See Me At All-Con 2015!

This year, I am a Guest of Honor at All-Con 2015 and their first ever Guest Critic!  Here's my schedule of events and panels I'm a part of.

THURSDAY

12 PM - Dogwood Room - All About Arrow

A look at the history of Green Arrow and how he made the journal from second-string hero to small-screen star.


3 PM - Pecan Room - Lost In Time: An Introduction to Doctor Who

Curious about Doctor Who but not sure where to start watching?  This is the panel for you.


6 PM - Addison Theater - Off-Target Live!

It's Mystery Science Theater 3000 for the worst comics ever published as a live stage show.

FRIDAY

6 PM - Addison Theater - The Art Of Riffing: Sarcasm As An Artform

Three of All-Con's greatest wits explain the history of riffing, with a live demonstration.

7 PM - Pecan Room - Professional Portfolio Reviews

Have your artwork examined by a professional comic critic.

8 PM - Addison Theater - Original Sins: The History of John Constantine

A historical lecture on the story of the comics' world's favorite working-class wizard.

Midnight - Addison Theater - The Art of Riffing - Adults Only, We Really Mean It Edition!

Three of All-Con's greatest wits explain the history of riffing, with a live demonstration and dirty jokes.

SATURDAY 

1 PM - Pecan Room - Critical Writing: How (Not) To Make Friends And Alienate People.

I offer my wisdom - such as it is - about how to write critical analysis without being killed.

2 PM - Pecan Room - DC Comics Television Multiverse

I head a panel of geeks to discuss all the upcoming TV shows based on DC Comics books.


3 PM - Dogwood Room - Marvel Cinematic Universe - Hail Hydra!
I'm part of a panel of geeks discussing all the upcoming Marvel TV shows and movies.

SUNDAY

11 AM - Maple Room - Flash Facts

A quick history lesson on The Fastest Man Alive and his hit TV show.

12 PM - Pecan Room - Q&A With A Critic

I'll answer your questions about comic history and how to write.

First Trailer for NBC's Constantine

So what do I think, as the bloke who wrote the Hellblazer Episode Guide?



 I think I can't wait until fall.  How about you?

Constantine #8 - A Review

This issue is notable for several reasons.  It marks the end of the Constantine series' first story arc.  It marks the point where it finally catches up with the Forever Evil storyline it is meant to be tying into.  And it's also the last issue of this book I intend to buy for the foreseeable future, though the reasons for that have nothing to do with the endless tie-ins to crossovers I care nothing about.  


So why am I dropping it then?  Because I have certain expectations for what should and should not happen in a John Constantine story and Ray Fawkes has failed to meet them.  The moment John Constantine is cutting down his enemies with a soul-sucking sword is the moment he ceases to be John Constantine and starts being Elric.  And if I wanted to read Elric, I would do so.  


The artwork by Aco and Brad Anderson is another factor.  Simply put, this is some of the worst artwork I've ever seen in a book published by a professional company.  Aco's linework manages to be over-detailed yet indistinct.  The inking and the coloring are completely at odds with one another, creating panels that somehow manage to be drowned in shadows while still resembling a bright, over-saturated photograph.

This issue is an unsatisfying conclusion to a series that showed promise but ultimately proved disappointing in ways beyond what we Hellblazer fans feared.  John Constantine may still smoke, drink and cheat the devil but that's all he has in common with the man he once was.  This new Constantine is an honest power to be reckoned with rather than a jiujitsu master who knew how to use what little power he had t to turn other people's strength against themselves... and an honest power is the last thing John Constantine should ever be.

Constantine #7 - A Review

The biggest problem with Constantine #7 is a lack of the title character.  John is present during the events of the issue but he is largely a bystander to the action despite seemingly being the focus of attention.  The plot sees three of John's enemies working together to destroy John's power and his allies while trapping the man himself.  John is uncharacteristically passive while all this is going on and we see more of other magic-users and magical beings reacting to the closing net than we do of John working against it. 



New artist Szymon Kudranski proves a largely unwelcome change from


I don't think I'll be keeping up with Constantine in the future.  The book is decent but I expect more of ol' ConJob.  Additionally, the recent previews suggest a greater emphasis on tie-ins and crossovers in the coming months and while I do enjoy seeing John pitting his wits against the DC Universe at large again, I'd much rather his solo series focus upon John's adventures apart from Justice League Dark. 

Bloody Hell! NBC Developing A Constantine Series!

 
SOURCE: First Flash, Then Gotham… Now Constantine Is Being Developed For Television


On the one hand, as a John Constantine fan, I'm glad to hear this news.

On the other hand, NBC doesn't have the best track record when it comes to fantasy series, even if Warner Brothers is the studio actually developing the series.

I'm withholding comment until we get more news and confirmation that an actual Brit has been cast in the role this time. 

Constantine #6 - A Review

The cover of Constantine #6 is a load of bollocks.  While the plot does find John Constantine trapped outside of his body with only a thin silver cord connecting him to the world of the living, he does not face the spirits of every friend he's ever sacrificed.  Merely the surly spirit of Chris, the psychic whom died back in Constantine #1.


Despite this, Ray Fawkes does deliver another exciting script and there's nothing at all wrong with this story save that it doesn't match up to the cover.  The drama builds beautifully as John's many enemies begin closing in to finish him off.  There's also a set-up for two new mysteries for John and the readers to explore in the coming issues.


The art of Renato Guedes seems to be getting better with every issue.  John Constantine hasn't had an artist who could depict the inhuman horrors of the world of magic with such detail and clarity in quite some time.  Of particular note is a two-page splash sequence in the center of this story that, for once, justifies taking up so much space. 

Constantine #5 - A Review

You really have to hand it to Ray Fawkes.  At a time when most monthly comics are "written for the trade", he still takes the effort to make every issue of the books he writes accessible to new readers on the off-chance it might be someone's first.  This is especially notable - and important - with a comic like Constantine #5, where the odds are particularly high that the issue will be picked up by readers who only bought it because it's a tie-in to the Trinity War storyline.


Those hypothetical new readers are in for a treat, for Fawkes is a skillful writer as well as a generous one.  The story is vintage John Constantine, as everyone's favorite magical conman steals the power of Shazam on the grounds that a teenager like Billy Batson running around with that much unchecked magic is dangerous with everything else going on in the world at the moment.  By sheer dumb luck, one of John's many enemies chooses this moment to attack him with a demonically-empowered minion and hilarity ensues.


Artist Renato Guedes has shown his skill in depicting the gore and horror of a typical Constantine story in earlier issues.  This book gives him the chance to show he's no slouch when it comes to drawing the usual superhero shenanigans.  Despite this, Guedes' typical shadowy mystique remains unchanged and the aura of mystery that usually shrouds this book remains even as John is forced into a pair of tights and reduced to punching monsters. 

Constantine #4 - A Review

Shagged out and burned out from his recent trials and tribulations in London, John Constantine decides to take a day off from the business of balancing the cosmic scales.  Alas, things are rarely that simple for John and what is meant to be a day of smoking, drinking, seeking out old friends and slouching around is quickly complicated by shadowy stalkers and portents of conflict.  And then there's the matter of the crime-boss/voodoo priest who is out for John's blood and/or soul...


The script for Constantine #4 does a grand job giving us a day-in-the-life story while still expanding upon John's world without seeming overly expository.  Obviously there's some set-up for the upcoming Trinity War storyline but the plotting fits naturally into the narrative.  Zatanna's rather complicated relationship with John is also explained for those of us who are coming into this title without having seen the two working together in Justice League Dark.


The artwork by Fabiano Neves is competent enough though one aspect of it does disturb me somewhat - John's lack of expression.  With a few exceptions (chiefly when he's having the crap kicked out of him) John has the same stoic neutral expression throughout the book.  While I can understand him trying to keep a poker-face up while starring down Papa Midnite or putting the fear of god into a rube, I would expect him to smile somewhat when dealing with Zatanna as he tries to pour on the charm or when he's over-tipping his tobacconist.

Apart from that, the story is well-depicted and the flow of action from panel to panel is good - John just looks far too dour in most of the pages of this book.  It isn't enough to make me not recommend the title - this is a damn good series!  But there's a reason John is called The Laughing Magician and the art should reflect that. 

Constantine #3 - A Review

 There is much to admire about the new Constantine title.  The writing by Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes is stellar, of course.  The artwork by Renato Guedes is among the finest you'll find on the shelf today.  But it's the little things about this book that I like the most.  Small touches like how the first page of every issue so far recaps the action of the story thus far while still giving us some of the ol' Constantine snark.


A nice touch specific to this issue is the writers subtly addressing one of the more frequent complaints about John Constantine in The New 52 and doing so in a way that makes perfect sense while opening up avenues for future stories down the road.  In this case, we finally learn why John has been globe-trotting so much and not spending any time in London.  It seems a curse lain by some unspecified baddie in the past has left John with a severe allergy to his adopted hometown.  Even if John can find a way to temporarily shield himself from the city literally sucking the life out of him (as he does in this issue) he still has to contend with synchronicity finding a way to kill him through a traffic accident or some other random disaster.  


If you're a fan of Hellblazer who has resisted the enchantment of Constantine thus far, I urge you to give this book a shot.  Let it work its' magic on you.  I'll think you'll find it as enchanting as I do.  No bollocks. 

Constantine #2 - A Review

It's a rare thing in these days of writing-for-the-trade for a comic book to feature a title page recapping the action of the story so far.  It's even rarer for a writer to summarize the earlier chapters as a part of the story in a way that flows naturally.  And rarest of all is the writer who does this in the second issue of a comic, for the benefit of new readers who might not have been able to find a copy of the first issue.  Constantine #2 is one of this rarest breed of book, with a second page that neatly summarizes the series to date.


Such is the level of fine detail that Jeff Lemire brings to every series he writes.  Were that the end of it, it would be enough to earn my admiration.  But Lemire is a creative author as well, presenting ideas so novel I find myself amazed that nobody has considered exploring them in a story before.  Such is the case for the centerpiece of this issue - Why hasn't The Spectre sought to bring John Constantine to justice for his many crimes?  Lord knows John deserves it - literally.  And John's earned the attention of equally powerful supernatural beings before.  So why is it only now that God's Wrath has fallen upon The Laughing Magician?  Because Lemire is a chess-master of prose and only one such as he could play the pieces in such a manner.


Lemire's script is matched in detail and quality by the art of Renato Guedes.  I have a hard time picking favorites among artists but I'd easily rank Guedes as one of the top 5 working at DC Comics today.  Another few issues like this one and he might make my personal Top 5.

Bottom Line - if you haven't been reading Constantine, there's still time to catch-up.

Constantine #1 - A Review

There was a great deal of nay-saying when it was announced that Vertigo Comics would bring Hellblazer to an end in favor of a new John Constantine title set in the main DC Comics universe.  Breasts were beaten and teeth were gnashed as comic fans took to the message boards to howl about how this was the end.  Surely DC Comics would make John give up the Silk Cut and Guinness in favor of nicotine gum and a glass of milk!  He'll be palling around with Superman instead of hanging around with the dregs of the magical world!  Why, he'll probably even be telling kids to do their homework and eat their vegetables instead of summoning demons and tinkering with things best left untouched!

Naturally this was a load of bollocks to any of us who had seen John's appearances in Justice League Dark, I Vampire and Sword of Sorcery.  Nothing so petty as an T + rating can contain the sheer awesome that is John Constantine.  Besides, if there's anyone who knows how to work around the rules to do the unexpected, it's ol' Con Job and any writer worthy of writing him should be of a similar mindset when it comes to pushing boundaries.

Writer Jeff Lemire is such a writer and this first issue of Constantine should do much to calm the frayed nerves of many a Hellblazer fan.  In fact, this first issue of Constantine - with excellent artwork by Renato Guedes - features John Constantine smoking... 


... John Constantine drinking...


... John Constantine being involved in some gloriously gory deaths...


... and John Constantine sacrificing his friends to save his own hide.


Take it from the man who read damn near every Constantine story there is and wrote the episode guide - this book is vintage Constantine.  You're a bloody fool to pass on it because it's a little toned down.  Trust me - this is the same Laughing Magician we all know and love even if he can't drop the F-Bomb or strut around naked.  The world of John Constantine is as horribly messed up as you remember and this book is a damned good sign of things to come.

Whither Constantine? - My Thoughts On The Hellblazer Cancellation

SOUIRCE: DC Cancels Its Longest Running Series, Hellblazer, And Replaces It With New 52 Title, Constantine

Am I upset?  Yes, but it's the same, muted sadness you get when an elderly relative who has been dying a slow death of cancer finally passes on.  You've already seen the worst and accepted the inevitable, so there's nothing left but the moving on.

I've already been accused of being a heartless bastard and a DC Comics apologist once over this point.  So really, there's no harm in my refuting all the whining I've seen over this point this morning.



They're replacing it with a PG version!

As of this afternoon, the only person I've seen saying this is Warren Ellis.  And unless there was a revolution I missed this morning, Warren Ellis is not in charge at DC Comics or Vertigo.

If Constantine is part of the New 52 line, that means it will be a PG-13 equivalent, at worst.  I think it far more likely Constantine will be a T+ title aimed at 16 years old and up.  Which, I will say as a librarian and comics fan of some years, is probably the age at which most comics fans start reading Vertigo titles.  No less a luminary than Andy Diggle said he first read a John Constantine title at the age of 15.



They can't possibly do the same things in a New 52 title that they could with a Vertigo one!

This point is true in one respect.  They'll probably have to bleep out the swearing and cut the nudity.  But if that's what you're reading Hellblazer for, let me blow your mind - you can see real tits, asses and dicks for free on the Internet EVERYWHERE!   Those of us who just want to read a story about a smart-arse, lower-class mage dealing with magical weirdness can imagine what is happening just off-panel just fine.

Seriously, Animal Man and Swamp Thing are a part of the New 52.  And they're just as disturbing and messed-up as ever.  I think John will be fine, particuarly with a writer like Robert Venditti at the helm.



How Can They Cancel It?  It's The Flagship Title Of Vertigo Comics!

Perhaps in the minds of British comic fans, Vertigo = Hellblazer.  As an American who worked in the comic-selling business, I can confidentially say that Fables has been ruling the roost at Vertigo for some time now and that most long-time comic fans are more likely to name Sandman as the title that defined Vertigo Comics rather than Hellblazer.   In all honesty, the Vertigo shared universe hasn't really existed outside the pages of Hellblazer since Lucifer came to an end.   In recent years, Vertigo has been more of a creator-owned imprint than an adults-only line.  And with DC Comics' new ratings system, having an entire adults-only-only line isn't quite as neccesary as it once was.



It's Disrespectful To The Rich History Of The Character To End The Book!

In my opinion, the legacy of John Constantine has been disrespected for a while now. And judging by the most recent sales figures on Hellblazer, most of his fans agree.  The sales have been dropping steadily for a while now.

196 - HELLBLAZER (Vertigo)
09/2007: Hellblazer #236 -- 12,938
09/2008: Hellblazer #247 -- 11,851
09/2009: Hellblazer #259 -- 10,813
09/2010: Hellblazer #271 -- 9,851
----------------------------------
09/2011: Hellblazer #283 -- 9,597 (+2.4%)
10/2011: Hellblazer #284 -- 9,608 (+0.1%)
11/2011: Hellblazer #285 -- 9,500 (-1.1%)
12/2011: Hellblazer #286 -- 9,404 (-1.0%)
01/2012: Hellblazer #287 -- 9,368 (-0.4%)
02/2012: Hellblazer #288 -- 9,553 (+2.0%)
03/2012: Hellblazer #289 -- 9,363 (-2.0%)
04/2012: Hellblazer #290 -- 9,472 (+1.2%)
05/2012: Hellblazer #291 -- 9,426 (-0.5%)
06/2012: Hellblazer #292 -- 9,533 (+1.1%)
07/2012: Hellblazer #293 -- 9,247 (-3.0%)
08/2012: Hellblazer #294 -- 9,396 (+1.6%)
09/2012: Hellblazer #295 -- 9,143 (-2.7%)
----------------
6 months: - 2.4%
1 year : - 4.7%
2 years : - 4.6%
5 years : -29.3%

To put the above numbers in perspective, the last issue of the recently canceled Resurrection Man sold 16,672 copies. Even at it's lowest, it was still selling just over 13,000 a month.  It's honestly a miracle Hellblazer has been allowed to go on so long as it has.

I personally stopped reading the book back in October of 2009, precisely because I thought Peter Milligan was ignoring the rich history of the character so that he could promote his own love interest for John and do whatever the hell he wanted with the rules of magic in John's universe.  Besides that, John stopped aging and should- by all rights - be looking 70 years old if the plan to age him in real time meant anything anymore.  At this point, closing out the door on this version of John is a mercy killing.
 

Looking To The Stars: Constantine- A Review

We're going to do something totally different this time. Because I am sick of reviewing movies and then seeing other writers saying that is unfair for me to judge something as an adaptation of another work. So for the sake of argument, we're going to give it a shot.

We are going to ignore the fact that this movie takes considerable liberties with the original comics on which they are nominally based.

We are going to ignore the fact Alan Moore, who has had quite a few of his books turned into movies that took considerable liberties with the source material, demanded to have the "Created By" credit removed from THIS movie.

We are going to ignore all issues of adaptation, continuity, original characterization and such minutia as to Chas Chandler, tough guy cabbie and John's only friend to not die being transformed into Chas Kramer, wannabe sorcerer and little wimp. We are just going to look at one simple question. Is this movie, in and of itself and its own world, any good?

Short answer. No. Long answer to begin in the next paragraph.

As a film, Constantine fails on all nearly every front. Though there are some small features that might win it redemption, this film should be damned to the movie theaters in Hell. But lest we think I'm all doom and gloom, I'm going to start out with some things about the movie I did like.

1. Papa Midnite

The one character in the movie that shows signs of an interesting personality. Actually, the only character who shows ANY sort of personality, but why quibble? This may well explain why, out of all the characters who could have gotten a solo comics-series this year, a Hellblazer villain who died in the books ten years ago after two appearances was chosen. Some suit at WB probably saw the movie and said "This guy is cool. Let's get a comic about him!"

2. Constantine's Entrance

The first scene, I actually had some hope. Sure, the trenchcoat is nice and black. His suit is clean and he looks way too clean-cut. But the walk... the sneer... the way he lit the cigarette, looking like a walking Tim Bradstreet painting. Physically, Keanu managed to be John Constantine for one minute. It all went downhill as soon as he began talking, but it was better than I had hoped for.

3. Settings

The sets in this flick were gorgeous. Full props to the set-makers and props people for making the backdrops more lifelike than the actors.


4. Music
The film does have some nice background tunes. I was particularly surprised to hear Dave Brubeck's "Take Five". It's the jazz song playing on the record when John is examining magical artifacts near the start of the flick.

5. Woah? No.

Keanu does not say "Woah" once in the movie. Color me surprised.


Besides that, the whole thing lies there like a corpse.

The plot is pretty standard horror stuff, with the names changed to bear some slight resemblance to the Vertigo comic Hellblazer. John Constantine is an unwilling expert on fighting the forces of darkness, trying to buy his way into Heaven after being diagnosed with lung cancer: the result of a 30-a-day-since-15 smoking habit. The end of the world is nigh and John is drug into trying to stop Armageddon after starting to investigate whether or not a mental patient's suicide really was a suicide. Naturally, there's a love interest to rescue (Rachel Weisz, as the suicide and her twin sister, who is a cop), a hapless (re: annoying) sidekick, a host of colorful (re: drunk and weird) associates and The Devil himself mugging it up worse than Robin Williams after a three-day crack binge.

The performances here are a study in contrast. Half the actors overact with a shamelessness to make William Shatner blush (Shia LaBeouf, as Chas is particularly grating). The other half look stoned or bored. Keanu Reeves is, as usual, the biggest offender in this area. When asked by the woman he is helping to awaken her ability to have visions if she needs to get completely naked before entering a full bathtub, he makes no physical reaction other than to stare blankly and then say "I'm thinking" when she asks for an answer. Rachel Weisz is not much better, being able to smile vacantly but little else.

The CGI is also a bit of a weak point. While it is an improvement on some of last summer's horror/action movies and tons better than Van Helsing, it still fails to feel seamless. A bit of a nitpick, but other movies with lower budgets have managed to look more convincing.

Finally, the movie seems unclear about its own rules and mythology. We are told repeatedly that demons cannot physically manifest on Earth, which is why they have to possess people spiritually. And yet, these rules are broken several times... John is attacked by a demon made of roaches, he and the cop are attacked by several flying beasties and the Devil himself walks the Earth with relative ease. No explanation other than an instance that demons cannot walk the Earth is ever given for how the rules are being broken. I'm also curious about the existence of half-breed demons and half-breed angels if said beings cannot manifest physically. Then again, I'm not THAT curious if it means hearing a lecture upon the mating habits of trans-dimensional beings.

All in all, I'll give Constantine a solid 3 for effort. It might be worth checking out on video if you're fond of "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Home Game", but its worthless for much else. And if you're a die-hard fan of the books, do not watch this movie under any circumstance short of being force at gunpoint. You'll be much happier. Trust me.

This review is dedicated to my friend Aaron, without whom I would have had to pay good money to have seen this movie.

Tune in next week. Same Matt time. Same Matt website.