Jamie Delano began focusing on political and community issues lightly in previous volumes, he really elaborated on them in this one (as well as the next one), and he did so in Constantine's tongue. Meet the old sod Constantine, who keeps complaining about this generation and what the world has come to.
(SPOILERS about The Family Man's story and conclusion)
The Family Man is actually the name this murderer is known by. Constantine meets this man in person at the beginning of the story and he unintentionally directs him at a new family by mentioning something about them. The man is obsessed with killing happy families for no reason, so, sure enough, the Family Man kills the family. This is when Constantine begins chasing him forcing the Family Man to get at Constantine personally. He murders Constantine's father (this is the first appearance for the father, you won't give a shit about his death, it is overdone drama). The rest of the story shows Constantine carrying a gun (probably the only time in Constantine's history) and searching for the Family Man, although unsure wither he is going to shoot him or not. After some "you and I are the same" bullshit, the man shoots himself using the gun in Constantine's hand and Constantine feels like he murdered him himself.
This volume didn't collect issues 25-27, probably because they were written by other writers, the first two are written by Grant Morrison, a single horror story about a town breaking into madness under a scientific experiment, Constantine survives that as he attempts to solve the problem, not particularly good either, but I am not a fan of Grant Morrison's plots anyway and I am not sure I even understand them. The second story is by Neil Gaiman, some people view this as the best one-shot written for Constantine (issue #27), I am not sure if that is the case, but it sure is good.
There are three one-shots at the end, two of them are as bad as the family man, one of them is surprisingly nice (#32) a short story about a demon in a dog's body recruiting an army of stray dogs.
Even if this story didn't age as badly as every classic crime comic, it would still deserve a bad rating, because this is not what I signed up for when I picked it off the shelf, Constantine doesn't solve human murder crimes, he finds demons and incinerates them. But regardless of what is expected from Constantine, this story is bad.
Jamie Delano began focusing on political and community issues lightly in previous volumes, he really elaborated on them in this one (as well as the next one), and he did so in Constantine's tongue. Meet the old sod Constantine, who keeps complaining about this generation and what the world has come to.
(SPOILERS about The Family Man's story and conclusion)
The Family Man is actually the name this murderer is known by. Constantine meets this man in person at the beginning of the story and he unintentionally directs him at a new family by mentioning something about them. The man is obsessed with killing happy families for no reason, so, sure enough, the Family Man kills the family. This is when Constantine begins chasing him forcing the Family Man to get at Constantine personally. He murders Constantine's father (this is the first appearance for the father, you won't give a shit about his death, it is overdone drama). The rest of the story shows Constantine carrying a gun (probably the only time in Constantine's history) and searching for the Family Man, although unsure wither he is going to shoot him or not. After some "you and I are the same" bullshit, the man shoots himself using the gun in Constantine's hand and Constantine feels like he murdered him himself.
This volume didn't collect issues 25-27, probably because they were written by other writers, the first two are written by Grant Morrison, a single horror story about a town breaking into madness under a scientific experiment, Constantine survives that as he attempts to solve the problem, not particularly good either, but I am not a fan of Grant Morrison's plots anyway and I am not sure I even understand them. The second story is by Neil Gaiman, some people view this as the best one-shot written for Constantine (issue #27), I am not sure if that is the case, but it sure is good.
There are three one-shots at the end, two of them are as bad as the family man, one of them is surprisingly nice (#32) a short story about a demon in a dog's body recruiting an army of stray dogs.
October 12, 2015
Larger than Life (23). A fun one-off that plays with ideas about literature and characters. It's a nice change of pace after the very long Fear Machine, but not as strong as some of Delano's earlier stories, mainly because it needs to keep hitting the same point. I'd like to think that it offers a possible answer to what might have happened at the nebulous end of Hellblazer #300 [7/10].
The Family Man (24, 28-30). I've long thought that The Family Man is Delano's Hellblazer masterpiece. Part of that is because it's so unusual for the comic: a real mundane horror for John to deal with. However, it goes beyond that in the way that Delano manages to mix Constantine's family and friends with that horror and produce a story that's shocking not just once, but many times. In rereading this, I'm amazed to discover that The Family Man is just four issues long, as it's much longer in my memory [10/10].
Shorts (31-33). The shorts that end the book are OK, but not entirely memorable. "Mourning the Magician" is the best for its connections to The Family Man and its look at Constantine's youth (and what it reveals of his character) [8/10]. "New Tricks" is a fun little caper that's worthy of John [7/10]. "Sundays are Different" is an interesting character piece that literally descends into gobblidigook, but still almost feels interesting [5/10]. Finally, the text story is OK [5/10].
Overall, this is a great volume mainly due to The Family Man story that's at its heart.
(This edition was missing issues 25-27, which was sad, but not a problem for the story, as they were fill-ins [by *great* authors].)
The Family Man (24, 28-30). I've long thought that The Family Man is Delano's Hellblazer masterpiece. Part of that is because it's so unusual for the comic: a real mundane horror for John to deal with. However, it goes beyond that in the way that Delano manages to mix Constantine's family and friends with that horror and produce a story that's shocking not just once, but many times. In rereading this, I'm amazed to discover that The Family Man is just four issues long, as it's much longer in my memory [10/10].
Shorts (31-33). The shorts that end the book are OK, but not entirely memorable. "Mourning the Magician" is the best for its connections to The Family Man and its look at Constantine's youth (and what it reveals of his character) [8/10]. "New Tricks" is a fun little caper that's worthy of John [7/10]. "Sundays are Different" is an interesting character piece that literally descends into gobblidigook, but still almost feels interesting [5/10]. Finally, the text story is OK [5/10].
Overall, this is a great volume mainly due to The Family Man story that's at its heart.
(This edition was missing issues 25-27, which was sad, but not a problem for the story, as they were fill-ins [by *great* authors].)
February 26, 2017
This collection is from the original run on Hellblazer. Most of this collection has John dealing with human matters than with magical ones. The best part is the section with the serial killer he helps by chance and then does everything he can to make it right. John pays for his actions in a very personal way but in the end good does triumph over evil in this collection.
Overall a good collection and it can be read out of order since I read a later collection before reading this one.
Overall a good collection and it can be read out of order since I read a later collection before reading this one.
March 6, 2015
A bit heavy on the prose at times, but it adds a dark and sinister tone to the comic (which there weren't many of that had morally questionable characters as well articulated as Constantine at the time of oublishing). I loved this, I personally prefer the first 20 issues story arcs, but this was good also. The artwork by Sean Philips was the first time I'd seen any in Constantine that I didn't like, it felt more like a staple marvel monthly style, as opposed to the dark, grim and detailed work previously. I realise everyone has their own personal preferences when it comes to illustrators though. After a few issues I got a bit bored, but ploughed on. It's worth carrying on, as Garth Ennis takes over at issue 41, with amazing art......... And it's Garth Ennis. I enjoyed Delano's stories immensely, to see how he laid the foundations of the character that continues to interest people after 300 issues.
PS: the new show was good too (not mind blowing) but it deserves a second series at least.
PS: the new show was good too (not mind blowing) but it deserves a second series at least.
June 9, 2009
More superb writing from Jamie Delano. His focus is definitely on character development and the internal struggle, rather than action and comedy. Family Man shows John wrestling with the thought of killing someone, and becoming sick over it, even though that someone is a serial killer who preys on families.
Whereas most comics would take off on the assumption that this bad man needs to die, Delano examines the deeper truth in all healthy humans that naturally despises violence. Though action movies glorify the sweet, climactic deaths of "bad men," soldiers, police, and superheroes are behooved to consider the elements outside those villains' control (to some significant extent) that made them the remorseless baddies they are.
Whereas most comics would take off on the assumption that this bad man needs to die, Delano examines the deeper truth in all healthy humans that naturally despises violence. Though action movies glorify the sweet, climactic deaths of "bad men," soldiers, police, and superheroes are behooved to consider the elements outside those villains' control (to some significant extent) that made them the remorseless baddies they are.
June 28, 2019
John Constantine er hovedperson i tegneserien Hellblazer, men gjør også gjesteopptredener i andre forfatteres arbeid. Han er best beskrevet som en okkult detektiv og anti-helt. Han er opptatt av at den vanlige mann skal ha rett på et vanlig liv, og han håper dette inkluderer ham selv. Men der kommer til stadighet magi, demoner og mord i veien. Constantine opptrer i tegneserier utgitt av DC Comics, for det meste under forlaget Vertigo. Første gang han dukket opp var i The Saga of the Swamp Thing i 1985. Han ble skapt av Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, John Totleben og Rick Veitch.
Hele min omtale finner du på bloggen min Betraktninger
Hele min omtale finner du på bloggen min Betraktninger
June 2, 2024
Delano’s run ends with a varied collection of stories, including a few issues by Grant Morrison and Neil Gaiman, which shows the depth and breath of the series as a whole.
John takes on a serial killer in the Family Man, an arc that starts off a little silly but ends up being one of the most harrowing of the whole series. Grant Morrison’s two issue story is fun but forgettable. Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s Hold Me is one of the best single issues of Hellblazer and one of my favorite single issues period. Delano’s final few issues show him continuing to experiment and push the character in unique directions. The final story in this collection is a prose story that really shows Delano’s strength as a writer. I wish we would have gotten a Hellblazer novel from him at some point.
John takes on a serial killer in the Family Man, an arc that starts off a little silly but ends up being one of the most harrowing of the whole series. Grant Morrison’s two issue story is fun but forgettable. Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s Hold Me is one of the best single issues of Hellblazer and one of my favorite single issues period. Delano’s final few issues show him continuing to experiment and push the character in unique directions. The final story in this collection is a prose story that really shows Delano’s strength as a writer. I wish we would have gotten a Hellblazer novel from him at some point.
July 3, 2016
Continuing my summer fling with graphic novels.... This one contains one of my favorite Hellblazer stores, "Hold Me" by Neil Gaiman. Gaiman is one of the best writers out there in any medium (Sandman, American Gods, Doctor Who) and this one-off story perfectly encapsulates his writing style, the character of John Constantine, and the universe he moves in. The rest of the stories contained in this collection are worth a read too, although, as for much of Hellblazer, show their age, being products of the Thatcher/Reagan 80s. No less frightening or pointed for all that though.
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