Customer Reviews

Hellblazer: The Red Right Hand

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This trade brings about the completion of the previous Hellblazer graphic novel Empathy is the Enemy, an intriguing story that kept the reader anxiously awaiting its conclusion. However like many other second volumes before it, it ultimately fails to deliver on the same level of quality that the initial book produced, with very little of import actually occurring, therefore making one wonder if the inclusion of extra pages was done primarily for the purpose of selling another volume. While there is some minor plot development transpiring, most of the scenes come down to verbal jousting among the main characters without any major furthering of the narrative being provided. Additionally, like many other Hellblazer trades, the final dispatching of the evil entity is accomplished ineffectually, involving more smoke and mirrors than a convincing, rational scenario. Despite these shortcomings, Denise Mina's competent prose does help to offset the story's lack of progression and compelling resolution, but the entire outcome could have been told more efficiently, and while doing so, probably keeping it to just one volume as well.

EMPATHY IS THE ENEMY was such a wonderful Constantine story, I couldn't wait to read the follow up. Unfortunately,
THE RED RIGHT HAND couldn't hold a candle to its predecessor. Whereas EMPATHY was intriguing, subtle and frightening,
this one was bogged down in endless exposition and just downright lazy story-telling. Ms. Mina is clearly a very
good writer (as evidenced by her previous work), but here her work falls flat.

Ancient evil forces, lost friends, trickery and beguile, black magic and bad luck, rumpled trenchcoat and silk cut cigarettes.

Another great Constantine story arc concludes.

I am an avid fan of the hellblazer comics and have enjoyed the previous ten or so I have read but this book is very bad. The story sucks and lacks the edge the other stories have. Its way too soft and cuddly. I wish I hadn't bought this one.