John Constantine: Hellblazer #1 // Review
Last month, John Constantine returned to his mature horror roots in The Sandman Presents Hellblazer #1. This month, his ongoing adventures begin in earnest with the first issue of his new ongoing, John Constantine: Hellblazer.
The book dives right into the problem: Drug dealers and their customers are disappearing, mysteriously, and through mystical means. One gang of dealers with supernatural knowledge kidnaps John Constantine and presses him into service, investigating the disappearances, which get ever more gruesome. Meanwhile, John’s older self is up to something nefarious elsewhere in London.
The writing by Simon Spurrier is, at least in this first issue, quite strong. Spurrier captures Constantine’s voice and introduces an engrossing plot for him to unravel. One new character, the gang leader K-Mag, is a fascinating new idea we haven’t seen much in modern horror comics. All of the dialogue feels authentic, if perhaps difficult to parse; some of the British slang is a little impenetrable.
Aaron Campbell’s art is appropriately gritty and gruesome. Campbell builds suspense well, and his photorealistic style is an unflinching way to depict the horrors of Constantine’s world. Jordie Bellaire’s colors are garish and slightly sickening—a compliment in this context. Aditya Bidikar’s lettering aids in building the bizarre atmosphere of the horrific story.
John Constantine: Hellblazer #1 is an excellent debut. Whether the story can continue to sustain itself for an entire arc or two remains to be seen.
