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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My first introduction to John Constantine as a character was his cameo appearance in Neil Gaiman's "Sandman" comics. Later, in the Keanu Reeves movie from 2005. Then, a couple episodes of the television series.
So I decided to finally check out the actual Hellblazer comics he originally came from. And I was . . . underwhelmed, honestly. I don't know if seeing Constantine in all these other incarnations skewed my expectations, or if this particular collection didn't have all the best stories or what, but my overall feeling was that he seemed to be a peripheral character in his own comic. A much more passive, reactive character than I expected.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy this, but it was very different in atmosphere and tone than what I usually expect from Vertigo. I also wasn't a fan of the "Swamp Thing" arc at all.
I might check out the next volume, but I'm reshuffling my expectations a lot.
So I decided to finally check out the actual Hellblazer comics he originally came from. And I was . . . underwhelmed, honestly. I don't know if seeing Constantine in all these other incarnations skewed my expectations, or if this particular collection didn't have all the best stories or what, but my overall feeling was that he seemed to be a peripheral character in his own comic. A much more passive, reactive character than I expected.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy this, but it was very different in atmosphere and tone than what I usually expect from Vertigo. I also wasn't a fan of the "Swamp Thing" arc at all.
I might check out the next volume, but I'm reshuffling my expectations a lot.
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Constantine is a bastard, but you can't help but love him.
“But she, cruel immortal, whirls, vibrant on her way- While I fall pray to welcome entropy”
Hellblazer Original Sins by John Delano takes us into a world of black magic, demons and ghosts. The world of John Constantine.
I’m so glad I’ve started the Hellblazer series from the beginning. I love the character of John Constantine and how he is caught amongst the dangers of dark magic. As much as he tries he can’t escape it.
This volume contains his first appearance in The Swap Thing, Resurrection and Damnation, Going for it, When Johnny Cones Marching home and many others.
I really enjoyed this volume as it ticked all the boxes for me with horror, ghosts, demons, humour, dark magic and of course the main man himself John Constantine. The graphics are so beautiful and intense.
Hellblazer Original Sins by John Delano takes us into a world of black magic, demons and ghosts. The world of John Constantine.
I’m so glad I’ve started the Hellblazer series from the beginning. I love the character of John Constantine and how he is caught amongst the dangers of dark magic. As much as he tries he can’t escape it.
This volume contains his first appearance in The Swap Thing, Resurrection and Damnation, Going for it, When Johnny Cones Marching home and many others.
I really enjoyed this volume as it ticked all the boxes for me with horror, ghosts, demons, humour, dark magic and of course the main man himself John Constantine. The graphics are so beautiful and intense.
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Best way to talk to a zombie w/o getting ripped apart: Verbally abuse said zombie.
John Constantine... I wouldn't say I'd want to be friends with the guy (since the dude has a body count when it comes to his mates) but I do think he's an interesting character. Not someone you'd particularly pick if you really needed a pal but he'd probably be decent drinking companion? From the first issue, you're immediately thrown into the world of the occult with John Constantine. Demons, zombies, ghosts and cults; this book had it all if you're looking for a supernatural read with a bit of grit.
Best way to talk to a zombie w/o getting ripped apart: Verbally abuse said zombie.
John Constantine... I wouldn't say I'd want to be friends with the guy (since the dude has a body count when it comes to his mates) but I do think he's an interesting character. Not someone you'd particularly pick if you really needed a pal but he'd probably be decent drinking companion? From the first issue, you're immediately thrown into the world of the occult with John Constantine. Demons, zombies, ghosts and cults; this book had it all if you're looking for a supernatural read with a bit of grit.
I just finished this last night, and I feel like it took me forever to read. Mostly because of general life stuff creeping in, but this is a long book and pretty dense. It stands up there with some of the other Vertigo titles that I've read and enjoyed immensely though.
It has a slow build. Which I think is fantastic. Sometimes that can make books drag on. It's executed very well in this case though. The slow reveals allow time to learn more about Constantine, his place in the world, and the types of situations he has to deal with. It's not as action packed as the movie (at least from what I can remember) and it doesn't need to be. This is a great character driven story that mixes in elements of heaven/hell, religion, and morality. I like that it doesn't shy away from some of the nastier aspects of humanity. And it does so in a way that doesn't feel incredibly bleak.
The couple of Swamp Thing issues thrown in at the end were a surprise. I was aware that Constantine and Swamp Thing had some sort of connection, but those issues go way beyond anything that I knew about. That part isn't really necessary to the book as a whole. I'm glad it is included because it expands on the characters and the setting. Plus, it is rather creepy to have Swamp Thing taking over Constantine's body. The details are a little sketchy though.
I thought the art was great. Sure, it's a bit rougher than we might be used to reading now, but the grittiness of the drawings fit so well with the tone of the book. Some of the color choices are more jarring than the pencils. I am interested in reading more stories about this character, but I don't think that will happen anytime soon.
It has a slow build. Which I think is fantastic. Sometimes that can make books drag on. It's executed very well in this case though. The slow reveals allow time to learn more about Constantine, his place in the world, and the types of situations he has to deal with. It's not as action packed as the movie (at least from what I can remember) and it doesn't need to be. This is a great character driven story that mixes in elements of heaven/hell, religion, and morality. I like that it doesn't shy away from some of the nastier aspects of humanity. And it does so in a way that doesn't feel incredibly bleak.
The couple of Swamp Thing issues thrown in at the end were a surprise. I was aware that Constantine and Swamp Thing had some sort of connection, but those issues go way beyond anything that I knew about. That part isn't really necessary to the book as a whole. I'm glad it is included because it expands on the characters and the setting. Plus, it is rather creepy to have Swamp Thing taking over Constantine's body. The details are a little sketchy though.
I thought the art was great. Sure, it's a bit rougher than we might be used to reading now, but the grittiness of the drawings fit so well with the tone of the book. Some of the color choices are more jarring than the pencils. I am interested in reading more stories about this character, but I don't think that will happen anytime soon.
Hellblazer: Original Sins collects the first nine issues of John Constantine's genre-defining and groundbreaking solo run along with two issues from Swamp Thing. When Delano's writing is good, it's /really/ good. The way he ties politically conscious storylines with horror is just brilliant in stories like "Going for It" and"Extreme Prejudice." "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" was almost an interesting perspective on the Vietnam War and its aftermath but I did not like the use of sexual assault at all. "Waiting for the Man" was another great story that showed Constantine's not a total heartless bastard when it comes to his sister and little niece, Gemma. There's quite a bit of questionably consensual sex throughout the book, so fair warning there, and it's still written by a white British man in the 1980s, so it's got issues, specifically in regards to handling race and women. In contrast, Delano's musings on class are poignant and the thread of queerness running through the book can surely be directly linked to Constantine's eventual development into a bisexual character. The art by John Ridgway is not terrible but not great especially compared to what artists like Denys Cowan were producing at that time. I've always enjoyed John in DC's newer books and in Matt Ryan's various portrayals of him so I'm excited to read more of his early stuff.
Things that I have learned: I share a birthday with John Constantine. Because I'm cool. He's our slightly fed-up defence against the dark forces in the universe, heavy-drinking and heavy-smoking, with a past that makes you understand why he's so cynical. Love the art, stories excellent.