Since a long time I have given up following the timelines of major characters in the comic universe. Even when it comes to myself Batman, there’s only that much one can read and keeping up with the canon in comic continuity is a massive commitment.
Yet, there are few characters for which I will make an exception, often also because their runs are historically rather brief. Brief being used loosely here because even a brief run of Grifter is usually a year, or twelve issues, long. I don’t truly bother anymore with the endless releases about Frank Castle, although that may also be because only very rarely are we served anything near to Garth Ennis’ level of The Punisher. Bring me a great author to the game and I won’t miss a new Punisher issue.
When it comes to a certain British bastard though, an acerbic occultist with a sharp and snarky tongue, it often takes much to limit my almost instinctive desire to splash the cash and block out life for a dive in frames and sarcasm. And excellent British self-deprecating humor.
Imagine then receiving a text message from your preferred LCS (Local Comics Store) letting you know a new John Constantine/Hellblazer series just landed and is awaiting your collection or same day delivery because, obviously, patience isn’t your strength. More so even, knowing you, the issue is the variant cover edition done by your much beloved Lee Bermejo. And, as if things weren’t beautiful enough yet at that point, this is a mini-series and will be only 3 issues long.
Sadly this isn’t what happened but as I was lazily strolling through my Twitter I saw a tweet by Tom Taylor about “Hellblazer: Rise and Fall”. This led to the obvious outcome and within seconds I had comiXology open and was waiting for the title’s download to complete.
“Hellblazer: Rise and Fall” Book One Lee Bermejo variant cover teaser
How could I not with a cover reference like this one?
With a nation tearing itself apart and the irredeemable one percent falling from the sky, will John Constantine lift a finger?
If so, which finger?
“Hellblazer: Rise and Fall” Book One (2020) Review
Tom Taylor and artist Darick Robertson open with a short, yet gripping origin story in Constantine’s Liverpool which immediately position’s Constantine’s culpability from his first day of life. After a relatively slow adolescence background, mostly about John’s father, we are immediately led to his first occultist steps which lead to what will eventually become the red wire through John’s life.
“Hellblazer: Rise and Fall” Book One default cover by Darick Robertson and Diego Rodriguez
Taylor, who nails Constantine’s tone perfectly yet without introducing much new or any genuine “Hah! That’s a good one” moments, doesn’t take any prisoners and leads the reader through the different acts always juggling Constantine’s switching position between background and foreground. Limited by the short length of the series Taylor has a lot of work to do in world building and character introducing all while telling a story which requires a degree of higher pace. Once the elite start falling from the sky, it feels as if Taylor does struggle giving both world building and the actual story sufficient time and the main events feel relegated to the background at the benefit of character development.
While Robertson’s artwork is very expressive, and somehow fitting to the characters and generally the world of our preferred bastard, it left us lacking due to a certain degree of “childish” almost cartoonish drawing. Luckily colorist Diego Rodriguez, who previously worked on Matt Kindt’s X-O Manowar, supports Robertson’s art excellently with a palette of earth colors and reds perfectly capturing the grim world of Liverpool and England Constantine is home to. Yet, we couldn’t help ourselves and were regularly reminded of Dexter explaining a crime in his occasionally childish and nerdish method, rather than being reminded of Matt Ryan’s excellent screen incarnation of Constantine.
John Constantine at his most iconic, Darick Robertson edition
Taylor’s strength in the opening issue of “Hellblazer: Rise and Fall” lies in his ever present contrasting portrayal of Constantine. Taking us through a dark background origin, Taylor manages to juggle Constantine’s ongoing self-struggle all while bringing enough charm and flair to the acerbic bastard.
Should I Buy It?
Despite all our previous criticism, we did enjoy this opening issue of “Hellblazer: Rise and Fall”. Taylor and Robertson nail the occult bastard excellently. That much that when the last frame of Book One came, we already weeped that a mini-series of three issues only will be too short to properly satisfy.
At the same time it was a mixed bag due to Hellblazer: Rise and Fall having a general feel of déjà vu and bringing little new to the fan. While Daniel Cerone’s TV series with Matt Ryan may be a better introduction to the character, Taylor’s first go at Constantine may have potential to become a good reference for Constantine first timers. It was even good enough to make an exception to our general review focus on finished story arcs.
Constantine without drinking scene wouldn’t be Constantine
As fans of Constantine though, of course, guilt is a main driver in our almost uncontrollable urge to spend on any new Hellblazer title. Because what better guilty pleasure to have than John Constantine?
Even if this time the British magician’s written by an Australian.
“Hellblazer: Rise and Fall” Book One, published by DC Comics under its Black Label, is available for $6.99 from the usual locations.
Past Comic Reviews
- The Black Monday Murders, by Jonathan Hickman
- Plastic, by Doug Wagner
- House of Penance, by Peter J. Tomasi
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