John Constantine: Hellblazer #1
DC Comics/Vertigo
Written by: Simon Spurrier
Art by: Aaron Campbell
Colors by: Jordie Bellaire
Letters by: Aditya Bidikar
Simon Spurrier didn’t waste any time in John Constantine: Hellblazer #1. He provides enough background to give readers an idea of what John Constantine is walking into, then gets the ball rolling right away.
That’s not to say Spurrier doesn’t have some fun with Constantine. He just didn’t waste time resetting everything just because this is a first issue. The tone of John Constantine: Hellblazer #1 is very much, “This is &%^#$@* John Constantine, the way his fans love him, buckle up.” Spurrier isn’t messing around.
While Aaron Campbell’s gritty artwork reflects the vibe of Spurrier’s story, Jordie Bellaire’s colors have more of an impact. Everything is so raw. As much as Campbell’s inks play a significant role in that, Constantine’s world feels miserable because of Bellaire — which is exactly how things should be.
The plot has potential for plenty of twists and turns, given who is opposite Constantine. Of course, this will all be part of a much bigger plan to protect some corrupt individual(s) in power.
John Constantine: Hellblazer #1 is exactly what fans needed after the layoff from DC’s previous run with the character during Rebirth