Speedblazer

Also I like this version of John. It's cute.

I saw it. And Holy shit is he a character in this. Basically in this episode, he was hit with a "accent-exaggerating" spell that makes him talk like the most stereotypical British prat you've ever seeen.

Think Flanders from the Simpsons but with a British tongue.

And also, get this; in this show, he doesn't smoke. No no, he eats lollipops. LOLIPOPS! lol

Wouldn't that partially actually be an accurate description of Jamie Delano's John though? "A loner of a character who whines about life in a melodramatic way and smokes a lot." I was always fine with John that way.

I said it was my initial thoughts since I didn't read a single Hellblazer issue beforehand.

I'm not sure what there is to hook a new reader to this character though. He's pretty generic, if you ask me. I don't see a lot of the specialness of the character that made us fall in love with him in this book (just like it was missing in the New 52 version).

At least with the last relaunch, John felt unique in that first issue. The writer didn't take him anywhere of interest, but I was intrigued by the character in that first issue, even if he wasn't really John Constantine.

The book still remains distinctly less than a horror comic book. I know I should just let that go by this point, as the book has rarely been a horror comic since the Warren Ellis days anyway. At least that was a hook for the character though, for fans of horror fiction.

There are just so many more books on the market that I love far more than what I read in this issue, that I'd hate to recommend anyone to check out The Hellblazer. OK, I've felt this to be the case since half-way through the Carey run actually, that Hellblazer went from my #1 must read (even during the Azzarello years, I still liked to pretend the book was superior) comic book to another comic book I was buying, to "I buy this book out of habit, because I once loved John Constantine so much I don't want to give up reading about him each month".

The thing I keep repeating about the Alan Moore version of John was that he worked as an enigma. He was intriguing because there was so much mystery around him. He wouldn't have ever worked as the protagonist of a comic book. It took Jamie Delano coming along and fleshing out the character for the John Constantine we wanted to read about in his own series.

Funny you bring this up because I should confess some things.

Back when I was a major Hellblazer virgin and knew nothing about the character, from first glance, I thought he was a generic, loner of a character who whines about life in a melodramatic way and smokes a lot. Before I read it, I found him to be the stereotypical Brit who says bloody and fuck all the time, wearing the stereotypical British trench coat, and complaining about the government on internet forums. My only exposure to John directly was through Keanu Reeves's Constantine movie, and while impressive, didn't attach me to him that well.

What introduced me to Hellblazer wasn't hellblazer itself (reasons as mentioned above) but instead Supernatural, and its character Castiel. I loved his attire, and the attitude he gave off in the series (well use to anyway. Now he's just a boring hollow shell of what he use to be) Doing research on the character, there was a mention that he was based off of John Constantine. SO I looked him up, and ended up reading the series. The first issue didn't really have me invested in him at all, and it only proved my initial feelings towards him being the stereotypical brit who says bloody and fuck a lot. The rest of the issues didn't fill me with any confidence either as I just felt like he wasn't anything special. It wasn't until the storylines Hold Me and Dangerous Habits that I quickly became enamored by him. Then after that, I started to like him a lot. But with the first few issues, it wasn't John that kept me reading, but rather what was happening around him. The conspiracy theories, the political commentary, and the creepy monsters. John himself however, didn't feel all that interesting until Dangerous Habits, where I actually cared about his well-being.

When I got to Azzerello's run, that's when I began to feel the same way I felt back in the beginning of Hellblazer, when he felt less intriguing, and the world and events around him became more worth reading about then John in general. Mike Carey, for the most part, brought back my liking to John, but that was immediately dissipated once Milligan came into the picture for obvious reasons.

Then Constantine and JLD appeared and...well you know.

Then he was in Injustice which was a nice iteration of him.

Of course I enjoyed Matt Ryan's performance as him as well.

Then Constantine: The Hellblazer arrived. For those who know me, knew I very much hated this version of John's physical appearance to death. I found the representation of his bisexuality to be better in this version, however the story, feel, character progression, and everything else about it couldn't follow. It didn't feel like a hellblazer story at all, and was more a parody of what Tumblr thinks is a Hellblazer story by playing it safe, and taking no risk.The art style seemed aright but I just didn't feel this was the right story for John to come back to. The sneak peek pulled me in, but after that, it fell flat on its face. The rest of the series was nothing like the sneak peak, and I think it was because that's all it was; a sneak peak.

I always felt John was better suited for short excerpts and not full on stories anymore, since everything that could be done with John has been done already, and now there's not much new ground to tread with him.

So imagine my suprise when we see John back in his usual attire, meeting Chas, going back to England, and bringing back the feelings of the Hellblazer of old. I was ecstatic. Yeah, it was treading old boundaries, but I didn't care. I was just glad we were getting back to the old days of the series, which was a hell of a lot welcome for me then what Constantine and C:THB was doing.

Okay, this gives me the hope I never thought I'd have for ol' conjob again.

The cover for #2 looks really good

So basically Ranja's an asshole. Got it.

Sooooooooo that Nazi Constantine am I right???

Could Hellblazer finally be returning back to its roots??

Hmm not a bad introduction.

The art is horrendous I just gotta say. I mean I don't wanna be judgmental or anything, but the art just looks strange. I didn't bother reading the actual comic, but I basically saw John be possessed by a girl and acting like an absolute dumbass everywhere he went. HOW the hell can you get on a plane acting like that and NOT be questioned by officials? At that point I just closed the comic after that. And then there's just...the talking. So much and all going no where...again. CTH feels so strange and just doesn't have anything close to HB to me anymore. I can't say I'll be going on with being a John Constantine fan if THIS is what's happening to him. I hope the Rebirth fixes things for me cause...this is just sad.

Chas: The Knowledge was great, and that story had that true Hellblazer aroma if that makes any sense

The smell of cheap cigarettes and regret?

Maybe DC could just sell the character to Marvel and have him join the X-Men?

John cons his way into the X-MEN.

Maybe Ill enter that hellblazer fanfic I did

Finally found an image of the reveal:

Looks like the good 'ol trenchcoat is back, and it also seems like John got rid of that awful haircut Tynion/Doyle/Rossmo gave him.

 

But eh, not too big on them calling the book "The Hellblazer" like John's some sorta kinda lame d-list event cannon fodder superhero and that's his moniker. Just call the book Hellblazer Vol 2.

Okay, I like the look of him going back to the rugged, trench coat wearing, shifty dude so yay to that. Looks like wolverine though with that hairstyle. As to how the actual story will turn out is another story.

Yep, might have been last week's actually - the one with the Huntress.

 

They're looking for supernatural backup and there's a brief exchange about Constantine being literally in hell.

Basically killing off the character. It was the episode with Vixen

I won't deny that most of that stuff is true

For this rebirth, all I ask is that they don't fuck up Constantine anymore then they already have. But I'm probably talking out of my ass though. I want them to take John back to being a human being who just happens to have a vast knowledge of the occult, can get out of dangerous situations with cheep spells, and is all about his wits and smooth talking.

Also PUT HIM IN AN ACTUAL DAMN TRENCHCOAT THIS TIME! That small jacket of a coat was getting on my nerves. I liked the TV show's trench well enough, but the one in CTH was just annoying to see.

So LOT has been renewed for a second season.

Does this mean Constantine is a go for being in it?

I dropped Hellblazer in the middle of Milligan's run

No one blames you

Massive Attack/ Tricky reunion? Count me in.

I can't wait to see what they do next

it's kind of obvious when he sees her again, and of course it was poorly done, if that gives you a hint.

Aww I don't want Milligan level reunion :(

it's kind of obvious when he sees her again, and of course it was poorly done, if that gives you a hint.

Aww I don't want Milligan level reunion ?

Also does John see Kit Ryan again at some point?