[Discussed in this post: the second part of Hellblazer: Black Flowers, "Third Worlds" (#184-186).]
Marcelo Frusin returns for this trio of stories that all take place in a different location: South America, Iran, and Tasmania. All have something that John wants in his efforts to track down what's going on with the dog and the three doors. In South America, John talks with Swamp Thing and asks for some help, but in the most dickish manner possible; he also does a scam with a buddy in exchange for information. They cheat a man out of his soul at a card game, seemingly looking like the guy fucked John. He's told that the dog comes from Eden, pre-fall. So, John heads to Iran, because Eden is close to there. There, he encounters a sect that believes they're descendents of Cain, waiting for the pardon to be lifted so they can return to Eden first, with whom he's had previous contact and they want him for theft, so he has to undergo a trial by ordeal. He learns about a beast in Eden that wouldn't be named. During that, he asks Angie to get as close to Eden as possible and bury some of his hair there. He also learns from Swamp Thing that two things crossed through the door: something large and something small. This has happened before, mostly recently in Tasmania. He escapes the trial by ordeal by using meditation to block out the pain. In Tasmania, he's trapped in a dream of sorts while Angie does the talking that gets him saved and his questions answered.
This storyarc operates under the rules that I discussed earlier: Carey telling small, somewhat self-contained stories that work on the macro as well. Each has its own little story in it that, once done, leads to the next location. The first issue is the best, because of the poker game. There's genuine intrigue there, while the other two descend in quality. We do get a cool shot of Angie being faced with a pissed off angel with a flaming sword, though.
I will say that there is something about these stories that don't sit right with me entirely. It's not because I know where things are going, it's that John doesn't seem too on the ball here. He's playing the part of the detective, but that's not what he is. It seems obvious that he's going to fuck things up, because he's just moving from place to place with such ease. Also, a big clue: John is trying to save the world. When is that ever good for anyone?
The relationship between Angie and John progresses here, but Carey plays it well. I think it works fine. Especially since we get some of Angie's past in the third issue. I still don't find her that interesting, though. She's too much of a loyal puppy with the odd snarky remark. She does what she's told. Meh.
In 30 minutes, we do the first part of Staring at the Wall as things go from bad to worse...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Blogathon 29: Hellblazer: Black Flowers (Part One)
[Discussed in this post: the first part of Hellblazer: Black Flowers, "The Game of Cat and Mouse" (#181) and "Black Flowers" (#182-183).]
Joining the artistic showcase that is Hellblazer: Jock and Lee Bermejo. At some point, this title turned into an ongoing version of Global Frequency.
Jock's story is a one-issue affair where John Constantine's soul is chased throughout London by three lukhavim, monsters made out of souls. He's warned by Gary Lester, his old bandmate from Hell. So, John prepares and those preparations are meaningless. So he's forced to run through London, using his knowledge of the city to stay one step ahead of the lukhavim. It's a fast-paced story that plays well to Jock's art style. He works well with a lot of quick-paced action like a chase through London. In the end, John outsmarts two of them by leading them to a place in the subway that was once a mental hospital with a chapel in it, so they're destroyed. That leave just the one, but it has a message for John: "The dog is pressing against the first door." Hmm... Again, an issue that stands on its own with a beginning and end, but feeds the larger story.
Lee Bermejo's story is two issues of Celtic souls breaking through the door of death in Stone Cross, Bedfordshire. They're possessing people and that also happens to be where Angie's brother Jason is, in a mental hospital. So, both she and John head that way independent of one another, working together once they get there. They also have to contend with gironnved, shepherds of the dead. They're prowling the town, stabbing people with their staffs, figuring its easier to collect the escaped souls by killing the hosts. John solves the problem with magic, of course. It ends with him worried about what's going on. Fredericks wanted to do something with three doors and, now, the first one has been opened.
Both of these stories are fine. When you look at them as part of the whole, they show up clearly as puzzle pieces that lose some of their lustre once you can see them completely. In the actual execution, though, they are interesting. They're told well, it's just that not much actually... happens, I guess, in the grand scheme of things.
Jock and Lee Bermejo both do good work. I don't find Bermejo as suited to this title as Jock, but Bermejo's death shepherds are great with their cloaks and masks. Very spooky. I do like how his John Constantine has a face full of lines and scars. Not distractingly so, but enough that he looks like a man who's lived.
In 30 minutes, we'll conclude Black Flowers with the three-part "Third Worlds"...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Joining the artistic showcase that is Hellblazer: Jock and Lee Bermejo. At some point, this title turned into an ongoing version of Global Frequency.
Jock's story is a one-issue affair where John Constantine's soul is chased throughout London by three lukhavim, monsters made out of souls. He's warned by Gary Lester, his old bandmate from Hell. So, John prepares and those preparations are meaningless. So he's forced to run through London, using his knowledge of the city to stay one step ahead of the lukhavim. It's a fast-paced story that plays well to Jock's art style. He works well with a lot of quick-paced action like a chase through London. In the end, John outsmarts two of them by leading them to a place in the subway that was once a mental hospital with a chapel in it, so they're destroyed. That leave just the one, but it has a message for John: "The dog is pressing against the first door." Hmm... Again, an issue that stands on its own with a beginning and end, but feeds the larger story.
Lee Bermejo's story is two issues of Celtic souls breaking through the door of death in Stone Cross, Bedfordshire. They're possessing people and that also happens to be where Angie's brother Jason is, in a mental hospital. So, both she and John head that way independent of one another, working together once they get there. They also have to contend with gironnved, shepherds of the dead. They're prowling the town, stabbing people with their staffs, figuring its easier to collect the escaped souls by killing the hosts. John solves the problem with magic, of course. It ends with him worried about what's going on. Fredericks wanted to do something with three doors and, now, the first one has been opened.
Both of these stories are fine. When you look at them as part of the whole, they show up clearly as puzzle pieces that lose some of their lustre once you can see them completely. In the actual execution, though, they are interesting. They're told well, it's just that not much actually... happens, I guess, in the grand scheme of things.
Jock and Lee Bermejo both do good work. I don't find Bermejo as suited to this title as Jock, but Bermejo's death shepherds are great with their cloaks and masks. Very spooky. I do like how his John Constantine has a face full of lines and scars. Not distractingly so, but enough that he looks like a man who's lived.
In 30 minutes, we'll conclude Black Flowers with the three-part "Third Worlds"...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 28: Hellblazer: Red Sepulchre
[Discussed in this post: Hellblazer: Red Sepulchre, "High on Life" (#175-176), and "Red Sepulchre" (#177-180).]
Wait, who's that for the first two issues, "High on Life"...? Is that... Steve Dillon? Yes! John returns to England and has a beard. He almost doesn't look like John Constantine with a beard. But I like it. He at least looks middleaged. I've come to the conclusion that the only thing more difficult to draw than children is middleaged people. (And cue someone eventually pointing out that his aging is slowed or something and I'll respond with one word: Chas. Shouldn't Chas look his age, you smartass?)
John returns to England via boat, under the radar, so he doesn't have to answer any questions like "Didn't you die in prison?" "How are you alive?" and "Hey, if you're alive, shouldn't you be in prison?" He arrives in Liverpool and goes to visit his sister. She's somewhat shocked at him being alive, of course, as anyone would be. Cheryl's husband, Tony, isn't pleased to see him, but Tony is a crazy christian and should be mocked for it. Mostly because he's an idiot. It wouldn't matter what he believed in, he'd still be an idiot.
John notices something is up with the council flat that Cheryl and Tony live in; something doesn't feel right. Maybe it's the person who hung themselves off the railing when he comes in -- but that just seems a sympton of the disease. He meets a woman, Angie, who wants to help and clues him in on the idea of checking the town's registers for who moved in recently to cause this sort of change. When he does, he discovers that a woman's apartment on the top floor is surrounded by good feelings. Peace and joy. That there are magic symbols around the frame is another big tip-off. Angie, while investigating on her own, is attacked by two men who cut off some of her flesh, a similar tactic used by a serial killer... that was in London until recently, just about the time that the woman moved to Liverpool. Turns out that she's a junkie for the souls of young prostitutes. The sex and the cheap thrills. John manages to turn it around on her, but she provides some weird clue by calling him by his real name when he's using a fake one.
Another usual piece of information we learn: Gemma is apparently in France, but that doesn't seem right. Which is true, because she's in London and being held by a man named Fredericks. He wants John to find something called the Red Sepulchre, a weapon used by a sect of Indians (from India) to kill. Apparently, since it killed an ancestor of John's, he can tell what it is by touching it. Fredericks thought Gemma could, too, but John is better, obviously. John has to figure this all out and slowly learns that all of his fellow magicians in London basically sold him and his niece out. Gemma thinks Fredericks wants her because she's so talented/has so much potential, but that's not it at all. He was almost ready to kill her.
The trick is that it turns out that the Sepulchre was the drawstring of a knapsack that the man claiming to have it carried. No one paid attention to that and John uses it to take revenge. He gets into an argument with Gemma who thinks he's talking down to her (which he is... and rightfully so, in part).
One thing I enjoyed about this arc was Carey bringing back Joshua Wright as Fredericks's right-hand man. Sure, he dies, but it's a nice touch. Carey is probably the best writer of them all to use what came before as being integral to his stories. I do feel slightly cheated out of a good confrontation, but that's fine for me.
These two arcs form the beginning of the larger story that will take us through the next two trades. Carey is pretty good at building on his stories to tell self-contained ones that also serve the larger arc. The old woman was in Liverpool watching his sister's place, possibly for him. Apparently, Fredericks was trying to open three doors, the first with the Sepulchre. Why? No one knows, but I'm sure all will be revealed.
Marcelo Frusin's John Constantine has no beard, just manly stubble. And he looks much, much younger.
In 30 minutes, the first part of Black Flowers...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Wait, who's that for the first two issues, "High on Life"...? Is that... Steve Dillon? Yes! John returns to England and has a beard. He almost doesn't look like John Constantine with a beard. But I like it. He at least looks middleaged. I've come to the conclusion that the only thing more difficult to draw than children is middleaged people. (And cue someone eventually pointing out that his aging is slowed or something and I'll respond with one word: Chas. Shouldn't Chas look his age, you smartass?)
John returns to England via boat, under the radar, so he doesn't have to answer any questions like "Didn't you die in prison?" "How are you alive?" and "Hey, if you're alive, shouldn't you be in prison?" He arrives in Liverpool and goes to visit his sister. She's somewhat shocked at him being alive, of course, as anyone would be. Cheryl's husband, Tony, isn't pleased to see him, but Tony is a crazy christian and should be mocked for it. Mostly because he's an idiot. It wouldn't matter what he believed in, he'd still be an idiot.
John notices something is up with the council flat that Cheryl and Tony live in; something doesn't feel right. Maybe it's the person who hung themselves off the railing when he comes in -- but that just seems a sympton of the disease. He meets a woman, Angie, who wants to help and clues him in on the idea of checking the town's registers for who moved in recently to cause this sort of change. When he does, he discovers that a woman's apartment on the top floor is surrounded by good feelings. Peace and joy. That there are magic symbols around the frame is another big tip-off. Angie, while investigating on her own, is attacked by two men who cut off some of her flesh, a similar tactic used by a serial killer... that was in London until recently, just about the time that the woman moved to Liverpool. Turns out that she's a junkie for the souls of young prostitutes. The sex and the cheap thrills. John manages to turn it around on her, but she provides some weird clue by calling him by his real name when he's using a fake one.
Another usual piece of information we learn: Gemma is apparently in France, but that doesn't seem right. Which is true, because she's in London and being held by a man named Fredericks. He wants John to find something called the Red Sepulchre, a weapon used by a sect of Indians (from India) to kill. Apparently, since it killed an ancestor of John's, he can tell what it is by touching it. Fredericks thought Gemma could, too, but John is better, obviously. John has to figure this all out and slowly learns that all of his fellow magicians in London basically sold him and his niece out. Gemma thinks Fredericks wants her because she's so talented/has so much potential, but that's not it at all. He was almost ready to kill her.
The trick is that it turns out that the Sepulchre was the drawstring of a knapsack that the man claiming to have it carried. No one paid attention to that and John uses it to take revenge. He gets into an argument with Gemma who thinks he's talking down to her (which he is... and rightfully so, in part).
One thing I enjoyed about this arc was Carey bringing back Joshua Wright as Fredericks's right-hand man. Sure, he dies, but it's a nice touch. Carey is probably the best writer of them all to use what came before as being integral to his stories. I do feel slightly cheated out of a good confrontation, but that's fine for me.
These two arcs form the beginning of the larger story that will take us through the next two trades. Carey is pretty good at building on his stories to tell self-contained ones that also serve the larger arc. The old woman was in Liverpool watching his sister's place, possibly for him. Apparently, Fredericks was trying to open three doors, the first with the Sepulchre. Why? No one knows, but I'm sure all will be revealed.
Marcelo Frusin's John Constantine has no beard, just manly stubble. And he looks much, much younger.
In 30 minutes, the first part of Black Flowers...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 27: Hellblazer: All His Engines
[Discussed in this post: Hellblazer: All His Engines.]
Alright, I know, this graphic novel didn't come out until January 2005, while Carey's run on the book started on June 26, 2002, but that would mean doing this graphic novel around #204, which came out in the same month as it. And, believe it or not, but once Carey's run gets going, it's pretty much all one story that flow from one arc to the next. So I either do it before or I do it after... except OH WAIT! Denise Mina's run flows right out of Carey's, so before it is. Deal with it.
Some people really like All His Engines and I can see why. It's got everything a John Constantine story should have: demons with more power than John, Chas, a child in distress, multiple women who hate John, and lots of risking more than he can afford to lose. But, in that way, it seems almost like Carey's trying too hard to create a story that has everything that a John Constantine story should have if you catch my drift. It stinks of effort. Of trying to make a perfectly accessible graphic novel that sums up Hellblazer for anyone who doesn't know just in time for Constantine to come out in theatres.
It's not that I don't like All His Engines, I just don't care. I don't. I can't explain why. The plot is: some demon has stolen the souls of children, including Chas's granddaughter, so John has to go to LA (with Chas in tow) to get Tricia's soul back. But, that was part of the demon's plan. He's trying to set up a local version of Hell in LA and wants John to help get rid of the local death god, an Aztec one from way back. In the process of trying to sort it out, it goes south when the two simply set up a deal where the Aztec god is given one in ten souls as tribute and it looks like all is lost. Until John comes up with another plan that ends with John gambling with Tricia's life... and it pays off.
Maybe it's because I'm used to seeing these things play out over a period of six or twelve issues, this doesn't work. It's so obvious in its structure and what happens. For me at least. And, I will say this, before people assume I just hate Carey's run, rereading it this time, I really enjoyed it (to a point... a point in the run, that is). This graphic novel just does nothing for me.
Leonardo Manco makes his first appearance for us in the blogathon, but he'll become the regular artist of Hellblazer with #194. He's got a good, dark style. If you've seen his work on the Darque mini-series (unless it was actually title something different) from Valiant (take two) with the one-shot and then the four-issue mini, you'll see that he does a great dark, Hellish sort of thing. His art is intricate and has photorealistic elements without seeming traced or stuff. I love his Aztec deathgod here. Not as big a fan of his John Constantine, because he looks too young. Same with Chas. This story takes place in 2004... John is 51. He looks 32.
In 30 minutes, I'll begin Carey's run proper with Red Sepulchre...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Alright, I know, this graphic novel didn't come out until January 2005, while Carey's run on the book started on June 26, 2002, but that would mean doing this graphic novel around #204, which came out in the same month as it. And, believe it or not, but once Carey's run gets going, it's pretty much all one story that flow from one arc to the next. So I either do it before or I do it after... except OH WAIT! Denise Mina's run flows right out of Carey's, so before it is. Deal with it.
Some people really like All His Engines and I can see why. It's got everything a John Constantine story should have: demons with more power than John, Chas, a child in distress, multiple women who hate John, and lots of risking more than he can afford to lose. But, in that way, it seems almost like Carey's trying too hard to create a story that has everything that a John Constantine story should have if you catch my drift. It stinks of effort. Of trying to make a perfectly accessible graphic novel that sums up Hellblazer for anyone who doesn't know just in time for Constantine to come out in theatres.
It's not that I don't like All His Engines, I just don't care. I don't. I can't explain why. The plot is: some demon has stolen the souls of children, including Chas's granddaughter, so John has to go to LA (with Chas in tow) to get Tricia's soul back. But, that was part of the demon's plan. He's trying to set up a local version of Hell in LA and wants John to help get rid of the local death god, an Aztec one from way back. In the process of trying to sort it out, it goes south when the two simply set up a deal where the Aztec god is given one in ten souls as tribute and it looks like all is lost. Until John comes up with another plan that ends with John gambling with Tricia's life... and it pays off.
Maybe it's because I'm used to seeing these things play out over a period of six or twelve issues, this doesn't work. It's so obvious in its structure and what happens. For me at least. And, I will say this, before people assume I just hate Carey's run, rereading it this time, I really enjoyed it (to a point... a point in the run, that is). This graphic novel just does nothing for me.
Leonardo Manco makes his first appearance for us in the blogathon, but he'll become the regular artist of Hellblazer with #194. He's got a good, dark style. If you've seen his work on the Darque mini-series (unless it was actually title something different) from Valiant (take two) with the one-shot and then the four-issue mini, you'll see that he does a great dark, Hellish sort of thing. His art is intricate and has photorealistic elements without seeming traced or stuff. I love his Aztec deathgod here. Not as big a fan of his John Constantine, because he looks too young. Same with Chas. This story takes place in 2004... John is 51. He looks 32.
In 30 minutes, I'll begin Carey's run proper with Red Sepulchre...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 26: Hellblazer: Highwater (Part Three)
[Discussed in this post: the third part of Hellblazer: Highwater, "Ashes and Dust in the City of Angels" (#170-174).]
The culmination of Brian Azzarello's run on Hellblazer is really... John Constantine versus Batman? Why, yes it is! SW Manor is really just a stand-in for Bruce Wayne. Once you know that interpretation of the story, it's hard to read it any other way, honestly. I pondered on the podcast last night and earlier this week on Twitter if Batman fans are aware of this story, especially the part where John and Manor enter into a sexual relationship. Batman/Constatine slash fiction, folks. Oh ho ho, that Azzarello... (and, after this, they let him write Batman... numerous times... oh ho ho, that DC... wait, did the people at DC even read this comic and understand what the gag was?)
The story begins with John Constantine dead. All burt up in an S&M club. Agent Turro is investigating and must piece together what happened by questioning the rich, famous, and powerful LA folks that frequent the club. It's slowly revealed what happened, intercut with SW Manor at his... manor. He's upset and participates in self-flagellation. I won't go too much into him being Batman here since that's in the link.
It's slowly revealed that John began showing up at the club and has insatiable there. He was also violent and the only thing that could calm him down was his boyfriend, Stanley. We learn that Manor had Lucky kill himself to frame John in exchange for Manor paying Lucky's wife a huge sum of money. But, when Manor learned that John died in prison, he was left feeling empty, unfulfilled. John returns and they enter into a relationship... whereupon John sets up Manor.
First, he gives Manor soil from Hell. Then, he gives Manor his heart's desire: to communicate with his parents. John hangs Manor in the middle of a room and leaves him there while the ghosts of Manor's parents (shot to death, of course, in dressy clothes) tell them of their disappointment in the man he's become, Constantine laughing all the way. That just leave Manor to contact Richie to help kill John using the soil from Hell. That's how the body was burned from the inside out.
Throughout the story, we get hints that John isn't dead. That's only because he isn't. Richie killed himself, knowing that Manor was the one behind his brother's death, I guess. That part is never explained entirely. In the end, Manor kills himself and Turro is killed by Manor. John gets away just fine, no one aware that's alive. His revenge has been taken and he's also dealt with the FBI.
That just explains the plot. The telling of the story is what makes this issue interesting as it's driven by the interrogation room dialogues. It's a little cutesy, the way that the story about John being there with Manor comes out in drips and drabs, but it does allow for Frusin to draw scantily-clad people. His women are grotesque in their exaggerations, while his men are just funny and ugly in theirs. It's all mood and the ideas pumped up on steroids.
My favourite panel is SW Manor holding his spear, shirt open, ready for battle and shouting "...and with myself as bait." It's a total Batman panel.
This concludes Azzarello's run. It's a big, seemingly epic run ala Ennis's... except SW Manor is no First of the Fallen. There's no tension here, only intrigue. There's never a question that John will walk away just fine, revenge his. Even when he's dead, we know it's not him. It's almost an inversion of what Ennis does, because, there, it seems like John is done for. You know he isn't, but you'd still believe it if that was the end of the series. Here, that's not a question. After Good Intentions, there's not even a hint of John being wrong or in any danger whatsoever. These are intellectually interesting comics. They're entertaining. Azzarello writes a spooky, clever John Constantine whose use of magic at the end to fool Manor is a great ploy because, until this point, it's been parlor tricks and con games, not magic. But, there's no tension. There's nothing at stake.
In the end, it's just John Constantine versus Batman... and that's a good joke and all, but it's just a joke...
In 30 minutes, we begin Mike Carey's run on the book with the graphic novel All His Engines...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
The culmination of Brian Azzarello's run on Hellblazer is really... John Constantine versus Batman? Why, yes it is! SW Manor is really just a stand-in for Bruce Wayne. Once you know that interpretation of the story, it's hard to read it any other way, honestly. I pondered on the podcast last night and earlier this week on Twitter if Batman fans are aware of this story, especially the part where John and Manor enter into a sexual relationship. Batman/Constatine slash fiction, folks. Oh ho ho, that Azzarello... (and, after this, they let him write Batman... numerous times... oh ho ho, that DC... wait, did the people at DC even read this comic and understand what the gag was?)
The story begins with John Constantine dead. All burt up in an S&M club. Agent Turro is investigating and must piece together what happened by questioning the rich, famous, and powerful LA folks that frequent the club. It's slowly revealed what happened, intercut with SW Manor at his... manor. He's upset and participates in self-flagellation. I won't go too much into him being Batman here since that's in the link.
It's slowly revealed that John began showing up at the club and has insatiable there. He was also violent and the only thing that could calm him down was his boyfriend, Stanley. We learn that Manor had Lucky kill himself to frame John in exchange for Manor paying Lucky's wife a huge sum of money. But, when Manor learned that John died in prison, he was left feeling empty, unfulfilled. John returns and they enter into a relationship... whereupon John sets up Manor.
First, he gives Manor soil from Hell. Then, he gives Manor his heart's desire: to communicate with his parents. John hangs Manor in the middle of a room and leaves him there while the ghosts of Manor's parents (shot to death, of course, in dressy clothes) tell them of their disappointment in the man he's become, Constantine laughing all the way. That just leave Manor to contact Richie to help kill John using the soil from Hell. That's how the body was burned from the inside out.
Throughout the story, we get hints that John isn't dead. That's only because he isn't. Richie killed himself, knowing that Manor was the one behind his brother's death, I guess. That part is never explained entirely. In the end, Manor kills himself and Turro is killed by Manor. John gets away just fine, no one aware that's alive. His revenge has been taken and he's also dealt with the FBI.
That just explains the plot. The telling of the story is what makes this issue interesting as it's driven by the interrogation room dialogues. It's a little cutesy, the way that the story about John being there with Manor comes out in drips and drabs, but it does allow for Frusin to draw scantily-clad people. His women are grotesque in their exaggerations, while his men are just funny and ugly in theirs. It's all mood and the ideas pumped up on steroids.
My favourite panel is SW Manor holding his spear, shirt open, ready for battle and shouting "...and with myself as bait." It's a total Batman panel.
This concludes Azzarello's run. It's a big, seemingly epic run ala Ennis's... except SW Manor is no First of the Fallen. There's no tension here, only intrigue. There's never a question that John will walk away just fine, revenge his. Even when he's dead, we know it's not him. It's almost an inversion of what Ennis does, because, there, it seems like John is done for. You know he isn't, but you'd still believe it if that was the end of the series. Here, that's not a question. After Good Intentions, there's not even a hint of John being wrong or in any danger whatsoever. These are intellectually interesting comics. They're entertaining. Azzarello writes a spooky, clever John Constantine whose use of magic at the end to fool Manor is a great ploy because, until this point, it's been parlor tricks and con games, not magic. But, there's no tension. There's nothing at stake.
In the end, it's just John Constantine versus Batman... and that's a good joke and all, but it's just a joke...
In 30 minutes, we begin Mike Carey's run on the book with the graphic novel All His Engines...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 25: Hellblazer: Highwater (Part Two)
[Discussed in this post: the second part of Hellblazer: Highwater, "A Fresh Coat of Red Paint" (#168) and "Chasing Demons" (#169).]
We've officially hit the halfway mark of the blogathon! Twelve hours down, twelve hours to go! If you haven't donated to the CBLDF, please do so. If you have, but haven't told me, please do so. It's all for a very good cause and I (and they) would appreciate it greatly.
Two one-off issues drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli and inked by Cameron Stewart. The first is the other John/Turro issue I mentioned. I've never been entirely sure what to make of it. In it, John picks up a prostitute, wins the money to pay her playing bingo, and then takes her back to a hotel room where Turro is. John wants to doubleteam her with Turro, but Turro backs out and leaves, revealing that he knew who was behind Lucky's murder and that he needs John to act for him and that, officially, John died in the riot in prison. That's it. There's more stuff about Turro having sex with his sister. Now, the situation where Turro can't fuck the prostitute is akin to him not being able to go after Manor, but... I dunno.
Camuncoli is a great choice for the art on this issue. He does a skeevy/creepy John unlike anyone else. Frusin does a creepy/serial killer John, while Camo does a crazy/skeevy/psycho perv John.
It is somewhat shocking how open John is about what he wants to do. He hasn't been the type to be like this necessarily. While not a stranger to the fucked up shit of the world, he doesn't glorify in it like he does here. That could just be him trying to get at Turro, reminding him once again that he knows what's going on. He even does so at the bingo hall, acting that way in front of the old and middleaged... he just likes pissing people off, I guess.
"Chasing Demons" has John hanging out in a bar. And that's about it for him. There's a good bit where he and another guy he's never met discuss how it's good to see the other again, recognising that it doesn't matter who they are really, they're always those strangers in bars you drink with and chat with and sing songs with and they're all interchangeable.
The other part of the issue focuses on SW Manor. This matters. We learn that Father Sean, a priest, comes to Manor and tells him the confessions of others. He doesn't enjoy it, but it seems necessary. More than that, Father Sean has a photographic memory. One of the first thing we learn is that Manor doesn't like being called Stanley. Then we learned that a kid named Jason that worked for him died the previous night... by an accident caused by Manor (he's responsible). He died with a smile on his face, though. We also learn that Manor pays Father Sean a lot of money to operate an orphanage, which is why he does this -- but also because he thought that Manor was reaching out, also an orphan. Manor dismisses this out of hand.
In 30 minutes, the conclusion of Azzarello's run on the title as we get John Constantine vs. Batman... wait, what...?
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
We've officially hit the halfway mark of the blogathon! Twelve hours down, twelve hours to go! If you haven't donated to the CBLDF, please do so. If you have, but haven't told me, please do so. It's all for a very good cause and I (and they) would appreciate it greatly.
Two one-off issues drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli and inked by Cameron Stewart. The first is the other John/Turro issue I mentioned. I've never been entirely sure what to make of it. In it, John picks up a prostitute, wins the money to pay her playing bingo, and then takes her back to a hotel room where Turro is. John wants to doubleteam her with Turro, but Turro backs out and leaves, revealing that he knew who was behind Lucky's murder and that he needs John to act for him and that, officially, John died in the riot in prison. That's it. There's more stuff about Turro having sex with his sister. Now, the situation where Turro can't fuck the prostitute is akin to him not being able to go after Manor, but... I dunno.
Camuncoli is a great choice for the art on this issue. He does a skeevy/creepy John unlike anyone else. Frusin does a creepy/serial killer John, while Camo does a crazy/skeevy/psycho perv John.
It is somewhat shocking how open John is about what he wants to do. He hasn't been the type to be like this necessarily. While not a stranger to the fucked up shit of the world, he doesn't glorify in it like he does here. That could just be him trying to get at Turro, reminding him once again that he knows what's going on. He even does so at the bingo hall, acting that way in front of the old and middleaged... he just likes pissing people off, I guess.
"Chasing Demons" has John hanging out in a bar. And that's about it for him. There's a good bit where he and another guy he's never met discuss how it's good to see the other again, recognising that it doesn't matter who they are really, they're always those strangers in bars you drink with and chat with and sing songs with and they're all interchangeable.
The other part of the issue focuses on SW Manor. This matters. We learn that Father Sean, a priest, comes to Manor and tells him the confessions of others. He doesn't enjoy it, but it seems necessary. More than that, Father Sean has a photographic memory. One of the first thing we learn is that Manor doesn't like being called Stanley. Then we learned that a kid named Jason that worked for him died the previous night... by an accident caused by Manor (he's responsible). He died with a smile on his face, though. We also learn that Manor pays Father Sean a lot of money to operate an orphanage, which is why he does this -- but also because he thought that Manor was reaching out, also an orphan. Manor dismisses this out of hand.
In 30 minutes, the conclusion of Azzarello's run on the title as we get John Constantine vs. Batman... wait, what...?
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 24: Hellblazer: Highwater (Part One)
[Discussed in this post: the first part of Hellblazer: Highwater, "Highwater" (#164-167).]
Language is important in this story as well. It revolves around a group of white supremicists who twist the language of the Bible to justify their hate. The leader of the group wins people over through his command of language, his ability to make things seemingly set in stone change and become what he needs them to be. All magic is is change...
John, on the other hand, does the same. He takes the organisation apart using language. First, by setting the leadership against the membership and, then, by creating a golem by animating the body of a Jewish arms dealer they killed. And how do you animate a golem? With letters on his forehead. Language and words are key here. They have been throughout the run to date and I just love how consistent that idea is.
John goes to Highwater to finally talk to Lucky's widow, Marjorie. What he finds there is the reason why Lucky killed himself and it makes him burn Marjorie's house down. But, that's only after he's helped take apart the religious group she's fallen in with at the request of Lucky -- though I imagine part of it is just because John wants to.
We learn that Manor has been funding the group, giving them money to buy guns. But, he was also the man behind the Wolfman (the arms dealer). So, he was paying money to himself...? Why? But, since the Wolfman was killed, he wants reparations. He tells the leader of the group that he wants to cum in someone's mouth: either his or his daughter's. Later, we see them both looking strange until she spits in his face and says "Homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of the Lord." That's one of those instances of Azzarello absolutely nailing a scene with the appropriate payoff. First, she spits, signally that perhaps she blew Manor, but then levels her father with the accusation, one that comes from his words despite him trying to save her the indignity of the act.
The arc ends with the revelation (to John) about why Lucky killed himself. It must be big if it made him take a swing at a ghost and burn a house down. That's a little too nasty... violent for John. He's more the type to get others to act that way. I'm not entirely sure the truth is THAT big, but it is big enough, I guess.
Marcelo Frusin does the art here and... well, it's Frusin.
In 30 minutes, I'll do two semi-filler issues for the second part of Highwater...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Language is important in this story as well. It revolves around a group of white supremicists who twist the language of the Bible to justify their hate. The leader of the group wins people over through his command of language, his ability to make things seemingly set in stone change and become what he needs them to be. All magic is is change...
John, on the other hand, does the same. He takes the organisation apart using language. First, by setting the leadership against the membership and, then, by creating a golem by animating the body of a Jewish arms dealer they killed. And how do you animate a golem? With letters on his forehead. Language and words are key here. They have been throughout the run to date and I just love how consistent that idea is.
John goes to Highwater to finally talk to Lucky's widow, Marjorie. What he finds there is the reason why Lucky killed himself and it makes him burn Marjorie's house down. But, that's only after he's helped take apart the religious group she's fallen in with at the request of Lucky -- though I imagine part of it is just because John wants to.
We learn that Manor has been funding the group, giving them money to buy guns. But, he was also the man behind the Wolfman (the arms dealer). So, he was paying money to himself...? Why? But, since the Wolfman was killed, he wants reparations. He tells the leader of the group that he wants to cum in someone's mouth: either his or his daughter's. Later, we see them both looking strange until she spits in his face and says "Homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of the Lord." That's one of those instances of Azzarello absolutely nailing a scene with the appropriate payoff. First, she spits, signally that perhaps she blew Manor, but then levels her father with the accusation, one that comes from his words despite him trying to save her the indignity of the act.
The arc ends with the revelation (to John) about why Lucky killed himself. It must be big if it made him take a swing at a ghost and burn a house down. That's a little too nasty... violent for John. He's more the type to get others to act that way. I'm not entirely sure the truth is THAT big, but it is big enough, I guess.
Marcelo Frusin does the art here and... well, it's Frusin.
In 30 minutes, I'll do two semi-filler issues for the second part of Highwater...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 23: Hellblazer: Freezes Over (Part Two)
[Discussed in this post: the second part of Hellblazer: Freezes Over, "Lapdogs and Englishmen" (#162-163).]
Joining Brian Azzarello for this two-parter is Guy Davis, artist extraordinaire. Going back to July of 1978, we learn of the first time that John met SW Manor... or, Stanley as he's called. This is back when John was still with Mucous Membrane and he's hired to steal Rasputin's Clock for Manor. The clock can apparently predict the future (how a clock does that is beyond me... except for telling you what time it will be at some point in the future). John does up a fake clock, sells him a story about someone named the Arab owning it, and then puts on a show with Chas and another friend to sell the idea that the Arab had found them out, sending Manor off into the night scared and not thinking about checking over the clock at all.
This story is absolutely essential and key to Azzarello's run. Want to know why Manor would possibly be behind John's worries? Here you go. As we've previously established via Lucky, Manor doesn't take kindly to being scammed. He's an insanely wealthy American industrialist and he has the resources to seriously fuck with people. When we first see him, he's boxing. He doesn't drink. And he's apparently attracted to John, kissing him when he leaves with the clock -- gently and sweetly, on his mouth. It doesn't mean a lot yet, but it will... it will also give John the necessary information to strike back at Manor when the time comes.
There's also a subplot involving a friend (or someone who fancies John, but he doesn't care for) named Angie White. She's found a book that can predict the future. You simply say the name of the person whose life you want to read about and it gives you their life. In the end, she's killed by a mysterious person. I've never been clear on who that's supposed to be. Is it meant to be Manor? If so, how does he know about her and the part he plays in John's life? If not, who is it meant to be? Is it a reference to a story I haven't read? If someone has a clue, fill me in. I don't think it's Manor, because that wouldn't fit with anything else in the story.
Guy Davis on art suits the story. He has a style that evokes the past, even something as close as the late '70s, but there's also a sketchy energy to his line work that plays into John's punk sensibilities. There's a nervous energy in his line work, too. It doesn't seem content to sit still his art... So far, Azzarello has a pretty strong group of artists for his run, something that carries on through to the end.
In 30 minutes, we deal with the first part of Highwater, which is the eponymous storyline...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Joining Brian Azzarello for this two-parter is Guy Davis, artist extraordinaire. Going back to July of 1978, we learn of the first time that John met SW Manor... or, Stanley as he's called. This is back when John was still with Mucous Membrane and he's hired to steal Rasputin's Clock for Manor. The clock can apparently predict the future (how a clock does that is beyond me... except for telling you what time it will be at some point in the future). John does up a fake clock, sells him a story about someone named the Arab owning it, and then puts on a show with Chas and another friend to sell the idea that the Arab had found them out, sending Manor off into the night scared and not thinking about checking over the clock at all.
This story is absolutely essential and key to Azzarello's run. Want to know why Manor would possibly be behind John's worries? Here you go. As we've previously established via Lucky, Manor doesn't take kindly to being scammed. He's an insanely wealthy American industrialist and he has the resources to seriously fuck with people. When we first see him, he's boxing. He doesn't drink. And he's apparently attracted to John, kissing him when he leaves with the clock -- gently and sweetly, on his mouth. It doesn't mean a lot yet, but it will... it will also give John the necessary information to strike back at Manor when the time comes.
There's also a subplot involving a friend (or someone who fancies John, but he doesn't care for) named Angie White. She's found a book that can predict the future. You simply say the name of the person whose life you want to read about and it gives you their life. In the end, she's killed by a mysterious person. I've never been clear on who that's supposed to be. Is it meant to be Manor? If so, how does he know about her and the part he plays in John's life? If not, who is it meant to be? Is it a reference to a story I haven't read? If someone has a clue, fill me in. I don't think it's Manor, because that wouldn't fit with anything else in the story.
Guy Davis on art suits the story. He has a style that evokes the past, even something as close as the late '70s, but there's also a sketchy energy to his line work that plays into John's punk sensibilities. There's a nervous energy in his line work, too. It doesn't seem content to sit still his art... So far, Azzarello has a pretty strong group of artists for his run, something that carries on through to the end.
In 30 minutes, we deal with the first part of Highwater, which is the eponymous storyline...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 22: Hellblazer: Freezes Over (Part One)
[Discussed in this post: the first part of Hellblazer: Freezes Over, "...And Buried" (#157) and "...Freezes Over" (#158-161).]
Another slightly awkward divide of a trade, but whatever...
"...And Buried" features Steve Dillon returning to the book for an issue. It's a somewhat nothing issue. Maybe I'm missing the larger point and it's key, but there are two elements: a group of guys worried that someone they killed is actually alive and will be taking revenge; John meets Agent Turro to discuss what John's to do next. The former has that fun horror feel to it as the three guys sit around a table in a bar and freak one another out more and more. First, there's a picture of the guy with a new tattoo on his hand, then his wife killed herself, then other people close to him or his death killed themselves, and then a postcard from Sierra Leone (where the picture was taken) arrives saying "See you soon." The issue ends with him apparently entering the bar if we're to believe the tattoo on the hand that opens the door just as John and Turro are leaving. The curious thing: we never see the apparent dead man's face. Since I've never read 100 Bullets, I've always wondered if this tied into that somewhat, even thematically.
The conversation between John and Turro leaves me thinking that there's got to be more to it. Then again, there's another issue involving these two that has a similar lack of substance in their discussion. It's filled with insults and barbs, and hints that Turro is in an incestual relationship with his sister. Turro points John in the direction of Highwater, saying he has unfinished business there. He also hints that SW Manor is behind John's troubles.
There's actually one bit that I really like, though:
Turro: Right. Like I was saying, you being such a smart arse, I bet you can't help pissing people off. I'd even go as far to say you like doing it. Hell, it might even be the point.
John: To what?
Turro: To every fucking thing you do.
There's part of me that wants to say that sums up John Constantine.
Steve Dillon drawing the issue is a lovely bonus. His John does look older than he did when Dillon was on the book with Ennis. Since this issue is just people talking in a bar, can you think of someone better than Steve Dillon to draw it? If the answer is 'yes,' then you're just fucking wrong.
"...Freezes Over" is a a mishmash of genres with a mystery involving a small group of suspects in a remote, closed off location meeting a heist gone wrong meeting an urban legend. It's a weird mix of these elements when John happens upon a bar during a heavy blizzard that's shut down the roads. A few of the local regulars are in there along with the owner and his Asian wife that he ordered out of a catalogue. Soon, a family shows up and, soon thereafter, a dead body is found outside, a giant icicle ran through him. John saw the man earlier in his car, looking very tense. And, soon after the body is discovered, three men show up who we learn were involved in an armed robbery that resulted in one of them getting shot. John is the mysterious guy who talks all creepy and everyone suspects is the murderer despite him looking like a small nothing.
Azzarello and Frusin set the mood masterfully, playing up John's creepiness. One thing I really like is how John talks two men into dying/killing themselves. The first is the man with the icicle ran through him. He was a serial killer that John convinces is missing out by not being the victim. That fuels the myth of the Iceman, a killer/legeand from those parts. He also talks the shot robber into dying by explaining what he did to the 'Iceman.' More than that, he convinces a local to play the role of the Iceman to fuel the legend. The power of words, folks. That's all John uses here: words. I love it.
In 30 minutes, we'll do the other part of Freezes Over with "Lapdogs and Englishmen"...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Another slightly awkward divide of a trade, but whatever...
"...And Buried" features Steve Dillon returning to the book for an issue. It's a somewhat nothing issue. Maybe I'm missing the larger point and it's key, but there are two elements: a group of guys worried that someone they killed is actually alive and will be taking revenge; John meets Agent Turro to discuss what John's to do next. The former has that fun horror feel to it as the three guys sit around a table in a bar and freak one another out more and more. First, there's a picture of the guy with a new tattoo on his hand, then his wife killed herself, then other people close to him or his death killed themselves, and then a postcard from Sierra Leone (where the picture was taken) arrives saying "See you soon." The issue ends with him apparently entering the bar if we're to believe the tattoo on the hand that opens the door just as John and Turro are leaving. The curious thing: we never see the apparent dead man's face. Since I've never read 100 Bullets, I've always wondered if this tied into that somewhat, even thematically.
The conversation between John and Turro leaves me thinking that there's got to be more to it. Then again, there's another issue involving these two that has a similar lack of substance in their discussion. It's filled with insults and barbs, and hints that Turro is in an incestual relationship with his sister. Turro points John in the direction of Highwater, saying he has unfinished business there. He also hints that SW Manor is behind John's troubles.
There's actually one bit that I really like, though:
Turro: Right. Like I was saying, you being such a smart arse, I bet you can't help pissing people off. I'd even go as far to say you like doing it. Hell, it might even be the point.
John: To what?
Turro: To every fucking thing you do.
There's part of me that wants to say that sums up John Constantine.
Steve Dillon drawing the issue is a lovely bonus. His John does look older than he did when Dillon was on the book with Ennis. Since this issue is just people talking in a bar, can you think of someone better than Steve Dillon to draw it? If the answer is 'yes,' then you're just fucking wrong.
"...Freezes Over" is a a mishmash of genres with a mystery involving a small group of suspects in a remote, closed off location meeting a heist gone wrong meeting an urban legend. It's a weird mix of these elements when John happens upon a bar during a heavy blizzard that's shut down the roads. A few of the local regulars are in there along with the owner and his Asian wife that he ordered out of a catalogue. Soon, a family shows up and, soon thereafter, a dead body is found outside, a giant icicle ran through him. John saw the man earlier in his car, looking very tense. And, soon after the body is discovered, three men show up who we learn were involved in an armed robbery that resulted in one of them getting shot. John is the mysterious guy who talks all creepy and everyone suspects is the murderer despite him looking like a small nothing.
Azzarello and Frusin set the mood masterfully, playing up John's creepiness. One thing I really like is how John talks two men into dying/killing themselves. The first is the man with the icicle ran through him. He was a serial killer that John convinces is missing out by not being the victim. That fuels the myth of the Iceman, a killer/legeand from those parts. He also talks the shot robber into dying by explaining what he did to the 'Iceman.' More than that, he convinces a local to play the role of the Iceman to fuel the legend. The power of words, folks. That's all John uses here: words. I love it.
In 30 minutes, we'll do the other part of Freezes Over with "Lapdogs and Englishmen"...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 21: Hellblazer: Good Intentions
[Discussed in this post: Hellblazer: Good Intentions (#151-156).]
Good Intentions is a little odd since the first part of the story doesn't tie into the rest explicitly. It does somewhat, but it simply features John on his way to Doglick, while the rest focuses on what happens in Doglick. (And isn't Doglick such a wonderful name for a small shitty town? Though it ties into something from the story quite literally...) The first issue demonstrates one of Marcelo Frusin's greatest artistic abilities: he can establish a creepy, skeevy mood like no one else. His John Constantine looks like a crazed serial killer that's liable to rape you after he's done you in... well, some of the time. The scene where he's talking to a guy who's picked him up when he was hitchhiking is fantastic as both Azzarello and Frusin play into the idea of John doing everything he can to make this guy shit himself with fear.
The rest of the issue has John getting a ride from two guys who he discovered by the side of the road. One sitting on the hood of a car that isn't his and the other coming out of the woods, wiping up his hands. They killed a man and threw his wife/girlfriend in the trunk of their car. The three have a good chat in the car and it becomes apparent, though, that they're going to kill John. Except he makes the driver take his eyes off the road at the right time, mentioning that he too knew how it was going to play out from the beginning. Is it magic or just a guy who know what's what and has a gift for timing? You never know with Azzarello's Constantine.
The storyarc proper has John going to Doglick looking for Lucky's widow, but he finds Lucky's brothers, Dickie and Richie (though, why his name is Richie when Lucky's real first name was Richard is beyond me...). Dickie is the smart one, Richie is the special one, and Dickie is also married to Rose, a girl that John knew back in the late '70s while still part of Mucous Membrane. She was an American student who was a semi-finalist in a spelling bee and they kind of hooked up but not really despite doing so... if that makes sense.
John figures there's something wrong with the town when he sees a woman naked and chained to a tree by a collar around her neck. He also twigs to something when Dickie and Richie drug him and get their dog to perform oral sex on him (Doglick!). John thinks them sick bastards, always not liking them exactly. At the same time, there's some wild boar near the town that's eaten a kid and they're going to go hunt it. In the process, John makes sure Dickie and the dog die... simply by snapping his fingers (something he threatens could bring Dickie a world of hurt).
In the end, he learns that the whole town was in on the sex videos. After the local mine closed, Dickie had the idea -- no one liked it, Dickie included, but it's helped them survive: making sex videos for the internet, including ones involving the dog performing sex acts on people. John jumped to conclusions and screwed a town in many ways.
There's a real creepy vibe throughout this arc. It's got a creepy redneck vibe, purposefully so. We're meant to jump to the same conclusions as John, so, when the truth is revealed, we're left feeling like pricks with him.
Rose tells John that Dickie always knew where Lucky's widow was, he just didn't mention it, because he liked having John around. That's always bothered me for some reason. More in the sad way that Dickie couldn't really come out and say he liked having John around, because guys don't do that shit.
There's a big artist mistake, though, in the third part where, for a series of pages, Dickie and Richie's hair/beard colours are reversed. Sloppy.
In 30 minutes, we do the first part of Freezes Over...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Good Intentions is a little odd since the first part of the story doesn't tie into the rest explicitly. It does somewhat, but it simply features John on his way to Doglick, while the rest focuses on what happens in Doglick. (And isn't Doglick such a wonderful name for a small shitty town? Though it ties into something from the story quite literally...) The first issue demonstrates one of Marcelo Frusin's greatest artistic abilities: he can establish a creepy, skeevy mood like no one else. His John Constantine looks like a crazed serial killer that's liable to rape you after he's done you in... well, some of the time. The scene where he's talking to a guy who's picked him up when he was hitchhiking is fantastic as both Azzarello and Frusin play into the idea of John doing everything he can to make this guy shit himself with fear.
The rest of the issue has John getting a ride from two guys who he discovered by the side of the road. One sitting on the hood of a car that isn't his and the other coming out of the woods, wiping up his hands. They killed a man and threw his wife/girlfriend in the trunk of their car. The three have a good chat in the car and it becomes apparent, though, that they're going to kill John. Except he makes the driver take his eyes off the road at the right time, mentioning that he too knew how it was going to play out from the beginning. Is it magic or just a guy who know what's what and has a gift for timing? You never know with Azzarello's Constantine.
The storyarc proper has John going to Doglick looking for Lucky's widow, but he finds Lucky's brothers, Dickie and Richie (though, why his name is Richie when Lucky's real first name was Richard is beyond me...). Dickie is the smart one, Richie is the special one, and Dickie is also married to Rose, a girl that John knew back in the late '70s while still part of Mucous Membrane. She was an American student who was a semi-finalist in a spelling bee and they kind of hooked up but not really despite doing so... if that makes sense.
John figures there's something wrong with the town when he sees a woman naked and chained to a tree by a collar around her neck. He also twigs to something when Dickie and Richie drug him and get their dog to perform oral sex on him (Doglick!). John thinks them sick bastards, always not liking them exactly. At the same time, there's some wild boar near the town that's eaten a kid and they're going to go hunt it. In the process, John makes sure Dickie and the dog die... simply by snapping his fingers (something he threatens could bring Dickie a world of hurt).
In the end, he learns that the whole town was in on the sex videos. After the local mine closed, Dickie had the idea -- no one liked it, Dickie included, but it's helped them survive: making sex videos for the internet, including ones involving the dog performing sex acts on people. John jumped to conclusions and screwed a town in many ways.
There's a real creepy vibe throughout this arc. It's got a creepy redneck vibe, purposefully so. We're meant to jump to the same conclusions as John, so, when the truth is revealed, we're left feeling like pricks with him.
Rose tells John that Dickie always knew where Lucky's widow was, he just didn't mention it, because he liked having John around. That's always bothered me for some reason. More in the sad way that Dickie couldn't really come out and say he liked having John around, because guys don't do that shit.
There's a big artist mistake, though, in the third part where, for a series of pages, Dickie and Richie's hair/beard colours are reversed. Sloppy.
In 30 minutes, we do the first part of Freezes Over...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 20: Hellblazer: Hard Time
[Discussed in this post: Hellblazer: Hard Time (#146-150).]
Brian Azzarello was the first American to write Hellblazer. The first person who wasn't born in Europe, actually (some say from the British Isles, but Darko Macan did the two issues between Ellis's and Azzarello's runs and he was from Croatia -- but they also sometimes say 'ongoing writer' when discussing that, so there's that, too...). That's pretty impressive for a couple of reasons: 1) That he was first, and 2) That the book lasted over 12 years of being published by an American mainstream comics company without an American writing it. If you look at the list of artists, you find a similar pattern. Funny that.
Hard Time made quite the impression when it first hit, because of Azzarello's bold, direct storytelling. He sends John to prison in the US for the murder of a con artist by the name of Lucky. He didn't kill Lucky, but he did give him the gun back knowing what he would do... just not why. We won't know why until much later into Azzarello's run. All we know here is that John is in prison and needs to survive.
He begins by getting into it with a fellow inmate who's set on making John his bitch by lending him a pack of smokes, a debt that doubles every day. John's response is fantastic: he borrows exactly one cigarette from the guy's crew and uses those as fetishes to fuck with them when they come after him in the shower. It's not explained outright or obviously, Azzarello just has it happen.
From there, he goes about pissing everyone else off by snubbing the white supremicists, making the Muslims face the wrong way when they pray (or, turn their back on their god), manages to kill the brother of a man who's been apparently feeding him cut up glass every day for a week, and beating Stark, the king of the lifers, at poker when everyone knows he's supposed to win. John just fucks with everyone... and gets away with it, because Stark likes his style. So much so that he makes sure John takes the wrap for the killing of a guard, making him a lifer and a guy with a rep, too. While in solitary, John uses magic to set off a riot, and take over the prison. An FBI Agent by the name of Turro comes in to negotiate... by which he just lets John walk out as an employee (of sorts) for Turro.
We learn a couple of important things: Lucky tried to con a rich man by the name of SW Manor and that's why he killed himself... seemingly. John allowed himself to be arrested because he felt guilty.
Part of what makes this story so good is the manner in which Azzarello writes. His John is ballsy and likes his wordplay (like Azzarello does). Words play a big part here with doublemeanings often cropping up. Like John talking about how Allah shouldn't be talking behind his back just before the Muslims face the wrong way. He also has a different narrator for each issue. The one from the first, Traylor's 'fish,' just slides into the background for the rest of the arc. John narrates the fourth, while Turro does the fifth. The other two are done slightly different. That gives each issue its own feel while still fitting into the larger arc.
This arc also has Richard Corben. What to say about Corben? David Brothers does a pretty great job. There's a strong exaggerated element in his art. People don't look real, but they look like personality. They have attitude and they wear their insides on the outside. The facial expressions are real. The line work around the edges reminds me of David Lloyd's work on the Morrison two-parter. That dotty style. I like how his characters have big teeth and big grins. They're emotional.
In 30 minutes, I'll discuss Good Intentions and the return of Marcelo Frusin...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Brian Azzarello was the first American to write Hellblazer. The first person who wasn't born in Europe, actually (some say from the British Isles, but Darko Macan did the two issues between Ellis's and Azzarello's runs and he was from Croatia -- but they also sometimes say 'ongoing writer' when discussing that, so there's that, too...). That's pretty impressive for a couple of reasons: 1) That he was first, and 2) That the book lasted over 12 years of being published by an American mainstream comics company without an American writing it. If you look at the list of artists, you find a similar pattern. Funny that.
Hard Time made quite the impression when it first hit, because of Azzarello's bold, direct storytelling. He sends John to prison in the US for the murder of a con artist by the name of Lucky. He didn't kill Lucky, but he did give him the gun back knowing what he would do... just not why. We won't know why until much later into Azzarello's run. All we know here is that John is in prison and needs to survive.
He begins by getting into it with a fellow inmate who's set on making John his bitch by lending him a pack of smokes, a debt that doubles every day. John's response is fantastic: he borrows exactly one cigarette from the guy's crew and uses those as fetishes to fuck with them when they come after him in the shower. It's not explained outright or obviously, Azzarello just has it happen.
From there, he goes about pissing everyone else off by snubbing the white supremicists, making the Muslims face the wrong way when they pray (or, turn their back on their god), manages to kill the brother of a man who's been apparently feeding him cut up glass every day for a week, and beating Stark, the king of the lifers, at poker when everyone knows he's supposed to win. John just fucks with everyone... and gets away with it, because Stark likes his style. So much so that he makes sure John takes the wrap for the killing of a guard, making him a lifer and a guy with a rep, too. While in solitary, John uses magic to set off a riot, and take over the prison. An FBI Agent by the name of Turro comes in to negotiate... by which he just lets John walk out as an employee (of sorts) for Turro.
We learn a couple of important things: Lucky tried to con a rich man by the name of SW Manor and that's why he killed himself... seemingly. John allowed himself to be arrested because he felt guilty.
Part of what makes this story so good is the manner in which Azzarello writes. His John is ballsy and likes his wordplay (like Azzarello does). Words play a big part here with doublemeanings often cropping up. Like John talking about how Allah shouldn't be talking behind his back just before the Muslims face the wrong way. He also has a different narrator for each issue. The one from the first, Traylor's 'fish,' just slides into the background for the rest of the arc. John narrates the fourth, while Turro does the fifth. The other two are done slightly different. That gives each issue its own feel while still fitting into the larger arc.
This arc also has Richard Corben. What to say about Corben? David Brothers does a pretty great job. There's a strong exaggerated element in his art. People don't look real, but they look like personality. They have attitude and they wear their insides on the outside. The facial expressions are real. The line work around the edges reminds me of David Lloyd's work on the Morrison two-parter. That dotty style. I like how his characters have big teeth and big grins. They're emotional.
In 30 minutes, I'll discuss Good Intentions and the return of Marcelo Frusin...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 19: Hellblazer: Shoot and Planetary #7
[Discussed in this post: "Shoot" (Hellblazer #141 ...er, unpublished for now, and "To Be in England, in the Summertime" (Planetary #7).]
Warren Ellis quit Hellblazer in July of 1999 because of an unpublished issue entitled "Shoot." You can read his explanation as well as the solicitation for "Shoot" here. But, if you're too lazy, here's the story: "Shoot" is about school shootings, was written before the shoots at Columbine, was going to be released shortly thereafter, DC didn't like that, Ellis wouldn't change it, throw in some other editorial interference (read Frank Teran's comments to my Art Discussion Month post on "Locked" for another example), and Ellis left, preferring to walk away than to be in a situation where he didn't feel comfortable. Makes sense to me.
But, there is good news, people: yesterday, it was announced that "Shoot" will be published in October as part of 96-page special featuring some short stories from Vertigo anthologies most forgotten. Because of that, I won't be linking directly to "Shoot" online (but if you're that desperate, you can find it yourself). It's there in black and white and has been for some time. I've always thought "Shoot" was a solid issue, but not the brilliance that others like to proclaim it -- which I imagine comes from it being banned/unpublished. The minute that happens, people like to call the work in question the best thing ever when, really, "Shoot" is a different sort of horror story that falls in line with "Locked," "The Crib" and "Setting Sun" with the horrible things people do to one another.
It does take a different approach, though. It's partly the horrific things the kids do to another, killing one another. But, it's also the horrific things that led to them killing one another: society has fucked these kids up through inattention and a lack of true love and by pawning them off on TV and daycare and video games. It's not that those things make them do it; they don't get the ideas there... they get the ideas from what's not there. The end of the issue is just one big rant. That makes it stand out somewhat from the other issues of Ellis's run since that seems more like the sort of thing you would have seen in Transmetropolitan at the time.
You may have noticed that I also said I'd be discussing Planetary #7 a little. That's only because the plot revolves around the death of Jack Carter, an English magician. There's even a flashback to one of his adventures in 1987 done in the same style/look as Ellis's run on the title with the narration shoved to the gutters. The style of the narration isn't quite the same, though. It seems a little more old fashioned, like Ellis is trying to write like Moore or Delano maybe. I love that idea: using his technique for storytelling, but using the prose style of those that came before. It's not much of a story, just a quick five-pager where he encounters a civil servant who's invisible/intangible that's this year's Herod -- kill the firstborn in case it turns out to be Christ coming back. Jack traps him in an invisible box of sorts around a signpost.
The larger story has Jack Carter responsible for 'Marvelman' becoming a sick, twisted freak. Carter faked his death to get away and, at the end, becomes Spider Jerusalem thanks to John Cassaday giving him the tattoos and even copying a couple of poses. Basically: Alan Moore is John Constantine and he ruined superheroes, but now Alan Moore has become Warren Ellis who doesn't give a shit about them at all and he's moved on to do his own thing. A horrible oversimplification and I'm sure Tim will have much more to say on the subject when we all read his essay about it.
I will say that there is one big positive of Warren Ellis leaving Hellblazer when he did: Brian Azzarello coming on board.
We begin that little journey in 30 minutes with Hard Time...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Warren Ellis quit Hellblazer in July of 1999 because of an unpublished issue entitled "Shoot." You can read his explanation as well as the solicitation for "Shoot" here. But, if you're too lazy, here's the story: "Shoot" is about school shootings, was written before the shoots at Columbine, was going to be released shortly thereafter, DC didn't like that, Ellis wouldn't change it, throw in some other editorial interference (read Frank Teran's comments to my Art Discussion Month post on "Locked" for another example), and Ellis left, preferring to walk away than to be in a situation where he didn't feel comfortable. Makes sense to me.
But, there is good news, people: yesterday, it was announced that "Shoot" will be published in October as part of 96-page special featuring some short stories from Vertigo anthologies most forgotten. Because of that, I won't be linking directly to "Shoot" online (but if you're that desperate, you can find it yourself). It's there in black and white and has been for some time. I've always thought "Shoot" was a solid issue, but not the brilliance that others like to proclaim it -- which I imagine comes from it being banned/unpublished. The minute that happens, people like to call the work in question the best thing ever when, really, "Shoot" is a different sort of horror story that falls in line with "Locked," "The Crib" and "Setting Sun" with the horrible things people do to one another.
It does take a different approach, though. It's partly the horrific things the kids do to another, killing one another. But, it's also the horrific things that led to them killing one another: society has fucked these kids up through inattention and a lack of true love and by pawning them off on TV and daycare and video games. It's not that those things make them do it; they don't get the ideas there... they get the ideas from what's not there. The end of the issue is just one big rant. That makes it stand out somewhat from the other issues of Ellis's run since that seems more like the sort of thing you would have seen in Transmetropolitan at the time.
You may have noticed that I also said I'd be discussing Planetary #7 a little. That's only because the plot revolves around the death of Jack Carter, an English magician. There's even a flashback to one of his adventures in 1987 done in the same style/look as Ellis's run on the title with the narration shoved to the gutters. The style of the narration isn't quite the same, though. It seems a little more old fashioned, like Ellis is trying to write like Moore or Delano maybe. I love that idea: using his technique for storytelling, but using the prose style of those that came before. It's not much of a story, just a quick five-pager where he encounters a civil servant who's invisible/intangible that's this year's Herod -- kill the firstborn in case it turns out to be Christ coming back. Jack traps him in an invisible box of sorts around a signpost.
The larger story has Jack Carter responsible for 'Marvelman' becoming a sick, twisted freak. Carter faked his death to get away and, at the end, becomes Spider Jerusalem thanks to John Cassaday giving him the tattoos and even copying a couple of poses. Basically: Alan Moore is John Constantine and he ruined superheroes, but now Alan Moore has become Warren Ellis who doesn't give a shit about them at all and he's moved on to do his own thing. A horrible oversimplification and I'm sure Tim will have much more to say on the subject when we all read his essay about it.
I will say that there is one big positive of Warren Ellis leaving Hellblazer when he did: Brian Azzarello coming on board.
We begin that little journey in 30 minutes with Hard Time...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 18: Hellblazer: Setting Sun
[Discussed in this post: Hellblazer: Setting Sun "Locked" (#140), "The Crib" (#141), "Setting Sun" (#142), "One Last Love Song" (#142), and "Telling Tales" (#143).]
I've included all of the Art Discussion Month 2010 links in the above list for your reading pleasure. This collection is a pretty decent one. I like Ellis's focus on the horror aspect of the character rather than the magic side. He uses magic, but there isn't stuff like demons and devils, there's just the awful shit people do to one another. That's the point of "Locked," "The Crib," and "Setting Sun." All three are stories where you could explain it all away by magic: it's a possessed room, it's the crib of the miscarried anti-christ, or it's just a ghost. But, no, they're all about how it's just people. People doing these awful, horrific things to one another. Serial killers aren't monsters, they're people. All of the atrocities in history were committed by people. More often than not, people like you or me. That's a big part of what Ellis was going for here; even if there is magic involved, the magic is just a tool. Blaming the magic would be like blaming the knife of the man who cuts people up into little pieces.
I don't think that Ellis hates the other Hellblazer stuff at all, it just doesn't interest him as a writer. He doesn't believe in it, if you will. Ennis wrote a great story involving the First of the Fallen -- the fucking Devil! Ellis couldn't do that without it being a giant joke, because the Devil ain't scary. He said as much in the intro to Strange Kiss. And I like that approach -- if only because it stands out from the rest of the Hellblazer stories I've read. Ellis and Azzarello stand alone somewhat in that regard: they like the grounded stories where magic is there, but not at the centre of things. It's more about John's wits and outsmarting other people. Him being a creepy bastard that knows more than you think.
One of my favourite John Constantine stories is "One Last Love Song." Whenever people want to call Ellis a cynical bastard with no heart, part of me wants to give them this story. Oh, there's cynicism, but, at its core, it's just about missing old girlfriends. Missing the way you felt with them. Missing old loves. John's had a lot of girlfriends. He has that personality and you can tell that he misses them all. He would have liked it to work with one of them, but it didn't. And he can really only admit it when he's drunk and on his way home, in the wee hours of the morning -- you know the time, the time where you regret things and admit the truths about yourself that you deny in the daylight.
"Telling Tales" is a fun story. It's nothing but a laugh. John Constantine putting on some idiot and watching as he eats up whatever bullshit lies he tells. It's hard to take the story too seriously even before you get the punchline. I do love the beginning where some guy is looking for John Constantine to help him because he may have shat out his heart and John tells him to fuck off.
I really like Ellis's take on John. There's a real tenderness to him, but also a lot of cynicism and lack of patience with idiots. I sometimes wonder what would have come next if Ellis hadn't left the book. I assume he had bigger plans, probably ones that came out of Haunted somehow (because the bigger plans always come out of the first story). Maybe Josh Wright's revenge. Or maybe something else entirely.
"Hey, Chad?" I hear a voice ask. "Why did Ellis leave Hellblazer anyway?"
We'll get to that in 30 minutes with a story called "Shoot"...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
I've included all of the Art Discussion Month 2010 links in the above list for your reading pleasure. This collection is a pretty decent one. I like Ellis's focus on the horror aspect of the character rather than the magic side. He uses magic, but there isn't stuff like demons and devils, there's just the awful shit people do to one another. That's the point of "Locked," "The Crib," and "Setting Sun." All three are stories where you could explain it all away by magic: it's a possessed room, it's the crib of the miscarried anti-christ, or it's just a ghost. But, no, they're all about how it's just people. People doing these awful, horrific things to one another. Serial killers aren't monsters, they're people. All of the atrocities in history were committed by people. More often than not, people like you or me. That's a big part of what Ellis was going for here; even if there is magic involved, the magic is just a tool. Blaming the magic would be like blaming the knife of the man who cuts people up into little pieces.
I don't think that Ellis hates the other Hellblazer stuff at all, it just doesn't interest him as a writer. He doesn't believe in it, if you will. Ennis wrote a great story involving the First of the Fallen -- the fucking Devil! Ellis couldn't do that without it being a giant joke, because the Devil ain't scary. He said as much in the intro to Strange Kiss. And I like that approach -- if only because it stands out from the rest of the Hellblazer stories I've read. Ellis and Azzarello stand alone somewhat in that regard: they like the grounded stories where magic is there, but not at the centre of things. It's more about John's wits and outsmarting other people. Him being a creepy bastard that knows more than you think.
One of my favourite John Constantine stories is "One Last Love Song." Whenever people want to call Ellis a cynical bastard with no heart, part of me wants to give them this story. Oh, there's cynicism, but, at its core, it's just about missing old girlfriends. Missing the way you felt with them. Missing old loves. John's had a lot of girlfriends. He has that personality and you can tell that he misses them all. He would have liked it to work with one of them, but it didn't. And he can really only admit it when he's drunk and on his way home, in the wee hours of the morning -- you know the time, the time where you regret things and admit the truths about yourself that you deny in the daylight.
"Telling Tales" is a fun story. It's nothing but a laugh. John Constantine putting on some idiot and watching as he eats up whatever bullshit lies he tells. It's hard to take the story too seriously even before you get the punchline. I do love the beginning where some guy is looking for John Constantine to help him because he may have shat out his heart and John tells him to fuck off.
I really like Ellis's take on John. There's a real tenderness to him, but also a lot of cynicism and lack of patience with idiots. I sometimes wonder what would have come next if Ellis hadn't left the book. I assume he had bigger plans, probably ones that came out of Haunted somehow (because the bigger plans always come out of the first story). Maybe Josh Wright's revenge. Or maybe something else entirely.
"Hey, Chad?" I hear a voice ask. "Why did Ellis leave Hellblazer anyway?"
We'll get to that in 30 minutes with a story called "Shoot"...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 17: Hellblazer: Haunted
[Discussed in this post: Hellblazer: Haunted (#134-139).]
I wrote about this arc somewhat previously in my Art Discussion Month 2010 post on John Higgins's art. Before discussing the arc a little more properly, I want to share something Ellis wrote about writing this title for his "From the Desk Of..." e-mail list:
London plays a big role in Haunted. I won't touch on the plot too much since that's handled in the art discuss post a bit more. It's mostly John riding to the rescue/revenge of an ex-girlfriend and giving a good shitkicking (in a sense) to an asshole magician by the name of Joshua Wright. What I find I enjoy when I reread Haunted is that sense of London and I'm fascinated by the idea that Ellis would use Hellblazer to reconnect with the city, to relearn it, to take him back to his youth... through a character older than he is (sort of). If you read the above, you'll notice a lot of what Ellis mentions in the comic. It's fascinating. I can't think of another comic is feels so much of its setting.
Another thing to notice about Ellis: because of his short run, he only adds to John Constantine's world. In this arc, we get Clarice, Map, Watford, Josh Wright... he added key characters that Mike Carey would use, not taking them off the board as most writers on the book do. They may leave one or two out and about, but Ellis didn't kill any aside from Isabel and Sparrowfart. That's interesting.
Sorry that we're going through a period of shorter posts. Since I wrote about this before (same with the collection of shorts that will be coming up next), it's hard to come up with some stuff that hasn't been touched on before. I will say, though, that the creation of Clarice and Albert here does raise some questions from me in future issues in Carey's run where I wonder what the fuck is going on.
I still love how John almost looks his age when John Higgins draws him.
In 30 minutes, we'll do the five stories of Setting Sun...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
I wrote about this arc somewhat previously in my Art Discussion Month 2010 post on John Higgins's art. Before discussing the arc a little more properly, I want to share something Ellis wrote about writing this title for his "From the Desk Of..." e-mail list:
Hellblazer is proving to be a strange write. It's taking me back to a younger version of myself, a past time; but couldn't be written by any other than the thirty-year-old version of me. It happens in places I walked first at the start of the decade - hell, old Stuart Green would recognize a couple. It draws on so many old memories, guts them and uses them for backdrop; the feeling of being in love in St James Park, in the summertime, or of being in love in Camden Town on a Friday afternoon at the edge of winter. Walking the shore of the Thames at sundown. Buying a mythic pint at the Coach And Horses and listening to the barman yell "Fuck off to the Epicure Restaurant if you don't like me bleedin' menu"... the exact feeling of knowing you can't go home because some poor bastard threw himself in front of the Tube train at Brixton station and is now a hundred-yard stain on the rails.... seeing a guy lay down on the corner of Denmark Street, turn blue, and die, right there, and as his arm loses tension and falls, seeing the needle roll from it... watching sunlight dapple the roof of St Paul's from Hungerford Bridge... watching a beautiful woman sink down in tears by the corner of Greek Street, among the pubs and arcades and stripshows and porn stores and the encroachment of the cafe society tables on the pavement, a privileged balcony from which to watch the sleaze and dissolution and pain and collapse and hopeless doomed glamour of poor sinking Soho...
Now, at thirty, I walk the lines of the city. Brixton to Stockwell. Liverpool Street to the Hackney Road, via Christ Church. The tangle of Soho. Prop up the old lady of Threadneedle Street as I light a cigar. Step out of Camden Town Tube station, where she and I used to kiss (I discover last week that the station's site used to be Camden's execution spot) into the World's End, where we drank, and where, I find, a witch lived, three hundred years ago. I walk the parks, stand in the open air theatre where another I once saw the RSC do "Romeo and Juliet", poke around... the wonder's gone, but I'm left with understanding. And that's good enough.
I sit in "The Moon Under Water", George Orwell's little dream of a bar given form, on the Charing Cross Road. I transfer a few notes and thoughts into the handheld. Transcribing London. Gone are the days where London was my girlfriend, and I was wrapped up in the newness and sexiness of her. I'm older now; the me of '86, '88, '90 all gone, gone as the women I shared London with. I found my long-time love somewhere else, and now I shall be London's friend and confidant, her agent in the wider world.
Me and John Constantine walk London's streets, only learning.
Southend
June 1998
London plays a big role in Haunted. I won't touch on the plot too much since that's handled in the art discuss post a bit more. It's mostly John riding to the rescue/revenge of an ex-girlfriend and giving a good shitkicking (in a sense) to an asshole magician by the name of Joshua Wright. What I find I enjoy when I reread Haunted is that sense of London and I'm fascinated by the idea that Ellis would use Hellblazer to reconnect with the city, to relearn it, to take him back to his youth... through a character older than he is (sort of). If you read the above, you'll notice a lot of what Ellis mentions in the comic. It's fascinating. I can't think of another comic is feels so much of its setting.
Another thing to notice about Ellis: because of his short run, he only adds to John Constantine's world. In this arc, we get Clarice, Map, Watford, Josh Wright... he added key characters that Mike Carey would use, not taking them off the board as most writers on the book do. They may leave one or two out and about, but Ellis didn't kill any aside from Isabel and Sparrowfart. That's interesting.
Sorry that we're going through a period of shorter posts. Since I wrote about this before (same with the collection of shorts that will be coming up next), it's hard to come up with some stuff that hasn't been touched on before. I will say, though, that the creation of Clarice and Albert here does raise some questions from me in future issues in Carey's run where I wonder what the fuck is going on.
I still love how John almost looks his age when John Higgins draws him.
In 30 minutes, we'll do the five stories of Setting Sun...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 16: Hellblazer: Son of Man
[Discussed in this post: Hellblazer: Son of Man (#129-133).]
I don't hate this arc the way that others do. But I don't blame them for not thinking much of it. It's a fine, mediocre, solid sort of story, but it's also Garth Ennis returning the book that made his name to a certain degree after four years. During that time, Ennis's run only grew in esteem thanks to Preacher and Hitman. And Son of Man isn't exactly the kind of writing that makes you coming back look like it's because you were just itching to tell this one more story.
The story is pretty simple: years ago, John was forced to bring a mobster's son back from the dead, but did it by putting a demon inside the body. Now, it's going to take over the mob and London and John has to stop it, while also helping out Chas in the process. Like I said, it's fine. It's not bad by any means, it just doesn't hold up to what came before -- or, more accurately, what people remember as having come before. This arc doesn't just have to contend with Ennis's run, it has to contend with the legend of Ennis's run.
I like how it has something from John's past coming back to haunt him like this. There's a real grounded feeling to the story, of John and Chas getting together and making shit right. I like how the demon that comes forth looks like the alien from Alien. I love how John Higgins draws John Constantine as if he actually resembles his age. He looks like a 45-year old that's lived the sort of life that he has. He's got a lived-in quality to his face. I also like the creepiness of the kid as he freaks out his father and uncle. He's a creepy little bastard running the show because everyone is scared of him.
It's interesting to notice which writers haven't returned to the character since leaving the book: Paul Jenkins, Warren Ellis, Denise Mina, and Andy Diggle are the only ones who did runs longer than a single story that haven't come back. Delano, Ennis, Azzarello, Carey all did more... though, there's still time for the others. After all, Diggle's run was the one just before the current Milligan run, while Mina was just before that. Then again, I don't see Mina coming back. The other three could maybe.
But, that leaves us with the question: is it wrong to come back? Son of Man isn't awful, nor is the stuff that other three regular writers returned to do. But there's this idea of leaving on that high note and never returning. Ennis left on a high note. So does Carey and Azzarello. I wonder what people would think if Jenkins or Ellis returned to the book. I imagine Ellis returning would be seen more as a homecoming, a chance to finish what he started than a return after he walked away satisfying readers. How about Jenkins? Would people mind if he returned for another story?
If you look at Son of Man as another John Constantine story, you see that it's funny and entertaining. Not high stakes, not lifechanging or mindblowing, but it's solid. Then again, I read it before the rest of the Ennis run, so maybe I've just got it all backwards.
In 30 minutes, we enter Ellis country...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
I don't hate this arc the way that others do. But I don't blame them for not thinking much of it. It's a fine, mediocre, solid sort of story, but it's also Garth Ennis returning the book that made his name to a certain degree after four years. During that time, Ennis's run only grew in esteem thanks to Preacher and Hitman. And Son of Man isn't exactly the kind of writing that makes you coming back look like it's because you were just itching to tell this one more story.
The story is pretty simple: years ago, John was forced to bring a mobster's son back from the dead, but did it by putting a demon inside the body. Now, it's going to take over the mob and London and John has to stop it, while also helping out Chas in the process. Like I said, it's fine. It's not bad by any means, it just doesn't hold up to what came before -- or, more accurately, what people remember as having come before. This arc doesn't just have to contend with Ennis's run, it has to contend with the legend of Ennis's run.
I like how it has something from John's past coming back to haunt him like this. There's a real grounded feeling to the story, of John and Chas getting together and making shit right. I like how the demon that comes forth looks like the alien from Alien. I love how John Higgins draws John Constantine as if he actually resembles his age. He looks like a 45-year old that's lived the sort of life that he has. He's got a lived-in quality to his face. I also like the creepiness of the kid as he freaks out his father and uncle. He's a creepy little bastard running the show because everyone is scared of him.
It's interesting to notice which writers haven't returned to the character since leaving the book: Paul Jenkins, Warren Ellis, Denise Mina, and Andy Diggle are the only ones who did runs longer than a single story that haven't come back. Delano, Ennis, Azzarello, Carey all did more... though, there's still time for the others. After all, Diggle's run was the one just before the current Milligan run, while Mina was just before that. Then again, I don't see Mina coming back. The other three could maybe.
But, that leaves us with the question: is it wrong to come back? Son of Man isn't awful, nor is the stuff that other three regular writers returned to do. But there's this idea of leaving on that high note and never returning. Ennis left on a high note. So does Carey and Azzarello. I wonder what people would think if Jenkins or Ellis returned to the book. I imagine Ellis returning would be seen more as a homecoming, a chance to finish what he started than a return after he walked away satisfying readers. How about Jenkins? Would people mind if he returned for another story?
If you look at Son of Man as another John Constantine story, you see that it's funny and entertaining. Not high stakes, not lifechanging or mindblowing, but it's solid. Then again, I read it before the rest of the Ennis run, so maybe I've just got it all backwards.
In 30 minutes, we enter Ellis country...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 15: Hellblazer #85-89
[Discussed in this post: "Warped Notions" Hellblazer #85-88, and "Dreamtime" (#89).]
After Ennis left the book, there were five issues between regular writers. #84 was a Jamie Delano issue discussed several hours ago, while issues #85-88 was a four-issue arc written by Eddie Campbell. Now, I could write about those issues again or I could simply direct you to my reread review of the arc over at Comics Should be Good. I don't have anything new to add really and I'm not going to do any better under the half hour time contraint.
Since I own the issue, I'll also briefly touch on the first issue of Paul Jenkins's run on the book. First off, it's a shame that this run hasn't been collected. I hope Vertigo gets around to it soon since Hellblazer needs to have a complete library, don't you think? That would be absolutely wonderful I must say. I've heard some mixed things about the run, but, come on... it's Hellblazer.
Jenkins picks up where Campbell's story left off, with John on a boat near Australia. He gets off the boat, goes with an aborigonal Australian because they need his help: because of white folks encroaching on more of the land in Australia, the rainbow serpent is making all of the animals kill themselves. They need John to help stop what's going to happen, so he enters the dreamtime to sing to the serpent. It's a bit out of John's element and has him acting somewhat naive/not as in the know as he usually is. It's a fine first issue and Sean Phillips on art is a thing to behold.
Since I have a little bit of free time thanks to being lazy about these two stories, I want to talk a little about John Constantine...
Who is he?
I'll tell you right now that I don't know. I have a big stack of his comics on my table and I couldn't really tell you because each writer handles him differently. I didn't read enough Delano to really tell how he does him, but Ennis treats him as a flawed guy. He means well, but he can't help but be self-centred and selfish. He doesn't think things through always, sometimes acting rashly. But, going beyond that idea, who is John Constantine? What are the essential qualities that make him him?
He's a schemer. He's an addict. He uses people. He hates authority figures. He's selfish. He thinks himself the best at what he does. He has little use for other magicians unless he actually needs something. He will do almost anything for a friend when asked. He forgets that his actions have consequences for people who aren't him. He loves cigarettes. What else?
I just wonder how much about John Constantine is set in stone and how much is maleable. I guess we'll see as we move past Ennis into Ellis, Azzarello, and Carey. But, first, we've got a bit of Ennis left as almost everyone who ever writes the book for an extended run returns somehow.
In 30 minutes, Son of Man aka 'Ennis's Revenge'...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
After Ennis left the book, there were five issues between regular writers. #84 was a Jamie Delano issue discussed several hours ago, while issues #85-88 was a four-issue arc written by Eddie Campbell. Now, I could write about those issues again or I could simply direct you to my reread review of the arc over at Comics Should be Good. I don't have anything new to add really and I'm not going to do any better under the half hour time contraint.
Since I own the issue, I'll also briefly touch on the first issue of Paul Jenkins's run on the book. First off, it's a shame that this run hasn't been collected. I hope Vertigo gets around to it soon since Hellblazer needs to have a complete library, don't you think? That would be absolutely wonderful I must say. I've heard some mixed things about the run, but, come on... it's Hellblazer.
Jenkins picks up where Campbell's story left off, with John on a boat near Australia. He gets off the boat, goes with an aborigonal Australian because they need his help: because of white folks encroaching on more of the land in Australia, the rainbow serpent is making all of the animals kill themselves. They need John to help stop what's going to happen, so he enters the dreamtime to sing to the serpent. It's a bit out of John's element and has him acting somewhat naive/not as in the know as he usually is. It's a fine first issue and Sean Phillips on art is a thing to behold.
Since I have a little bit of free time thanks to being lazy about these two stories, I want to talk a little about John Constantine...
Who is he?
I'll tell you right now that I don't know. I have a big stack of his comics on my table and I couldn't really tell you because each writer handles him differently. I didn't read enough Delano to really tell how he does him, but Ennis treats him as a flawed guy. He means well, but he can't help but be self-centred and selfish. He doesn't think things through always, sometimes acting rashly. But, going beyond that idea, who is John Constantine? What are the essential qualities that make him him?
He's a schemer. He's an addict. He uses people. He hates authority figures. He's selfish. He thinks himself the best at what he does. He has little use for other magicians unless he actually needs something. He will do almost anything for a friend when asked. He forgets that his actions have consequences for people who aren't him. He loves cigarettes. What else?
I just wonder how much about John Constantine is set in stone and how much is maleable. I guess we'll see as we move past Ennis into Ellis, Azzarello, and Carey. But, first, we've got a bit of Ennis left as almost everyone who ever writes the book for an extended run returns somehow.
In 30 minutes, Son of Man aka 'Ennis's Revenge'...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 14: Hellblazer: Heartland
[Discussed in this post: "Heartland" (Hellblazer #70) and Heartland #1.]
After Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon left Hellblazer, they did Heartland #1, a one-shot focusing on Kit, a sequel of sorts to Hellblazer #70, which was also titled "Heartland." Both comics focus on Kit in Belfast, first returning home after her time in England, reuniting with her brother and two of her sisters, hanging out with them at the pub, and just getting reacquainted. Heartland has a bit more of a plot with their youngest sister visiting and we learn about their childhood.
Kit was an interesting character. Throughout the entire run of Hellblazer, John has had a lot of girlfriends, but Kit is easily my favourite (and the favourite of many others, too, I believe). She's able to stand toe-to-toe with John and not fall for his bullshit. She stands by her word, leaving him when his 'work' affects her. She's level-headed and funny, but he's right when he says she's a bit cold. It's easy to see why when you look at her childhood with an abusive drunk of a father. She's not perfect, but you always get the sense that she's perfect for John. She's what he needs and the tragedy of Ennis's run is that John can't see that himself and do what's necessary to keep her.
Kit is cruel, though. That much is made apparent in Heartland where she winds up kissing her youngest sister's boyfriend. Bernadette was always the favourite of their father and the only one who couldn't see him for what he was -- mostly because he just showered affection on her. We get some stuff from Kit's childhood where we see how awful her father was, but also why Bernadette loved him. She always blamed Kit and her mom for her dad's death, assuming everyone was just jealous because he loved her best. I'm sure that's part of their resentment (why did he love her so much and not them?), but it's obviously more than that. Kit ends their argument with one of the cruellest things I've ever seen in a comic: "D'you not wonder why you're so much younger'n the rest've us, Bernadette? Do ye not? Because he raped her, he came in one night pissed out've his fuckin' skull an' he raped her -- an' you're the fuckin' result, ye wee hooer. His special wee girl." That's not what happened. I sometimes wonder if it would have been worse if it had been true... is the lie at least better because it can be taken away in part?
Ennis does a good job of setting the two up as opposites: two forces that will always come into conflict. Dillon draws a fantastic Bernadette. This curly-haired bitch who makes faces that I've seen in real life on screeching women who want everything their way and are really just angry at the world because it's just not fair.
There's other stuff in these issues like the guy who's in love with Kit despite her making it clear to fuck off. Or the ponce of a brother-in-law they have. Or walking through Belfast and noticing the soldiers and tanks. They're issues that shine a light on Ennis's home but in a natural way. They're suitable goodbyes to he and Dillon.
In 30 minutes, we have me taking the lazy way out somewhat and also discussing the only issue of Paul Jenkins's run that I own: the first.
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
After Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon left Hellblazer, they did Heartland #1, a one-shot focusing on Kit, a sequel of sorts to Hellblazer #70, which was also titled "Heartland." Both comics focus on Kit in Belfast, first returning home after her time in England, reuniting with her brother and two of her sisters, hanging out with them at the pub, and just getting reacquainted. Heartland has a bit more of a plot with their youngest sister visiting and we learn about their childhood.
Kit was an interesting character. Throughout the entire run of Hellblazer, John has had a lot of girlfriends, but Kit is easily my favourite (and the favourite of many others, too, I believe). She's able to stand toe-to-toe with John and not fall for his bullshit. She stands by her word, leaving him when his 'work' affects her. She's level-headed and funny, but he's right when he says she's a bit cold. It's easy to see why when you look at her childhood with an abusive drunk of a father. She's not perfect, but you always get the sense that she's perfect for John. She's what he needs and the tragedy of Ennis's run is that John can't see that himself and do what's necessary to keep her.
Kit is cruel, though. That much is made apparent in Heartland where she winds up kissing her youngest sister's boyfriend. Bernadette was always the favourite of their father and the only one who couldn't see him for what he was -- mostly because he just showered affection on her. We get some stuff from Kit's childhood where we see how awful her father was, but also why Bernadette loved him. She always blamed Kit and her mom for her dad's death, assuming everyone was just jealous because he loved her best. I'm sure that's part of their resentment (why did he love her so much and not them?), but it's obviously more than that. Kit ends their argument with one of the cruellest things I've ever seen in a comic: "D'you not wonder why you're so much younger'n the rest've us, Bernadette? Do ye not? Because he raped her, he came in one night pissed out've his fuckin' skull an' he raped her -- an' you're the fuckin' result, ye wee hooer. His special wee girl." That's not what happened. I sometimes wonder if it would have been worse if it had been true... is the lie at least better because it can be taken away in part?
Ennis does a good job of setting the two up as opposites: two forces that will always come into conflict. Dillon draws a fantastic Bernadette. This curly-haired bitch who makes faces that I've seen in real life on screeching women who want everything their way and are really just angry at the world because it's just not fair.
There's other stuff in these issues like the guy who's in love with Kit despite her making it clear to fuck off. Or the ponce of a brother-in-law they have. Or walking through Belfast and noticing the soldiers and tanks. They're issues that shine a light on Ennis's home but in a natural way. They're suitable goodbyes to he and Dillon.
In 30 minutes, we have me taking the lazy way out somewhat and also discussing the only issue of Paul Jenkins's run that I own: the first.
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 13: Hellblazer: Rake at the Gates of Hell
[Discussed in this post: Hellblazer: Rake at the Gates of Hell (#78-83).]
It all comes down to this. While there's still the two "Heartland" stories after this, this is really the end of Garth Ennis's Hellblazer run (oh, and the Son of Man arc he did years later...). Ennis weaves together two stories about men who put into action a course of events that consume all of those around them. We'll start with George, the brother of Dez, who you'll remember was killed in "Fear and Loathing" when kidnapped alongside John by the British Movement. Here, George is arrested by the police and, in the process, they push his mom down the stairs. He responds by shooting one of the cops and fleeing. This begins a whole riot in that neighbourhood, pitting the black population that's sick of being shit on against the cops out for blood after one of their own was killed. George is hidden by a group of friends who slowly but surely get picked off as the story progresses. In the end, George manages to get away. He's a mini-Constantine in that respect: causes the shitstorm and everyone around him pays the price, but he walks away.
John's story is much more complex with two big parts. The first has him running across an ex who is addicted to drugs and being pimped out. Being the sort of guy who can't resist a damsel in distress, he intervenes with the help of Chas, getting his new girlfriend and others involved in trying to take care of this dumb, stupid woman who is so broken and dependent on her pimp that she doesn't actually want his 'help.' I like how, before getting to the First of the Fallen, we see John just sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong -- in an understandable way. He wants to be the hero and doesn't think things through. He just sees a problem and has to solve it. He's given a good bitching out later by his (pretty much ex-by-this-point) girlfriend after the pimp tracks them down and nearly kills some people, working over the ex. John has a chauvanist streak that Ennis would carry on to Jesse Custer -- got to be a man and protect the little ladies from the big bad world.
At the same time, the First of the Fallen has been approached by someone in Hell with a plan to get John. Someone with good motivation to want him gotten: Astrid, the little girl that John condemned to Hell in Newcastle. She gives him some ideas, like how the triumverate leadership in Hell existed only because he believed it did. He was the First of the Fallen... how could the other two be his brothers and equals? So he steamrolls over them and heads to Earth where he neutralises the angel heart and kills Nigel, Header, and Rick the Vic.
John goes on the run, hiding out in the basement of a church where he talks to a priest. It's a discussion of faith, John confronting a man who believes even though John knows the truth (or some of it). Eventually, John decides to come out and who does he run into? Kit. Ennis spends an issue on the two of them together, talking and falling into familiar habits, including hurting one another. They wind up in bed, but it's more a proper goodbye than anything else. She's thankfully out of the picture when the First of the Fallen shows up, ready to finally do away with John.
First, John gets his lung cancer back. Then, he hears the First of the Fallen's confession, which is how he came to fall. He was the first creation of God's and loved God, loved being his confidant... until God wanted to create humanity and the First of the Fallen told him he thought that freewill was a bad idea that would backfire. That's when it began to go south because of God's reaction -- how dare he disagree with Him? Later, the First of the Fallen finally comes face to face with God again... finding him in a corner of eternity, dropping and clutching at his genitals. Freewill was an act of a madman, someone so deluded and stupid to think that freewill would be a good thing. Why would a loving God curse mankind with such pain? Because he's a fucking loon. That's when the First of the Fallen fell. John tells him what he really is: God's conscience that God expelled when it became a nuisance. It all comes a head when the First of the Fallen wonders what John is and gets his answer in a masterful two pages of snatches of dialogue beginning with "You're a man who inspires the maximum amount of loyalty for the minimum of effort, d'you know that?" John is a man with friends...
Except where are they, the First of the Fallen wonders? That's when Astrid appears, freaking John out. He looks absolutely fucked. You know the book doesn't end, that he somehow survives, but Ennis has built this SO well. John Constantine looks absolutely forever and ever fucked. Except Astrid isn't Astrid... she's Ellie and she's just stabbed the First of the Fallen through with a blade. John wakes up to find that Ellie has pulled out his cancer.
The story ends with John meeting with the ex of his who was the addict/prostitute. She lost an eye, but she's better. He puts her on a bus and she thanks him. He made things worse, but they got better because of him, too.
Ennis wraps up the story he began in "Dangerous Habits" by dispatching the First of the Fallen in a clever manner, but also kills off much of the supporting cast he introduced. John wins, but his friends pay the price. They're sacrificed so he can walk away scot free.
What stands out in this story most of all about Steve Dillon's art is how he draws the First of the Fallen when he reaches Earth: this massive, long-haired bodybuilder type that also just looks like a fucking douchebag. Sounds about right me.
We'll say goodbye to the Ennis/Dillon team in 30 minutes with the two "Heartland" stories...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
It all comes down to this. While there's still the two "Heartland" stories after this, this is really the end of Garth Ennis's Hellblazer run (oh, and the Son of Man arc he did years later...). Ennis weaves together two stories about men who put into action a course of events that consume all of those around them. We'll start with George, the brother of Dez, who you'll remember was killed in "Fear and Loathing" when kidnapped alongside John by the British Movement. Here, George is arrested by the police and, in the process, they push his mom down the stairs. He responds by shooting one of the cops and fleeing. This begins a whole riot in that neighbourhood, pitting the black population that's sick of being shit on against the cops out for blood after one of their own was killed. George is hidden by a group of friends who slowly but surely get picked off as the story progresses. In the end, George manages to get away. He's a mini-Constantine in that respect: causes the shitstorm and everyone around him pays the price, but he walks away.
John's story is much more complex with two big parts. The first has him running across an ex who is addicted to drugs and being pimped out. Being the sort of guy who can't resist a damsel in distress, he intervenes with the help of Chas, getting his new girlfriend and others involved in trying to take care of this dumb, stupid woman who is so broken and dependent on her pimp that she doesn't actually want his 'help.' I like how, before getting to the First of the Fallen, we see John just sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong -- in an understandable way. He wants to be the hero and doesn't think things through. He just sees a problem and has to solve it. He's given a good bitching out later by his (pretty much ex-by-this-point) girlfriend after the pimp tracks them down and nearly kills some people, working over the ex. John has a chauvanist streak that Ennis would carry on to Jesse Custer -- got to be a man and protect the little ladies from the big bad world.
At the same time, the First of the Fallen has been approached by someone in Hell with a plan to get John. Someone with good motivation to want him gotten: Astrid, the little girl that John condemned to Hell in Newcastle. She gives him some ideas, like how the triumverate leadership in Hell existed only because he believed it did. He was the First of the Fallen... how could the other two be his brothers and equals? So he steamrolls over them and heads to Earth where he neutralises the angel heart and kills Nigel, Header, and Rick the Vic.
John goes on the run, hiding out in the basement of a church where he talks to a priest. It's a discussion of faith, John confronting a man who believes even though John knows the truth (or some of it). Eventually, John decides to come out and who does he run into? Kit. Ennis spends an issue on the two of them together, talking and falling into familiar habits, including hurting one another. They wind up in bed, but it's more a proper goodbye than anything else. She's thankfully out of the picture when the First of the Fallen shows up, ready to finally do away with John.
First, John gets his lung cancer back. Then, he hears the First of the Fallen's confession, which is how he came to fall. He was the first creation of God's and loved God, loved being his confidant... until God wanted to create humanity and the First of the Fallen told him he thought that freewill was a bad idea that would backfire. That's when it began to go south because of God's reaction -- how dare he disagree with Him? Later, the First of the Fallen finally comes face to face with God again... finding him in a corner of eternity, dropping and clutching at his genitals. Freewill was an act of a madman, someone so deluded and stupid to think that freewill would be a good thing. Why would a loving God curse mankind with such pain? Because he's a fucking loon. That's when the First of the Fallen fell. John tells him what he really is: God's conscience that God expelled when it became a nuisance. It all comes a head when the First of the Fallen wonders what John is and gets his answer in a masterful two pages of snatches of dialogue beginning with "You're a man who inspires the maximum amount of loyalty for the minimum of effort, d'you know that?" John is a man with friends...
Except where are they, the First of the Fallen wonders? That's when Astrid appears, freaking John out. He looks absolutely fucked. You know the book doesn't end, that he somehow survives, but Ennis has built this SO well. John Constantine looks absolutely forever and ever fucked. Except Astrid isn't Astrid... she's Ellie and she's just stabbed the First of the Fallen through with a blade. John wakes up to find that Ellie has pulled out his cancer.
The story ends with John meeting with the ex of his who was the addict/prostitute. She lost an eye, but she's better. He puts her on a bus and she thanks him. He made things worse, but they got better because of him, too.
Ennis wraps up the story he began in "Dangerous Habits" by dispatching the First of the Fallen in a clever manner, but also kills off much of the supporting cast he introduced. John wins, but his friends pay the price. They're sacrificed so he can walk away scot free.
What stands out in this story most of all about Steve Dillon's art is how he draws the First of the Fallen when he reaches Earth: this massive, long-haired bodybuilder type that also just looks like a fucking douchebag. Sounds about right me.
We'll say goodbye to the Ennis/Dillon team in 30 minutes with the two "Heartland" stories...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 12: Hellblazer: Damnation's Flame
[Discussed in this post: Hellblazer: Damnation's Flame, "Damnation's Flame" (#72-75), "Act of Union" (#75), "Confessions of an Irish Rebel" (#76), and "And the Crowd Goes Wild" (#77).]
We're moving towards the end of the Ennis run we reach the five-and-a-half hour mark. Please, please, do contribute to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. It's a good cause and you'll make both myself and you feel better. (And do tell me if you contribute.)
"Damnation's Flame" has John heading to New York on a bit of a vacation. There, he draws the attention of Papa Midnite, a voodoo magician that uses his sister's soul as his window into Hell, having her report news back to him. We don't know what John's done to warrant Midnite's hatred, but he has it. Midnite sends him witchwalking in a dream/symbolic America where he encounters John Kennedy who speaks in press release-esque language, while also keeping his hand on the back of his head, so his brains won't go spilling out. They walk the landscape and John is meant to help him take back the White House from an evil Abe Lincoln that's really the First of the Fallen. John manages to get out of it with some help from Midnite's sister whose soul he frees. She goes after her brother and he jumps out a window... of a very tall building.
It's not the strongest storyarc. I think I wouldn't mind returning to it to pick it apart a little. I do like how Ennis and Dillon show us what's going on the real world with John being arrested and nearly set on fire in a homeless shelter by a bunch of fuckers. Of all Ennis's explorations of America, this is easily his weakest. By working just with symbols, he doesn't really say anything. I much prefer his earnest, heartfelt stuff with Cassidy talking about why he loves America. That's far more effective.
The final part of "Damnation's Flame" was published in #75 with another story drawn by William Simpson about John visiting Brendan and Kit back in the day. It's the first time he meets Kit and it's a great story of people hanging out. Brendan gets so drunk they need to put him to bed and we just watch them talk and get to know one another and it's a dagger. I like this story, but it's hard not to read it without knowing what happens with John and Kit. It flows well into the next issue where John's plane back to London is forced to land in Dublin and he runs into Brendan's ghost. They go out drinking and it's more 'two buddies catching up on old times' stuff. They tell stories good and bad and it's all that good male bonding stuff that Ennis writes so fucking well.
The final issue of this collection is drawn by Peter Snejbjeg and has Chas telling someone a story about a time when they all thought John was dead only for him to show up at his own funeral, all grins and snarky comments. Just as he finishes, John shows up again and the two make up. You don't really get more of Ennis's great male bonding over drinks stuff. He just does it so well. I don't know how to describe it. I could read hundreds of those stories. It gives you the idea that Ennis himself is a great guy to hang out with. These last three stories are good ways to wind down the run before hitting the Big Arc with "Rake at the Gates of Hell" where everything between John and the First of the Fallen comes to a head.
But that's in 30 minutes time...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
We're moving towards the end of the Ennis run we reach the five-and-a-half hour mark. Please, please, do contribute to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. It's a good cause and you'll make both myself and you feel better. (And do tell me if you contribute.)
"Damnation's Flame" has John heading to New York on a bit of a vacation. There, he draws the attention of Papa Midnite, a voodoo magician that uses his sister's soul as his window into Hell, having her report news back to him. We don't know what John's done to warrant Midnite's hatred, but he has it. Midnite sends him witchwalking in a dream/symbolic America where he encounters John Kennedy who speaks in press release-esque language, while also keeping his hand on the back of his head, so his brains won't go spilling out. They walk the landscape and John is meant to help him take back the White House from an evil Abe Lincoln that's really the First of the Fallen. John manages to get out of it with some help from Midnite's sister whose soul he frees. She goes after her brother and he jumps out a window... of a very tall building.
It's not the strongest storyarc. I think I wouldn't mind returning to it to pick it apart a little. I do like how Ennis and Dillon show us what's going on the real world with John being arrested and nearly set on fire in a homeless shelter by a bunch of fuckers. Of all Ennis's explorations of America, this is easily his weakest. By working just with symbols, he doesn't really say anything. I much prefer his earnest, heartfelt stuff with Cassidy talking about why he loves America. That's far more effective.
The final part of "Damnation's Flame" was published in #75 with another story drawn by William Simpson about John visiting Brendan and Kit back in the day. It's the first time he meets Kit and it's a great story of people hanging out. Brendan gets so drunk they need to put him to bed and we just watch them talk and get to know one another and it's a dagger. I like this story, but it's hard not to read it without knowing what happens with John and Kit. It flows well into the next issue where John's plane back to London is forced to land in Dublin and he runs into Brendan's ghost. They go out drinking and it's more 'two buddies catching up on old times' stuff. They tell stories good and bad and it's all that good male bonding stuff that Ennis writes so fucking well.
The final issue of this collection is drawn by Peter Snejbjeg and has Chas telling someone a story about a time when they all thought John was dead only for him to show up at his own funeral, all grins and snarky comments. Just as he finishes, John shows up again and the two make up. You don't really get more of Ennis's great male bonding over drinks stuff. He just does it so well. I don't know how to describe it. I could read hundreds of those stories. It gives you the idea that Ennis himself is a great guy to hang out with. These last three stories are good ways to wind down the run before hitting the Big Arc with "Rake at the Gates of Hell" where everything between John and the First of the Fallen comes to a head.
But that's in 30 minutes time...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
Blogathon 11: Hellblazer: Tainted Love
[Discussed in this post: Hellblazer: Tainted Love, "Last Night of the King of the Vampires" (#68-69), "Tainted Love" (from Vertigo Jam #1), "Finest Hour" (#71), and Confessional (Hellblazer Special #1).]
(Note: I decided to leave "Heartland" (#70) until the post where I discuss the special of the same name...)
Part of what Ennis here that makes it tolerable is that he doesn't spend that much time with the idea of John as a homeless man. After his break-up with Kit, he turns his back on everything and begins living on the streets. It's similar to what happened in Preacher where Jesse became sheriff of that small town. There's logic in the move, but it's something that doesn't necessarily play out as you'd want/expect. Because, I ask you, who wants to see John Constantine as a homeless man? It's fine for a few issues, but it gets old quickly. As a result, Tainted Love is probably my least favourite trade of the bunch.
The first storyarc, which is only titled "Last Night of the King of the Vampires" in the trade, sets up the idea of John on the street, turning his back on the world, because the woman he loved has left him. It also sets up a parallel story with the King of the Vampires and a couple of his subjects out having a good time, eating some food, and such. John finds a good spot to sleep that was someone else's, so they share it. The King of Vampires comes across them, kills the other man, and goes to kill John by sucking his blood... except it's demon blood, motherfucker! This happens near dawn and the King of the Vampires dies because of his grudge with John Constantine. This gives John a little bit of a boost, but not enough to get him off the streets just yet.
"Tainted Love" has him telling a story to another homeless man about a buddy of his who thought he found The One, but fucked around on her, so she fucked John to get access to his books and made a deal with the Third of Three, the shapechanger, who took her form and, while having sex with the buddy... squeezed. It's just a short lesson about the dangers of magic and such. A fine little tale.
"Finest Hour" is John crawling out of the gutters to become himself again thanks to the psychic impressions of a World War II pilot whose plane crashed on a beach and was never found. He experiences that life and it teaches him that he hasn't lost everything. Ennis brings in his love of war comics for this and it works alright. It's a little hokey, but it gets John to where he needs to be. I also love how he gets his life back: he just asks a rich man for money and is given it. Gotta love magic.
[And, right there, I ran out to 7-11 and a shawarma place nearby for slushy and lunch...]
"Confessional" fits into the run with the First of the Fallen making another appearance. We get an untold story about John when he was 16, bumming his way across England, sleeping with American chicks too dumb to know he's not anyone famous (or related to anyone famous) and he's picked up by a guy while hitchhiking. Things are going fine until the guy tries to force himself on John, John fights back, and winds up hitting him, causing the razorblade in his mouth to come out his cheek. This is all brought back by John seeing him now. He confronts the man in a church and the man explains how he was a priest once until the First of the Fallen came to him and made him hear his confession. That's when he lost his faith and became the sort of man who tries to go down on a 16-year old with a razor blade in his mouth. After his run-in with John, he was put in a mental hospital and had been recently released. When John asks what the confession was, he puts pencils in both eyeballs and headbutts the pew. It's a twisted little story that explains a little bit more why John is so fucked up, but also that something isn't entirely right with the First of the Fallen.
Steve Dillon is great throughout here, doing all of the stories. I don't know what to say about him. I love the mad glee on John's face when the King of the Vampires goes up in flames. It's a righteous fuck you look that hints at the first sign of happiness throughout his time on the streets. But even that isn't enough and, soon, he's back to being sullen.
In 30 minutes, Damnation's Flame, which features the brief return of William Simpson...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
(Note: I decided to leave "Heartland" (#70) until the post where I discuss the special of the same name...)
Part of what Ennis here that makes it tolerable is that he doesn't spend that much time with the idea of John as a homeless man. After his break-up with Kit, he turns his back on everything and begins living on the streets. It's similar to what happened in Preacher where Jesse became sheriff of that small town. There's logic in the move, but it's something that doesn't necessarily play out as you'd want/expect. Because, I ask you, who wants to see John Constantine as a homeless man? It's fine for a few issues, but it gets old quickly. As a result, Tainted Love is probably my least favourite trade of the bunch.
The first storyarc, which is only titled "Last Night of the King of the Vampires" in the trade, sets up the idea of John on the street, turning his back on the world, because the woman he loved has left him. It also sets up a parallel story with the King of the Vampires and a couple of his subjects out having a good time, eating some food, and such. John finds a good spot to sleep that was someone else's, so they share it. The King of Vampires comes across them, kills the other man, and goes to kill John by sucking his blood... except it's demon blood, motherfucker! This happens near dawn and the King of the Vampires dies because of his grudge with John Constantine. This gives John a little bit of a boost, but not enough to get him off the streets just yet.
"Tainted Love" has him telling a story to another homeless man about a buddy of his who thought he found The One, but fucked around on her, so she fucked John to get access to his books and made a deal with the Third of Three, the shapechanger, who took her form and, while having sex with the buddy... squeezed. It's just a short lesson about the dangers of magic and such. A fine little tale.
"Finest Hour" is John crawling out of the gutters to become himself again thanks to the psychic impressions of a World War II pilot whose plane crashed on a beach and was never found. He experiences that life and it teaches him that he hasn't lost everything. Ennis brings in his love of war comics for this and it works alright. It's a little hokey, but it gets John to where he needs to be. I also love how he gets his life back: he just asks a rich man for money and is given it. Gotta love magic.
[And, right there, I ran out to 7-11 and a shawarma place nearby for slushy and lunch...]
"Confessional" fits into the run with the First of the Fallen making another appearance. We get an untold story about John when he was 16, bumming his way across England, sleeping with American chicks too dumb to know he's not anyone famous (or related to anyone famous) and he's picked up by a guy while hitchhiking. Things are going fine until the guy tries to force himself on John, John fights back, and winds up hitting him, causing the razorblade in his mouth to come out his cheek. This is all brought back by John seeing him now. He confronts the man in a church and the man explains how he was a priest once until the First of the Fallen came to him and made him hear his confession. That's when he lost his faith and became the sort of man who tries to go down on a 16-year old with a razor blade in his mouth. After his run-in with John, he was put in a mental hospital and had been recently released. When John asks what the confession was, he puts pencils in both eyeballs and headbutts the pew. It's a twisted little story that explains a little bit more why John is so fucked up, but also that something isn't entirely right with the First of the Fallen.
Steve Dillon is great throughout here, doing all of the stories. I don't know what to say about him. I love the mad glee on John's face when the King of the Vampires goes up in flames. It's a righteous fuck you look that hints at the first sign of happiness throughout his time on the streets. But even that isn't enough and, soon, he's back to being sullen.
In 30 minutes, Damnation's Flame, which features the brief return of William Simpson...
[Don't forget to donate what you can to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! After you do, let me know via comment or e-mail (found at the righthand side) so I can keep track of donations -- and who to thank.]
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