For the uninitiated, there have always been two kinds of Vertigo books. Some series, like Preacher, Y: The Last Man and – more recently – Daytripper and The Unwritten, are entirely self-contained and uninvolved. For those books, Vertigo is simply a publishing banner. However, assorted Vertigo titles from the past couple of decades focus (or focussed) on characters that were originally created as part of the DC Universe. Notable examples include Swamp Thing, John Constantine and the Sandman family of characters – when the line was created in the early ’90s, those titles were still allowed to be part of, and interact with, the DCU, but there was a gradual shift towards disassociating them with the “non-adult” superhero material, to the extent that (with the odd exception such as the Daniel incarnation of Dream showing up in Grant Morrison’s JLA, or Morrison’s own iteration of Animal Man returning to the DCU after the weirdness of the later writers on the Vertigo run of that series) in their own character timelines they couldn’t ever be said to have been a part of that universe. However, these characters also – unlike the creator-owned Vertigo books – had their own little corner in which to play and cross over, even if it sometimes meant discrepancies in continuity (John Constantine and the Sandman are supposed to be in the same universe – leading Garth Ennis to have to include a rather fudged explanation as to how Lucifer and The First of the Fallen were different characters) – and it’s still happening, with Peter Milligan just starting to bring Shade, The Changing Man into his Hellblazer run.

Constantine in particular is the one whose status most interests me if this plan does go through – and not just because he’s basically my favourite comics character. The thing is, I honestly can’t say which “side” of him I’d prefer to see, going forwards. On the one hand, his longstanding self-contained run simply can’t be ignored – in the hands of Garth Ennis, Hellblazer was simply one of the greatest comics of all time, and it’s continued to be sporadically brilliant down the years. But on the other… well, I like that he lives in the DCU. He loses a lot if you can’t have him interact with other DCU mystical figures like the Phantom Stranger, and Dr Fate, and Etrigan – just look at The Books of Magic to see how well that can work. And when he was introduced, although it’s somewhat far removed from what the character’s become, he was intended as a mysterious figure flitting about among the superheroics – he had a brief appearance in Crisis on Infinite Earths, and that role was supposed to be an integral and crucial part of Alan Moore’s Twilight of the Superheroes.

So it’d be nice to see him put back in that situation, and used for his intended purpose. And frankly, a Constantine/Zatanna series is simply too good a concept not to have happen some day (I’d crawl over broken glass to write it myself). But by the same token, you can’t ignore the many years of character development and history that have gone on in Hellblazer – it’d be a comics atrocity were DC to decide to rip all of that up and pretend it never happened by cancelling the series and dropping him back over into their “main” books (although I say that as someone deeply unhappy with a certain thing done by Milligan to the character in the latest issue). Meanwhile, it’s quite upsetting that having got a well-respected and brilliant writer – China Mieville – to write a Vertigo Swamp Thing series, they’re now looking to ditch all the work that’s been done purely to get the character back out of the “mature readers” line – does anyone care that much about Swamp Thing as a concept that they’d rather ditch a potentially great creative run for the sake of publishing semantics?

There’s got to be a way around it, though, in the case of Constantine. Can’t we have both, maybe? A DCU John – one who’s a little bit more suave and knowing, and perhaps looks a bit more like Sting – popping up here and there along with the other mystics, and at the same time the grumpy Scouse absolute bastard we all know and love continuing to be published as Hellblazer? He’s one of the best comics characters there is – surely he deserves at least one or two alternate versions?

Hellblazer

In wrapping it up with this issue, however, he does rediscover a bit of spark – and not just because of all the exposition that handily explains the bits from earlier that were a little tricky to follow. Pushing a storyline in which Constantine’s generally wandered about not really getting a handle on what’s going on – or doing much about it – into its endgame finally allows the character to display more of the attributes that make him. The Phoebe saga has turned Constantine back into something of a down-at-heel mage, unable to function at his best due to the blindness of obsession (something of a reversal, then, of the way Andy Diggle’s run had represented an attempt to return him to his “I know more than any of you ha ha ha” roots) – but here, at least, he’s able to demonstrate that when he puts his mind to it, he’s still a force to be reckoned with. His dispatching of the Colonel Burke demon, in particular, is a classic bit of Constantine lateral thinking, and for some reason it’s simply amusing to see him utter the line “Damned bad show” (and, presumably, with the affected accent that would imply).

In the wake of John’s obsession with Phoebe (now hopefully at an end, although the shock of that character’s all-along intended purpose and lifespan still resonates), meanwhile, it’s good to see a potentially much more interesting character begin to establish herself. It’s another one of those Hellblazer rules that whichever writer comes onto the book will bring with them their own smart-mouthed female sidekick/potential love interest/mild antagonist/all of the above (for example, whatever happened to Mike Carey’s Angie Spatchcock? Or Ennis’ succubus Ellie?), and to begin with, Milligan’s effort – Epiphany – was little more than an annoyance. But she’s developed over the course of this arc, showing genuine concern for – rather than mischievous teasing of – Constantine, and gets to play an important role in its resolution, as well as trading barbs in some of the issue’s wittier moments (although if Milligan’s run has lacked anything so far, it’s been that in general – there’s not been quite enough of the book’s characteristically sharp wit among the darkness). It’s unclear at the end if she’ll be sticking around much longer, but that’s not as unappealing a prospect as it was previously.

Indeed, now this arc – seemingly an important chapter in the overall story Milligan has planned for Constantine, but far from the most essential read in and of itself – is over, things look quite bright. No slight against Giuseppe Camuncoli, who turns in as solid a job as he usually does on this book (although I can’t help but feel the colouring work isn’t quite suited to the tone and feel of the story – it should have been a bit grimier, really – and his version of John is occasionally far too young and handsome-looking), but following his work earlier in the run, I’m excited to see Simon Bisley back next month. Milligan, meanwhile, is yet to set the world on fire, but nor has he really dropped the ball yet, and if the stories have been slightly underwhelming, at least the character work is good. If a slightly more relevant theme or point could emerge, though, it could be even better.

This week: Capsule reviews of Beasts of Burden #2, Dark Avengers #10, Hellblazer #260, Invincible Iron Man #19 and Justice League of America #38!

Review: Beasts of Burden #2
If the first issue of this series marked it out as one to watch, then the second makes it an almost guaranteed item on the pull-list. Significantly darker than the first, it almost ventures into We3 territory at times for what turns out to be a moving tale that surprises in a number of places. It’s perhaps slightly lacking, with the exception of a quick set of gags early on, the lightness of touch that the previous issue had (and that we know Evan Dorkin to be capable of), but it’s still a really rather superbly crafted comic – and looking down the list of comics released this week, I can’t see anything that matches Jill Thompson on the art front. A highly promising little series. [SP]

Review: Dark Avengers #10
After reading this, I was surprised to see a lot of negativity about it online. To be honest, aside from the bizarre disconnect caused by last issue’s Sentry-gets-shot-in-the-face cliffhanger going totally unresolved and unacknowledged (though arguably, the Sentry is a character where this kind of thing needs to be accepted with faith) I struggle to see why. This issue, Bendis has the team of villains truly gelling with one another, and the characterisation seems almost effortless, from Moonstone’s simple manipulation of Bullseye to Hand’s trouble holding things together, to the general reaction to Venom’s personality problems. Add to that an intriguing opening scene, a blistering final-page twist, Deodato’s mostly-excellent artwork (bar the weak designs of the women on the opening pages, which recall the worst of his 90s bad-girl excess) and the ramping-up of Osborn’s own subplot, and all I can think to ask people who didn’t enjoy it is, well, what more do you want? [JHu]

Review: Hellblazer #260
You know, I’m surprised no-one’s ever used the title “The Long Crap Friday” for a Hellblazer story before, so obvious does it seem when you see it. Anyway, this is a gripping, pacey done-in-one issue – a pleasingly self-contained story even as it drives along the ongoing arc – and it becomes clear that Milligan’s run is going to have a theme and point that the early Phoebe issues didn’t make immediately apparent, existing as they did largely to set Constantine on his current path. And if elements of this feel a little recycled (”Gangland boss will kill Constantine if he doesn’t save offspring’s life” is straight out of Ennis’ Son of Man, for one thing), at least it does actually feel like Hellblazer again – although I’m a little concerned at one point, given that it looks like John would actually have wilfully shafted Chas had circumstances not conspired against him, and that doesn’t feel right. Meanwhile, it’s just a shame that Simon Bisley’s only on for a two-issue guest stint – the restrained style he employs here is a revelation, and perfectly suited to the series. Not quite classic, but strong nevertheless. [SP]

Review: The Invincible Iron Man #19
Tony Stark’s time on the run comes to an end, but sadly it’s a case of running out of steam. While Matt Fraction’s X-Men has settled into a consistently high-quality book, Iron Man has rather dwindled from a staggeringly assured beginning into much weaker title. There are few surprises here, with much of the plot playing out trends which have been apparent for some time in the arc. Even more problematic is the plot device which prevents the Iron Patriot from killing Tony. Fraction may be making a point about Osborn’s weakness as the same issue which forced his backing down in the writer’s Utopia serving to give Iron Man a reprieve, but it hurts the book for the main new development in the body of the story to be so familiar. [JHa]

Review: Justice League of America #38
You’d think the arrival of James Robinson and Mark Bagley onto this book would be cause for some fanfare, wouldn’t you? Is it that neither have really set the world on fire since returning to/arriving at DC? Is it that the series is still stuck with a decidedly Z-list set of (Zatanna aside) staggeringly uninteresting characters? Or is it that this really isn’t very good? There’s just nothing to this – characters stand around whinging about their lot, and then they fight Despero for a bit, and that’s it. Bagley looks like he’s phoning it in, while Robinson’s bizarre habit of overemphasising strange choices of words in every sentence is really starting to grate in the extreme – he’s actually been doing it since Starman, but that book had a singular distinctive voice which suited idiosyncratic and slightly flowery dialogue; this is just a superhero book, and it comes off as plain weird. Still, if this series is feeling ever more like the Justice League Detroit years, then maybe we can take comfort in the fact that that run was followed by Giffen and deMatteis. Is something equally brilliant waiting in the wings to rescue what should be DC’s flagship title? [SP]

This week: Capsule reviews of Dark X-Men: The Confession, Giant Size Wolverine: Old Man Logan, Hellblazer #259 and Power Girl #5!

Review: Dark X-Men: The Confession
This embarrassing epilogue/prologue to Utopia might well be the worst-titled comic this year, simply because it doesn’t feature the Dark X-Men, and it doesn’t feature any confession of note. Of course, that would be more forgiveable were it not for the contents, wherein the usually-dependable Kyle and Yost fail to write Emma Frost in any recognisable fashion and fundamentally misunderstand the dynamic of her relationship with Cyclops. It’s an misfire of impressive magnitude. When the story ended, I didn’t feel like I understood the characters any better, I certainly didn’t learn anything about Cyclops and Emma’s ongoing plot that wasn’t already implied by the Utopia arc (namely, mutual admission of shady dealings). I’m genuinely baffled as to what the point of this was supposed to be here. [JHu]

Review: Giant Size Wolverine: Old Man Logan
As a story arc, Old Man Logan has straddled the boundaries of excess and stupidity far more than Millar usually shoots for. In my opinion, it’s been more of a failure than a success, but there’s no denying that this final instalment is a damn good piece of Wolverine action. Millar’s version of the Hulk – still super-strong while in his “banner” form is brutally entertaining, and the idea of a Hulk who mated only with his cousin might seem like typical Millar outrageousness, but belive it or not, Paul Jenkins once wrote a Hulk annual dealing with the subject. McNiven’s superb art is the real draw, but if you can’t enjoy a gratuitous Wolverine slash-fest like this, then you shouldn’t be buying Wolverine comics in the first place. And that cover? Probably the best I’ve seen in years. [JHu]

Review: Hellblazer #259
Some astonishing artwork on display here, in a relatively restrained style that I wouldn’t have expected from the usually insanely over-the-top Simon Bisley – his Constantine is perhaps a little rugged and butch, but nevertheless he makes the transition from the book’s covers to its interior seamlessly. But I think the real plaudits are due to colourist Jamie Grant, who absolutely nails a tone as perfectly-suited to the series as I’ve seen for years – a slightly washed-out quality that calls to mind the series’ late ’80s origins while retaining the modern edge of the Vertigo years. As for the story, meanwhile, it’s definitely interesting to finally get the (surprising) story of John and Phoebe’s meeting – but it only serves to emphasise the fact that I think Milligan was a bit swift in dispatching her, and I remain to be convinced by just where he’s going with this. Still intriguing, though, and worth buying for the art alone. [SP]

Review: Power Girl #5
Whisper it, but after so many years of “what the hell do we do with Power Girl”ness, the character might finally have found something of a niche. This is breezy, a little bit zany (but in a good way), and just downright good fun. It may not be laugh-out-loud funny, but it does feel like it’s a distant cousin of the Giffen/deMatteis Justice League – amusing, character-based superheroics without descending into outright parody. The main conceit behind the storyline is a bit of an old chestnut – humanoid aliens with little knowledge of human social mores show up and run amok – but it feels like the sort of high-concept fluff a light-hearted superhero book should be doing. Also, despite being mid-storyline, it’s relatively easy to follow for a new reader (in-costume, at least – the secret identity-based scenes are a little tough to get immediately into). And, of course, what really sells it is Amanda Conner’s lively, assured and perfectly-toned artwork, switching effortlessly from visual comedy to effective action. All things considered, a very pleasant surprise, this. [SP]

Only… it isn’t. And that’s the thing. It’s one of two launch titles (the other being Brian Azzarello’s Filthy Rich) for this new “Vertigo Crime” imprint – all using the same B&W hardback format – but it appears that the only justification for doing so is the fact that it’s by a noted crime author. Because, make no mistake – this isn’t Rankin taking the character of Constantine and putting him into a Rebus story. This is Rankin writing a very, very traditional Hellblazer story, with the usual tone and characteristics very firmly in place. Admittedly, there’s not much that’s supernatural about the first half of the book – which is where the “crime” banner and sketchy black-and-white art feel much more appropriate – but a twist about halfway through signals a major shift in tone and even setting (handily signposted by a not-so-subtle change in panel border colour that can be seen in advance simply by looking at the book sideways), putting us on far more familiar Constantine territory.

Not that there’s anything wrong with any of that in the context of the story – it’s a good little yarn, if perhaps slightly lacking in the substance to flesh out its length. Rankin absolutely nails Constantine’s character and dialogue – and, more importantly, the type of dialogue and atmosphere that usually surrounds him – and even finds the time to use the book for the sort of Modern-Britain-satire that characterised Delano’s work in the ’80s. Indeed, I don’t know if it’s just a case of him being a strong enough writer to adapt to an established setup, or simply that his Inspector Rebus is really similar to Constantine in the first place – but either way, it’s almost enough to tempt me to try out his prose work. The setup of John turning up in the midst of a horror-based reality TV show is a cracking conceit, and the twist – if a touch predictable – works well. Dell’edera’s art is solid, a little lightweight at times but generally in keeping with the way the series and character have looked under the likes of Marcelo Frusin and Giuseppe Camuncoli. It’s only in that second half that it doesn’t quite fit the story’s tone, with scenes that could do with feeling a bit more visceral than they actually come off as. You want for a bit of late ’80s-style colouring to go with the late ’80s-style Hellblazer story.

But this sums up the confusion that seems to exist between DC/Vertigo’s marketing department and the product they actually have in their hands. It’s as if Rankin scripted the thing ages ago and said “Do as you will”, and they’ve scratched their heads over how to package and sell it before finally coming up with this. Little details such as the back cover blurb getting the name of the TV show wrong (I don’t know where they get “Haunted Mansion” from, considering Dark Entries is actually the name of the book and everything) suggest that little thought has been given to the overall package beyond “It’s Ian Rankin, so let’s make it look like it’s one of his novels”. In fact, he’s turned out a perfectly decent Hellblazer story – although I’d hesitate to describe it as one worth paying fifteen quid for; a paperback edition would offer much value for the amount of story actually contained within – and one that would have slotted very nicely into the series as, say, a four-part story arc. It’s certainly not the “event” book that Vertigo would have you believe (check out those hyperbolic pull quotes), but it’s worth a read for the die-hard Constantine fan – at least, if they don’t feel affronted that Hellblazer readers seem to be the last market the book was actually aiming for.

Story-wise it’s not hugely engrossing at this point, to be honest – although after two hundred and fifty issues, you do start to wonder just how many stories along the pattern of “Constantine investigates some weird creepy magical goings-on that also have some kind of connection to himself” are really left to do. The dual meaning of the arc’s title – “Scab” – is played up to, although to be honest it’s just as discernible from that excellent cover – and kudos points are also due (in my book, at least) for setting the opening couple of pages in Liverpool (although it’s weird seeing the place appear in Hellblazer in a way not immediately directly connected to John himself).

The most intriguing aspect of the run’s opening salvo for now, though, is the apparent setting of a new status quo. It feels a bit like winding the clock back – this Constantine isn’t as weary and haggard as he was over the closing stages of Carey’s run and for much of Diggle’s. There’s no real sense that this follows on directly from the previous run and the character changes that went on – rather, this could just as easily be taking place at any point in the character’s life (post-Ennis, anyway, due to the mention of Kit), particularly given how young he seems, both as written (a bit more carefree than previously) and drawn (looking more early thirties than the early-to-mid forties he really should be by now). What makes the setup interesting, though, is the sudden appearance of a new love interest – without explanation, Phoebe seems to be a bigger part of John’s life than anyone we’ve seen in a while; and while she’s perhaps a bit too much of a “too-good-to-be-true” character at the moment, there’s a nice dynamic going on between the pair.

Giuseppe Camuncoli comes onto art duties, meanwhile, and it’s a fairly solid start with some nice imagery. But he’s on a bit of a hiding to nothing in following the brilliant Leonardo Manco, and the massive shift in style, complete with bright colouring job, is jarring (and, admittedly through no fault of either creator, conjures up memories of Brian Azzarello’s godawful stretch on the title). As I said when he stepped in for a couple of Diggle’s issues, it’s a very Vertigo style, but I’m not sure it’s entirely right for Hellblazer. We’ll see, though. All in all, it’s a fairly solid start – and I’ve enough loyalty to the title to keep buying it so long as the quality never dips below “shite” – but it would be nice to see Milligan take the sort of risks that Diggle showed willingness to do.

The fact that Neil Gaiman had the temerity to bring his Sandman story to an end in 1999 left DC and Vertigo in something of a quandary, as they now had a ready-installed market for a comic, but nothing to sell to them. The spinoff series The Dreaming was their first attempt at sating those fans, but after enjoying little success with it as an anthology series spotlighting a variety of characters – with vastly differing levels of profile – from across Gaiman’s world, they handed it over to Caitlin R. Kiernan, who somehow managed to get twenty-odd issues of overwrought masturbatory fan fiction published as an “official” comic. That didn’t stop them having another go at the anthology format, however, and a bunch of occasional Sandman Presents-branded miniseries kicked off in 1999 with Love Street, a three-parter by Peter K. Hogan which featured a teenage John Constantine and tied briefly into Dream’s imprisonment by Roderick Burgess.

Despite gleefully tearing apart Garth Ennis’ Hellblazer continuity by putting Constantine in London a full year younger than the Ulsterman had posited, it was an enjoyable enough read, and this reader was sufficiently impressed by it – and, more significantly, by some of Hogan’s excellent Dreaming issues – to be excited by the prospect of Marquee Moon, a follow-up set at the height of London’s punk era, again featuring Constantine and his infamous band Mucous Membrane. Sadly, after the initial solicitations, the series was never heard from again, apparently consigned to some cosmic dustbin. Until last year, however, when first the entire script – and then artist Peter Doherty (not that one)’s fully-inked pencils appeared online at Roots of the Swamp Thing (albeit with an accompanying blurb that claims the comic is from 1997, which I believe to be two or three years earlier than the actual date).

And what a great loss the comic – a one-shot, as it turned out, rather than a three-parter – turned out to be. It’s arguably a more entertaining read than Love Street (though not quite the equal of Hogan’s terrific four-part Dreaming story “The Lost Boy”, which I positively urge you to track down), although perhaps that’s because I’m naturally more drawn to a story that features a cameo appearance by the Clash than I am to one rooted in sixties hippy culture. But it turns out to revolve not so much about Constantine (who really gets more of a cameo appearance himself) as it does around spinning out of the single-issue Sandman story “The Hunt”. Telling the story of the “missing link” from that tale – the daughter of Vassily and mother of the unnamed granddaughter – it’s a pleasant surprise that the connection works so well, and in Tamara, Hogan does a good job of creating a strong individual character that shares believable characteristics with both of Gaiman’s originals.

The story itself is perhaps a little straightforward – you’ll be able to figure out the identity of the mysterious other “wolf” long before Tamara does, and it feels like there’s a bit of a jump to get the two characters together that never feels satisfyingly filled in (at what point does he stop being an arsehole? And come to that, what does Vic do so wrong that gets him the “haha, loser” status in the closing “Where are they now?” sequence?). But it’s an enjoyable enough romp through the lives of a ramshackle late ‘70s almost-successful London punk band, and Constantine’s appearance – in full-on twat mode but with an excellent nod to his supernatural savvy – is a joy, even if we have to ignore that Hogan again willfully pitches him as a Londoner rather than the post-Delano Scouser that he really should be.

Doherty’s art, even in black-and-white, is more appealing here than his earlier arc on The Dreaming, although in fairness that might just be partly down to him having to draw less grim subject matter. His characters aren’t always the most pleasant to look at, but he does a good, arrogant young Constantine, and also does a particularly good job of capturing Vassily from Duncan Eagleson’s original. Also, despite his storytelling being a bit one-note and static, he’s a good choice for this by virtue of his skill at getting the various animals to look right – and there’s strong photo-referencing at play for his London locations, even if the same can’t really be said for his Joe Strummer and Mick Jones.

All in all, as ultimately inconsequential as the story is it’s certainly one of the stronger Sandman spinoffs, which makes it all the more baffling that having got a finished script, pencils and inks (the latter courtesy of D’israeli), Vertigo decided against publishing it after the departure of editor Alisa Kwitney. Still, for anyone with an interest in any or all of the Sandman universe, the Hellblazer universe or simply good comics set in punk-era London, there’s plenty to enjoy, and it’s well worth taking a visit to Roots… in order to check it out.

Read Marquee Moon here!

Particularly since, as it turns out, Aaron doesn’t need any lessons in “getting” Constantine at all, and the opening part of this story strikes all the right notes, even as John himself doesn’t appear until the last couple of pages. Aaron recognises that, as an “outsider” to the UK, the best way to examine the character is through the eyes of fellow interlopers – and so the story is told from the perspective of a group of Americans making a punk rock documentary series, who’ve travelled to Newcastle to find out more about the disappearance of Mucous Membrane.

And maybe it’s just that I’m a sucker for referencing classic British punk and new wave (X-Ray Spex, the Adverts and the Vibrators all get namechecked alongside the usual suspects) along with delving into Hellblazer mythology, but it’s an entertaining read. Aaron draws some great humour in the first half of the issue from his mildly naïve cast (of particular note is the guy from Ohio putting on a bad British accent – slightly metatextual? – the young, hip presenter calling “Basket Case” the greatest punk song ever, and a laugh-out-loud cameo by Chas), before things take a dark and deeply unsettling turn in the second half, with scenes that are more uncomfortable to read than anything I’ve seen in a comic for a good while.

Perhaps it’s the colouring that does it, but in the last couple of years there’s been a quite consistent “look” to Hellblazer even as the artists have shifted, and Sean Murphy’s art generally sticks with a similar style to that of Leonardo Manco (still in my view the best artist the series has had since Steve Dillon). He handles the grisly part well, and the only point at which he really falls down is in the final-page splash of John himself – there’s character to it, but it just feels a little off, and more than a bit sketchy. Oh, and while it’s fairly uncharacteristic of the series, that’s an excellent cover.

If you could aim a criticism at recent Hellblazer – Diggle’s run included – it’s that it’s relied on fan-pleasing references to the past rather than building a new chapter of the character’s mythology. But to be honest, for a series that’s struggled to really grasp its own identity in recent years, it’s nice to have stories that feel like Hellblazer, even if they’re not hugely original. Aaron at least takes an original storytelling perspective, and he writes well. Constantine’s punk days are generally underexplored – most writers have used them as a character backdrop rather than a story setting – and just as with Peter Hogan’s unpublished Marquee Moon, it’s good to see a writer with a genuine understanding of the cultural context of 1977 London taking it on – not to mention a writer that really clicks with the horror sensibilities of the title’s early years. Not bad for an American.

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!

First of all, a correction from one of last week’s reviews – I stated in reviewing Hellblazer #244 that I believed it to be the end of Andy Diggle’s run, as I’d seen that another writer was coming on board next month. I’ve since been informed by Alex Sarll, though, that that’s not true – the upcoming story is merely a fill-in, and Diggle will indeed be back to finish his run afterwards. So, yay. (SP)

It’s unlikely you’ve not seen something about this over the last week, but just in case, here’s Bryan O’Malley’s evisceration of Tokyopop’s “Manga Pilot” program, as well as a rebuttal he later posted. The storm’s mostly over now, and Tokyopop evidently aren’t too worried, but it’s a debate worth reading for any aspiring creator, if only so when the time comes you know what sort of contractual elements to be wary of. (JH)

This week’s Alternate Cover column at Den of Geek is “5 Comic Book deaths that’ll stick” though, as Seb pointed out, even as we speak one of them is being threatened with reversal… (JH)

…and quite aside from what’s being teased in Batman at the moment (and I firmly believe it is just that – a tease), and from the imminent return of Barry Allen, another comics resurrection has taken place recently. Stephanie Brown, aka Spoiler, aka the fourth Robin (for a brief stint), made her return in the latest issue of Robin – and it’s a rare example of a complete and total retcon (short version : her death was faked) that actually makes a whole heap of sense. I’d believe that it was planned all along, except it blatantly wasn’t – when Steph was killed off, DC didn’t care about her in the slightest, and I’d wager that the main reason she’s back now is thanks to the return of her original creator Chuck Dixon to the book. Nevertheless, and despite the fact that certain remarks he’s made in the past have made me slightly hesitant to praise him too much on a personal level, I applaud Dixon for making reference to an issue that was the reason for the creation of this website (a site that has since grown out of those origins into an excellent port of call for female-related issues in comics) – even if the suggestion that Batman knew all along (and that was always the reason for the lack of a memorial) feels like something of a pretence. After all, you can explain away the lack of a memorial, but can you explain her barely being mentioned since? Nevertheless, it’s good to be able to draw a line under the distasteful circumstances of her demise, and get on with enjoying the return of a character that (unlike a number of people) I always rather liked. Tim’s life was always that bit more interesting with her around, and Robin might just be finding its way back on to my pull list. (SP)

Oh yeah, there’s this Dave Gibbons Interview as well. It wasn’t conducted by Seb or I, though we are credited because we gave them some of the questions to use. He talks about the Watchmen Movie, his involvement with the Bristol expo and more! Well worth a read. (JH)

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.