A small week because Seb’s still on holiday, but there’s still plenty inside, including Russian Sitcoms, Thunderbolts, Neil Gaimen on Batman, the Watchmen trailer AND a Paul Cornell interview!

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Corrections, contracts and something else presumably beginning with C in the most recent instalment of The Sunday Pages! Plus some links to some of our non-Comics Daily work at Den of Geek - a feature about death in comic books and an interview with Dave Gibbons!

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Andy Diggle’s Hellblazer run comes to a surprising end with the second half of a story that, as something of a microcosm for the run as a whole, feels like it’s leading up to something big but stops short before actually getting there. I’m not sure if there are any specific reasons for his departure at this point – or if it was planned this way all along – but it’s a shame to see him go, as stopping here feels somewhat anticlimactic, and it’s always good to see a writer on this title who clearly gets the character of Constantine straight out of the box.

As it is, this is a fairly straightforward, dark little tale that shows a wickedly sharp sense of humour, and plays to the gallery with a number of fan-pleasing moments. Essentially, we get to see Constantine at his confidence-trickster best, continuing the restoration of the “classic” character style that Diggle had been putting into motion. The first half of the issue is somewhat disconcerting, as Constantine battles with a demon from Hell spouting clichéd dialogue in a sequence that wouldn’t feel out of place in a certain movie version. But, of course, all is not as it seems – and the payoff, while perhaps slightly predictable to those who caught the cliffhanger at the end of the last issue (a cliffhanger that isn’t immediately resolved at the start of this one, setting further alarm bells ringing), is nevertheless entertaining.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the issue, though, is the return of a certain character to the book’s pages – and, furthermore, the return to something approaching, if not friendship, then certainly a more neutral relationship with John. Having read the series off and on in recent years, I don’t know the precise circumstances behind his and Ellie’s falling out, but while continuity freaks might be irked by the brushing-off of those events with a throwaway line (“‘Hell hath no fury’ is just a cliché, John”), Diggle is clearly aware that one of the series’ best supporting characters is far more entertaining as a cautious ally than an enemy, and she departs the scene with a great parting line to boot.

Guest artist Giussepe Camuncoli employs a style similar to the likes of Teddy Kristiansen – it’s good work, and very “Vertigo”, but I’m not sure it’s hugely well-suited to Hellblazer. This is probably something to do with my liking the series when it presents a tangibly grim reality – and my view that Leonardo Manco was one of the best artists we’ve had on the book since Steve Dillon. It does the job, at least, and his version of Ellie makes up slightly for Constantine perhaps looking a bit too clean-cut.

The ending of the issue is strange, as – while certainly an “end” to this particular story – it does feel like it’s planting the seeds for something in the future. I don’t know if Diggle will be back at some point to resolve this, but it’s certainly to be hoped so, as despite never fully kicking into gear (the odd issue and a few superb moments aside), it’s certainly felt like he’s got a lot more to offer. Meanwhile, we await the latest in a line of ever-rotating writers, and are left wondering if anyone will ever be able to make a truly definitive and lasting mark on the series again.

Having started his Hellblazer run with a couple of storylines that showed an assured grasp of Constantine’s character and voice, Andy Diggle turns his hand to the sort of single-issue, self-contained story that have long been the title’s hallmark, and proves adept, if not exactly spectacular (we’re not talking Hold Me, here) at doing so.

In fact, despite being a distinct story itself, with a beginning, middle and “The End” caption, the issue actually feels more like it’s setting things up for a wider storyline, which could well prove to be the case. The core idea it sets up – urban legends being made “real” by belief – is hardly original, but is at least something you can see working well in the framework of Constantine’s world. But it feels over and done with far too quickly, particularly given that so much space is devoted to setting up the concept, and the hapless protagonists, that Constantine himself isn’t given much time to come and sort things out.

Nevertheless, there are some neat touches, particularly Constantine’s rain-sodden lament about the smoking ban, and his calling the bluff of “Spring-Heeled Jack” in classically in-character fashion. There’s a fairly brutal sting in the tail, and it’s interesting that in the early stages of a run where Diggle has sought to return Constantine to his role as arch-manipulator, he’s had him be well and truly played here.

Regular artist Leonardo Manco – rapidly establishing himself as the best Hellblazer artist since Steve Dillon – takes a backseat here, with guest work instead from Daniel Zezelj. The thick linework and muted colours mean it’s hardly a departure from the norm, but while Zezelj’s storytelling his good, his character design is inconsistent - though there’s a certain vagueness about that also feels like a deliberate stylistic choice - and he feels more like a fill-in than a bona fide guest.

It’s been a while, sadly, since Hellblazer was anything like essential reading. For fans of the character, it’s always worth a look, particularly considering Diggle does at least get said character. But all the neat little London-based supernatural mysteries and lovely Lee Bermejo covers can’t mask the fact that it’s still coasting on - appropriately enough, given the subject matter of this story - Constantine’s own reputation, and the glory years of Ennis, Delano and Ellis. Isn’t it about time for some kind of cataclysmic battle with Hell, or something?