Hell is Personal: Exploring John Constantine in ‘Hellblazer’
By Justin Drabek
“I rail against Angels and Demons for being arrogant bastards, but I’m bloody worse than the lot of them” — John Constantine (DC’S Legends of Tomorrow)
Few characters have impacted me in any medium as much as John Constantine in comics. From his original 300-issue run in Vertigo’s John Constantine: Hellblazer (1988–2013, 2019–2020) to the current series in The Sandman Universe, John Constantine: Hellblazer — Dead in America (2024). He’s a character who deals in mysticism, but also reality. He is often his own worst enemy, the villain of his own story, whether he means to be or not. He is one of the most flawed protagonists not just in comics, but in all of literature. John usually wears a long, yellow trench coat, is always smoking, and in so many issues, he is often found drinking pints of beer in an English pub.
John Constantine was born when Alan Moore saw the musical artist Sting in a bar. Sting recalls this moment in the introduction of John Constantine, Hellblazer: 30th Anniversary Celebration (2018). He later received a package at his door, which was of Swamp Thing, where John Constantine first made his appearance in issue #37 of that series. Alan Moore has even stated that the only reason he created John Constantine was because the artists Steve Bissette and John Totleben wanted to draw a character who looked like Sting. Regardless of the true history, which was probably a combination of both stories, without Sting, there wouldn’t be a John, and without his appearance in Swamp Thing, the “blue-collar warlock” wouldn’t have had his own series, and I wouldn’t be penning these words.
Hellblazer is a horror book, through and through. While it deals with the occult and magic, it’s also about a character coming to grips with the fact he hasn’t always been the best person. Past mistakes make him continue pushing away or hurting the ones he loves. He has to always make hard decisions for the betterment of the moment, even if it means hurting those around him. That is something that makes the horror hit even harder. Much of the series has been John trying to make up for his losing the soul of a young girl named Astra to Hell when he was younger. This decision made him callous, and hollow to those around him. He still lets other characters get close to him by the nature of his charming ways, and at times he seems on a path to peace and forgiveness, but it almost never works out. For me, I think that is what has drawn me to the character from the beginning. I can be charming, I delve into some of the magical study of the occult, and I have hurt far more people than I would ever want to admit. While my life is nothing like Constantine’s, I think we gravitate toward characters that make us feel like we see ourselves. It’s why we go back to our favorite books or films over and over again. It’s a way for us to explore ourselves.
My return to comics has led me back to the pages of various Hellblazer runs. It feels like a weird comfort blanket, and a world that I am so glad exists. While it’s not always easy to read, some of the horror written, especially in the first 300-issue run, is mind-bendingly as good as some of the horror luminaries. Some adaptations and runs are hit and miss, but the current run out now, John Constantine: Dead in America, and its predecessor, John Constantine: Hellblazer by the team of Si Spurrier and Aaron Cambell, are great starting points with next level writing and art. It also harkens back to the original run. It’s brilliant and a must read.
There have been two live-action adaptations of Constantine on film. The first was the poorly conceived Keanu Reeves vehicle, and while it was an adaptation of a phenomenal Garth Ennis arc where John has cancer, Reeves is not a fit for Constantine, and should never have been cast in the role. The next actor to play Constantine was Matt Ryan, in the short-lived 2014 Constantine series, who was, in my opinion, a perfect fit for the role. This show should not have been on NBC. While it was a dark and faithful adaptation, the lack of smoking and curse words made it not feel like Hellblazer. Ryan would continue his role on the CW’s Legends of Tomorrow, which was a very fun show and did justice to Constantine, albeit with the same limitations as NBC. Ryan has also become the go-to voice actor for any time Constantine shows up in animation for DC. Hopefully, with any luck, James Gunn and the current DC team will take notice, give Matt Ryan his due, and make a true Hellblazer film. It’s my wish, as Ryan has already jumped the hoops of going from two very different shows. It would be nice to see him in a Newcastle pub, swearing, and fighting against his urges of self-destruction, while pushing away those close to him.
Regardless of what comes next, with apps like DC Universe Infinite, every run of Hellblazer is available. I cannot recommend reading everything that features him, but my go-to recommended reading is the original Vertigo run and the latest 2019 and 2024 runs. Be prepared to be scared and heartbroken as you read a character who means more to me than any words could ever describe. 🩸
About
Justin Drabek is a contributing writer for Manor Vellum. He also writes for Horror Obsessive and formerly for Killer Horror Critic. He loves cats, and dogs seem to like him…he’s not so sure about them. Follow him on Instagram @ justindrabek.
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