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The Hellblazer (2016)
The Hellblazer, Volume 3: The Inspiration Game
The dark mage of the DC Universe is back in his own series as a part of DC Universe Rebirth in THE HELLBLAZER VOL. 3!
Home from Paris, John gets in a drunken argument, has a terrible dream about a dead teenager, and then finds the corpse. Did someone use his imagination as a weapon, or has his distaste for humanity made him a murderer?
One of comics' most iconic and long-lasting characters continues his return to the DC Universe in THE HELLBLAZER VOL. 3, by writer Simon Oliver (FBP) with art by Moritat (THE SPIRIT). Collects THE HELLBLAZER #13-18.
Home from Paris, John gets in a drunken argument, has a terrible dream about a dead teenager, and then finds the corpse. Did someone use his imagination as a weapon, or has his distaste for humanity made him a murderer?
One of comics' most iconic and long-lasting characters continues his return to the DC Universe in THE HELLBLAZER VOL. 3, by writer Simon Oliver (FBP) with art by Moritat (THE SPIRIT). Collects THE HELLBLAZER #13-18.
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2018
9 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Tim Seeley
1,644 books609 followersTim Seeley is a comic book artist and writer known for his work on books such as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, The Dark Elf Trilogy, Batman Eternal and Grayson. He is also the co-creator of the Image Comics titles Hack/Slash[1] and Revival, as well as the Dark Horse titles, ExSanguine and Sundowners. He lives in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
June 19, 2018
After Simon Oliver's feeble run I hoped for better stories. Alas, I was wrong.
Two 3-parters in this book. One correct but unimaginative story by Seeley/Merino with 2 serial killers dwarves on the loose. My main problem is the final scene where Constantine, a cynical bastard by nature, is depicted here as a deliberately mean asshole. It just doesn't fit.
Merino doesn't win any medal with the art but is still far better than Davide Fabbri on the second part.
This one, written by Richard Kadrey might be the worst I've read the past few years and we can't say Hellblazer particularly shone since the closing of the original run. Poorly scripted, with lousy supporting cast and even lousier bad guys, it deals with a Constantine so phony it looks like a cheap imitation. Not fun, not witty, not even sounding English. Just a fake. Even Simon Oliver's last run, as mediocre as it was, at the very least played Constantine correctly.
And why bring him back in the US of A once again? Constantine is never better than when he plays at home- with the exception of Brian Azzarello's run some years back.
I started collecting Hellblazer vol.1 with #26, at the time of release, and got every single one issue of all volumes. You might say I like the series.
So I'm really sad to see what it has become since the New 52. Every hope I may have to see it getting better never stands more than a few issues before going down the drain again. Is someone going to save our bastard mage or what?
Two 3-parters in this book. One correct but unimaginative story by Seeley/Merino with 2 serial killers dwarves on the loose. My main problem is the final scene where Constantine, a cynical bastard by nature, is depicted here as a deliberately mean asshole. It just doesn't fit.
Merino doesn't win any medal with the art but is still far better than Davide Fabbri on the second part.
This one, written by Richard Kadrey might be the worst I've read the past few years and we can't say Hellblazer particularly shone since the closing of the original run. Poorly scripted, with lousy supporting cast and even lousier bad guys, it deals with a Constantine so phony it looks like a cheap imitation. Not fun, not witty, not even sounding English. Just a fake. Even Simon Oliver's last run, as mediocre as it was, at the very least played Constantine correctly.
And why bring him back in the US of A once again? Constantine is never better than when he plays at home- with the exception of Brian Azzarello's run some years back.
I started collecting Hellblazer vol.1 with #26, at the time of release, and got every single one issue of all volumes. You might say I like the series.
So I'm really sad to see what it has become since the New 52. Every hope I may have to see it getting better never stands more than a few issues before going down the drain again. Is someone going to save our bastard mage or what?
February 19, 2018
[read in single issues]
Sooo I guess we're just considering all that stuff from the previous two volumes 'all wrapped up'?? I'm kind of inclined to disagree, but in the end I'm pretty easy-going and also I just really enjoyed this volume - especially the first arc - so I guess I'm willing to forget it [unless this was just a minor pit-stop and we're getting back to all that next volume? Who knows]
Anyway, I really liked this. The first 3 issues are definitely a bit more 'gritty' [I hate that word but I can't think of another right now] than a lot of the recent stuff, helped along I think by finally getting some pretty decent artwork in this run. Plus if you throw Norse mythology into anything I'm pretty much sold, so the majority of my high rating is really coming in here. The second 3 issues were decent but we're back to that generic cartoony art style that I feel just doesn't fit this series at all. Still, these were two nice little self-contained stories before we [presumably] move onto another more drawn-out story line.
Some highlights [which I just noticed are all from the first 3 issues, #oops]:
I generally keep most of my yelling about 'tiny punk twink John Constantine' over on Tumblr but come on
John watching his younger self have sex #classy
#same
John isn't an asshole, he just struggles with 'traditional morality' *snort*
I feel like I should be keeping a running total of how many times he's just randomly naked and covered in blood
I love the alternate covers so much in this run
And for once a normal cover that I like as well!
Sooo I guess we're just considering all that stuff from the previous two volumes 'all wrapped up'?? I'm kind of inclined to disagree, but in the end I'm pretty easy-going and also I just really enjoyed this volume - especially the first arc - so I guess I'm willing to forget it [unless this was just a minor pit-stop and we're getting back to all that next volume? Who knows]
Anyway, I really liked this. The first 3 issues are definitely a bit more 'gritty' [I hate that word but I can't think of another right now] than a lot of the recent stuff, helped along I think by finally getting some pretty decent artwork in this run. Plus if you throw Norse mythology into anything I'm pretty much sold, so the majority of my high rating is really coming in here. The second 3 issues were decent but we're back to that generic cartoony art style that I feel just doesn't fit this series at all. Still, these were two nice little self-contained stories before we [presumably] move onto another more drawn-out story line.
Some highlights [which I just noticed are all from the first 3 issues, #oops]:
I generally keep most of my yelling about 'tiny punk twink John Constantine' over on Tumblr but come on
John watching his younger self have sex #classy
#same
John isn't an asshole, he just struggles with 'traditional morality' *snort*
I feel like I should be keeping a running total of how many times he's just randomly naked and covered in blood
I love the alternate covers so much in this run
And for once a normal cover that I like as well!
April 2, 2018
In Tim Seeley's story, two dwarf brothers from Norse mythology mess with Constantine. Jesus Merino provides just the right amount of horror elements to the art. Then Constantine heads to San Francisco to avenge the death of an old friend, written by Richard Khadrey of Sandman Slim fame. I'm not a big fan of Davide Fabbri's art. His figures always look to skinny. I don't think either writer quite found Constantine's voice. Constantine still sounds like an American pretending to be British.
April 10, 2018
Simon Oliver's short Hellblazer run seems to have ended with V2, which is good because his early promise rapidly cratered. Unfortunately, this volume has stories by two different authors, which doesn't speak to the longevity or continuity of this newest incarnation of the classic Vertigo character.
The Inspiration Game (#13-15). It's a classic Constantine trope going back to the Moore and Ellis runs: introduce a previously unknown friend from John's past, then drive them into the ground with the horror of his modern life. Author Tim Seeley offers that with a bit of a twist, as John actively tried to save this old flame, Margaret, from his problems. When bad stuff arises in the present and Margaret is there, we thus get a rather delightful story that's made even more interesting by John's self-conception of who he is and by villains straight out of Nordic myth [4+/5].
The Bardo Score (#16-18). Somehow, despite living in San Francisco, even newer author Richard Kardey manages to offer up a horribly cliched view of the city that reads like it came off of a bad TV show. The arc does improve with his second issue, where his worst impulses are controlled. From there, there's some nice Buddhist references and a lot of discussion of American gun culture, but a lot of the story is also a mishmash that just barely makes sense [3/5].
Fortunately, it seems to be Seely, not Kardey, who gets the next arc, in V4, which hopefully means that he's our new regular author. Not that this third iteration of Hellblazer is going to be around for long with its constantly changing authors and its constantly varying quality.
The Inspiration Game (#13-15). It's a classic Constantine trope going back to the Moore and Ellis runs: introduce a previously unknown friend from John's past, then drive them into the ground with the horror of his modern life. Author Tim Seeley offers that with a bit of a twist, as John actively tried to save this old flame, Margaret, from his problems. When bad stuff arises in the present and Margaret is there, we thus get a rather delightful story that's made even more interesting by John's self-conception of who he is and by villains straight out of Nordic myth [4+/5].
The Bardo Score (#16-18). Somehow, despite living in San Francisco, even newer author Richard Kardey manages to offer up a horribly cliched view of the city that reads like it came off of a bad TV show. The arc does improve with his second issue, where his worst impulses are controlled. From there, there's some nice Buddhist references and a lot of discussion of American gun culture, but a lot of the story is also a mishmash that just barely makes sense [3/5].
Fortunately, it seems to be Seely, not Kardey, who gets the next arc, in V4, which hopefully means that he's our new regular author. Not that this third iteration of Hellblazer is going to be around for long with its constantly changing authors and its constantly varying quality.
March 5, 2018
[Read as single issues]
After a strong start, Simon Oliver's Hellblazer floundered in its second half. DC have shaken things up for Constantine however, with two new writers taking three issues each of this third volume.
The first arc, The Inspiration Game, is written by Tim Seeley and feels as close to Vertigo Hellblazer as this book has been since it was launched/relaunched. Ill-fated love interest for John - check. Supernatural murders to solve - check. Horrible ending that hurts everyone around John and leaves him unscathed and yet emotionally wounded instead - double check. This one's got it all. The art by Jesus Merino is also very Vertigo, and that's not a distinction I'd usually use for Merino. This isn't a particularly outstanding Hellblazer story, but it feels like DC are getting back to the roots of the character, so I approve.
Richard Kadrey steps in for the second three issues with The Bardo Score, which is again a very Vertigo-style story. This one's a bit more scattershot however, with a lot more moving pieces that don't all click into place by the end. It's an admirable attempt however, and it's clear Kadrey likes writing this character. Davide Fabri returns from the tail end of Simon Oliver's run to pencil these three issues; his art feels too pedestrian for a series like this, and his characters have some odd expressions that don't always suit the scenes the characters find themselves in.
Three stellar issues and three pretty good ones even out to a three star rating, but make no mistake, the Hellblazer is on the rise once more.
After a strong start, Simon Oliver's Hellblazer floundered in its second half. DC have shaken things up for Constantine however, with two new writers taking three issues each of this third volume.
The first arc, The Inspiration Game, is written by Tim Seeley and feels as close to Vertigo Hellblazer as this book has been since it was launched/relaunched. Ill-fated love interest for John - check. Supernatural murders to solve - check. Horrible ending that hurts everyone around John and leaves him unscathed and yet emotionally wounded instead - double check. This one's got it all. The art by Jesus Merino is also very Vertigo, and that's not a distinction I'd usually use for Merino. This isn't a particularly outstanding Hellblazer story, but it feels like DC are getting back to the roots of the character, so I approve.
Richard Kadrey steps in for the second three issues with The Bardo Score, which is again a very Vertigo-style story. This one's a bit more scattershot however, with a lot more moving pieces that don't all click into place by the end. It's an admirable attempt however, and it's clear Kadrey likes writing this character. Davide Fabri returns from the tail end of Simon Oliver's run to pencil these three issues; his art feels too pedestrian for a series like this, and his characters have some odd expressions that don't always suit the scenes the characters find themselves in.
Three stellar issues and three pretty good ones even out to a three star rating, but make no mistake, the Hellblazer is on the rise once more.
August 10, 2018
Doesn’t have a voice and a destination.
World: The art is meh, for some reason it reminds me of New52 Brett Booth but that’s not a good thing cause I don’t like Brett Booth. The faces in these issues have dead eyes and weird expressions, not a good character book. The world building here is light, it’s basic and feels tv episodic. There are the Trolls and then the Indian Diety but that’s about it. There’s little to no context and background, a couple of panels and then it’s the same bland world for John to play on...zzz.
Story: The two stories for here are derivative and follow a very basic formula. Bad supernatural thing, an old friend of John dies, John comes to fix it but is still a prick about it, rince and repeat. That’s what Hellblazer has become, there is not voice, there is no point to the book and it’s just a sad rip off of an endless episode of ‘Supernatural’ it’s boring, it’s meaningless and just a waste of time. DC needs to figure out what to do with John or just let him fucking not be published for a while.
Characters: John is exactly what he is, there is no development, there is no depth to the character he’s a cookie cutter of a grizzled jaded supernatural hunter and that’s it. Nothing about it makes him special. The monsters were meh and the characters found here were also meh.
Not a good book and not a good series, there is no larger arc, there is no journey there is just mindless ‘Supernatural’ framed middle of the road filler episodes found here.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
World: The art is meh, for some reason it reminds me of New52 Brett Booth but that’s not a good thing cause I don’t like Brett Booth. The faces in these issues have dead eyes and weird expressions, not a good character book. The world building here is light, it’s basic and feels tv episodic. There are the Trolls and then the Indian Diety but that’s about it. There’s little to no context and background, a couple of panels and then it’s the same bland world for John to play on...zzz.
Story: The two stories for here are derivative and follow a very basic formula. Bad supernatural thing, an old friend of John dies, John comes to fix it but is still a prick about it, rince and repeat. That’s what Hellblazer has become, there is not voice, there is no point to the book and it’s just a sad rip off of an endless episode of ‘Supernatural’ it’s boring, it’s meaningless and just a waste of time. DC needs to figure out what to do with John or just let him fucking not be published for a while.
Characters: John is exactly what he is, there is no development, there is no depth to the character he’s a cookie cutter of a grizzled jaded supernatural hunter and that’s it. Nothing about it makes him special. The monsters were meh and the characters found here were also meh.
Not a good book and not a good series, there is no larger arc, there is no journey there is just mindless ‘Supernatural’ framed middle of the road filler episodes found here.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
October 16, 2018
This was tough to read through .
And sadly I had hopes for The Hellblazer title , after all the first two story arcs were rather decent , even the art seemed to be improving , but it went all arse over tits in this one .
The art especially was way too annoying for me , most times it looked like the artist and the author were telling two separate stories . And during the inspiration game story arc I don't know why every character was sweating for no reasons.
Of course there was some good too , Tim Seeley did portray the harsh life and character traits of Constantine and the plot and the mysteries were intriguing to begin with . But by the end , it all started looking like way too underwhelming .
I don't know , maybe some of the people will like it , personally , I am on the verge of dropping this title for good
And sadly I had hopes for The Hellblazer title , after all the first two story arcs were rather decent , even the art seemed to be improving , but it went all arse over tits in this one .
The art especially was way too annoying for me , most times it looked like the artist and the author were telling two separate stories . And during the inspiration game story arc I don't know why every character was sweating for no reasons.
Of course there was some good too , Tim Seeley did portray the harsh life and character traits of Constantine and the plot and the mysteries were intriguing to begin with . But by the end , it all started looking like way too underwhelming .
I don't know , maybe some of the people will like it , personally , I am on the verge of dropping this title for good
December 1, 2018
The old 'I'm going to try and help but f*ck up a bit and likely get someone killed' John Constantine is back. Also 'I swear on the Queen's corgi's' is the best oath ever.
May 16, 2022
The magic is so far and few between :(
Read
June 18, 2018John Constantine's third-best solo series teeters on - though not for much longer - after this I believe there's one more volume before he gets cancelled, again. The fucking indignity of it when the first and best of them managed 300 issues! It's two three-issue stories by different teams, and the first one in particular feels *almost* right...but there's just not the time for the mood to build, for the bonds to feel strong enough that the final betrayal hits, for any of it to feel real. Still, the bit where John takes down the whole Justice League is quite fun. The second story doesn't even manage that much, feeling like a fairly generic occult detective story that would only have needed minor retooling to fit the last Scarlet Witch solo series. Here's hoping against hope that they just shunt John back to Vertigo as part of that imprint's relaunch, get back to hiring Brits to write and draw him (I'm not sure that, even to wind up a San Franciscan, John would ever swear on the Queen's corgis), and come back strong with Hellblazer #301.
April 14, 2018
They couldn't even be bothered to finish the story that was going on in the previous volume....not cool, man. And this one's not any better.
March 29, 2021
After the events of the previous volumes, Constantine.... kind of forgets about them and goes onto to other things.
Yeah so continuity is not a huge priority here as it seems each creative team tells their own story regarding Constantine, and doesn't really worry about loose ends left by the other teams. For this one, Tim Seeley and Richard Kadrey pen the adventures, with two very different results.
First, I liked the Seeley story. It was grimey, it was dirty, and it was probably the closest thing to the original Constantine so far in the entire fuckin series, and I'm talking about new 52 as well. I thought he found a voice that is much closer than there has been so far, to the point where when there is a scene involving punks, I expected to see Epiphany walk in and say hello to John. It's still not quite there as the old Vertigo series, but this version of the character is closer than what we have been getting. I think Seeley is penning the next volume, so I will check it out for that alone.
However the Kadrey story reverts the quality a bit, as it goes back to the new and improved "Diet Constantine" version of the character. He is not as big as an asshole and not nearly as cunning or conniving, he simply is a magician that likes to smoke and is not scared of demons and monsters. That's pretty much it. I think this version is a disservice to the character as it puts a clean sheen on what is otherwise a very nuanced, and not necessarily likable yet very very human - character.
I was going to give this 3 stars but the last volume just left a bad taste in my mouth again. Hopefully Seeley can steer the Constantine boat in the right direction from here on out.
Yeah so continuity is not a huge priority here as it seems each creative team tells their own story regarding Constantine, and doesn't really worry about loose ends left by the other teams. For this one, Tim Seeley and Richard Kadrey pen the adventures, with two very different results.
First, I liked the Seeley story. It was grimey, it was dirty, and it was probably the closest thing to the original Constantine so far in the entire fuckin series, and I'm talking about new 52 as well. I thought he found a voice that is much closer than there has been so far, to the point where when there is a scene involving punks, I expected to see Epiphany walk in and say hello to John. It's still not quite there as the old Vertigo series, but this version of the character is closer than what we have been getting. I think Seeley is penning the next volume, so I will check it out for that alone.
However the Kadrey story reverts the quality a bit, as it goes back to the new and improved "Diet Constantine" version of the character. He is not as big as an asshole and not nearly as cunning or conniving, he simply is a magician that likes to smoke and is not scared of demons and monsters. That's pretty much it. I think this version is a disservice to the character as it puts a clean sheen on what is otherwise a very nuanced, and not necessarily likable yet very very human - character.
I was going to give this 3 stars but the last volume just left a bad taste in my mouth again. Hopefully Seeley can steer the Constantine boat in the right direction from here on out.
November 22, 2022
A slight improvement over the first two issues, but mainly because its stories actually have conclusions. However, its just very middle-of-the-road Hellblazer.
It contains two small, three issues arcs. The first one, by Tim Seeley, is the better of the two. It's decently written, and its approprietly horrific, but the plot isn't the greatest, and the conclusion feels tonally different from what had come before. Artwork by Jesus Merino is decent, but the colouring looks extremely amateurish.
The second arc, by Richard Kadrey, fairs a bit worse. There is an atttempt at writing Constantine in character, and it's mildly sucessfull at that, but both the plot and villains are somewhat unninteresting. Artwork is by Davide Fabbri, who had provided the artwork for most of the issues in the first volume, and his work remains unimpressive and amateurish, which is coupled with equally amateurish colouring work.
Overall, this volume is much better than the first two, as at least, the plots actually move forward, and are concluded. And while Simon Oliver had a better grasp of characters, his plotting was terribly meandering. Both writers in this volume might not have gotten the character down to a T, but at least they offered better plots that actually have a proper ending.
So, an unenthused three stars it is, then. Only for readers absolutely desperate for some new Hellbazer stories. Wich I was.
It contains two small, three issues arcs. The first one, by Tim Seeley, is the better of the two. It's decently written, and its approprietly horrific, but the plot isn't the greatest, and the conclusion feels tonally different from what had come before. Artwork by Jesus Merino is decent, but the colouring looks extremely amateurish.
The second arc, by Richard Kadrey, fairs a bit worse. There is an atttempt at writing Constantine in character, and it's mildly sucessfull at that, but both the plot and villains are somewhat unninteresting. Artwork is by Davide Fabbri, who had provided the artwork for most of the issues in the first volume, and his work remains unimpressive and amateurish, which is coupled with equally amateurish colouring work.
Overall, this volume is much better than the first two, as at least, the plots actually move forward, and are concluded. And while Simon Oliver had a better grasp of characters, his plotting was terribly meandering. Both writers in this volume might not have gotten the character down to a T, but at least they offered better plots that actually have a proper ending.
So, an unenthused three stars it is, then. Only for readers absolutely desperate for some new Hellbazer stories. Wich I was.
August 4, 2018
A new team seemed to be the answer for volume 3 of the rebirth Hellblazer series after the disappointing volume 2. This consists of 2 stories revolving around supernatural and gruesome murders. Constantine sets about solving them in his typically arsehole way.
The art direction is fantastically violent. Blood everywhere and the otherworldly characters, especially the gnomes, are brilliant.
Constantine seems to be more North-West England than previous volumes too with Me replacing My often. It's also nice to see the self doubting side of him from Volume 2 has been left behind.
So why 3 stars? Simply put at this point the series feels like it's on a wind down, (vol 4 has been confirmed as the end of the run), so there is no over arching stories to invest in. These are short and ultimately pointless stories that don't grow the characters. It's more a reflective look on what The Hellblazer used to be.
There was also a few needless pages with the bad guys discussing foreign mages coming into the US. While politics now more than ever need to be talked about, this felt more like a shoehorn into the story rather than anything constructive. Especially considering that said bad guys were using an Eastern religion to help drive their plan.
Summary - OK read. Great art. Doesn't do anything new with Constantine which is a damn shame.
The art direction is fantastically violent. Blood everywhere and the otherworldly characters, especially the gnomes, are brilliant.
Constantine seems to be more North-West England than previous volumes too with Me replacing My often. It's also nice to see the self doubting side of him from Volume 2 has been left behind.
So why 3 stars? Simply put at this point the series feels like it's on a wind down, (vol 4 has been confirmed as the end of the run), so there is no over arching stories to invest in. These are short and ultimately pointless stories that don't grow the characters. It's more a reflective look on what The Hellblazer used to be.
There was also a few needless pages with the bad guys discussing foreign mages coming into the US. While politics now more than ever need to be talked about, this felt more like a shoehorn into the story rather than anything constructive. Especially considering that said bad guys were using an Eastern religion to help drive their plan.
Summary - OK read. Great art. Doesn't do anything new with Constantine which is a damn shame.
April 7, 2020
It's an improvement on the last two volumes by Simon Oliver but not by much. Simon's run especially suffered in the second volume and ended on an incoherent, quasi-cliffhanger which is comepletely (and thankfully) ignored here.
Instead, what we have here are a pair of three partners that are inoffensive enough and don't have as much of a meandering problem as Oliver's run. Still, they're far from essential and neither story seems to have a handle on Constantine or his voice. That identity crisis has plagued this reboot since the beginning and the reliance in having characters tell us who Constantine is as opposed to showing us much keeps marching on.
Both stories have decent ideas but neither quite sticks the landing. The first is the story of nordic killer dwarves which starts out fine but devolves into incoherence and some odd cameos. The second is about a killer in San Francisco who's targeting magic users with an "American Buddha gun."
The second story is notable for being by Richard Kadrey. I'm a fan of his Sandman Slim books and that was at least part of the reason I decided to finally read this incarnation of Constantine. Because of that I'm probably being easier on his story than deserved but it was fine.
Instead, what we have here are a pair of three partners that are inoffensive enough and don't have as much of a meandering problem as Oliver's run. Still, they're far from essential and neither story seems to have a handle on Constantine or his voice. That identity crisis has plagued this reboot since the beginning and the reliance in having characters tell us who Constantine is as opposed to showing us much keeps marching on.
Both stories have decent ideas but neither quite sticks the landing. The first is the story of nordic killer dwarves which starts out fine but devolves into incoherence and some odd cameos. The second is about a killer in San Francisco who's targeting magic users with an "American Buddha gun."
The second story is notable for being by Richard Kadrey. I'm a fan of his Sandman Slim books and that was at least part of the reason I decided to finally read this incarnation of Constantine. Because of that I'm probably being easier on his story than deserved but it was fine.
August 10, 2018
Finally, a story arc I am happy with. The Inspiration Game is, to use an overused adjective, classic. Merino's art is realistic and gritty, which suits Hellblazer very well. Seeley's story is very good. His take on viking dwarfs (and the way Merinio portrays them) is refreshing, and his Constantine is mean enough that I did not get pissed too much when I saw him fighting JLA (since it is in an alternative reality, I suppose it is ok). Plus, it is full of Mucose Membrane John. The fact that he was a member of the 70's punk scene has always been one of my favorite parts of the character, and although it makes less and less sense as times goes by, I still find a great background.
The art for the second arc of the volume,"The Bardo Score" is not dark as I would have like it to be, but the story is still pretty good and, at times, very funny. I have never been to San Francisco, but I imagine is a place easy to make fun of. John certainly does. Although overall I would pick the first arc over the second one, I think it is the latter the one who could have been expanded at least for one more issue.
The art for the second arc of the volume,"The Bardo Score" is not dark as I would have like it to be, but the story is still pretty good and, at times, very funny. I have never been to San Francisco, but I imagine is a place easy to make fun of. John certainly does. Although overall I would pick the first arc over the second one, I think it is the latter the one who could have been expanded at least for one more issue.
August 20, 2024
Seeley w moich oczach to wyrobnik. Trafiają mu się perełki, ale w przeciwwadze ma też koszmarne tytuły. W lwiej części jednak jego historię da się czytać i wypada mu w tym przypadku powinszować. Jest lepiej niż było. Trzeci tom przełamuje nieco impas poprzedników, ale też nie jest pozycją, która zapisze się złotą czcionkę w annałach przygód Johna Constantine'a.
Początek jest świetny. John budzi się nagi, a gdy sprawdza wentylację, tak zalewa go jucha. Podczas przesłuchania na policji na jaw wychodzi, że ofiara miała kontakt z magikiem na chwilę przed śmiercią i pierwsze poszlaki wskazują, iż John mógł tu użyć jakieś mocy sugestii, aby ukarać młokosa. Tylko, że Constantine niczego nie pamięta...
Rozwiązanie sprawy jest dosyć przewrotne, schyla się ku szczypty wierzeń skandynawskich i nieco wytraca "swój urok", kiedy wychodzi na jaw co się stało. A raczej kto stoi za tymi wydarzeniami. Bywa tu krwawo. Niemniej potem Seeley sięga po inne wierzenia. Tym razem hinduskie i to już nie ma takiego poziomu jak pierwsza połowa książki. Owszem, konfrontacja z zagrożeniem wypada inaczej niż się spodziewał - co na plus i to spory - aczkolwiek wątek tego złotego gnata jakoś średnio mi podszedł...
Rysunki są w lwiej części poprawne i nie mogę się do tej sfery mocniej przyczepić. Wreszcie pozytywny aspekt w serii, ale nie aż tak znaczący by nie czuć się rozczarowanym poziomem Hellblazera w ramach DC Rebirth.
Początek jest świetny. John budzi się nagi, a gdy sprawdza wentylację, tak zalewa go jucha. Podczas przesłuchania na policji na jaw wychodzi, że ofiara miała kontakt z magikiem na chwilę przed śmiercią i pierwsze poszlaki wskazują, iż John mógł tu użyć jakieś mocy sugestii, aby ukarać młokosa. Tylko, że Constantine niczego nie pamięta...
Rozwiązanie sprawy jest dosyć przewrotne, schyla się ku szczypty wierzeń skandynawskich i nieco wytraca "swój urok", kiedy wychodzi na jaw co się stało. A raczej kto stoi za tymi wydarzeniami. Bywa tu krwawo. Niemniej potem Seeley sięga po inne wierzenia. Tym razem hinduskie i to już nie ma takiego poziomu jak pierwsza połowa książki. Owszem, konfrontacja z zagrożeniem wypada inaczej niż się spodziewał - co na plus i to spory - aczkolwiek wątek tego złotego gnata jakoś średnio mi podszedł...
Rysunki są w lwiej części poprawne i nie mogę się do tej sfery mocniej przyczepić. Wreszcie pozytywny aspekt w serii, ale nie aż tak znaczący by nie czuć się rozczarowanym poziomem Hellblazera w ramach DC Rebirth.
April 26, 2018
The original Hellblazer is one of my favorite comics ever, despite being inconsistent at times, but this volume shows how far John Constantine has fallen. It starts off really strong, with Seeley actually being the best Hellblazer writer since the comic was moved off the Vertigo imprint. While I didn't care for the conclusion of his three part story because of the inclusion of superheroes, the first two parts and the art throughout the first three issues were really great. Seeley is the main Hellblazer writer from now on, so I'll check out the next volume of this. I'd rate the first three issues a 3/5 or 4/5.
The back three issues were done by people whose work I was unfamiliar with. Simply put, it was boring. The writer kind of wrote Constantine decently, but there was something off about it that I can't quite put my finger on. These issues weren't the worst thing I've ever read, but they're just bland. I'd give them a 1/5.
The back three issues were done by people whose work I was unfamiliar with. Simply put, it was boring. The writer kind of wrote Constantine decently, but there was something off about it that I can't quite put my finger on. These issues weren't the worst thing I've ever read, but they're just bland. I'd give them a 1/5.
March 6, 2018
I seem to be one of the very, very few who found this volume to be considerably better than the crap, I felt, Simon Oliver wrote. Let there be a correction on the details to this volume but it was not written by Simon Oliver. This volume was broken down to two mini-arcs. The first arc, The Inspiration Game, was written by Tim Seely. Arc two, The Bardo Score, was written by Richard Kadrey. Arc one was pretty violent and gruesome in terms of one major murder. The villains come in the form of Nordic demons. Overall score: Constantine is an asshole! Arc two was considerably more funny then anything. Odd villain in the form of a cult leader murdering other cult leaders. I would have liked for the final conflict to have ended better than it did but oh well. Again, the sarcasm and humor made me really enjoy the arc. Oh, and Constantine is an asshole!
March 29, 2018
John Constantine has been having
a rough go of it.
Nothing new there.
He's a Bastard of the highest order.
And it is starting to catch up to him.
After having his mind used as
a murder weapon and retaliating
against the guilty parties.
And then.
Friends of his are being killed.
And it falls to Constantine to
do something about it.
Written by two great writers
Oliver and Kadrey
continuing to bring
The John Constantine to his former glory.
The Hellblazer has been an uneven
series up to this point
but seems to find its legs
with these stories.
Constantine goes about getting
himself out of the trouble that
always finds him in the usual
awful bastardly means.
A great read
a proper Hellblazer story.
a rough go of it.
Nothing new there.
He's a Bastard of the highest order.
And it is starting to catch up to him.
After having his mind used as
a murder weapon and retaliating
against the guilty parties.
And then.
Friends of his are being killed.
And it falls to Constantine to
do something about it.
Written by two great writers
Oliver and Kadrey
continuing to bring
The John Constantine to his former glory.
The Hellblazer has been an uneven
series up to this point
but seems to find its legs
with these stories.
Constantine goes about getting
himself out of the trouble that
always finds him in the usual
awful bastardly means.
A great read
a proper Hellblazer story.
November 12, 2018
Okay, this volume, I liked. Maybe because I am partial to Kadrey or maybe just because these two volumes had less magic and more John. The first arc has JC and his complex relationship with alcohol at its core. Also, his extreme distaste for heroism is on full display.
The Kadrey arc has a bunch of hijinx. It reads a little slapstick but comes from the same place as Sandman Slim. A healthy respect for San Francisco... or not.
A fun romp that stays true to the detective parts of JC.
The Kadrey arc has a bunch of hijinx. It reads a little slapstick but comes from the same place as Sandman Slim. A healthy respect for San Francisco... or not.
A fun romp that stays true to the detective parts of JC.
May 12, 2018
Unlike the first two volumes of Constantine's Rebirth run, this one is way more enjoyable to read. The two stories seemed well written, with a good balance between mystery, horror and the typical Hellblazer humor. The art also improved an kept the same quality going throughout the whole volume, despite being from different artists. One can only hope that volume 4 will keep it up like that!
September 7, 2019
Just re-read this and it's not bad. Some good ideas in the true Hellblazer vein, though the artwork didn't really suit the story IMO. You can see how they were really giving it a go, but, let's face it, John was doomed from the moment he set foot in the DC Universe ... editorial policy managed what all the Lords and demons of Hell couldn't!
July 7, 2021
2 arcs, the first "an enjoyable read" with killer dwarves and magic booze, but then the end was Constantine being just the biggest asshole for literally no reason.
The second arc was pretty boring in spite of the premise trying to be Constantine approaches a bunch of witches to try to stop a Buddha gun from killing people.
The second arc was pretty boring in spite of the premise trying to be Constantine approaches a bunch of witches to try to stop a Buddha gun from killing people.
February 19, 2024
Its all @$% and $%&"-:'+ bullocks mate
Here's to hoping that Johns @#$ gets back in film with Keanu... But I digress John gets the ol proverbial shaft in every respect per usual Wrong place right time and let the chaos and bollocks if we are not getting any more to ruin it
innit
Here's to hoping that Johns @#$ gets back in film with Keanu... But I digress John gets the ol proverbial shaft in every respect per usual Wrong place right time and let the chaos and bollocks if we are not getting any more to ruin it
innit
April 12, 2018
Not a huge Hellblazer fan.
It's really a volume with two stories and two writers. I liked the first one a lot better than the second. The stories do feel like they could be on tv...I never watched the show.
It's really a volume with two stories and two writers. I liked the first one a lot better than the second. The stories do feel like they could be on tv...I never watched the show.
June 26, 2022
This book is broken up into two 3 issue arcs. The first one by Tim Seely is pretty solid. Seely nails John’s voice and the story is pretty fun. The second one isn’t nearly as good and should be skipped.
May 14, 2018
Story is so-so, but I did really like the art.
June 4, 2018
3.5 stars
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