Customer Reviews

Dark Entries (Vertigo Crime)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In the comic book world crime comics have a steadily growing cult following. As the industry continues to expand past the superhero genre, DC/Vertigo has decided to experiment with a "Crime" line of books, and among the first batch is Dark Entries.

Written by crime novelist Ian Rankin (Exit Music) and illustrated by Italian artist Werther Dell'Edera (Loveless, Punisher War Zone), Dark Entries stars Vertigo regular John Constantine of Hellblazer fame.

A new reality show is on the air in England, a show that's designed to instill fear into its participants. The contestants are trapped in a "haunted house" with the rigged scary bits at the control of the producers, and the only way to win and end the terror is to find and get into the hidden room with the mysterious prize. The contestants in the house have started seeing disturbing ethereal images and are truly frightened. The problem is that the producers of the show haven't switched on any of the automated horrors. These visions are happening all by themselves. After much convincing, primarily using a large wad of money, John Constantine agrees to go investigate. Of course, all is not as it seems, and there's more to this mystery than at first meets the eye.

The writing is fine, if bland and predictable. The "reality TV show gone awry" concept has been done. The narration jumps around between different characters' points-of-view without explanation or a clean transition. One page we're in Constantine's head, the next we're in one of the gameshow contestants' head. And the twist at the end could have been good, but somehow failed to grab my interest.

The artwork is black-and-white, with intentionally rough line work, and zipotones added to flashbacks, dream sequences, or other surreal moments. It told the story pretty clearly, though a few of the characters are difficult to tell apart.

Oh, and . . . THERE'S NO CRIME!!! There's certainly a mystery, but this isn't a crime book at all.

This is by no means a bad book. It's a fine way to kill a couple hours. But it's hardly a revelation. If this is the quality of the whole line, then I don't think the line is going to last very long.

I'm an enthusiastic reader of comic books over the years, and a big fan of the graphic novel format. I've read John Constantine on and off, and enjoyed many of his exploits, beginning with Garth Ennis's bang-up job on John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits, continuing through the brilliant Warren Ellis's arc in books like John Constantine, Hellblazer: Setting Sun and, perhaps, hitting its single-compilation fit peak with Brian Azzarello's raunchy, psychologically complex and tricky Hellblazer: Hard Time (Hellblazer (Graphic Novels)).

So, I was excited to see the prolific and well-regarded mainstream crime/mystery writer Ian Rankin take a stab at the enigmatic magician Constantine. I always enjoy the attempts of writers who've achieved success in other areas take a stab at telling stories through sequential art, which is not as easy as it looks and an art form in itself.

So, how does Rankin do? Unfortunately, just OK. The first half of the book is great, especially the first couple of pages, which establish a cheeky, satiric look at John Constantine's London. I also loved the book's set-up - snarky, cynical Constantine sent in to troubleshoot a reality show gone spookily bad? Brilliant.

But once we start learning what lies beneath Dark Entries promising setup, the story falls apart. It gets absurdly overblown and far removed from even the extra-reality of the Constantine series, which generally succeeds the most when it mixes real world situations with just a touch of the occult.

Add in an ending that relies so heavily on a deus ex machina that you can't help but feel that Rankin had no idea how to believably extricate Constantine from his ridiculous surroundings, and you wind up with a bit of a mess on your hands.

However, there are pleasures to be had here. Rankin is a good writer, and while I thought his plot was weak, there is great enjoyment to be had in his witty dialogue and sardonic world view. There is also much to admire in artist Werther Dell'Edera's work. While I'm not generally a fan of B&W art, the starkness fits this dystopian tale. Ironically, as Rankin's story gets progressively more preposterous, Dell'Edera's drawing becomes more engaging, evoking the iconic excesses and humor of EC's classic comics from the '40's and '50's.

All in all, Dark Entries is a minor entry in the Constantine saga. If you pick it up because you're a fan of Rankin - and one always hope that mainstream writers will draw their readers into the world of graphic novels - be sure to read some of the seminal Constantine tales listed at the start of this review. It just gets better from here.

Although I enjoy graphic novels, I wouldn't say I'm any kind of expert on them. However, this very amusing story in graphic novel format seems like one of the really good ones.

John Constantine (from "Hellblazer" and other places) is a paranormal investigator and is hired by television executives to investigate on a new reality show where it appears the cast is having a problem with haunting. The other members of the cast are seeing terrible visions and Constantine is needed to determine the cause. The mystery itself is a "closed room" mystery, which are always the best.

One thing I liked about the text itself is the shift from white backgrounds to black backgrounds when the location shifts. I can't be more specific without ruining a great twist, but you'll understand once you get your hands on and read through this terrific story.

The artwork is amazing - although it is almost exclusively black and white, it is clean and easy to view - too many graphic novels end up with too much detail cluttering those tiny panels to the point where it is impossible to really see what is going on. Details are definitely there, but they are as necessary and easier on the eye than many others.

For fans of horror comics, horror stories, urban fantasy and "Hellblazer," this story is a must-have.

John Constantine is a fictional character, an occult investigator and exorcist created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and John Totleben who appears in the monthly comic series "HellBlazer" by Vertigo/DC Comics. He also became the protagonist in the Hollywood film called "Constantine" played by Keanu Reeves. Ian Rankin is the best-selling writer of "Exit Music" and together with artist Werther Delle'edera has come up with a very dark tale about the occult in graphic novel format in "DARK ENTRIES". Rankin's tale features our favorite anti-hero Constantine in doing what he does best; with a cigarette and his favorite `hand gesture'.

John Constantine is an occult detective who has faced the many horrors of hell has to offer and he has always gained the upper hand. His career is full of strange happenings that have earned him a reputation among the living and the dead...but John may have bitten off more than he could chew in the horrors of reality television. A television producer named Matthew Keene had enticed Constantine to take part in a reality show called "Haunted House". The hot show is supposed to be a fun house with tricks and gimmicks made to frighten its contestants, but somehow the house had gained a life of its own as something starts to attack the wannabe celebrities. John agrees to be the ultimate mole, as he is locked in with the other contestants. But things aren`t what they seem, as a figure from Constantine`s past have come back to haunt him. John must uncover the sinister secret of the reality show, and what he finds may prove to be the death of him....

"Dark Entries" boasts of the talents of Rankin (writer), Delle'edera (artist) and Clem Robins (letterer) to give us this dark tale of horror and suspense. I have to admit, I was taken aback when I saw the illustrations were rendered strictly in black and white, since I have gotten very used to the dark-deco, painting-like artwork of "HellBlazer". The art is similar to that of a comic strip in your Sunday paper and I had my reservations as to how it could generate the grittiness of Constantine's main book. Well, this is where the writing takes over, as Rankin brings the reader to the world of the occult and the unexplained--his way is quite effective and enthralling as he knew how to play on the reader's curiosity.

All six characters (or contestants) are introduced one by one, obviously having a deep bleak secret as they exhibit some sort of connection with one another. These are your ordinary looking individuals, but they have a certain kind of characteristic in them. I liked the foreshadowing manner in which Rankin develops the storyline. It does have the stereotypical approaches to a key character that is the solution and the reliance to flashbacks to uncover the truth. But hey, I forgive Rankin, as this is a supposed tale of the occult. The 1st half of the book is actually shaded white while the other half is shaded black. It is to the artist's attention to detail that it expressed the darkness and the light. It's funny, as to how darkness this time around expressed knowledge of what is going on in the haunted set. I don't really want to spoil the book's main shock value but I will give you a hint; the contestants are in some sort of "Twilight Zone"-like mumbo-jumbo. Actually, I take that back, it is a lot worst than a "Twilight Zone mumbo-jumbo".

Rankin also throws in some subtle commentary about our need to be entertained, our reliance to technology and that sometimes, some people relish the idea of other people's suffering. Yes, this need may carry over even when we are dead. The idea is quite sinister if you ask me and the way it exercises its script is done in a way that even Stephen King would approve. The dialogue is sharp-tongued and edgy, and yes, Constantine gets to have sex with a woman who resembles a friend of his...there are hints of necrophilia along the film's darker areas. The only complaint I have about the story is that I felt that the last few pages of the story resorted to what some may call a "slasher" menace, as well the demonic forces screwing each other to gain advantage. I was a little disappointed that it became somewhat predictable towards the end.

Overall, while "Dark Entries" may be a little mild compared to the early published works of "HellBlazer", it is a worthwhile addition to the "John Constantine mythos". The story is compressed enough to maintain a feeling of dread, that its small flaws may be forgiven (I still would`ve preferred this graphic novel to be in full color). It is a good short story that expands on the saga of Constantine, although the absence of other major characters in his universe are curiously absent. I do commend the writer for treating this as a one-shot while fitting into "Dark Entries" into "HellBlazer" continuity--there is no need to be familiar with the comic book to appreciate Rankin's story.

Rankin just further cements the fact that "No one should Mess with John Constantine".

Recommended! [3 ½ Stars]

I'm a sucker for haunted house stories, if only because they're such a challenge for modern horror writers to pull off. I also love Blair Witch Project-style narratives, supposedly unfiltered media that catalogues horror without artifice and just presents terror in all its messy glory. So the plot behind Constantine's latest jaunt into the unknown, a reality show about a haunted house, piqued my interest.

Like so many Alan Moore characters, John Constantine is arrogant, wily, grungy, hails from the lower class, and the world pretty much hates him. Constantine and his ilk defined a whole generation of trench-coat wearing bastards that provided a much-needed dose of reality to the comic genre. So it's interesting to insert someone like Constantine in what is an undeniably modern format; that of the narcissistic, relentlessly self-promotional Generation Y-world of reality television.

Constantine shifts very quickly from paranormal investigator of a haunted house to reality show contestant, a shift that isn't entirely believable. We're led to believe it's because Constantine is attracted to a woman on the show who reminds him of someone he once knew. Which is all fine and good, but seems entirely out of character for a drifter who brings bad luck to everyone he meets.

And here's the first problem: it's never realistically explained why all the contestants stay there. The house is a virtual fortress, with no windows or doors. All of the contestants are suffering from grisly, realistic hallucinations. And not one of them cracks enough under the pressure to opt out of the game.

Constantine's arrival mucks up this somewhat delicate balance of greed and paranoia. His sole contribution is sleeping with the woman he was attracted to and asking them all to remember their pasts. In a comic all about Constantine, he barely lifts a finger.

About mid-way through, there's a surprised twist involving demons and hell. I figured it out several pages prior and was actually pleased with the direction the book was going in. In the style of the remake of 13 Ghosts, the book's true premise promised a really dark foray into the human condition as the various contestants realize the hopelessness of their situation and...

But alas, that's for a different book. Once the Big Surprise is revealed, Dark Entries begins a downward spiral into parody. Here's a hint: it includes demons wearing headsets, televisions from hell, and an infernal cannibal who still hears the voice of Sawney Bean.

In other words, instead of continuing the dark noir tone of the first half, or the Gen-Y ironic sensibilities of the second half, it chooses a third route: utter ludicrousness. The infernal forces come off as absurd. When the dismembered head of one of the contestants asks if he'll ever play the piano again, it's clear that Dark Entries has given up.

Rankin seems uncomfortable with the graphic novel format, vacillating between Constantine's noir-style narrative sensibilities, the relentless navel-gazing of modern media, and a bad eighties slasher flick. The result is an uneven installment of the Constantine universe.

You may wonder what being an Amazon Vine reviewer is like. You might think that we recline on pillows in the smoking room, sucking on bon-bons, waiting for the occasional Amazon messenger to crawl in and offer us the latest tome to see if we deign to review it.

It's not like that.

At all.

On the last Thursday of the month, the e-mail comes asking us what we'd like to review. The Internet grounds to a halt as thousands or more reviewers zoom down the list. By the time it reaches most of us, all the things apart from CDs and books are already taken, so we have to scan quickly through the list before someone else gets the review copy.

When I saw this book, I thought, "Ian Rankin . . . my wife likes him . . . I think I read a book of his once . . . Inspector Rebus, like cuddly Inspector Morse . . . good mystery . . . Yeah, I'll grab it." So much for my first impressions. A few days later the book arrives, and I open it to discover it's a graphic novel, from the John Constantine series, and nothing to do with real-world cops at all. And I can't find that book I thought I'd read, so that makes me a graphic-novel virgin, a John Constantine virgin, a Rankin virgin, and a ranking idiot.

But today, all is well. I read the book last night and it's reasonably good. There is a lot happening, as there should be in a comic book. The characters come right out of the Book of Comics Stereotypes, and the plot moves, while not predictable, are not shocking. It opens in a dire version of London, where the rain never stops, as Ridley Scott showed in Blade Runner, his tribute to the weather of the British vacation.

The early parts of the story are unsurprising, as Constantine is persuaded to get out of debt by taking a job for money. His employer is a TV producer, Keene, who has a reality show with a bunch of young people living in a sealed-up house where there is a highly valuable prize concealed and the person who finds this will be able to get out.

The kids take to the job with enthusiasm by mainly sitting around and drinking beer. Although the producer is trying to frighten them by making them see special effects, the kids are seeing visions of their own. Keene wants Constantine to go into the house and discover why all the contestants are having their own hallucinations. I could go on with a whole bunch of spoilers but why should I spoil all your fun (if you have any)?

I guess that this book is, as another reviewer described it, a way of spending a couple of hours. It's good but not great. It's certainly not up in Rankin's Inspector Rebus novels, but seems instead to be a throwaway. However, it's somewhere around two-and-a-half stars, and I'll go to three, since unless you're a fan of Rankin's Tartan Noir crime novels you should be happy with this.

And that's the beauty of the Vine program. Books reviewed by people who'd normally never look at them and try to find something that makes for a fair review. In the meantime, all you need to do is click on the Yes button at the question "Was this review helpful to you?"

And if you're nice, I might send you a bon-bon.

Ian Rankin takes the most trivial and inane form of television entertainment, a reality show, and plugs John Constantine into it. A group of people are in a house on a reality show. The house is supposed to be haunted, and one lucky contestant is supposed to find a secret room. Constantine is hired because the house is doing hauntings of its own and the producers don't know why. He goes onto the show as a mole and gets involved with the others. It turns out that everyone on the show has no recollection of how they got there and none of them remember agreeing to be on the show. Constantine discovers why they are there and then he is sucked into Hell, where the demons of his past try to kill him. Can he escape? Why are the people in the house?

Great graphic novel entry to the Constantine series was never (as far as I know) serialized in comic book form. Rankin does an excellent job with the character, and the black and white art is stark and very well drawn. This is a serious page turner, I read it in one sitting. Highly recommended to fans of the series. This is also a great place to start if you've never read any other Constantine or Hellblazer stories.

Long a fan of Ian Rankin's I decided to give this book a try. Needless to say, it wasn't a bit like I expected, but I really enjoyed it. I have not read much graphic fiction (comics) and am not familiar with Hellblazer or John Constantine, but, as I said, I sure as heck liked this story. I am, after all, a big reader of horror stories and the twist in this one was superb.

This was the first of the Vertigo Crime graphic novels that I read, and like the subsequent books in the series, it excells on every level.

Ian Rankin shows a real comprehension of what makes John Constantine(of the Hellblazer comics) tick, and what makes for an engrossing Constantine story. His writing is spot on for the character. His devil-may-care attitude, smirky and witty sense of humor, and genius deductive skills are all on display here. His knowledge of the supernatural world comes through exactly as you'd expect from a Constantine tale. He knows better than anyone how to bedevil the devil, and this book makes you root for him all the way through. The other characters are also fleshed out very well and make entertaining and valuable contributions to this cleverly conceived, horrifying take on the world of reality tv that permeates our current society. There are twists aplenty, and the balance of suspense, horror, mystery and dark humor is quite satisfying. Rankin(who I'd never heard of before) is easily one of the best writers in this genre I have ever come across. His storytelling combined with Dell'edera's wonderfully expressive and bold pure pencil and ink style incite a creepy yet fun environment to throw yourself into. This leads me to Dell'edera's artwork.

Werther Dell'edera(another name I'd never seen) displays a firm grasp on what sort of disturbing images and creative perspectives leave the reader feeling truly uneasy. A job well done.

I would recommend this graphic novel to any fan of Constantine or suspenseful horror mysteries in general. It's terrifying fun that will make you an instant fan of Constantine and/or creators Rankin and Dell'edera. And when you're finished with this gem of a story, check out other Constantine graphic novels(such as "Hellblazer: John Constantine - All His Engines) and the rest of the Vertigo Crime series("A Sickness in the Family" or "Area 10" for example). You won't be disappointed.

Oh and I forgot to mention how cool the size of these compact Veritgo Crime books is. They are a nice departure from the typical comic book sized graphic novels. And the fact that they are hardcovers really sends them over the top in terms of quality. Nice.

Ian Rankin is to be admired for walking away from a highly successful crime series. His post-Rebus work has been really exciting -- both this and the The Complaints were really first rate. This Vertigo Crime imprint is about a paranormal investigator recruited by a television executive to look into a locked-room mystery reality show that appears to be haunted. The guests experience terrifying visions only they see. Rankin's story captures the present moment while also mixing in ancient themes that have haunted writers and readers for years. This might have the best storyline of any Vertigo Crime book so far.