Reviewed By: Eden Zacarias
Publisher: Vertigo (DC Comics)
Writers: Jamie Delano, Rick Veitch
Artists: John Ridgway, Alfredo Alcala, Rick Veitch, Tom Mandrake, Brett Ewins, Jim McCarthy, Jim Lee (cover art), Dave McKeane (original series cover), John Totleben (original series cover)
Colorists: Lovern Kindzierski, Tatjana Wood
Genre: Graphic Novel (Softcover)
MSRP: $19.99 USA
Rating: Mature
Release Date: Available Now
As a fan of horror and supernatural-themed literature and comics, the Hellblazer series has proven to be an original work with an iconic character who doesn’t fail to fascinate throughout the many years the series has been running. So it was about time that Vertigo brings us the collected first nine issues of the series plus the two Swamp Thing tie-in stories in John Constantine, Hellblazer: Original Sin … a graphic novel Constantine fans new or old should not miss.
Original Sin takes us through the first nine Hellblazer issues while leaving the Swamp Thing #76 and #77 issues for last. In other words, this is the perfect introduction for those new to the Hellblazer series or for already loyal fans who might have missed out on the first issues of Constantine’s own series since his introduction in the Swamp Thing series. John Constantine, you might say, is a dabbler in the dark arts and something of an exorcist/conjurer. He’s a chain-smoking chap from Liverpool who has had run-ins with demons and other supernatural elements.
He’s also something of a jerk, as we can see from these stories but a loveable one. Sure, he’s a flawed soul but there’s also a charming and caring side that makes him all the more human. In the first issue, we find Constantine looking into the release of a hunger spirit known as Mnemoth who is released into New York City by way of a junkie who how happens to be a friend of Constantine’s. The demon jumps from person to person and literally devours the people who also develop an insatiable hunger of their own. Turning to Papa Midnight – a man whose magic is even stronger – Constantine rids the world of Mnemoth in the most surprising and shocking manner.
Original Sin takes us through a story that has Constantine going up against a group of demons that live in our world as yuppies who have their finger on the pulse of the British economy. We would have figured that yuppies come from hell anyway as Constantine puts a wrench in the demons’ business and thus making yet another enemy out of another powerful demon. It is in this series that we also meet Zed, a woman who plays an important part of John Constantine’s life. Zed not only becomes his lover but she helps him save Constantine’s niece, Gemma, from being a “bride” to a sadistic Satanist.
In “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” Constantine makes another trip to the States where he looks into a town that has trusted in a mysterious religious group known as the Resurrection Crusade to bring their loved ones who haven’t come home from the Vietnam War. Meanwhile, the town’s prayers turn a surviving Vietnam vet into a delusional killing machine as he and the ghosts of his company take the town hostage as if they were VC enemies.
The Resurrection Crusade becomes a target for Constantine seeing as they are after Zed and, on top of that problem, there’s the Damnation Army that comes straight out of hell looking for John. With one group thinking of Christ’s resurrection by way of Zed and the Damnation Army sending everything from the reanimated corpses of three rowdy skinhead punks down to a demon man made out of newspapers. As the Resurrection Crusade kidnaps Zed, Constantine goes through his own personal hell that eventually leads to a meeting with Zed for the final time.
This also leads to the two-part Swamp Thing tie-in as the Swamp Thing uses John Constantine’s body to consummate his relationship with Abby to carry out his ultimate plan to impregnate her. As the Phantom Stranger and the demon known as Entrigan keep a close tabs on them. Afterwards, however, Abbey wonders how she really feels about what they did as John Constantine emerges to watch over her and put things in perspective.
Overall, this first volume new edition of Original Sin is everything a Hellblazer fan can ask for in a collection. It even includes the original covers, which is great seeing as I absolutely love Dave McKeane’s art. Speaking of artwork, the Hellblazer series had great art from the very beginning and that’s a very good thing indeed.
There’s a reason that John Constantine Hellblazer is a series that is still going strong today and that reason is clearly evident in Original Sins. From the very beginning, the series was not only able to captivate but also terrify in the most brilliant way possible. Thank you, Vertigo, for releasing this collection of early John Constantine stories and hope we continue to see more like it in the time to come. No Hellblazer fan or comic book collector should be without this one.
COMIC REVOLUTION RATING BREAKDOWN
STORY: A+
Meet John Constantine, a chain-smoking lad from Liverpool who also happens to be a paranormal investigator, a dabbler in the black arts and something of an exorcist. We follow Constantine through a series of his early cases that involve demonic yuppies, ghosts, the kidnapping of his niece and an assortment of demons … one of which kills its victims with an insatiable hunger. There’s even the two-part Swamp Thing tie-in as well.
ART: A
The collection of artists and colorist really clashes well with Constantine’s world whether it’s John Ridgway or Alfredo Alcala conjuring up demons and other supernatural monsters. It’s also good to see all the original covers as well included in the back of the collection.
OVERALL: A+
If you don’t know the name John Constantine then this is by far one of the best introductions to a character that will win you over faster than you can say “demon yuppies from hell.” If you’re already familiar with the world of Hellblazer, then Original Sin is still a collection you definitely need to buy right away. Fans of supernatural horror, the graphic novel you’ve been waiting for is finally here and it’s worth every dollar.
Review copy provided by Vertigo (DC Comics)
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