Cover promises much but the inside fails to deliver.

The Hellblazer Vol. 1: The Poison Truth (Rebirth) - Moritat, Simon Oliver

Collects issue 1 - 6

 

I've not read any Constantine before, so this is my introduction to the character.

 

        FYI. This is the correct cover.

 

Not exactly what I as hoping for. For the most part the story was boring. And just as it started to get more interesting it finished. The magic was pretty much non-existent or so low key as to raise little more than a meh from me. There seemed to be a lot of talking and not a lot of action. Swamp Thing shared a lot of the page time. The author had much to say on the political climate, being anti-Trump, anti-Brexit, and anti-Tory but I found it laid on with a trowel and it just served to make me roll my eyes and pull me out of the story.

 

John Constantine is a chain-smoking, hard-drinking foul-mouthed antihero. And yet all the swear words were censored (apart from one occasion when Swamp Thing referred to JC as a 'total wanker'). I didn't understand the need for this, it diluted the impact of everything else. This is not a child-friendly character, stick a 'parental guidance'  statement on it and let the parents do their job. 

 


Two different artists worked on this volume. The artist for issues 1-4 had a sketchy style with a darker tone and a more rugged, haggard JC. 

 

It probably suited the character better then the artist who pencilled 5 & 6. These had much cleaner lines and was more cartoony in nature. The colouring was brighter and JC seemed more clean cut.

 

 

With an unapologetic bisexual character I was hoping for something more diverse in my reading. Instead we get just one panel that implies his sexuality. And then it was a taunt by a racist, skinhead, bovver boy (cliche, anyone?) 

 

 

I'm hoping his bisexuality will get more positive treatment in future issues.


An okay read but nothing special. Overall a disappointing introduction to what should be a diverse and interesting character.