‘I’m a nasty piece of work, chief. Ask anybody.’
So said John Constantine on his debut in Swamp Thing #37. He said it again on DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. And he states this once more in this special from DC’s new Black Label imprint, and the callback couldn’t be more appropriate.
Because this is John going back to his roots, escaping the ‘swarm of glittering arseholes’ he’s mixed with since he was thrown into the heart of the DC Universe in 2011. The New 52 line is long gone, replaced by DC Rebirth, and this is John’s rebirth, as he segues from ‘the flashy shit’ to a world that feels more authentic to his original character.
Whether or not he likes where he’s landed, that’s to be seen in his upcoming new series…
This issue opens with Constantine setting the scene. He’s on the ground, in the streets, as a Magic War rages above. All hell has broken loose.
John saves the day, but not without a sacrifice, one that will likely prove heartbreaking to longtime fans of the character. Amidst the melee, John is fatally injured, but a stranger appears and offers John the usual deal – renewal in exchange for his soul.
John wakes up in familiar surroundings – Ravenscar, the psychiatric hospital to which he was committed decades ago, after the infamous Newcastle incident. Needless to say, he’s soon out of there, and back in London, where his mind tries to make sense of the realities he’s known.
And John’s first order of business? Find best mate Chas…
The devil’s in the detail with this story from writer Si Spurrier, artist Marcio Takara, colourist Cris Peter and letterer Aditya Bidikar. So many devils, so much brilliant detail. John sounds like himself for the first time in years, and while by the end he looks a little younger, less timeworn, there’s no doubt this is the authentic Hellblazer. The John Constantine originated by Alan Moore and developed by Jamie Delano and Garth Ennis, not the superhero in street duds, but the backstreet warlock who tangled with the big guys only occasionally.
This issue is rated 17+ and I’m not surprised, as the F-word isn’t the strongest of the language. It all suits the story, though… actually, the use of the C-word seems almost restrained, given the circumstances, and it’s in a pretty funny line. The vulgar language is sprinkled throughout the issue but Spurrier makes the crudeness sing as he captures John’s cadences. And if you’re a fan of ye olde English insults, has Spurrier got a yaldson for you.
That panel, above, with John trying to sort out reality in his head, seems to be Spurrier saying bollocks to continuity, let’s just get John away from the throng. That’s not to say the DC Universe books definitely won’t have ‘their’ John still around – this issue leaves room for that – but for anyone who wants a cleaner Constantine, one not involved with massive crossovers, there’s a safe space over in the Sandman Universe Presents… corner of DC Comics.
Spurrier impresses with his grasp of Constantine’s history, both in his fenced-off Vertigo days and more recent mainstream DCU period, finding a way to make both fit. And I love when he gets experimental, during John’s session with a psychiatrist.
As for Marcio Takara’s contribution, it’s huge, his imaginative visuals spanning everything from a massive supernatural battle to the backstreets of Austerity Britain. I like his classic characterisation of John; cocky on the outside, a bag of self-loathing inside, and his demons and ghosts are to die for. Cris Peters’ colours are spectacular, bright and bold at the start, when John’s in full-on DCU mode, more subdued as the tale returns to a more traditional Hellblazer tone. And Peters confirms that, yes, Comics John – like Matt Ryan’s excellent TV version – dyes his hair. (I think I spotted Ryan in a multiverse montage, along with big-screen Hellblazer Keanu Reeves.) Aditya Bidikar, a new name to me, does a tremendous job of keeping the lettering spooky, with a roomful of ghouls giving him a great excuse to dazzle with his bag of fonts.
Bilquis Evely and Mat Lopes contribute a cover with a Doorway to Nightmare feel, and it works rather well. I love the detail of John setting a particular tarot card on fire with his mighty fag. And a big hand, too, to editors Chris Conroy and Maggie Howell, for sitting in whatever horrible pentagram it took to get so much talent together.
Drama, humour, sadness, pig-head magic…. so far as this old John Constantine fan is concerned, this one has it all. It’s one of the best comics I’ve read this year. Bring on the monthly!
I never liked Vertigo Constantine but have enjoyed him in mainstream continuity again. The tragic love affair with Zee is one of my favorite story arcs in years. I should also state that I find that Spurrier seems to be determinedly weird at time, as if whatever he’d originally come up with in a story wasn’t odd enough. I also quite enjoyed this issue too. I especially liked that anything that just didn’t work (and I did buy quite a lot of the Vertigo stuff as before I conquered completism so I’m including over half of what I read of it as bad choices) can now be ignored and its canon. Tim’s book is the only one of its line I enjoy so I’m looking forward to how this sails alongside it…
LikeLike
I appreciate this so much because it is not talking down to me. I am an adult and I can handle the language, the insinuations, and the, quite literally, monstrous decisions John makes. I don’t need John to be in my face bisexual, though I like that they embraced that in the last books, I just like the fact that the writer here doesn’t feel a need to tell us about John so much as allow us to see who he is by his actions.
That they have brought with them aspects of all the runs before also warms my heart, as I’d like to see what this more mature book will do with his strained “friendship” with Zatanna.
LikeLike
I’m glad you like this too. Now I’m hoping for John really dialled back so far as his magic using goes – no knowing a spell for every occasion, no blasting bolts from his hands. And I’d like to see him make some new friends, you know, when there’s a need for someone to get killed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, Comics writers have a tendency to power up everyone to the point of being almost Gods, don’t they? Mind you, it would be nice if some of his friends didn’t end up as demon fodder. I mean, just so we could have someone truly likable to admire.
LikeLike
Oh, man, it’s so good to have the real John Constantine back. And yes, definitely keep the spellwork low-key and subtle. No mystic bolts, just stuff like we used to see, where anything major took effort and sacrifice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pre-cisely!
LikeLike
why is it that eye think that old man is John albeit one who is older
LikeLike
It seemed to be pretty likely, but I’m guessing the panel in which we have this exchange:
John: ‘You’re me.’
Man: ‘Round of applause for the bellend in beige.’
LikeLiked by 1 person
is the world really ready for a crotchety pensioner John Constatine?
LikeLike