Customer Reviews

Hellblazer: Family Man (Hellblazer (Graphic Novels))

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If you look at the publication date and see how much this predates the serial killer novel/true story craze, you will realize how creative and prescient the early Hellblazer story lines were. No magic, but a terrible creep factor. Slight development in John Constantine's character (but also a key event, his father's death). Worth collecting.

I have only recently started reading Constantine starting with the first available volume. Thus, although I know about other more significant runs, I've only been reading Jamie Delano's so far, and have found, in my opinion, that his weakness is generally obstructive language and philosophy when he could be telling a good story.

This collection kicks down that wall with the excellent Family Man arc, as John tracks down a serial killer. The writing is tense and not over-reliant on narrative boxes, the characters are interesting (like a collector of serial killer memorabilia), and the finale and epilogue to the arc both show a good deal of Constantine's character. It doesn't read like Delano's other works, and that works out for the better.

Unfortunately, the non-arc stories don't quite live up. New Tricks, a non-Delano story, is interesting but not particularly fantastic. Sundays Are Different goes right back into Delano's weaknesses, switching from John talking with a new-age couple about the turn of the 90s to some weird world of everybody speaking in anagrams. I'm sure it means something to somebody, but for me, it's not really a story so much as a ramble.

Overall though, this book is definitely worth reading and recommending. Easily the best of the Delano collections.

A definate must for any Constantine fan. We all know he can handle himself around the forces of Hell but in Family Man John must deal with humanity.