John Constantine: Hellblazer, Vol. 1: Marks of Woe

John Constantine: Hellblazer

by Simon Spurrier, Aaron Campbell (Illustrator), Matías Bergara (Artist)

John Constantine is back in London, back to his old tricks and just in time, as things have become very dark indeed in his old stomping grounds. A small-time gang lord has found himself dealing with a big-time outbreak of supernatural weirdness and, without any allies to call on and nothing left to call his own, John doesn t have much choice about taking a paycheck from one of London s worst, or accepting the help of one of the gang lord s would-be foot soldiers. But what should be an open-and-shut exorcism turns out to be nothing but and madness is just getting started! The original Constantine is back in this series from Si Spurrier (The Dreaming) and Aaron Campbell (Infidel), with nothing to his name but decades of bad memories and an unearned second chance. How, exactly, will he squander it? There s only one way to find out

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Fantasy, Dc Comics, Fiction, Comic Book

213 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2020

Reviews

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon Spurrier takes over the title he was born to write and turns out eight issues of absolute brilliance as he grabs hold of poor John Constantine and drags him into insanity after insanity.

First off, Spurrier clears up the New 52/Rebirth Constantine continuity by basically saying 'who fucking cares' and throwing it all out the window in the one-shot, while also exploring who John is and why he's literally his own worst enemy for a fantastic cliffhanger ending that leads into the main series wonderfully.

But first we get an issue of Books Of Magic in which John turns up to try and help-slash-kill Tim Hunter, because the best person to help a fledgling magician is obviously Constantine. This one's mostly filler, but it's such distinct Spurrier-voice that I'm super glad it was included here.

Then we get six issues of the main series, which are absolutely fantastic as well. We open on some typical gang behaviour that evolves into the existential existence of angels, before John meets his Nu-Age replacement, rounding off with a one-shot story about a hospital which is spinechillingly good.

This entire volume is just pure gold. Spurrier's character work and dialogue is perfect for John; there's a reason English writers are the ones that get John the best, and Spurrier's got to be the best fit in years. The artwork, from Aaron Campbell, Marcio Takara, and Spurrier's Coda collaborator Mattias Bergara, is also as close to a Vertigo feeling as you're ever going to get these days.

This is the Constantine solo book we've needed since the original Hellblazer run ended.

What?

It's cancelled?

MOTHERFUCK-

[Sam Quixote · Rating 1 out of 5]

John Constantine: Hellblazer, Volume 1: Marks of Woe is another really poor Constantine book without any interesting stories. The opening oversized issue and the second one both repeat themselves: Timothy Hunter (the OG Harry Potter) grows up to be evil for some reason. Ok - but that goes nowhere and seems to hint that we need to read the Books of Magic series to find out why, so… that’s unsatisfying. I mean, why have this much space in a Constantine book for what amounts to a trailer for another series?

Then we’re into the main series which is a confusing mess. Some homeless jingoistic nutbag is using magic against foreigners because this is the post-Brexit world and every bad guy voted Leave, apparently. I had no idea what was going on and didn’t care to know either. William Blake is mentioned - whatever. Aaron Campbell’s art is skilful; it just wasn’t for me.

John encounters a New Age-y fanboy of his and together they fight more nationalistic magic - yawn. Har har, New Age-y stuff is stoopid. And look - a poo monster! Yeesh… And then we close on another dreary story about a ghost wandering a hospital because she was lonely in real life or something rubbish. There also seems to be a future version of John roaming the land doing evil - so all of these Vertigo magic characters turn evil as they get older for no reason??

I’ve never been taken with any of the few Simon Spurrier comics I’ve read and Marks of Woe joins them as yet another unimpressive, boring read. None of the stories were interesting and Spurrier’s got nothing to say about Brexit besides “nationalism = bad” which is an inane point to say the least. Another terrible book in the new Sandman Universe line.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spurrier starts off the series by ignoring all of the New 52 and Rebirth versions of Hellblazer. For some unexplained reason John is in an apocalyptic future caused by a mad, adult Tim Hunter. Constantine makes a deal and gets sent back to 2019 where he has been gone for years (again, for some unexplained reason). Spurrier wipes away all of Constantine's old buddies like Chas setting up a new supporting cast over the first 6 issues. The first 3 issues have Constantine working with a small potatoes gang who are being attacked by angels. Spurrier gets goofy with the second arc, having a hipster millennial wizard show up to bother Constantine. Matias Bergara's art was way too cartoony for Hellblazer. It also completely lacked backgrounds which I find very lazy.

I'm not a fan of Aaron Campbell's art. He often draws way too many lines leaving the art really dark. His magic special effects look like scribbles on the page. I have no idea in those panels what I'm looking at.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hellblazer returns to its R rated Roots while going under the Sandman Universe Umbrella. But is it good?

Simon Spurrier decides to basically have our boy Constantine say "Fuck the last few years of my stories, they don't count" and you know what? I'm very okay with that. I read New 52 Constantine and holy fucking shit people, that was horrible. This is deep into the dark, twisted, and screwed up world of John and Spurrier gets it.

The story starts off weird with events happening out of order but once we get into the main story where it focuses on individual stories we have John dealing with gangs, a new age of people who uses magic but not very skilled at it, and a vicious spirit sucking the soul out of people in a hospital. These are the dark, twisted, and grimy tales I like out of my Hellblazer stories.

Saying that, there is some negatives. I think the art change between stories is DRASTIC and hard to get used to at points. I also think the main villain, won't spoil it, is kind of cheesy in the fact it's someone very close to John. Also, I think it's a bit hard to understand all the slang, sometimes I have to re-read things.

Saying that I was pretty engrossed the whole time. Laughed, horrified, and amazed this is what Hellblazer should have been for the last 8 years. A great start, so sad it got canned already at issue 12. A 4 out of 5.

[Rory Wilding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read some Hellblazer prior, but I wouldn’t call myself a fan, let alone an expert as I'm more familiar with the adaptations from films to TV that featured the Liverpudlian street magician John Constantine. Originally Vertigo's longest running title, the series concluded and was replaced Constantine, which rebooted Constantine for the New 52, a move that upset the fanbase that aged with the character. As DC launched the Sandman Universe with a line-up of comic books that explored the dark fantasy within the DC lore, John Constantine went through another relaunch where he reclaims the title of Hellblazer.

How do you begin this long-awaited return? You begin with the end of the world as The Sandman Universe Presents: Hellblazer #1 shows an older and evil Tim Hunter reigns supernatural destruction upon the Earth whilst Constantine loses everyone and everything he knows and fears for his impending fate. However, when he is approached by an older version of himself, Constantine gets a second lease on life as he is transported to an alternate reality with the chance of being a better version of himself.

Transitioning from an apocalyptic future to the present-day 2019 where Constantine feels like a fish-out-of-water, writer Simon Spurrier acknowledges previous continuities, whilst setting up a new stage of the street magician, such as existing in a new reality and can he go beyond his cynical nature? A common criticism I have towards the DC Relaunch line-up is how conflicted the numerous titles can be by trying to be both new and familiar. However, throughout this volume, being old and new works in the urban fantasy surroundings that can be relevant to the issues of today, whilst Constantine can still be defined by his biting personality. Much of this issue is nightmarish and it helps that artist Marcio Takara presents a visually striking apocalypse.

Following a fun Books of Magic issue that Spurrier co-wrote with that series’ writer Kat Howard – in which Constantine confronts the younger Tim Hunter with a test about the latter’s morality – we then proceed with Constantine’s new solo series. The first three issues are about Constantine being forced to help a small-time gang boss whose crew is being shredded by supernatural entities. Right from the start, with its gritty London streets and dark tone (immediately established by artist Aaron Campbell), this feels like classic Hellblazer, where Constantine can be potty-mouthed and cynical, whilst there is nothing clean about the supporting cast and yet they are so engaging.

In the next two issues, Spurrier lightens the mood when Constantine has to contend with the adoration of a new mage in town named Tommy Willowtree. Although this continues the ongoing conspiracy of the title, this arc is more driven with a comedic tone as it’s basically a buddy-up between the bitter magician and the optimistic mage, confronting the likes of vulgar ravens and poo-made monsters. With moments of humour, Matías Bergara’s artwork and Jordie Bellaire’s colours present a bright palette to the environments, which adds to the slapstick moments such as Constantine and Willowtree drinking more than ten pints and see which one pukes first.

The final issue ends the volume on a truly high note by showcasing Noah – who was introduced in the first issue and seems to be the new Chas for this series – as he witnesses an evil that is killing patients in the hospital where his mother is also a patient at. The recurring theme throughout this volume is hatred and how it is manifested through a supernatural entity, drawn to such horrific fashion by Aaron Campbell, who has proven his horror credentials with Infidel a couple of years ago.

The sad thing about this comic is that DC cancelled it, despite being a return-to-form for a beloved creation that had been absent for most of the last decade. Whilst we wait for the next volume, which will cover the final six issues, Spurrier and Co present something really special with the true John Constantine.

[Dev · Rating 4 out of 5]

actual rating: 3.5

This volume got off to a bit of a slow start with the first arc - or maybe I just don't know enough of this specific brand of British slang to muddle through it - but it picked up with the last three issues and I found myself really enjoying it by the end. Got burnt out on Hellblazer a few years ago trying to get through all the backlog but I'm interested to see what direction this new series goes.

Pictured: two bisexual wizard morons getting wasted

[Gavin Jefferson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Collected and read the individual issues (#1 one shot, #1-6)
Outstanding. If you're a fan of the Delano Hellblazer, then you'll feel right at home, here. Constantine in 2020 feels just like Thatcher-era Constantine, with sharp anti-establishment writing and brutal, unexpected humour. After reading issue 6 (titled: Quiet), I can't help but feel overrun with excitement for this series. The whole thing was great, but that one issue (#6) stood head and shoulders above the rest. It's a contained story, akin to Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean's 'Hold Me' (Issue 27), and it hits like a bat to the bread basket. If that doesn't get nominated for an Eisner, then there's something wrong in this world. Spectacular. Loved it.

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

At last a true Constantine book. After years of bad to mediocre stuff on the shelves since the end of the original series I do have the feeling of the o.g. Hellblazer.

If I skip the Tim Hunter part that is. I’ve never read books of magic so the character is alien to me and the reintroduction of J.C. to get rid of a potentially malignant Tim Hunter left me with no real clue as to what to do about it.
But at least it erased the aforementioned mediocre stuff.

And here’s our Johnny again. Miserable bastard covered in guilt but addicted to fame and magic and who’ll end up destroying everybody around him. Haaah. Feels good enni’t?
Chas being out of the picture new characters are introduced- Nat the Glaswegian girl with scarred knucles and Noah chiefly- and I like them already. Tommy Willowtree is very funny and brings up fresh humour.

All this thanks to Simon Spurrier who nailed John’s voice to the letter, accent and all. Eh, nothing like a Brit to work on this series. He reminded me of Delano’s first run way back when and that’s a bloody compliment.

[Alex Sarll]

The fourth attempt at reviving John Constantine since Hellblazer proper was cancelled, and definitely the best. Spurrier's affinity with untrustworthy leads always seemed like a good match for John, but I was still wary enough of modern DC's reverse Midas touch that I didn't pick this up in singles, and before this first collection was even out the series' cancellation was announced. Yes, I could blame myself, but blaming the shortsightedness of a major publishing corporation who still don't know which books will sell better as trades seems a little fairer, not to mention a lot more WWJD. J standing for this JC, obviously. And oh boy, it might sound tautologous, but after all those versions who'd been tweaked and denatured to various extents, this JC really is this JC again. The opening pages take us to the occult apocalypse from the original Books Of Magic, and from there weave a lightning web off so many of the character's key anchor points, from Kit to his opening line, yet also spinning off to even acknowledge things it would have been much easier to forget, like the Keanu version. Anyone with Google can do continuity wank nowadays, of course, but the trick is doing it well, making something which doesn't just feel like a checklist of nods for the heads, and that is here too – whether it be new material ("wannabe-Slytherin cunts!") or just Spurrier finding an emotionally satisfying internal logic which lets him say, yes, I know the character's past, and it matters, but I can't and won't commit to treating it all as sacrosanct because that's not how you make magic.
(The downside to all this, admittedly, and the main thing which makes me feel a glimmer of understanding for the cancellation, is that while the first issue is absolutely a restatement of principles, it's one which relies on at least a glancing familiarity with the character. This is not All-Star Superman, with its opening three-page statement of why Superman matters. If you came to this cold, you'd have a miserable old bastard wandering through some scenes of carnage getting people killed, and I couldn't entirely blame you for not sticking around when the world is amply supplied with those anyway)

That's followed by a crossover appearance in the new Books Of Magic series, which I suppose was a necessary bridge but didn't convince me any better than the rest I've read of that run. Thereafter, though, we're on to the new Hellblazer proper, and even more so than the bravura opening, this was where it hit me: this feels like a Vertigo book. Yeah, the logo on the cover may say Black Label, but the evocative murkiness of Aaron Campbell's art, the heft of the volume, even the texture of the paper – they just add up to a haptic suggestion of being home. Not that the story, with hopeless lives getting caught up in dark magic, isn't doing its share of lifting too. Hell, there's even an identifiable member of the British establishment engaging in murderous sex crimes, and somehow the context has me excitedly thinking 'Royal Blood!' instead of wearily sighing that these stories don't work as fiction anymore in an age where people seriously believe in QAnon. As the titles A Green And Pleasant Land and Marks Of Woe suggest, a key influence here is Blake - a natural match, being another anti-authoritarian London gutter-mage, but not one I recall Hellblazer going too long on before, and so another instance in which the run manages to feel like it's respecting the mythos while also organically and sensitively expanding it.

After the power of that, the two-part Scrubbing Up comes across as trying a little too hard. Jordie Bellaire is still colouring, but goes for a much gentler palette on Matias Bergara's more lighthearted style. The tone feels oddly wonky, and while I often enjoy that, not least in other Spurrier work, here there were times when it just felt confused. John meets what initially seems to be a clueless magic groupie who doubles as a checklist of millennial cliches (he's a poly vegan with a man-bun who likes silly coffee!), but who's also quite good at magic, and who has been looking after London in John's absence. Now, I definitely recognise the idea that a cranky old bastard can be envious of the younger generation, while at the same time finding them ridiculous, but it still didn't quite cohere for me, and was probably the closest thing here to what I feared a new Hellblazer might be, a burlesque as much as a continuation.

Finally, the one-shot Quiet, with Campbell back, bringing the darker mood with him. The whole volume is strung through with a notion of Brexit &c as a curse, but it's closest to the surface here, the story reifying an everyday English horror as supernatural manifestation in much the same way Delano, Smith or Morrison used Hellblazer to do. And if the collection as a whole isn't quite up there with Smith, or Ennis, or Moore, it's definitely ahead of huge chunks of the original like Carey, Macan and Jenkins. Level with Milligan, maybe? And definitely something I'd like to have seen develop further, because none of the big runs were strongest at their start. So of course it didn't stand a chance, because this is modern DC, and the 2020s, where nothing good does.

[Димитър Цолов · Rating 4 out of 5]

Има ги митологичните заигравки, а жанрово си е абсолютно праведен хорър, но сценарият на Саймън Спъриър, поне аз така го усещам, леко издишаше спрямо гениалните хрумки на Нийл Геймън от двете оригинални томчета в Sandman-Вселената (Прелюдии и ноктюрни и Куклена къща), които вече съм чел. На моменти бе прекалено хаотичен дори за абсолютно разпилян човек, зодия Близнаци, кат моя милост, хе-хе. Артът, дело на няколко художника ми се понрави - създаваше необходимата атмосфера с мрачни тонове и грубовати щрихи, единствено панелите на Матиас Бергара ми стояха като кръпки на фона на останалите - с доста детински рисунък и неподходящо жизнерадостна палитра от цветове.

3,5/5

[KK · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow wow wow.
Vrlo mi je interesantno sto prica vezuje i Gejmanove Knjige magije!
Odlicna prica sa dobrim crtezima!
Ozbiljno bih se zajebala da je nisam procitala!

[Robert Sienicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Constantine, as we all loved him before DC axed the original Vertigo series and turned him into a PG13 team playing wizard shooting magic out of his butthole to save Green fucking Lantern, is back. I love this book with all my dark heart. Obviously DC already cancelled this series as well...

[Cale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume is uneven, and not helped by the artist changes between each of the smaller stories in the collection. It all feels very much like the Hellblazer of old, but there's a bit too much navel gazing going on for me. While John is almost always his own worst enemy, that gets taken a little too literally here. And while none of the stories are particularly weak, they don't build to a very unifying whole.
The first issue is the slate cleaner, getting Constantine out from under world-destroying disasters and sticking him in a new London where he's basically starting from scratch. It has its moments, but doesn't do much heavy lifting. Then we have the Books of Magic crossover that I already read in that series' collection, where it actually feels a bit more appropriate (although it does set up a new favorite character/situation with John's new phone).
The longest story deals with racism, William Blake, and a silent boy and the tone of 2019 London in general. It's not particularly strong, although the art is the most stylistically impressive.
Then we get John dealing with his "successor," in a very angular style that I wasn't particularly impressed with. John competing with his younger self has its moments, but overall this was the story I liked the least.
But the volume ends with one of those one-off stories that the classic series occasionally nailed: Quiet is just about a perfect Hellblazer story and it returns to the more stylistic approach that really fits the series better. It adds a star to the score by itself.
I've got faith in Spurrier - what he did with Lucifer was very impressive, and he's got the tone of Constantine down almost perfectly here. I'm hoping the plot moves in a direction that gives him a better antagonist than the 'shadowy figure' of this one, whose identity isn't hidden, but doesn't add much to the proceedings. John's at his best when he's out of his depth, and clawing to hang on, and the stakes here aren't that high yet.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandman Universe John Constantine Hellblazer Volume 1 Marks of Woe DC Black Label I received this graphic book as a gift. John is back this time in the Apocalypse future in London where gangsters are being killed by entities. What a ride this was I enjoyed reading anything with John Constantine and movies. I recommend this graphic book to fans of John Constantine.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Constantine for post-Brexit London.

And every bit as depressing as the premise sounds.

[Tomás Sendarrubias García · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pues una de las ventajas que ha tenido el relanzamiento del Universo Sandman ha sido esta nueva colección de John Constantine (que vuelve a tener el epíteto de "Hellblazer", como antaño), al frente de la cual DC ha puesto al estandarte del regreso del universo de Sueño, Simon Spurrier. Constantine, el detective mágico por antonomasia, fue creado a mediados de los 80 por el mismísimo Alan Moore en una de las etapas más brillantes de la historia del cómic (así, sin exagerar), que fue el paso del polémico guionista por la colección de La Cosa del Pantano. El mago de la gabardina marcó al público del momento, fue uno de los personajes que apareció por Crisis en Tierras Infinitas, y se ganó su primera colección ya en 1988: Hellblazer. Con el tiempo, Constantine se convertiría en el paladín de la línea Vértigo de DC Cómics, junto a colecciones tan importantes como Sandman, La Patrulla Condenada o Los Invisibles; y aparecería por ejemplo en Los Libros de la Magia, como uno de los cuatro magos que muestran la magia a Tim Hunter; y con tal importancia editorial que, por ejemplo, Morrison no pudo utilizarlo en Patrulla Condenada, teniendo que crear a su propio detective mágico, Willougby Kipling. Constantine (bajo el título de Hellblazer), contaría con brillantes etapas de mano de Jamie Delano (el primer guionista de la colección), Garth Ennis, Peter Milligan o Andy Diggle entre otros muchos, y después de El Día Más Brillante y Flashpoint, regresó al universo clásico de DC, donde se incorporó a la versión oscura de la Liga de la Justicia... Les perdí la pista no mucho después, la verdad, nunca me gustó demasiado el mundo posterior a Flashpoint y las Nueva 52, pero ahora he vuelto a encontrarme con el Mago... Y ha molado mucho.

Spurrier nos trae una historia de mundos paralelos para devolver a Constantine a la actualidad, a este Universo Sandman, desde un momento apocalíptico en el que el malvado Tim Hunter adulto destruía el mundo, y por determinadas circunstancias, John se ver arrojado de nuevo a este mundo del Universo Sandman, donde Tim es aún joven, etc. Evidentemente John primero va a intentar solucionar sus temas con Tim, y aunque aquí en España, ECC ha incluido ese número de Los Libros de la Magia en este tomo, ya lo había publicado en el correspondiente de Los Libros de la Magia; John no va a tardar mucho en tener sus propios problemas, y los vamos a ver en dos arcos. Y son tan sórdidos, oscuros, desgarrados y crudos que creo que me he pasado la lectura del tomo con la boca abierta. Una guerra de bandas con influencia mágica, William Blake, ángeles, un augur que lee el futuro en los trozos muertos de sus propios compañeros, un joven y bondadoso aspirante a mago con el angelical nombre de Tommy Willowtree, los objetos sagrados de Britania... Spurrier lo mezcla todo en una historia alucinante (que incluye, y tengo que decirlo, la mejor escena en un baño público jamás escrita) que no para ni un momento y que me ha recordado los mejores momentos de la vieja Vértigo, donde cada página era una sorpresa y cada idea una tormenta en el cerebro.

Absolutamente flipante.

[Heath Lowrance · Rating 5 out of 5]

For 12 months, this was the absolute best thing DC had done in ages, and definitely the best take on Constantine since Mike Carey. So, you know, the only logical thing to do is cancel it before it even has a chance, right? But be sure to catch up on all 100 pointless issues of the latest mega-cross-over status quo changing bullshit DC is doing with their stable of super heroes, that’s always fresh and exciting, innit.

[Clint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written and illustrated, and further confirmation that Spurrier is one of my favorite comic writers of the past several years. I’ve enjoyed Constantine’s cameos in a few recent-ish DC series and vaguely intend to check out some of his original Vertigo series at the fabled “some point,” but I’m really impressed at how effortlessly Spurrier brings Constantine back to post-Brexit England, acknowledging his past at times but largely starting from scratch so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on decades of obligatory exposition.

Comic writers dropping in heavy literature references is a trope that almost always feels fumbled and pretentious to me, so I was really impressed at how well Spurrier includes Blake references in the opening few issues that feel integral to the story for both plot and character reasons. There’s lots of phantasmagorical spookiness that fits the Halloween season, but it doesn’t take itself too serious and it’s all very cleverly premised and resolved. The post-Brexit setting comments on a range of contemporary social issues (often tying them into the supernatural happenings) but never feels didactic or preachy. Along those lines, I’m impressed with its generally progressive outlook that still manages to playfully jab at some shallower sentiments with a friendly eye-roll (and without resorting to the middle-aged “both sides” cynicism of something like South Park or Grand Theft Auto’s tone). The writing is also just consistently very funny.

And this is another book where even if the writing was mediocre, the art alone would be worth reading this. Aaron Campbell draws most of the issues with an appropriately dark and scratchy realism that’s attractive, and then Matias Bergara (from the equally great Coda!) teams up with Spurrier again for a 2 issue arc in the middle that’s visually bright and totally different but even more gorgeous to look at. Jordie Bellaire’s coloring for both artists is as great as ever, and even Aditya Bidikar’s lettering is distinctive and noteworthy; his presentation of a mute character’s dialogue through British Sign Language is intuitive and new to me, and all the spoken magic and invoked names are interestingly lettered too.

I was sad when the TimeWarner restructuring resulted in this series getting cut to 12 issues since I’d heard great things about it and was waiting for this first trade; now that I’ve read it I’m even more disappointed that this will be cut so short. What a shame, but at least there’s one more volume after this to look forward to!

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yessssss. Though it's a bit uneven, the bastard is back and it's just so much fun to read him trying to make sense of the modern world.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four times, DC has rebooted John Constantine since the Nu52, and it took them four times to get it right — and they basically only did so by going back to the formula of the original Hellblazer, not all the crap they've run in the last several years.

Simon Spurrier's Hellblazer feels in largest part like the original, by Warren Ellis, but it's also got a bit of Paul Jenkin's focus on English myth. It's a nice combination, written by a strong author. Here, we get WIlliam Blake, the defender of England, and a hateful ghost. It's a great set of Constantine stories that are mostly quite dark, with art to match.

There's also an underlying tale of the trickster playing the trickster, and though I look forward to its finale, it's not the most interesting part of this comic.

A vast pity that this take on Constantine, the first good one in a decade, had such a short shelf-life.

[Max's Comic Reviews and Lists · Rating 3 out of 5]

Born for Black Label
As a huge longtime fan of Hellblazer, this was pretty solid. Though not entirely new and fresh feeling stories, it’s Hellblazer to the bone and doesn’t hold back with the British savagery the series is known for. All of the stories do a decent job of adding a little bit of humanity to John as well as the new side characters. The Green and Pleasant Land and Quiet in particular are fantastic Hellblazer stories that reminded me why I love this complex universe. The other stories are kinda eh but enjoyable none the less. Unfortunately the only art that worked for me was the gritty and imperfect art of Aaron Campbell. Even with some impressive examples of dynamic images none of the other art fit with the stories. Grade: (B)

[Fraser Simons · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just not something I ever cared about, and eventually started speed reading. The first little arc being rooted to books of magic was stuff I already knew about, though afterward his making a deal with an ostensible future self to save him in the moment, at the cost of his soul, was interesting—it just felt like it was spinning it’s wheels afterward. Same old John, same old. The art was great, though. Won’t bother with the second volume.

[Danilo Otašević · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sjano. Posle mnogo neuspelih pokušaja, DC je konačno našao pravu meru u karakterizaciji Džona Konstantina. Poslednja priča dokazuje da savremeni superherojski strip ume da odradi jedan emotivan i inteligentan "one shot". Najbolji Konstantin još od prvih 100 brojeva Helblejzera.

PS: Draško je razvalio sa prevodom.

[María Amparo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandman Universe: John Constantine Hellblazer Vol 1, Señales de infortunio:

-La mejor versión de ti mismo
-Malas influencias (Los libros de la magia)
-Una tierra verde y plácida (3 de3)
-La Limpieza (2 de 2)
-Silencio

Vale la pena acercarse a este volumen solo por la genialidad de unir el final de la cabecera original para explicar el cómo de este conato de reinicio - por otra parte también ya miserablemente cancelado- mediante, de nuevo, un doble Constantine. Muy bien traído, y ¡menudo malnacido de viejo!. Y qué ganas tenía yo, después de todas las chapuzas del nuevo universo DC, los 52 y demás inventos, de ver auténtica y constantiniana mala leche. El nuevo equipo de verdad ha buscado el espíritu y casi la letra de nuestro querido John. De hecho, hay mucho en el guión de Spurrier que me recuerda a la etapa de Paul Jenkins, y eso es un halago. Adoro ese arco argumental en contra de la opinión de otros seguidores del mago de Liverpool. Con ganas del segundo tomo. Y con algo de miedo también.
Esta va a ser mi despedida del personaje.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an excellent return to form for the Laughing Magician. This run gets so much right, even in the filler issues. John’s lost plenty but starts out cultivating a new cast of people who will likely be abused while in his orbit. While there’s a genuine humor to this it doesn’t get lost or in the way of its signature grimness.

Well balanced and still telling unique stories for a character that’s been around this long. Really love Spurrier’s take on John.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, a way for me to get into John Constantine's character that doesn't feel like homework. I enjoyed the style of 90s Vertigo comics, but I don't have as much patience for their wordiness these days.

Also glad to see Constantine back in his R-rated mode after a few years of DC toning him down to fit him in the broader DC universe.

And I fucking love Aaron Campbell's art in horror(see also Infidel from Image Comics).

[Dusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic John, the book opens as he rolls over on another friend... sending him to his death. So true to who he is. Its a fun read filled demon apps, dorky wizards, hipster wizards, tough chick bouncers and mute street toughs. Pulled a star because the writer is hung up on racism. Jeez, I get it... the whole world is racist. Jeez.

[Erik Carl son · Rating 5 out of 5]

DC Comics makes another amazingly stupid move by cancelling this brilliant series

[Billy Jepma · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an excellent, nasty, compelling comic. Spurrier has been a writer that I've enjoyed quite a bit in my limited exposure to his work, but he's operating at another level here. He writes Constantine in all the grimy shades-of-grey the character deserves and concocts some devilish plots for him to mess about in. The two-part story in the middle of the volume didn't vibe with me—the new character and his dynamic with Constantine felt too cliched for me to latch onto—but everything else was top-of-the-line stellar. I love how twisted the horror elements are; I love how the series intermixes its supernatural elements with our modern political landscape, and I love how the entire volume is so steeped in so much griminess that I wanted to take a shower after reading it, which is precisely the vibe I want from a Constantine comic.

The alternating art styles between story arcs are a little jarring, as they often are, but it's all great. Impeccable use of color and shadow from Jordie Bellaire, who is reliably excellent, but Aaron Campbell's work steals the show. The four issues he draws are just outstanding. He gives the stories a distinct texture and style that takes everything in Spurrier's script and elevates it by tapping into all the dirty thematic undertones and converting them into haunting, twisted visuals.

It's devastating to know there's only one more volume of this to look forward to because Spurrier knocked it out of the park and deserved/deserves to have a lengthy run with Constantine.

[Deb Omnivorous Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh. This started out as a two star review, but I realised I just didn't even like it that much.

Hellblazer is a series that has been going on a loooong time and has been through legions of writers, artists and illustrators. I am less than impressed by the current writer and this seems to be my baseline reaction to Simon Spurriers writing in general I am afraid. He seems to be some kind of wonderkid at DC, getting to write for several of my favourite titles but without making a single story that was really good, let alone outstanding, as so many other Hellblazer writers have been. The artwork was a little hit or miss too; I like Aaron Campbell's take on the artwork, he has a variety of styles that he integrates and there tend to be a lot of dynamic panels and colour work. I was less impressed by the other artists, though, granted Matias Bergara does a great job with everything OTHER that Constantine himself. Hated his representation of Constantine.

Despite the mostly-decent-artwork this book failed to impress on any level, the stories were just too meh. They are almost instantly forgettable, like the whole theme with Timothy Hunter - what was that even doing in a Hellblazer? It was banal and meaningless, I can only assume they were trying to capitalise on The Books of Magic and I was not impressed in any way.

Actually all of the stories are entirely forgettable and though it is obvious that Spurrier is trying to set up a new suite of backup characters for a new series, not a single one of them is interesting enough to keep this reader involved. A couple of the stories had potential to be decent, but they never really got past derivative.