Hellblazer: The Early Days Of John Constantine
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- Опубликовано: 8 янв 2025
- Hello and welcome. This video looks at the creation of John Constantine in Swamp Thing and then the first 40 issues of the ongoing series. Primarily written by Jamie Delano, with fill-in issues by Grant Morrison, Neil Gaiman and Dick Foreman. Published by DC.
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SOURCES:
The Unexplored Medium by William A. Christensen and Mark Seifert. Wizard Magazine #27. November 1993.
Trail Blazers: Interviews With Jamie Delano And Garth Ennis. Originally published in Bloodsongs #8. 1997.
tabula-rasa.in...
An Interview With Hellblazer Author Jamie Delano by Michael Grunier. The Fantasy Hive. November 21, 2018.
fantasy-hive.c...
#johnconstantine #hellblazer #swampthing #dccomics #dccomicbooks #dc #dcuniverse #comicbooks #comics #alanmoore #neilgaiman #jamiedelano #bronzeagecomics #bronzeage #modernagecomics #modernage #vertigocomics
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Can you imagine if comic book adaptations had been taken seriously in the 90’s like they are now and Sting had actually been cast as an accurate version of the character? We might have even gotten a Timothy Hunter Books of Magic before the whole Harry Potter thing.
God I loved the early '90s and the dawn of Vertigo at DC! An electrifying time to be into comics and graphic novels, and this is when newsstands and bookstores like Walden, B'Dalton and Border's began to sell indie published books and Mature titles just like comic specialty shops. Karen Berger does not get enough praise for ushering in this fantastic era. Give this woman her flowers now!!!!
Rest in Peace, Comichistorian
🕊🙏🌅
Cue Gene Wilder screaming, "My name is FrankenSTEIN!"
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!
"No, it is 'EYE'-gor"
Yes
Now here's a character who always seems to hit the right notes with whoever's working on him. Guess we got Delano to thank for that.
I'm currently reading Moore's Swamp Thing, and then reading Hellblazer after that. Always love your videos my guy.
That’s what I did as well.. and if you’re still interested after that Sandman’s first 30 issues or so has some wonderful Easter eggs set up all the way back in Jaime Delano’s Hellblazer.. it’s worth the pay off
Early Hellblazer is some of the best & most underrated art work of all time, something about the heavy shading mixed with bright colors just pops out and is super stylish
Absolutely loved this series through all its ups and downs. Hellblazer, Sandman and Swamp Thing will always be the holy trinity of Vertigo
I cannot wait until you cover the Garth Ennis run. Now I have to go out, find and read all of Jamie Delanos run. Thanks
Imho Delano’s run is way better than Ennis’
@@VuotoPneumaNNDelano’s is better but Ennis’s run is still great
I believe it
@@paulakroy2635 Yeah, the Ennis run is the best thing he's ever written. More heart and less random edgelord shit than most of his other comics.
@@VuotoPneumaNN sara, war stories
That was very well done. You could have made a 30 minute video covering early Hellblazer and it would still be 30 minutes too short for a real sense of completion. The fact that you covered what you did as well as you did in 15 minutes, is a testament to your skills in editing and writing. Your research is impeccable, your analyses are logical, and your passion bleeds through your work in ways of which most artists can only dream.
i also came
Good luck man, I really enjoyed the episode!
I picked up Constantine during the Vertigo run, but somehow got a hold of critical Delano stories like Newcastle. I've been fascinated by Hellblazer but not always able to hold on for all the turns the books take. I'll be fascinated to get an overview of the territory, thank so much!
I met John Totleben when I lived in Erie, Pennsylvania, in the 1990s. Such a good guy! He would happily talk about comics, his creative process, and indulge all of a teenager's silly questions. Cheers to you, John!!
I hardly ever leave comments on RUclips videos, but SBP asked very nicely, so thank you very much for a fascinating summary of the early history of John Constantine.
I shall be very grateful to learn more.
Excellent. Perfect timing for the upcoming omni.
I was JUST thinking a Hellblazer series of videos from you would be *FANTASTIC*
And here I am, happy
Great job. I’m looking forward to you covering the rest of the Constantine run! 👍🏼
The best Hellblazer run. No discussion.
This is my favorite channel on RUclips. Definitely the best comic book channel I have come across. The format is great and your taste in material is just what I look for in content. You've informed me of a lot of my favorite books too. I've found many of my pickups from listening to these videos every week. Starman being my favorite so far. Keep doing what you're doing! And thank you for the grade A comic book content! I look forward to what you put out every week!
There's demand for this type of material!
I really appreciate the Constatine vs Constanteen preamble. It makes me feel like less of a pedantic ass hole or at least not alone. Looking forward to future installments.
The first arcs with the deadly sins, still are some of my favourite comics of all time
God I loved the early '90s and the dawn of Vertigo at DC! An electrifying time to be into comics and graphic novels, and this is when newsstands and bookstores like Walden, B'Dalton and Border's began to sell indie published books and Mature titles just like comic specialty shops. Karen Berger does not get enough praise for ushering in this fantastic era. Give this woman her flowers now!!!!
My boy getting his flowers 🎉 You know not how happy you've made me 🥲 As eternal, superb video.
You're right. Delano did set the tone for existential dread. I loved it.
I'm sure you already have a bunch on your plate, but if you're covering the entirety of hellblazer you should definitely check out the modern hellblazer series by Simon Spurrier, obviously check it out after you finish this series. But it is really obvious that somebody who loved old school hellblazer wrote that, and managed to carry the spirit forward very well.
Side note: Newcastle is Gordon Sumner's (Sting) home town.
I just found the first issue of the Newcastle run. Had it amongst my other old comics stored back home at my moms place :) Awesome and gritty. Thx for the video!
Thanks for this. You reminded me to pre-order the Hellblazer: Jamie Delano: Omnibus.
JC has been a Mystic connection between DC’s Heroic side and what would become VERTIGO’s Supernatural/Horror aspect. Moore, Delano, et al, created a deep, extremely Human character, dealing with Powers and Principalities beyond the ken of Mortal men. A roit riot of a character who continues, albeit in mainstream DC continuity again, to reveal the Unseen always at hand.
A great beginning to the series overview: looking forward to more!🖖♾
Man, thank you for taking the time and effort to pronounce his name correctly. I know it’s not that important but as a hardcore fan of ole’ John since the beginning, the “TEEN” thing just gets on my nerves so much, haha. Also, yeah, Moore may have technically created the character but I think we owe Delano a lot more for really fleshing Constantine out and making him feel like a real human.
Huge fan of Hellblazer, particularly Delano's run. I think Constantine ends up being for the UK what Captain America is to the US (a statement that shows a difference between the two countries in itself). Some info that I happen to know that may be interesting to add to this video:
4:50 - In Lance Parkin's "Magic Words - The Extraordinary Life of Alan Moore" (a biography approved by Moore) it's stated that Moore encouraged Delano to pitch for the series, so that may be where the idea Moore "recommended Delano" comes from.
11:46: A interesting bit of trivia is that Chas Chandler is a taxi driver. Delano worked as a taxi driver for several years to make ends meet while trying to make it as a comic book writter, so it's been suggested that Chas draws on Delano and his own experiences which adds a whole dimension to his relationship with Constantine (i.e. his only friend is the writer, I guess).
Can't wait for the rest of the series! Keep up the great work.
I’m super glad you’re covering this on your channel I’ve wanted you to do some videos about Constantine forever now!
Loved this vid, read i think the first 150 issues so looking forward to the rest of this series
Thanks!
As an appreciator of Dennis Potter's work, I always felt that the film Brimstone and Treacle, which starred Sting as a kind of supernatural conman, was the inspiration for Constantine. Now I realize that Moore (or Bissette and Totleben) would never publicly admit to stealing a character from a movie out of fear of a lawsuit, but I've always seen strong similarities between Moore and Potter's writing.
Ah, Hellblazer!
What a great series. I completely agree with you, Alan. This was Vertigo's beating heart, and Jaimie Delano's run was the perfect way to start. So much atmosphere and feel in it.
Many people sing praises for Garth Ennis' run, deservedly so. That run is maybe the greatest in all of Hellblazer but, without Delano's very solid foundation, Ennis' wouldn't exist. Jaime walked so that Garth could run.
Sad to see such an influential comic book series end. The newest iteration (John Constantine: Hellblazer) can't touch the legacy it's predecessor left.
Great video as always Overlord. I hope your channel gets the views it deserves. 👍🏻👍🏻
I had read some long story about how Alan Moore offered Delano the Hellblazer title... but since i can't confirm that the best confirmation i have would be Karen Berger on The Endless Podcast saying it was Alan who introduced her to Jamie...
As a Brit (and a Londoner, although fair play to Delano for shifting JC's childhood towards Liverpool), I was so happy about Hellblazer nailing the UK's sense of place and culture (Daphne Moon and Ross's wedding were still in the future, but even then I'd learnt to tailor my expectations). Thank you for an amazing 15 minute summation (could be longer etc) for something close to my heart.
"Daphne Moon and Ross's wedding"? What the hell are you talking about?
Thank you for exploring one of my favorite Vertigo characters.
Insta like. Even if its a comic I've never read or care about, you always make it interesting. Thank You for the A+ content.
I always loved the cover art by Dave McKean. It hits that sweet spot for me in terms of nightmare surrealism.
There’s a Dennis Potter TV play called “Brimstone and Treacle” with a character that I believe inspired Constantine. Sting even played the character in the movie version of the play.
Can’t wait for the hellblazer omnibus vol 1.
Hellblazer/Constantine is one of my fav DC series, period.
Delano really set the stage. Ennis really did a great job, too.
Great start to your overview and looking forward to seeing what is to come!
Can’t wait for part 2!!!
Hell yeah! Very excited for discussion of the last third or so of Constaintine. I don't know anyone else who's read those comics and have never gotten to discuss them. Also it's been more than a decade since I read those comics.
I've read almost everything. John is my favorite comic character of all time.
@@ishotmybossOh, for.... All this time when I've seen you comment, I'd been reading your user name as "is hot my boss". Like... Huh, okay...
I finally got it. 😂😂😂
FINALLY, an American person who can pronounce JC's name correctly! I met Jamie Delano a few years back, and he said how much the constant mispronunciation irked him, so it's great that you respect the book enough to bother taking it into account!
This was a really excellent insight into the Jamie Delano years! Is there any possibility of you covering the subsequent writers' eras? I'd be very interested to see what you thought of Ennis's run, Mike Carey's and even my least favourite, Brian Azzarello's nasty little run on the title!
Thanks for always pushing out quality content!
Always nice seeing a new video, and it's always even better when it's on a character that I've been wanting to know more about. Looking forward to the next one, and hopefully some more Constantine videos in the future.
Reread my tpb's so many times in the late 90's and early 00's. I have considered many times filling in the run, but I never find back issues or trades in my area.
I agree that Delano gave John a relatability that few writers captured following. Plus Newcastle is a prime example how to script a flashback story that actually contains tension, since we really didn't know what had happened until issue 11. Sure we knew John survived, but the how and why were a terrible revelation that shed so much light onto the man John had become.
oh that was awesome, looking forward to hearing more about Constantine. some of that early art reminded me of the movie American Pop
I can't wait to see the rest of your series covering Constantine. I've owned this series two different times 1-300 and haven't read it either time, sigh. I'm excited to see what I've missed.
Subbed! John Constantine is, I feel, truly the most interesting, fleshed out comic book character ever created. I will also say there has never been a run by a writer Hellblazer's original 300 issues (not counting one-shots and miniseries) I disliked . Two runs I think are not talked about that often and are vastly underrated are those by Brian Azzarello and especially Paul Jenkins, so I will be curious what you thought of those.
Always a thrill when you drop a video. Even more so when it's a title I'm familiar with. And, lose my mind when it's a favorite.
More Hellblazer/Vertigo, please.
Wouldn't mind some reviews of the losted titles and companies that went out of business in the ’80s. Surprised more haven't found their way back. Probably more have than I know. VIVAT!
Great work, as usual. This is my favorite comic content channel.
More of this would be great.
I'm coming from just the recent animated work from DC on Constantine (and knowing the actor for his voice in those works then his live action series), as well as copyright-safe versions in the live action Doom Patrol & Sandman series. Im open for another keanu reeves film, be interesting if they try something new since james gunn's dceu had its flashpoint style reset of sorts.
I am happy with #37 being the first appearance of JC, but there is a strong claim that he appears as a background character in Swamp Thing #25. I love Hellblazer and I am looking forward to you creating videos about the rest of the series.
In a DC multiverse, Constantine could actually be played by Sting! He does act. I haven't read this series beyond Swamp Thing. Thanks for this very good overview!
Just shared the video in a Hellblazer group on the socials, hope you get the most views!! Great video once again
It would've been a huge flex to have explained all that about the pronunciation of Constantine, then mispronounced every other name in the video. 😂😂 At 1:40 -- about to ash in his cocktail (pink gin, maybe??). And he would not care. Dude's likely in an establishment for dedicated drinkers.
I'll raise my own -- though just strong coffee at this point, praised be -- to many years yet and great future success of SBP. The comics world needs commentators just like you -- and you're *just* like you. :)
Thoroughly enjoying the depth and insight of your work, and would devour as many episodes as you could produce about John Constantine.
Thanks man for finally landing on hellblazer!
I love the start to this ambitious project. I'm doing a reread of all 270 issues of Savage Dragon on my channel and I'd love to see more of this type of stuff.
You've stated that your reading material for the channel is 100% digital, but please check out the collected 12 issues of Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson available from Uncivilized Books. It is an incredible achievement that raises the bar to impossible heights for modern comic production and story. You would appreciate the effort displayed in the book and it's a must have in print.
Spanish being my first language, constanTINE always made sense. Great video as always
OMG MY FAV CHANNEL IS DOING MY FAV RUN AAAAAAAA
Was wondering when you’d get around to John. The usual EXCELLENT breakdown.
You are doing fine work here, Allan. Long may it continue.
I only discovered your channel a few weeks ago and have been watching many of your videos since. Excellent and insightful content. And I’m excited to see more of these Hellblazer videos.
Love the vídeo, hope to see more of It in the future
John Constantine is one of my favorite underrated dc character
Loved this video! I've never read Hellblazer, and this serves as a wonderfully insightful intro! Looking forward to future installments!
Very good commentary, thank you.
Looking forward to the second video.
Great video, i've not read them since their original publication but I might give them another go now...
Great video. Subscribed and looking forward to watching more.
Great video
i'm reading all of the Vertigo issues, now there's only the Peter Milligan's run left
i hope you keep making videos
Those are the worst. He screws everything up.
I love your videos man. If you’re starting a hellblazer series I’m there!
Great video. More of Constantine please.
I read through the entirety of Hellblazer and I'd call it the second or 3rd highest consistant quality of all those British Invasion, early Vertigo books. Only firmly overtaken by Sandman and neck in neck with Doom Patrol. Only counting ongoings ofc
You should have mentioned the letter by Sting that mentioned he saw Alan Moore staring at him once in a bar in the 80s
First time commenting. This channel is f*cking awesome.
Re: Our John being a conman, I'd love to hear your opinions on magic and con artistry being treated synonymously in the series. Perhaps in a later video?
Dc needs to put out hellblazer again. Its not easy to read the first 300 issues. The current hellblazer is great. It's much closer to the original series than the other stuff since Vertigo shut down.
Excellent work brother. Keep it up.
Loved this series
Hope you can complete your project, good vid.
Love every video youve ever uploaded. Well done
Fantastic video! I look forward to all the parts!
I love that you actually give a deep and critical analysis on these vertigo titles and comics in general. Have you ever thought of discussing about Y the last man?
He’s stated that he plans to cover all vertigo titles eventually
I suscribed because i loved your vertigo vids, i was really hoping you would make a constantine video im really glad
Great stuff. Always loved the books but also wondered about sales
Please continue the hellblazer project.
Yay! Keep up the great work!
The various adaptations over the years have always failed to reach the heights of the comic series, to my mind, largely because they fail to appreciate Hellblazer is a period piece. It’s very contemporary to it’s time and John’s narrative voice only really soars as a working class scouser, up against it in thatchers Britain.
Part of the enduring appeal for me has been seeing the character age more or less in real time with the ongoing publication of the comic series. It gives a great sense of mortality and grounding to the character, particularly by the time of the closing Milligan run. When it works, it’s a joy to see his increasingly outdated and jaded perspective at odds with the social changes happening around him. He feels like a man out of time but it’s also reassuring seeing the un-conquered punk spirit still spitting back in times where the counter-culture has felt particularly quiet. He’s the old punk inside all of us that refuses to die and demands to be heard.
Of course, John also became the front runner for a bit of a repetitive character trope, ‘the stiff upper lip working class Brit, out of his depth, but not out of his wits, putting them yanks in their place and looking smug doing it’. Both Ennis and Ellis have been particularly guilty of this one over the years (eg: Pete Wisdom, The Boys etc).
I think it speaks to a particularly British comic fan sensibility of being both fascinated by American superhero stuff, but also having the juvenile fantasy of being inserted in the story as the wisecracking, plain clothed bloke in the corner drinking a pint of bitter, calling it all bollux and probably trying to chat up Shadowcat.
Been waiting for this!!!
Excellent job!
To the algorithm: I support this kind of content and want to see more.
Great video! I hope it does well
I had a great tine watching... Thanks! Is the Jeff Nicholson on your Patreon list the comic creator?