Thirty years ago this month Jamie Delano penned the first issue of Hellblazer, featuring Alan Moore's English grifter/magician John Constantine. With that he started a comic that would be one of the longest running, important comic series of all time. If you want a in depth history of "Hellblazer" and it's widespread effect you can read an amazing article on SYFYwire HERE
(Art By Time Bradstreet)
I was a little late to the adventures of the self-aware, self-destructive, toxic Constantine, starting in 2011 with in the middle of Peter Milligan's years long run. I would of known very little about the character, reading a stray arc here or there over the years, but nothing really sticking. Reading it, I was pulled in immediately by the art of Giuseppe Camuncoli , and stayed for the insane melodrama of Milligan. Constantine, now in his 50's, is marrying a mobsters daughter in her early 20's, and for the first time, trying to actually be a good person. One thing that becomes apparent is that if your friends with John, you don't stick around for very long, which is something that haunts him.
Constantine is pretty much just a big ol' bastard, and that's why you love him. Nobody understood this like the writers, which has been some of the top tier talent in comics. Jamie Delano, Garth Ennis, Brian Azzarello, Mike Carey, and the aforementioned Milligan, are some of the best writers around today, and arguably all time. All of them knew John Constantine like he were a close personal friend....and he may of been. John sometimes reads like a charismatic bar patron spinning stories you met, a sneaky friend you have, and sometimes reflect your inner thoughts of self perseverance. Sometimes it's an ugly nasty spectacle, other times it's a feel good ride in the sun, Hellblazer mimics life in that respect.
If you haven't take the time to read any Hellblazer, I recommend you do. At 300 issues, and a bunch of orginal graphic novels and spin off, it's not easy feat. You could start with volume 1 by Jamie Delano, or jump into a self contained volume like "Son Of Man" by Garth Ennis and John Higgins, there really is no wrong answer.If you like stories about con-men, magic, demons, Satan, and succubi.... Get to it!
Now pour some Jameson and light up a ciggy in celebration of Hellblazer!!