Constantine The Hellblazer #6 - A Review

John Constantine is back in New York and, for the first time in a long while, free of his ghosts. Unfortunately, things haven't been quiet on the supernatural side of The City That Never Sleeps while he was out of town. And since an honest night's work dealing with the worst of the supernatural world is marginally less taxing than doing the Jedi Mind Trick to convince his landlord that he already paid this month's rent, John is out to make the restless dead a bit more restful... even if he has to hit them over the head with a magical tire-iron to do it!


I'm somewhat torn on this issue. As a Hellblazer purist, the idea of John Constantine indulging in honest work and living anywhere besides London is a borderline blasphemy. And yet the scenes of John's "honest work" are so hilarious and true to form (Only John Constantine would be called upon to deal with the haunted buffet at a strip club!), I'm inclined to forgive James Tynion IV and Ming Doyle the faux pas.


I wasn't originally fond of Riley Rossmo's artwork but it's starting to grow on me. John doesn't look quite so much like Astro Boy here. And if nothing else the various ghoulies and ghosties that John fights throughout this issue are well-illustrated and imaginatively designed.

Constantine The Hellblazer #5 - A Review

Some people are haunted by their old loves. In John Constantine's case, it's no metaphor. His first love Veronica has been transformed into something else, having become unstuck between worlds. And if John is going to put her to rest he'll need the help of the one person he least wants to deal with - Georgina, the prim and proper wizard whom Veronica dumped for John back in their misspent youth.


In a few short issues, Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV have captured the essence of John Constantine in a way that no other comic writers have managed in recent memory. This issue proves a fitting capstone for an opening arc that may be the best introduction to John as a character ever written.

Riley Rossmo is a good artist but I think Ming Doyle, Chris Visions and Vanesa Del Rey are better suited to the material stylistically. That's just a matter of personal preference, mind you. The artwork on this issue does look good. Yet I keep thinking of Astro Boy when I see John's hair in some of Rossmo's work!