Hellblazer - The end of an Era.

First issue of Hellblazer, 1988.

I can say without a doubt that I have read every single Hellblazer comic and every single mini-series and graphic novel that has been put out by the DC, Vertigo Comics imprint. I didn't like the new John Constantine in Justice League Dark, or in DC's New52. Somehow it didn't feel right to me. As a comic reader/fan/reseller six months away from turning 40, I expected to grow old with John Constantine, as he has aged over the past 28 years. Unlike any other character in the comic industry in the last 50 years, John has grown old, going from 35 years old when he first appeared in Saga of the Swamp Thing - created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, John Totleben and Rick Veitch - to an old guy in his late 50s.

Alan Moore -The Legend, The Myth pt 2 of 2

(for the first part of this article, click this link)

Opinion (conclusion)

Constantine movie poster

When Alan Moore began voicing his views on the Watchmen movie, comic books fans like myself were divided. Fans buy into the characters and heroes in comic books. They become our escape. And like Moore, some of us don't want to see the comic books become 'harmed' by those who want to cash in on these characters being 'cheapened' by film versions - despite how loyal (or not) the directors are to the comic books themselves, or not. By that I mean that their representation in other forms may take away their value to us. And sometimes their adaptation isn't as loyal to the comic books. Constantine is an excellent example of when something can go so wrong. I am not saying that the movie itself was bad, I loved it, but that it cheapened its comparitive-value to the comic series. Over the past two and a half years, as I began to think of comic books as a creator/writer/illustrator, and not just a fan or collector, I started to see the holes in what Alan Moore as a legendary creator/writer had been pointing out about his creations being portrayed in other mediums. 

Alan Moore -The Legend, The Myth pt 1 of 2

From page 1 of Absolute Watchmen, Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons 

Recently, a lot of stuff is being said about Alan Moore's latest addition to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen opus (Century 2009), and how it has a Harry Potter type character in it. After reading his comments about it and the latest round of Before Watchmen books, I thought I would take a wider look at Alan Moore's works. I have already read a lot of the graphic novels he has written and like millions of other fans I love Watchmen, From Hell and being a Socialist I love V for Vendetta.

Saga of the Swamp Thing, Book 4

Writer: Alan Moore
Artists: Stephen Bissette, John Totleben, Stan Woch, Ron Randall, Rick Veitch, Alfredo Alcala
Collects: Swamp Thing issues 43 to 50
Collected under Vertigo


And welcome to yet another installment of everybody's favourite swamp monster. In this collection, Alan Moore spins his epic titled "The American Gothic Saga" which has its roots in book 3, with the introduction of John Constantine. We finally learn what Constantine has been preparing Swampy for all this time in Moore's sprawling and ambitious storyline (though, arguably far from the finest; it's his creepy one and done stories that entice me more) which guest stars almost everybody from DC's horror stable, (Etrigan the Demon, Phantom Stranger, The Spectre, Abel & Cain from the House of Mystery, Zatarra and Zatanna, Doctor Occult, Sargon the Sorcerer, Baron Winter, Steve Dayton) which in itself is a feat, as nobody gets the short shrift here.

Saga of the Swamp Thing, Book 3

Writer: Alan Moore
Artists: Stephen Bissette, Rick Veitch, John Totleben
Collects: Swamp Thing issues 35-42
Collected under the Vertigo Imprint

A Hell(Blazer) of a week.

I have been reading comics as mentioned the other week for close to 30yrs. And a small portion of that time I have spent a small fortune buying, selling and re-collecting, after my first collection was burnt in a fire. Amongst those were the Uncanny X-men run from #180-295. Some of the greatest X-Men stories told were written during those years. But I am digressing. Anyway, I restarting collecting 10yrs ago and haven't stopped since. As well as you know writing and creating my own. 

Hellblazer Pandemonium Jami Delano is a Must Read.