Hellblazer by Garth Ennis issue #53

There's an exclusive hedonistic club for the affluent called the Caligula Club where general sick fuckos who also happen to be people who can afford to indulge in unusual and disturbing cravings flock together to let off a little steam and be disgusting about it as possible. During a botched satanic ritual one night, a very powerful demon possessed a member of the royal British family and said jerk-off starts going on a killing spree like he's suddenly the leading role for a darker and more heftily twisted version of The Hangover.

If drunken negligence is mixed with horrific cannabalism, that is. Our titular hero was hired by one of the Caligula clients named Marstan and John decided to help out because nothing pisses him more than rich dickheads getting their rocks off via bloody mayhem. It's a simple act of public service, really. It's only natural for John to feel obliged.

In this issue, as the second installment of the arc known as Royal Blood, we continue with the investigation of the case in the most formulaic way conceivable. John interviews some of the suspect's chums, gets confronted by the suspect's asshole brother and then he hires a psychic to help them contact the souls of the poor sods who were mutilated and eaten by the demon who possessed the suspect. It went as well as anyone would hope. The seance performed by John's psychic acquaintance brought forth the souls, all right, who named the demon that took them to Hell.

The demon's name is Calibraxis and it's one proud motherfucker. After all, he had bragging rights on Jack the Ripper. Yep, Calibraxis claims to have a hand on the infamous string of Whitechapel murders back in the day. If John is impressed, it doesn't show. What did show is the stupid, silly grin he gets on his face right after meeting his girlfriend Kit who is just awesome and makes him very happy. Kit may not approve of his vocation but she's someone he comes home to, and when your life consist of demon hauntings and the worst filth and scum humanity has to offer, it helps to have a loved one to hold your hand through it all, and that's what John has with Kit Ryan. So this issue was okay. I was amused the entire time. Not exactly top-shelf quality, storyline-wise, but it will do for now.

RECOMMENDED: 7/10