Customer Reviews

John Constantine, Hellblazer: Fear and Loathing

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

 

 

John Constantine, the character this series is about, is a man who looks like any other man. Despite of his overconfidence, constant smoking and the trenchcoat he seems to be joined at the hip with. But Constantine practices magic and had words with about every demon in hell. He's an expert and he's cunning to boot, although alcohol seems to be more of his interest. This book collects #62-67 of the series, which isn't a standard "good vs. bad" title but deals with characters who all are somewhere in the middle. Along the way their private lives are not ignored neither.

The cover-story, which runs through 4 of the 6 issues, is about `The Snob', formerly known as the archangel Gabriel. While John is very much in love with Kit, Gabriel is doubting his faith and the faith people have in him. His associates aren't happy with his behavior because of it and since it all leads back to something John once said, they're decided to make his life hell. Apart from that there are also stories about John trying to talk his niece out of getting into magic and about John's fortieth birthday (in the very first Vertigo Hellblazer issue).

Better than the earlier Ennis Hellblazer collection ("Dangerous Habits"), which wasn't bad either. The strength lies, next to interesting storytelling, in the fact that the story-arcs aren't out of the blue. They seem logical phases in Constantine's life and blend in with his everyday reality. Good and fluent Steve Dillon art in all the issues. Although it's before he realized his art doesn't need sketchy lines in it (as shown in `Preacher'), it's close to what it is today. One of the best Hellblazer collections so far. Prior knowledge of the title is a pro, not a must.

I'm surprised that there are no other reviews of this book, so I'll give one. It's actually a very simple chapter in John Constantine's life. It shows everything that Garth Ennis gave him, his humor, his horror, his ability to fight and be fought and to win out in the end. His roguish charm which takes him through so much, is shown not to be able to take him through everything that life throws at him. It is the perfect prelude book for Garth Ennis's run on the title.

Garth Ennis, John Constantine, Hellblazer: Fear and Loathing (Vertigo, 1997)

John Constantine and Garth Ennis seem made for one another, in some evil parallel universe. Ennis, of course, is the man behind the psyhchotically brilliant Preacher, and Constantine is, well, Constantine, the chainsmoking archwizard whose entire purpose in saving the world is so he has something to play with. It's not surprising when Constantine interacts with the supernatural, but it does get fun once in a while. Here, for example.

This episode in the incredibly long-running series focuses on Gabriel. Yes, that Gabriel, he of the trumpet, Christopher Walken, blah blah. Gabe and John had words some time ago, and here we find out that angels hold grudges for a long, long time. Gabe wants his revenge, and is willing to risk everything to get it. John, oblivious, is trying to keep things together with Kit while facing the worst demon he's ever had cross his path-- his own fortieth birthday, which is celebrated in the most interesting of fashions.

Like a number of Hellblazer collections, this one doesn't quite stay glued together for its whole length, with the fortieth birthday thing just kind of popping itself down in the middle and making the storyline wait until it's done. (This is the sort of thing Brian Azzarello is so good at avoiding, both on Hellblazer and 100 Bullets, and it's one of the reasons he's one of the best in the business today.) That said, it's not a bad volume. If you're a Hellblazer fan and/or an Ennis fan, you're likely to enjoy it. It just derails now and again. *** ½

Fear and Loathing was the first comicbook I read about John Constantine after I'd decided I'd take up collecting Hellblazer. And afterwards I sat on the sofa not knowing what had hit me. This bundel has such an impact I'd put it on the hazards list of heartpatients. Constantine's character is so human that it is very easy to identify yourself with him. Though I still think Ennis took all the bad things that can happen in life and made them happen to one person to see how long he'd be able to stretch such a persons life. Really great tradepaperback! We need more of these!