Hellblazer: Chas (John Constantine, Hellblazer) [Paperback]

Simon Oliver (Author), Goran Sudzuka (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 14, 2009 | Series: John Constantine, Hellblazer

Cab driver Francis "Chas" Chandler leads an unremarkable existence. His greatest moments have come tagging along with John Constantine -- as a chauffeur. His home life is nothing special, and his beloved London is becoming a soulless metropolis. In middle age, Chas is stuck in a rut.

But Chas is a master of "The Knowledge," the elaborate system of routes and landmarks which every London cabbie must memorize. Until now, The Knowledge has been just a tool for Chas. But now, he's about to discover a more sinister significance of The Knowledge.

An ominous entity from London's grim history has reemerged, and only someone with The Knowledge can stop it. Is Chas up to the task, on his own?

From the feverish mind of Simon Oliver (THE EXTERMINATORS, GEN 13) with lush artwork by Goran Sudzuka (Y: THE LAST MAN, LADY CONSTANTINE), THE KNOWLEDGE is Chas's chance to make his own mark on the dark universe of HELLBLAZER.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Vertigo (April 14, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401221270
• ISBN-13: 978-1401221270
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.3 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #890,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The road to perdition, April 15, 2009

By 

Jon Repesh (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hellblazer: Chas (John Constantine, Hellblazer) (Paperback)

What is The Knowledge? As we quickly discover, it is a detailed study of optimal traffic routes that aspiring English cab drivers memorize and test on in order to get their license. Its' genesis started centuries ago, but as we also learn so did its' mystical and arcane association with a certain demon from hell, which normally sets the stage for a ghoulish and ghastly adventure starring that legendary demon magnet himself, John Constantine. However in this instance the vile vagaries of fate have cast Mr. Chas Chandler, the already "knowledgeable" long time cabbie and long suffering mate of Constantine in the lead role, a part incidentally that he would rather leave to his more devilishly fluent buddy. This Hellblazeresque story takes a decidedly different route than normal, an apt metaphor in light of the subject matter, with the irrepressible Constantine taking not just his literal, but in this case figurative also, back seat to his pal Chas. The premise is intriguing, although the final dispatching of the evil entity is, as is too often the case in Hellblazer tales, not convincingly resolved. While the debatable decision to feature Chas in his own mini was a refreshing change of pace, it did not significantly enhance the narrative and may have actually detracted from it, with much of it consumed by an overabundance of extraneous sidebars centering on Chas' personal affairs, and in particular the ethical dilemma of him possibly having an extramarital one. Character exploration is fine, but not in lieu of plot development, which this short story was already lacking in anyways. Ultimately though, overcoming one's own trials and tribulations is the underlying moral of this fable, and as Chas would find out, sometimes all it takes is a little bit of faith.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very witty hellblazer, May 17, 2009

By 

Mark L. Mckenzie (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Hellblazer: Chas (John Constantine, Hellblazer) (Paperback)

I'm not going to be a spoiler and tell you anything other than this is refreshing. Some wonderful belly laughs and a sense of London that can only be had through a cabbies eyes.The end isn't as good as the journey , but the journey is so much fun. A great read !!!!!