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John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits

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It was with this story arc that Garth Ennis began a run on "Hellblazer" which made his name in the US. In my opinion it is still one of the best. Only 20 years old at the time, he had a tough act to follow as Jamie Delano's relentlessly bleak storylines had won him praise across the board. What nobody imagined was that this young Irishman could write a storyline that would not only grip and entertain readers, with its energy and dark wit, but that he would also set up a chain of events that is to this day still praised as the greatest series of stories ever told about John Constantine. Obviously Garth's story - telling wasn't up to the standard that it is now but he sure did manage to bring fantastically realistic dialogue and characters to the series. The games of trickery and deceit he plays with the devil himself in this collection are up there with the best horror tales I have ever read, or seen on screen. The gore count isn't as high as most of his books now, and William Simpsons art may seem sketchy at first, but persevere and you will be rewarded with a fantastically original story. Not for the faint - hearted (well Ennis books never are) but this is a truly compelling, and heartfelt story about the desperate risks that one man will take to survive as he feels death catching up with him.

Before Garth Ennis wreaked havoc with his classic critically acclaimed Preacher series, he made a name for himself when he took over Hellblazer. John Constantine, the hard drinking, hard smoking manipulator of magic, meets his toughest opponent yet: his mortality. Constantine is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and he doesn't have long to live. While Dangerous Habits (or most of Ennis' Hellblazer work) doesn't have the over the top vulgarity and brilliant insanity of his later work on Preacher, Ennis still weaves a powerful and surprisingly effective tale that finds Constantine at his weakest (and in following volumes we witness his deconstruction of the character) as he struggles to not only save his life, but his soul as well. Some of the art can be an acquired taste, but it suits the book, and Dangerous Habits is the beginning of the definitive Hellblazer stories. After reading this, you may even think about giving the smokes a break for a while, I know I am.

Garth Ennis, John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits (Vertigo, 1994)

It is entirely likely that anyone reading this review doesn't need me to say a thing about it. You already know who John Constantine is (even those of you who don't follow comics, thanks to the recent Keanu Reeves vehicle). You probably even know what issue numbers are contained in this book, which was the beginning of Garth Ennis' stint as the primary writer, and what happens in them. On the off chance, however, that someone who's not into comics stumbles across this review, I'll go ahead and say "get this."

Chain-smoking, hard-drinking John Constantine, rake, magician, and all-around bad guy, has just found out he has terminal lung cancer. He's going to die. He has few to turn to for help; most of his friends are dead, and both friends and adversaries still alive are loath to help him for various reasons of their own. Thus, Constantine has to come up with a typically brilliant, diabolical plan in order to get himself out of an inextricable mess.

Granted, this is a regular day in the life of the Hellblazer, but Ennis, the man behind the great Preacher, brings a style and energy to Constantine's character that's undeniable and attractive. He's a bit less comfortable with some of the minor characters from older issues, as if he's still getting used to being thrust into their skins, but as this story arc is highly centered around Constantine and a new character, that doesn't play as important a part as one might at first think. (The Snob, especially, is... well, downright boring here.) Ennis' writing is as witty and wiseacre as ever, and, well, it's simply a load of fun. If you're not familiar with Constantine, you may want to hunt down Original Sins before this, but this is one you'll definitely want to go on to. *** ½

While it is certainly within reason to prefer some of the later issues of the Ennis run on Hellblazer (I myself also prefer Dillon's artwork), Dangerous Habits is such an iconic picture of the character John Constantine that I consider it absolutely essential. This is what you give to someone who has never read a Hellblazer comic before (or a horror comic before, for that matter). Gritty, depressing, humanist, Ennis shows his wonderful storytelling ability through every page and turn of the book. But in an almost film-noir sort of way, Constantine often takes a second seat to the supporting cast. A demon, an angel, a terminal cancer patient, and more all masterfully color the occult world of Hellblazer with true-to-life personality and just enough glimpses at a larger universe to intrigue, but not lose the flexibility of the setting.

You probably know the story. There's this mythical hero, known to be able to outsmart Satan himself, who apart from some minor human defect is next to invincible. But one day he wakes up with a terminal cancer, no doubt induced by his chain-smoking habit.

This would be cool enough, but the whole point of the story is how mr. Constantine works his way out of this major inconvenience. I won't spoil it for you - but I'm sure nobody else but Constantine would have thought of that.

Oh, and the other important thing. This book is not about what I just described, but about death, friendship and the way you look at your life and the world itself. Not bad indeed.

Whoever said comics were for kids? Or just boys, for that matter. This has to be my favourite ever Hellblazer collection, with John showing that mix of insane bravado and reluctant compassion (as well as a horrified realisation of his own mortality) that makes him one of the most complex and enjoyable fictional characters I know.

This was the very first American comic book Garth Ennis wrote, I'd like to say off the bat, and even then you could see his flair for diolouge, the outrageous situations he puts his characters through, and his views about religion. John Constantine, the protaginist of this book, gets lung cancer from smoking cigarettes all his life. You can see his despiration as he goes on a nutty quest for a cure, coming even to guys garunteed to shoot him down, and guys garunteed to want to help him but still be totally useless. You can see his despair as he is sure he is going to kick the bucket and says a sad goodbye to his family and friends(and ex-friends, and non-friends, and dead friends...). Just like people in real life with fatal illnesses often go on wild goose chases and often fruitless and aimless searches for a cure, Garth Ennis, as always, wrote a story that couldn't happen in real life, yet felt so realistic. Any fan of Preacher or Hitman has to pick this book up ! so they can see the shape of things to come. Oh, and if you don't want to end up like John here, lay off the smokes, okay? Not every(okay, not any) lung cancer victem enjoys the miracle cure he gets at the end.

Garth Ennis is one of the most consistently entertaining writers in comics today, and one of the most challenging. DANGEROUS HABITS is the beginning of that. Obviously his great work has continued through his run on HELLBLAZER to his unbelivably innovative and instantly addictive series PREACHER, to his challenging work on WAR STORIES and his hilariously over-the-top reboot of THE PUNISHER. In regard to DANGEROUS HABITS, although he is missing his best artistic sidekick, Steve Dillon, that does not prevent this run of HELLBLAZER from being the best I've ever read, with one of the greatest plot twists in comic history. It's simply brilliant.

It's easy to realize once again what makes Garth Ennis one of the best writers in the field when reading this one. Throughout the story I was unable to predict what was going to happen on the next page. And despite Ennis making this into a rollercoaster ride he still keeps it all believable.

Mind you, this story is not on par with the Preacher series, not much is, but it still is a story that rises far above the average comic book story. The characters are all interesting, often funny, and they'll hold your attention with ease. Not once was the story faltering. And in the case of you being a smoker-maybe at the end you'll be cured of that habit. As another reviewer pointed out this is one hell of an anti-smokers `add'.

So, if you feel like picking up a well told story with Constantine in the lead, you'll do best to pick up this one. If however, you are not yet acquainted with Ennis's Preacher than you better turn to that one.

This is the perfect pick up point for any serious Hellblazer future fan. It shows you the crazy world of the magician called John Constantine. Author Garth Ennis brings you a little bit closer to the madness of John's world, the story is very appealling and it grabs you from the beginning to the end. A great buy and a Jewel for comic-book fans. John is a character a lot of us relate to(Believe me) so grab a Pint and enjoy an awesome reading expirience..Cheers Mate!