Constantine The Hellblazer #2 - A Review

Owing to shortages and just plain forgetfulness on my part, it's taken me the better part of a month to get my hands on a copy of Constantine The Hellblazer #2. Thankfully, this issue proved worth the wait. Indeed, I dare say this is a far stronger comic than the first issue and a far better representation of your typical (in so far as John's adventures can ever be called typical) Hellblazer tale.


With this issue, James Tynion IV and Ming Doyle have captured the essence of John Constantine. The plot centers upon John's efforts to track a supernatural menace that proves capable of killing ghosts - something that John believes to be impossible. But John is wise enough to know that he doesn't know everything yet remains arrogant enough to believe there is nothing he can't overcome on his own with a little investigation and fishing around.


The artwork on this series has grown on me, after a seemingly erratic first issue.  Riley Rossmo's design for John looks a little less cartoonish and a lot less like Astro Boy this time around.  And the color palette utilized by Ivan Plascencia seems more varied and less washed-out than last time.