[JohnMcMahon]

DARK ENTRIES HC
Written by Ian Rankin
Art by Werther Dell’Edera
Cover by Lee Bermejo



“Rankin’s work is crime fiction at its most consuming, cerebral best.” – The New Yorker
“The best living British crime writer.” – Lee Child, bestselling author
“One of Britain’s leading novelists in any genre.” – New Statesman
Occult detective John Constantine has seen his share of strange things in his career, but nothing could prepare him for the horrors of…reality television. “Haunted Mansion” is currently the hottest show on tv, but when the macabre house actually starts attacking the contestants, Constantine is hired to be the ultimate mole. Locked inside with a cast of wannabe-celebrities, his every move being monitored by a deadly figure from his past, Constantine must figure out who (or what) is pulling the strings before he gets cancelled—permanently.
DARK ENTRIES is a classic locked-room mystery starring HELLBLAZER’s John Constantine from Ian Rankin, the #1 international best-selling crime writer best known for his “Inspector Rebus” novels. Rankin has won numerous awards, including the Edgar Award in 2004 and is joined in this graphic novel by Italian artist Werther Dell’Edera, the illustrator of a number of American comics – mostly notably Vertigo’s LOVELESS.

[TestosteRohne]

Thats an atypical cover by Lee Bermejo, I like it.

[JasonT]

Agreed.

JohnMcMahon, on 19 August 2009 - 05:31 PM, said:

“Rankin’s work is crime fiction at its most consuming, cerebral best.” – The New Yorker
“The best living British crime writer.” – Lee Child, bestselling author
...

Jaysis, I hope not, or it doesn't say much for the genre. I'm very fond of Ian's Inspector Rebus books, but I'm under no illusions as to their shortcomings.

[TestosteRohne]

Page 117 and it's just gotten stupid.
I'll soldier on.

[JohnMcMahon]

I'm waiting to hear if it's any good before picking it up myself - it'd look nice sat next to All His Engines but somehow I doubt it'll read quite as well.

[TestosteRohne]

JohnMcMahon, on 20 August 2009 - 11:11 PM, said:

I'm waiting to hear if it's any good before picking it up myself - it'd look nice sat next to All His Engines but somehow I doubt it'll read quite as well.

It's also half the size, not page count, A5 or A6 or something.

[Abhimanyu]

I flipped through it in the comics shop and the art doesn't work for me. It's not that it's bad (plus this kind of art seems sort of in style these days) but it doesn't suit the Constantine universe IMO. Also going to wait to hear what people have to say about it before I get it.

[dogpoet]

JasonT, on 19 August 2009 - 01:29 PM, said:

Agreed.

JohnMcMahon, on 19 August 2009 - 05:31 PM, said:

“Rankin’s work is crime fiction at its most consuming, cerebral best.” – The New Yorker
“The best living British crime writer.” – Lee Child, bestselling author
...

Jaysis, I hope not, or it doesn't say much for the genre. I'm very fond of Ian's Inspector Rebus books, but I'm under no illusions as to their shortcomings.

I thought Michael Dibdin was supposed to be the best living British crime writer now that Dereck Raymond has died. Should Lee Child be issuing statements like that if she's not getting the circulars?

[A. Heathen]

I have problems with the format & price of this book.
And can understand misgivings about the art, although I like it and it definitely suits the story.

And this story is fucking excellent.
I am not going to dwell on how Rankin makes a plausible romantic interlude for Constantine, because someone might connect that to another recent Hellblazer story. And it's not the main thrust (if you will).

But it's the Hellblazer satire of Delano, the Constantine of Diggle, and the storytelling of Carey.

Those IDIOTS at Vertigo need to put this in paperback a.s.a.p.

The thing that Rhone referred to above is going to get spoiled for you and some may well be put off by that news, but don't. It's fun, well written, half-decent art AND the most enjoyable self-contained Hellblazer story since Cat & Mouse.

[TestosteRohne]

I don't get it Ade.
Personally it's a shallow and a far too literal satire.
No real insights or condemnation of the reality show genre which was it's core concept.
It amounts to little more statement than SPOILER Big Brother is Hell..
The John here was barely developed and frustatingly remained unexplored.
This great supposed relationship was no more than SPOILER someone who resembled somebody else physically.
And that was from John's side, fuck knows from hers, perhaps her latent empathy functioned as a writing relationship shortcut.

The art was a massive fail interms of conveying horror and it's bland depictions of SPOILER Hell.
200 odd pages and I still didn't have a real feel for the house.
Rankin turns a few witty lines it's true but no more than most past Hellblazer writers.
The nemesis is really just dull and overused concept with a slight historical scottish (Surprise, surpise) reference, but no real angle of insight at all.
I'd completely given up by the time they were jumping SPOILER through teleporting T.V sets and dispatching each other with T.V remotes.

This was more the Hellblazer of Ennis without the heart, the Hellblazer of Ellis without the shock.

All His Engines came out after A Game of Cat & Mouse, that was the most satisfyingly enclosed story.

[Lou K]

Haven't read it yet but it sure is tiny.

[slinker]

Starting it here momentarily...

[johnconstantine]

It´s a good story, nothing extraordinary, good, I give a 8 and the art is solid.

[A. Heathen]

Rohne, fair cop on All His Engines.

I respectfully disagree with your view on the depiction of Constantine.
And the mystery

Spoiler

how are they all connected

is also entertainingly handled.

Want to sell your copy?

Oh i'd give it 9 if not for it being over-priced.

[TimC]

Entertaining review from Rick Johnston at Bleeding Cool -
Of course, Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels reportedly make up 10% of all crime fiction sold in the UK, so I can see why marketing ran roughshod over editorial and creative content. And this is a decent enough Hellblazer book, reminiscent of the earlier issues of the series, more Jamie Delano than Garth Ennis say, with a decent satirical take on reality show culture, even if the topic seems passe. But it’s nowhere near as insightful as Charlie Brooker’s Dead Set for example, or even Ben Elton’s Dead Famous - the latter of which has actually got a claim to being a crime novel.

[londonsurrealist]

dogpoet, on 21 August 2009 - 06:10 PM, said:

JasonT, on 19 August 2009 - 01:29 PM, said:

Agreed.

JohnMcMahon, on 19 August 2009 - 05:31 PM, said:

“Rankin’s work is crime fiction at its most consuming, cerebral best.” – The New Yorker
“The best living British crime writer.” – Lee Child, bestselling author
...

Jaysis, I hope not, or it doesn't say much for the genre. I'm very fond of Ian's Inspector Rebus books, but I'm under no illusions as to their shortcomings.

I thought Michael Dibdin was supposed to be the best living British crime writer now that Dereck Raymond has died. Should Lee Child be issuing statements like that if she's not getting the circulars?

Sadly, Michael Dibdin died a couple of years ago. I was agreat fan of his Aurelio Zen novels.

[TestosteRohne]

A. Heathen, on 22 August 2009 - 07:22 AM, said:

Rohne, fair cop on All His Engines.

I respectfully disagree with your view on the depiction of Constantine.
And the mystery

Spoiler

how are they all connected

is also entertainingly handled.

Want to sell your copy?

Oh i'd give it 9 if not for it being over-priced.

A 9?!
Linked?!
It was absolutely tenuous.
SPOILERTheir connection should have been one of those moving Altman esque style observations. With moving butterfly effects.
Landing on someone does not constitute that, they were poor contrivances.
It was a fair enough narrative twist, but nothing more.
Perhaps it might have worked better if she/they had been further linked to John, beyond her resemblance.

I did like the nicotine patches though.

Overall it was decent to average, But I would have expected more from the much vaunted Rankin.
I preferred Mina's run, ALL of it to this.

My copy is doing the rounds at the moment with similar results.
But it's deep averageness might overide the completionist in me.

[TestosteRohne]

TimC, on 22 August 2009 - 05:27 PM, said:

Entertaining review from Rick Johnston at Bleeding Cool -
Of course, Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels reportedly make up 10% of all crime fiction sold in the UK, so I can see why marketing ran roughshod over editorial and creative content. And this is a decent enough Hellblazer book, reminiscent of the earlier issues of the series, more Jamie Delano than Garth Ennis say, with a decent satirical take on reality show culture, even if the topic seems passe. But it’s nowhere near as insightful as Charlie Brooker’s Dead Set for example, or even Ben Elton’s Dead Famous - the latter of which has actually got a claim to being a crime novel.

Agreed it's as I said above.

[A. Heathen]

It's also as I said above (different parts) and over-all positive about the book as a Hellblazer story.

But anyway:

[TestosteRohne]

How dare you Michael Winner me, how dare you.

Oh...I'm on for Monday.