Hellblazer by Garth Ennis issue #61

The concluding piece for this arc might be considered a tad anticlimactic but I still liked it any way. Guys and Dolls was all about the grudge that the First of the Fallen have been harboring against John Constantine ever since said mortal had duped him into accepting a dubious contract about his soul which he had to share with his other two brothers. That meant none of them can get John's soul lest they rage a war among each other which is just too darn costly in the long-term. John did all of this just so he can evade dying from terminal lung cancer and I gotta say that he is not wasting his second shot at life. He's making amends and he's in a stable relationship with a woman who loves him simply for who he is and not for what he does. And that's pretty damn comforting!

This issue opens with John watching said woman one quiet afternoon at their place and telling her that he's so lucky to have her in his life. It was a nice moment. I suppose one of the reasons Ennis' run so far hasn't been that enticing for me was because I was so used to all the abusive, poignant and murky stories and characterization that predecessor Jamie Delano has offered in the first forty or so issues. I won't deny that I miss my John walking the dark paths and being such a shitty piece of self-annihilation, but I'm also not complaining to see how much personal growth and development he's showcasing quite splendidly here in Ennis' writing. 

I just have to admit that I'm a masochist and that most of Delano's painful and gritty characterization of Constantine has worked for me that now I can't shake it off and sometimes I find myself struggling to really focus and discuss Ennis' contribution to this series which has been great, really, though I know I don't have much to say about it unlike last year with Delano's run.

I did enjoy Guys and Dolls overall. That being said, there are some parts of this entire arc that weren't completely resolved mostly because they weren't completely explained either. I feel as if this was rushed. The two earlier installments were great pieces but this one had to bear the weight of the climax, falling action and resolution. The climactic part of this issue was simple in execution that it diluted its impact once we reach the supposedly falling action and the ambiguous resolution didn't really help. I just thought that it would have been better if we get another issue to wrap things up more neatly and with more power behind the punch. Ennis is not exactly a risk-taker when it comes to endings. I've noticed that he tends to go for the easier, more predictable route. The bad guys don't win and suffer the consequences, John lives to fight another day--it's a stark opposite to Delano's own approach for this series. Ennis' formulaic style of narrative is still okay for me at this point but if this keeps up in the next issue I may get annoyed. It's only acceptable now because I want to believe Ennis is still finding his stride as well as his definitive voice but Hellblazer is such an exceptional and flexible series and I just feel that he's not making most of its potentials. 

This arc is problematic because its brevity was not the best course of action to tell this story, in my honest opinion. I was only beginning to get interested in Ellie and her circumstances and I sure hope Ennis brings her back again. I also know this isn't the last time Constantine will encounter and get away humiliating the First of the Fallen. I'm sure FotF has something macabre and terrible in store for John later so I suppose I should treat this issue as the calm before the storm. In any case, I'm not as pleased about it but will reserve my final judgments once Ennis touches upon FoTF and his beef with John in the upcoming issues, sooner rather than later.

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Hellblazer by Garth Ennis issue #60

It needs to be said yet again: JOHN CONSTANTINE MAKES THE WORST ENEMIES.

This second installment for the Guys and Dolls story arc is such a delight. It was a brisk twenty-five-paged flashback piece about dramatic revelations concerning yet another scintillating cornerstone of John's sordid past. 

Ennis as a writer is starting to grow on me too. With the exception of This is the Diary of Danny Drake, he's been giving me average, entertaining stories in the meantime but that was until we get to this one which is proving to be a riveting story.

We discover the connection between John and Ellie by the time the first page starts. Apparently, post-Newcastle during Christmas, John was visited by an odd couple in the most literal sense. They were seeking not only shelter but his help. The woman is with child and the man is anxious to keep her safe. They reveal themselves as the most unlikely pair imaginable; John even dubbed them as "Romeo and Juliet on acid". 

It turns out that the man is an angel named Tali seduced by the pregnant woman in question, Chantinelle (or Ellie, for short) who is a succubus. Their forbidden union was blessed/cursed with a baby on the way. 

They sought out Constantine because he doesn't play favorites and because up to that point he was reckless enough to dare help them. And he was, just because he's curious to see what kind of progeny/abomination is about to be unleashed from Ellie's womb.

He started asking around to see if Hell was privy of this and found out that they weren't at all. After stashing away the lovers in some house protected by spells, he stumbled upon Ellie who is just about to give birth, only for it to be hijacked by a bunch of white-hooded men I am not at all familiar with but they seem to be legitimately powerful enough to take away the baby after brutally obliterating the angel-father and then leaving the succubus-mother to almost bleed to death. John was cowering in a corner while this was all happening, too fearful and out of his depth to even attempt to stop whatever atrocity is being committed. He just closed his eyes, placed his hands on his face and hoped that whatever that thing was, it was disposed of in case its creation is a harbinger of destruction on Earth. Still, a small part of him hopes that it did live because as a human being, he would still look at that monster as an innocent child who didn't ask to be born the way it had been. So he does owe Ellie big.

We then jump back to the present with Ellie trying to seduce John but he just dismisses her and goes off to prepare for the war that is about to smack him in the face courtesy of the First of the Fallen. Speaking of that amusing bastard: he's busy tormenting Nergal, the Newcastle demon enemy of John who condemned the little girl Astra to Hell, for the sole reason that he failed to eliminate Constantine when he had the chance. FotF easily reversed Nergal's demonic nature to render him back into his mortal form just so his tortures would be a thousand times more painful to bear. That was honestly creepy to witness. FotF later claims that, unlike Lucifer, he doesn't get bored with power. He doesn't stall or soliloquy about the unfairness of eternal damnation. He fucking loves being the king of Hell and he is determined to bring down John Constantine because, apparently, he is his main adversary, the only thing standing in his way to...I don't know. 

At this point, FotF's motivation still perplexes me. His ego was wounded so now he's lashing out. That's basically it. He couldn't stand the fact that he was duped by a mortal. Poor sod.

That means he's going to steal John's soul, right? And that would affect the contracts John has with the other two demon kings which really means war will happen...and all because John Constantine got his fingers all lubed up and stuck in those tight asscheeks owned by the most ferocious leaders of Hell itself. It looks like his reputation is catching up to him in such an untimely manner especially now that he's finally wiser and happier with what he does, little by little forgiving himself for the man he once was.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Hellblazer by Garth Ennis issue #59

So here we are at the very start of the trilogy story arc by current Hellblazer writer Garth Ennis entitled Guys and Dolls which focuses on John Constantine's battle with the First of the Fallen. This opener issue simply establishes the important points of the plot so this is all just basic exposition but one that unmistakably piqued my interest already. This seems like a big fuss.

In Fallen Women, we get a succinct introduction to the First of the Fallen by immediately abolishing all notions that he is the same person as Lucifer Morningstar, a character whom Neil Gaiman is currently using for another Vertigo title, The Sandman, specifically for his Seasons of Mists storyline. Both series are being written side by side back then so it's best to differentiate between Lucifer and the First of the Fallen who remains nameless at this point save the ominous title.

In fact, there were brief mentions of Gaiman's story concerning Morpheus' travel to hell in search of his helmet. His encounter with Lucifer was not pleasant but around the second time they met so Morpheus could free his former lover after he damned her to hell for rejecting him (and we think John has issues with intimacy and women!), Lucifer was much more forthcoming about things, complaining about his role as one of the kings of Hell and outright quits his post and gives Morpheus the keys to Hell which the dream-lord bequeaths to the two angels from heaven. 

This is the timeline where Guys and Dolls start in. 

The First of the Fallen contemplates about Lucifer's weakness since an angel like him could never really rule Hell wholeheartedly, as well as give hints to whatever grudge he may have against our titular hero. He was supposed to use this woman named Ellie who seemed connected to John somehow (it's a secret though...for now), but she escaped Hell in the brink of time and John finds her easily enough. She proceeds to warn him about his impeding doom.

I wonder what her connection is with John. She could be yet another former flame he doomed or left behind. Whoever she is, John readily helps her, going so far as not telling Kit about it, at least not yet. I wonder how this is going to impact their newfound and stable relationship since I know that this is the first time in a long time John has someone who serves as an anchor that could save him from his own self-annihilation--and he intends to make it work for both of them. There was even a panel earlier where John thought about quitting the occult and the twisted complexities that come with it but decided against it because he knows he has a score to settle with a lot of people, and tons of shit to make up for because of past transgressions. So far I don't have a clue where this plot is going and what was the First of the Fallen's gripe with him. Is it because of the Dangerous Habits arc mishap? It's been seven months since I read Hellblazer so my memory fails me. And yet they never mention this here in this opener but I will go ahead and assume FotF was one of the demons John fooled into claiming his soul and now he's going to do whatever it takes to own Constantine for himself alone without the other Hell-kings getting in the way. And Ellie seems to be the key to that.

Overall, this is a promising issue. I can't wait to see how this unravels in the next two installments ahead.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Hellblazer by Garth Ennis issue #58

The most comfortingly predictable thing about Garth Ennis' stories so far in this series is the certain promise that the bad guys will always get their due in the most satisfyingly morose way possible. We witness this happen in the Royal Blood arc where a certain misanthropic aristocrat gets possessed by a demon who gleefully performs self-cannibalism right on the spot and then he gets dragged down to hell and tortured. That's natural selection at its finest right there. 

In this last installment of a two-part story, we get an awful excuse of a human being whose name is not even worth mentioning. He's a bloodthirsty doctor who enjoys watching corpses get riddled by bullets. No rhyme, no reason. He just doesn't have a respect for the dead and would like to play with their bodies. But hey, as John optimistically interjects, it could be worse. He could have been fucking the corpses. Ennis is no Delano though because I know Delano would have gone for that shit. 

That's why I love the guy.

Anyway, Body and Soul pretty much wraps up the story in yet another twisted happy ending. John and Chas got captured after locating the research facility where the poor corpses are being transported just to be a part of a dumbass shooting range which is not even for the name of science. One of these corpses is the fresh remains of Chas' uncle who was just buried less than a day ago in the last issue. Seeing his body desecrated got me so pissed because he was a loved one of a character I like and I'm sure he was a nice man back when he was still alive. The trouble about the fucktard doctor's stupid hobby is that the souls themselves cannot travel to their destinations and remain stuck around the facility where their mutilated carcass lay. 

Realizing this after a frightening apparition from one of them, John makes up his mind to help these souls to pass over especially on behalf of Chas who was really hoping his uncle is resting in a better place only to discover that he's roaming the halls, restless and in agony all thanks to some piece of shit who decided that stealing and then shooting dead bodies are oh-so-enlightened. John is not having any of this and proceeds to cast a spell called "Soulstorm" which allowed the souls to gather together and haunt the fuck out of everyone in the place. Never have I been so happy to see ghosts cause havoc.

The fucktard doctor was easily repetant and has the gall to ask the souls to take him with them. Euphoric with the revelation that there is an afterlife, he gouges his eyes out. Chas arrives later to find him in that position and tries to shoot hin with a shotgun. He changes his mind and starts butchering him with the shotgun's handle instead until it broke due to the massive strength of the repetitive blows on the doctor's body. FUCK. YEAH. Now that's bloody revenge!

Does this mean the doctor's soul cannot pass over at all because his body was also desecrated? Oh, if there is a God listening, I really hope that's true. I hope he is suffering in endless agony as he stays trapped in mortal plane. I'm going to just assume that is the case because I believe in happy endings. I'm a romantic, sappy sod that way.

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Hellblazer by Garth Ennis issue #57

I just noticed that Garth Ennis writes shorter Hellblazer story arcs that are also less wordy than Delano's but just as disconcerting. This two-part story is no exception. What I enjoyed most about this is the presence and participation of Chas Chandler who is most probably the only mate of John's he hasn't irreparably screwed over yet AND SHOULD NEVER SCREW OVER because he always has John's back and it's a comforting knowledge to see that John at least has some stability in his life when all goes to shit, and that is no other than his friendship with this lovely man. His current relationship with the wonderful Kit Ryan has also been helping lately. John Constantine is becoming a well-adjusted member of the society, guys.

This issue entitled Mortal Clay opens with a bunch of disgusting sons of bitches gunning down corpses just because. It's unsettling because the souls who formerly inhabit these bodies are able to watch their personal and physical desecration. Srsly, what kind of cunt takes pleasure in machine-gunning human carcass? Someone severely fucked-up in the morals, that is. Of course, John and Chas cross paths with such a despicable asshole. What started out as a normal afternoon hang became morbid when Chas stopped by his uncle's place only to discover that the old man had a heart attack. After the funeral service, Chas asked John if his uncle is in a better place, considering John is an occultist and can check out that sort of thing. John reassures him only of the best--only for the two of them to stumble upon suspicious-looking men loading his uncle's freshly dugged up corpse into their mysterious van.

I mean, really? In the middle of the day? Right after the remains were just put to rest less than an hour ago and the family members might still be hovering around the cemetery as they grieve? Really, assholes, REALLY?!

Chas beat the shit out of the motherfuckers and John joins in but he's always been pretty useless in a fight. So they got their asses handed to them in the end and the sick fucks managed to get away with the uncle's corpse. Srsly, body-snatching on this day and age? Even John is baffled. We get a nice moment with the girlfriend as John tells her that he owes it to Chas to help him locate his uncle and she lets him go easily. So the chums track down the van's license plate and then they also found out about this research facility that needs a steady supply of corpses for science and shit. They get to the van filled with said corpses and Chas freaks out which led to their capture and detainment, much to the glee of the doctor because now he will get to see the effects of shooting live people.

What a dickhead of the highest order with the most pointless act of atrocity ever. Why is he even doing this shit? I'm sorry but this isn't Gotham City where everything and anything can happen so this better get explained. Also, he better die in the most horrific way possible next issue. SPOILER ALERT: He does, so all hail Satan and open the gates a hell to devour this soul.

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Hellblazer by Garth Ennis issue #56

This standalone issue feels like something Jamie Delano would have written himself back in the previous run. I think This is the diary of Danny Drake was pretty awesome, to be honest. The underlying hilarity and sardonic tonality were reminiscent of the previous Delano stories which I really miss since Garth Ennis took over. So far, his work on Dangerous Habits is the only story of his I consider phenomenal and I think this standalone deserves the same recognition. The dark humor and character exploration which composed this story were irresistible for someone like me who believes that the real draw of the Hellblazer series in general is its ability to showcase tales that are both unsettling and tragic particularly when it deals with the symbolic demons of its engaging titular hero. That's when this series truly shines.

This issue has more to do with the character Danny Drake and his struggles with his inner demon which we later find out happens to be both literal and figurative in nature. However, the story also makes a compelling parallel with that of John Constantine's experiences. The premise was simple: Danny Drake is being haunted by his diary which has the power to make him verbalize his most private thoughts secrets every time he was in public. After loudly proclaiming he's a whoremonger and listing his sins while in the middle of a crowded subway train, it catches John's attention and he decided to listen to this poor sod's story about his clumsy experience with the occult which cost him his important relationships in the aftermath, including that with his wife and unborn child.

Understandably enough, John took pity on him, seeing a version of his own heartbreak and regret in Danny. He decided to help but instead discovered the demon whom Danny had the displeasure of summoning in his past--and the real untold story of the unusual punishment Danny has received. There was no haunted diary at all. Rather, there was only a man who found a way to cheat his demon from their deal. The bargain was that the demon will come back for Danny in five years but Danny evades this by sacrificing his unborn child in exchange for another five years of existence. Those next five years were utterly miserable and now the demon is coming back for him again. Appalled by this revelation, John also uncovers yet another baby to be offered so Danny can have yet another five years. John stresses that Danny should stop delaying the inevitable and accept hia fate because at this point he fucking deserves damnation. The last page features Danny surrendering to the inevitable which was a happy ending in itself, I suppose because no innocent child has to take his place.

At a pub, John was a little angry that he even tried to help Danny Drake but then remembers what he has done to Astra in Newcastle and knew that he is not in the position to judge the other man too harshly. That was different, though. I remember shouting at the issue while I was reading it, saying, "BUT YOU'RE A DIFFERENT MAN NOW, JOHN CONSTANTINE!" and it's true and I think he knows it too. When he recalls Newcastle, I get the sense that some of that guilt has been absolved which I think is a sign of maturity and self-acceptance. That is a long time coming and I'm pleased to see that I'm finally seeing a positive transformation from John after 56 issues. He is more confident, less impulsive and has allowed himself to be loved by another person (Kit). When all is said and done, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I BELIEVE IN JOHN CONSTANTINE and it's time for us to allow him to become a hero.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Hellblazer by Garth Ennis issue #55

"What are you gonna do, John?" 

"What I always do: screw them before they screw me."

On that delightful note, let's talk about the conclusion of Garth Ennis' Royal Blood story arc which has been mildly amusing and predictable but still entertaining enough to keep me reading and see through the ending. This wouldn't be an arc I would consider as one of the finest but it definitely marked the new John Constantine who just happens to be more relaxed and optimistic than usual. Whatever personal baggage he may have had in Delano's run was not carried during this case which gave him an advantage because he has operated with a clear head to get himself out of this mess. 

And what a fucking heap of hot mess it was! Johnny sure knows how to pick 'em all right.

The previous issue ended with the possessed royal jerk jumping on John and taking a juicy bite out of his shoulder. Luckily l, Marstan's henchman was quick enough to draw his weapon and he gave the monster the bullet-on-the-kneecaps treatment. Afterwards, very stupid characters making stupid-ass decisions followed. I'm referring to goddamn Marstan, of course, who was the one who performed that satanic ritual to summon Calibraxis in the first place then hires John to clean up the mess. Marstan thinks he can control the demon and put a crowned prince in the British throne who also happens to be demonically possessed. Marstan has lofty ambitions to rule England the archaic way; by absolute evil monarchy and some shit like that. For some reasons, he thinks he can scare Constantine to submission. Just because Marstan had some experience with the occult he think he knows what he's up against.

John does and so, in a twist that everyone saw coming, he exorcises Calibraxis from the crowned prince (I'm assuming at this point that he is next in line for the throne but we never really got names) and commands Calibraxis to possess Marstan instead as John handcuffs him to a post and the rest watch Marstan eat himself. My favorite part was when he went for his fucking cock. That was a nice touch, Mr. Ennis because god knows we don't have enough sick stuff in this series. John didn't do this horrible thing out of some sadistic impulse. Marstan deserves to die via self-cannibalism while under demonic possession, okay? That's poetic justice at work. The clincher is when his soul was taken to hell and is now roomies with Sir William Gull, who we know from the last two issues as Jack the Ripper himself. That is the scrumptious cherry on top of this crap sundae that was Marstan's face. Good on you, John. You did the public a hefty service for punishing that disgusting bastard.

Really, though, did it not occur to Marstan that John fucking Constantine is no ordinary man and can unwittingly condemn him in hell just for being a vulgar jerkface cunt? Well, now he learned that lesson the hard way. John may be in a healthy relationship right now with a woman and has stopped hating himself but he's still the same sly motherfucker who will not hesitate to commit a heinous act to put a monster down. So, yeah, good on you, Johnny. This ends the Royal Blood arc with the knowledge and comfort that the bad guys got their due. Can you believe that the actual demon Calibraxis is the least evil character here? I can. This is Hellblazer after all.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

Hellblazer by Garth Ennis issue #54

Wait, hold the fucking Satanic bible for a sec, is this really John Constantine I'm reading?  The man has been so helpful since this arc began. He actually gives a damn about people in this story even if said people are worthless pieces of shit who deserve what's coming to them, in my own brutally honest opinion. I think this positive change of attitude may have something to do with the fact that John has thankfully also cut back the self-loathing and self-harming habits for once, and is now focused on doing his job sans personal baggage dragging him now. And it's obviously because he's in a healthy relationship with a woman who actually understands where he comes from and how damaged he is. I like this John Constantine. He's personable and sharper than ever. 

Continuing with the second to the last installment or the Royal Blood arc, John invites us for some drink as he tells us a story about the Jack the Ripper; only this version of the tale is grittier and much more unsettling than the public accounts released by the media. Apparently it all started with yet another royal jerk-off who got it on with a prostitute. This jerk-off happens to be one of the grandsons of Queen Victoria herself, if you can believe it. She was displeased about this proclivity and so had the entire affair covered up with the help of a doctor named Sir William Gull who lobotomized said whore so she won't reveal the dirty and then they confined her in a loony bin. Her other prostitute friends tried to blackmail the government about this secret so some Freemasons got together for the ultimate circle jerk and summoned a demon, as most sane people ought to do. They then bound this demon to Gull because he was such a candy-ass and they needed someone with balls to kill, and this demon got that job done and compelled Gull to become the Ripper and slash and hack whores all across London. Because, Victorian era.

Now this sounds an awful lot like a mouthful of mere conspiracy theory, I know, but John knows what he's talking about. After all, he got this story from a necrophilic senior Freemasoner whom John caught sexing up a corpse one time. He had pictures of said class act. With that trustworthy resource, John's psychic friend insisted that they reveal this to the British public but John outright refuses. He only cares about stopping the demon Calibraxis from murdering people, especially when he just had the royal prick he possessed freaking bite a chunk of a child's face last time they checked. Some confrontations occur with John being back in Caligula to talk to Marston about how to find Calibraxis and the unfortunate sod he possessed. Oh, and we also just read that Marston totes is gonna have John killed once he solved the case because he's an ungrateful bastard. Kill John Constantine? Like that's ever gonna happen.

Calibraxis, however, decided to crash the Caligula Club with some handy and old-fashioned cannibalism so he can confront Constantine for himself. He doesn't care that killing John would mean raging a war in hell since three hell-lords have a legitimate claim on John's soul after that whole Dangerous Habits ordeal went down last time. And then the issue ends in a cliffhanger where he jumped John and the land on the floor. He apparently was biting John by the shoulder while this happened. I am definitely gonna read the next issue to see what happens next, but right after I post this review.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

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

Hellblazer by Garth Ennis issue #52

Garth Ennis takes the reigns full-time starting with this issue. In this issue of Hellblazer, John Constantine wakes up happy. He was actually freaking happy. Seeing a smile on Johnny's face is odd for me because I was so used to him being such a complete downer in the past issues, what with damning a girl's soul to hell, getting a few of his chums killed and almost dying because of terminal lung cancer and all that. Such shitty events are enough to get someone depressed for a lifetime. But now, my baby has got something to smile about. And it's a lady. He's been shacking up with the lovely Kit who also happens to be the former lady-love of his late close friend. 

John was at first hesitant to get it on with her, given his track record of getting his girlfriends into trouble but Kit proves to be worth that risk. So now John has someone to look forward to seeing and enjoy spending time with. Good for Johnny. The man could use the break from the darkness and pain.

Speaking of darkness and pain: John Constantine once again has trouble finding him, this time in a form of an acquaintance named Marstan; some wealthy motherfucker who participates in questionable and depraved activities in an exclusive club for fellow money-spenders who have bizarre appetites and can afford to indulge in the debauchery of such. John was taken to said establishment and has to see for himself the extent of these indulgences which quickly puts him in a sour mood. 

Marstan seeks to employ him because of his expertise in the occult and he took John to a crime scene with turned out to be a botched summoning ritual of some sort. Nothing more annoying than some stuck-up priveleged asshole trying his hand on satanic rituals, that's what I find and John looked pissed about this current predicament. Upon discretion, Marstan wants to hire him to secure the location of one of their clientele who turned out to be a member of the royal family.  Whoope-doo?

This client has been involved in gruesome murders for this story. He's been hacking his way through the city, leaving entrails and other disgusting mutilated body parts and possibly feeding on them too while he's at it. I think John is sort of intrigued as to the identity of this illustrious client which is probably the only reason he is agreeing to the job. Cleaning up scum is a civil duty for this paranormal detective. Unfortunately, Kit is not a supporter of John's proclivities. She loves him and is totes cool about him moving in with her but she's not having any of the bad juju that entails being with John Constantine. I wonder how this is going to affect their relationship. I'm hoping there's a compromise because I like Kit and she makes John happy. Freaking John Constantine is happy and that in itself is a noteworthy accomplishment. So, yeah. John is looking for a royal prince or duke or something who happens to be serial-killing around and may or may not be possessed by a demon. Yay? Sounds interesting enough and not exactly a bad start for Garth Ennis' run after Dangerous Habits arc. 

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

Hellblazer by John Smith issue #51

It's been a grand total of seven months since I last graced this blog with my undivided attention and my unrelenting presence. How could I have neglected John Constantine for so long? The answer, of course, was because I had an X-Men Diet in place as soon as January of this year hit, and I had no choice but to put my beautifully damaged paranormal sleuth aside in favor of my favorite mutant underdogs. However, I knew my sabbatical from Hellblazer should no longer be extended especially when you consider the fact that it was back in August 2014 when I began the first wave of my Hellblazer comics diet in the first place! So that means it's been officially a year since I read and reviewed a proper comics issue of this series! 

It's time to remedy that with this standalone issue written by John Smith and illustrated by Sean Phillips. There's honestly nothing that special about this story. The premise was so jarringly simple: John Constantine goes to the launderette to wash some clothes. How goddamn boring is this? However, because it's John Constantine we're talking about here, the reason as to why he was hanging around in a launderette in the first place is a notable excuse all on its own: an old friend of his paid him a visit last night. Apparently, this bloke was possessed not by one but by seventy fucking demons. There's no such thing as excessive demonic possession, I suppose, and John himself monologues that this guy Jerry is a known occult masochist. So, I guess that means Jerry got himself possessed for the purpose of getting off on it. 

Now, that would be disgusting and unusual all by itself but this guy also happens to be John's friend. And let's just say that most of John's friendships are often a macabre, co-dependent, fetishistic shitstorm of drama if nothing else.

Still, what does this have to do with John being in a launderette in the first place? Well, Constantine cheerily informs us readers that right after exorcising some demons out of poor Jerry, the bloody fool shat himself. Literally, he lost control of his bowels and smeared feces all over himself. John, seeing as he's been running out of chums lately, does the noble thing and offers to wash Jerry's pants for him. Because, friendship. So that's the entire amusing anecdote as to why John is in the launderette. Of course, he didn't publicly offer the "just here to wash me chum's knickers post-exorcism" story to the other people inside the shop, mind you, but he did get chat up by a couple of old ladies who were waiting for their friend. Said friend committed suicide and they were hoping for her apparition to appear by ten o'clock. Why ten o'clock, I don't know, but John gets panic attacks of all a sudden which wasn't helped by the fact that some anonymous caller talked to him just for the sake of reading him some twisted apocalyptic poetry. John is not having any of that anymore so he left just in time when they ghost makes her appearance and was welcomed by her patient friends inside the launderette. Outside, John pukes his guts out.

Just another night of weirdness for bloody John Constantine.

A hell of an issue to open my 2015 comics diet for Hellblazer too. I aim to reach at least eighty issues before August ends because I only have one month to do this. I also have to post my official season 1 review for NBC's Constantine which got cancelled and that really did piss me off because the show has gotten better after its mid-season finale. Not to mention the awful tragedy it was that actor Matt Ryan will no longer play the role he poignantly and perfectly embodied within the span of thirteen episodes! 

Let's talk more about how such good things came to an end next time!

RECOMMENDED: 7/10

[Constantine] "The Saint of the Last Resorts"

I'm going to level with all of you: I'm slowly slipping into my 'holiday hermit' mode by now (considering I'm only going to be at my workplace until Thursday this week as well) so when I saw that there was a new Constantine episode last Friday, I actually rolled my eyes in all lukewarm dismissiveness and didn't get to watch it until earlier on the car ride to work. That was two hours ago and now I'm finally typing a coherent review for it. Like I said, I was not in the mood to watch some Constantine due to my default lethargy for the yuletide season, so this episode as a midseason finale totally went past me at first the entire time I was watching it. After finding out that it was a midseason finale, I felt even better with what was offered since the climactic plot threads that were explored definitely hold a weight of promise for next year's roster.

I read a news article somewhere that Constantine's ratings just went up, most probably due to the threat of cancellation and the fans who want to keep it on air (good for y'all).  Now it's still possible that we might either get more episodes order for the first season (NBC only approved 13 to be released so far), or we get a second season instead of more episodes for the first one. Either way, it's a win-win. Personally I would rather have 22 episodes for a full season one just to see if this show deserves a second life. The truth of the matter is that I like Constantine as a show based on a comic book series but I'm not sure I love it. There are parts that I can enjoy and I'm down for and there are some things that sometimes peeve me off every now and then. I think it's fair to say that the good outweighs the bad, much like with Gotham, another DC comics-based show that I've been reviewing alongside this. For the most part, I think Constantine hits the right notes every time the writers craft their own spin on things, but they also tend to miss out on delivering a more resonant piece once they did lift off a storyline straight from the source material (I'm talking about A Feast of Friends which still remains as the season's best). 

That said, the midseason finale The Saint of Last Resorts leaves a lot to be desired in the best way possible. We pick up some more of the Rising Darkness major arc after the previous episode's revelation regarding fallen angels being able to cross the threshold that divides earth and hell. This time around we get the sister of Eve/goddess of hell Lamashtu who has been working with a  powerful warlock coven from Chile called the Brujería by abducting babies from a specific lineage for a dark purpose yet to be revealed. She's in cahoots with them because said coven has found a way to unite earth and hell together which meant demons like her can expand territorial lines. These are all connected then to the Rising Darkness. In a lesser extent, another contender in the sidelines makes way; this episode marks the first mention of the Resurrection Crusade (well, they were just named 'the crusade' but it's close), a religious zealot cult tied to Zed's past. Zed's real name has also been revealed at last (Mary). This is all comic-book stuff and I'm interested to see how this show's take on R.C and Zed as Mary will play out next year because this was a storyline that I was never a fan of in the first place. Angelica Celaya's Zed, however, was likable enough but I've always perceived her character as a plot device and it looks like that aspect of her character is getting its due. I sure hope it's a hit rather than a miss for Constantine.

The episode was a two-fold exploration which worked superbly since John was able to work on a case while Zed stays behind, allowing both characters to be the central figures of their own respective pieces. Zed's abduction was inevitable so I wasn't surprised when it happened. It really was just a matter of when. As for John whose past will always have a long reach clawing for his throat anytime it can, he once again meets a former mate from the Newscastle clusterfuck who is understandably antagonistic towards him at first until the complex elements of their past relationship was later unravelled quite poignantly. Now, Anne-Marie in the comics was nothing special; she was this timid and obese psychic who pined for John while he was dating/shagging some other bird (Judith) so she joins him in Newscastle as a groupie who never gets noticed unless John needs her for a spell or something. I was then pleased that they revised her character in the show in a more dignified manner while still able to keep the nun part intact. So, for this episode, Anne-Marie is characterized as the older woman who seems to be John's first love, and the one who got him addicted in the occult scene. She was also his surrogate-mother in a lot of ways and she later revealed in the episode that her entering the convent was a penance not just for Astra's damnation in Newcastle but for initiating John into the dangerous lifestyle. She blamed herself for corrupting him and the lives he put in harm's way because of it. I really enjoyed their scenes and interactions together because they were rife with meaning and purpose for the viewers' benefit and for the overall plot.

Matt Ryan and guest co-star Claire van der Boom for the Anne-Marie role have a great set-up together, able to highlight their characters' history with each other and eventual fall-out believably enough so that very last scene with Anne-Marie shooting him to draw out the Invunche with his blood while she runs off with the baby had some gravity to it.

As a midseason finale, The Saint of Last Resorts had been grand. It ended with cliffhangers for both John and Zed's fates which are yet to be sealed, at least until the second part is aired next year. It definitely left me excited and optimistic for what the show will focus on which hopefully would be less on the formulaic case-of-the-week and more on the grittier paranormal drama aspects that made Hellblazer such a beloved series in the first place.

RECOMMENDED: 8/10

 

* Yet another episode infused with compelling character conflict and dramatic confrontations that also serve to emphasize a grander scheme taking place which will test our titular hero in the future. This was the promising first part of a two-parter story which will continue once the show comes back.

[Constantine] "Blessed are the Damned"

Constantine has been evolving steadily as a paranormal adventure that's mostly independent from its source material, and though there have been small moments where I feel like it lagged behind or didn't accomplish anything substantial in an episode or two, I still think that it's on the right track for the most part, as long as it doesn't forget putting its strengths in the spotlight and improving its flaws. This latest installment entitled Blessed are the Damned has been a little bit of both. It was a necessary episode because it was definitely about a plot progression concerning the main arc, the "Rising Darkness" which clearly earns its time on the limelight by now, seeing as this season only has 13 episodes in its package so this should pressure and challenge the writers to deliver us something compelling and worthwhile by the time the finale hits. I'm personally looking forward to the season ender by the time 2015 rolls around. 

What is it an enjoyable episode? That really depends if you can get on board with its crucial factors. This isn't nearly as entertaining as The Devil's Vinyl or Danse Vaudou were especially when this episode aimed to tackle some serious issues pertaining religion and faith (which, if you're a CW Supernatural fan, might be done-to-death for you). The most essential part has to be about the role of the angels and (shall we say in?) the Rising Darkness, while the other part examines characters' perspectives about the concept of God or a higher power in the universe, particularly John Constantine and Zed's own belief systems (if not an entire lack of it). Let's discuss the finer points below:

• I thought that Zed, who has been largely underdeveloped since her appearance in the second episode, was finally able to get some significant and revealing dialogue and interaction. It's safe to say that they will follow the backstory of her comic book counterpart but the delivery and execution of her role later on might differ. I still think that she has something to do with the Rising Darkness herself and based on the last scene of the episode (where a man wearing a silver cross and the nude model from Zed's art class /turned spy are plotting to abduct her when the time comes), there are people who have been looking for her and may use her for evil means. I still cannot warm up to TV-Zed no matter how much I want to (but it makes sense because I only started to love her character in the comics after she and Constantine part ways and she really came to her own as soon as that happened), but I did find her arc for this episode to be compelling, most notably how she views zealous faith ("People are so hungry to believe in something") and the fact that this episode finally sheds some light to her own religious upbringing (trust me, this is important). She herself wants to believe her powers come from a place of goodness, and her excitement to find out that there are celestial beings known as angels was palpable, almost heartbreakingly so, especially later on when Manny uses her body to rip out the consecrated heart of evil from a fallen angel and she just stands there looking down at her own bloody hand, rattled and a little devastated.
• John Constantine's role here has been just as insightful as Zed's. He gets to quip about the pointlessness of religion which I found myself stupefied with because I don't think Constantine from the comics would be this dismissive, considering most of his dark arts comes from many forms of religious practices in a culturally diverse manner, I may add. But perhaps it's really more about organized religions that he takes an issue with, and not really whether or not God exists. Aside from his snarky and cynical remarks about the preacher and his believers, John also only has contributed half of the plot's resolution. However, on the plus side, he and Manny seem to be on the right page at last. John's dislike of Manny's kind has been touched upon numerous times but this is the episode that really drove it home. Just like with anybody who has faith in a higher power and therefore surrenders their own free will in accordance to that power's wishes, John sees angels as yet another instrument of blind subservience and this irks him because he sees himself as a man of his own agency who uses powers of a divine scope to serve his needs and others who may require his help. For John, that's that. He doesn't want to be a part of some grander scheme between angels and demons. He's an existentialist and an individualist; a man who had been close enough to both heaven and hell in a lot of ways and yet still refuses to believe their impact on his life.
• The introduction of the female fallen angel for this episode brings us closer to THE FIRST OF THE FALLEN which excites me so much! I also liked that small discussion between Manny and this angel, which shows that they actually agree on something; and that's no other than the fact that the puny and negligent human race has wasted God's gifts, and that the angels should take back this mortal plane from ours because we don't deserve it. As a Supernatural fan, it's hard not to notice the similarities in their interpretation of angels and, er, celestial politics, but I'm still willing to give this show a chance to define and develop its own mythology. I can only hope that they utilize Manny more on the show as well, especially now that John has slightly warmed up to his company and looks as if he can put aside his own negative bias against angels to work with him in stopping the Rising Darkness from escalating. Also, I hope we get Chas Chandler back again next episode.

OVERALL RATING: 7.5/10

* This episode finally gives us a better glimpse of the griever implications of the Rising Darkness while certain other key players are revealed. John Constantine now has to examine and figure out the role he has to play in all of this whereas Zed may not even have the same privilege.

[Constantine] "Rage of the Caliban" Review

This is going to sound like a cop-out but I don't think this post will be a review of last week's episode, Rage of the Caliban, at least not completely. I read online that this was originally supposed to be the second episode of the show which explains why Zed wasn't around yet since the actress for the role wasn't casted and Lucy Griffiths as Liv Aberline had just left the story so this is where this episode picks up from which would explain the slower momentum. Given the revelation about the Rising Darkness in Danse Vaudou, one would think that the sense of urgency that episode left us with will be fully realized by the next one but this wasn't the case at all. That's not to say Rage of the Caliban wasn't fun to watch; it was a fairly decent, straightforward, case-of-the-week where we get more of Chas and less of Zed (which, to no one's surprise, is already an added bonus), and some exposition regarding Manny the angel and this Big Bad he and John Constantine are supposed to be united against. The case itself was fairly interesting--the concept of  a vengeful soul having the ability to temporarily separate from a living vessel so it could go on a killing spree would have been convoluted but the performances of the actors kept whatever silliness that cit ould produce downplayed just right. I liked this episode though it wasn't as strong as the last two before it.

On the constant plus side, Matt Ryan continues to excel in the titular role, most notably because he has embodied what Constantine is about; this tormented not-so-quite-hero with a ready snark remark against dark forces, be it to either buy himself some time to come up with a  solution, or to disguise the agony and hurt of his guilt over past actions. In any case, Matt Ryan is what I wanted in a John Constantine although I have yet to see him in stories that will challenge viewers and make them question his intentions and role as the protagonist of the show which is what happened to me a lot of times while I was reading Jamie Delano's run of Hellblazer. This brings to mind the best episode of the series so far: A Feast of Friends which came from the comic book pages itself, but the message and the resolution are entirely different from the source material which was an oddity itself but something I could live with, although I definitely would have preferred they stuck to the original ending which was more memorable and poignantly tinged with moral ambiguity. The reason I mention that specific episode is because that I believe is the standard the show as a whole should aim for. Sure, A Feast of Friends changed gears, ending-wise, going for something more optimistic than that of its comic book counterpart, but the tonality and characterization that episode brought forth were exhilaratingly complex. I look forward to the next episodes operating on the same vein because Constantine can offer that kind of serving if the writers themselves would allow it.

This makes me wonder how they plan on executing the Newcastle-Astra storyline once we get down that road (in this season, I'm hoping). They've buried the lead on that one by the pilot which is a decision I was never completely onboard with only because it deliberately missed an opportunity to shock the non-comic book viewers with its revelation. Everyone knows that the little girl Astra is John's exorcism-mishap from the past and that the demon who took her to Hell was named Negral (again, the name shouldn't be revealed just yet because it's a significant turning point in the plot back in the comics! Ugh, just talking about this shit again is making me nerd-rage so I will shut up about it now).

Now, as I've said at the beginning of this post, this won't be a review solely focused on Rage of the Caliban but it will also serve as my collective thoughts in general for the first six episodes of the series so far. It was announced last week or so that the show won't be getting a full 22-episode order which is the standard format for most American network television shows. This means we are only getting 13 episodes for the first season and a lot of fans of the show weren't happy about it so the hashtag #SaveConstantine has been trending in Twitter lately. Personally, I was fine that the first season is only getting 13 episodes because, quite frankly, based on my reviews and insights concerning the execution and overall quality of its episodes so far, I don't think Constantine deserves more quantity. Perhaps a shorter scope of this season will even allow the writers to deliver something more cohesive and succinct because we're almost halfway now and the level of the stories being told are still fluctuating, mostly closer to average than superb. I only gave two episodes a solid 8-star rating out of six so it's understandable why I'm very lukewarm about this show right now, let alone concerning its future installment. But fret not, Constantine could still get a second season. I'm becoming a fan of Matt Ryan in the role so of course I want to see him more as John Constantine because he was such a perfect casting choice! Still, the show could use more inventive ways when it comes to its storytelling. Visual execution-wise, the direction and cinematography have been exciting particularly when the show lends itself to some bizarre sequences concerning the paranormal (that séance scene while John and a shaman have taken a psychedelic drug will remain a personal favorite of mine).

On that department, I think Constantine has actually been consistent. The horror elements are fundamental and the trivia-like introductions of some rituals and practices are much appreciated. Still, the show needs to really step up its game and Rage of the Caliban, considering it was initially a sophomore episode, has sort of dropped the ball on the momentum and plot development, but thankfully only slightly. Next episode should feature back Zed again, and hopefully more on the implications of the Rising Darkness and why Manny the angel wants John Constantine along for the ride in the first place, other than he was a desperation move/last resort. Also, when will we ever get an explanation as to why Chas Chandler keeps coming from the dead or recover quickly after a serious injury? Does he have Wolverine's healing ability, or is the explanation going to be magic-ky? I look forward to that as much as I want more John/Chas moments. Also, I'm still sticking to the theory that Zed is indirectly associated with the Rising Darkness, given her comic book counterpart's background.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10

* The show takes an unexpected step backward with this installment which was not meant to be a direct follow-up to Dance Vaudau from last week in the first place, and therefore it also sacrificed the supposedly more urgent momentum that the show must tread upon now, given that it's halfway through its season already. Still, this was a mildly entertaining case-of-the-week