Hellblazer

I just started reading Hellblazer, and its awesome!

But as it is going to take quite some time to catch up, should I start reading the current ones now, or is it better to read everything else first?

As someone who's tried getting into this... if you can manage with the more recent ones, try that. Getting ahold of the old ones is nearly impossible. The trade paperback collections are scattered through the original continuity and have huge gaps.

I have ways to read the old ones.

Then try reading those.

I'd like to have a chance to read through the series sometime.

The stories are all published out of order anyway! Just go with it.

looks fairly complete

Volume one

Volume 2

volume 3

I'm actually thinking of getting into this series as well.

I've only read up to the Fear Machine arc.

But I have up to Volume 200something on my computer.

Everyone:

Start with Garth Ennis' Dangerous Habits story arc. You'll thank me later.

Just started Original Sins. Fantastic. I don't know if it's just De Lano or other writers, too, but I love the narration style, which sort of slips from character to character.

The series was published from 1988. The collections were published from 2007 and on. So much for getting it from the library.

edited 3rd Nov '10 12:42:32 AM by newtonthenewt

Yeah, I had no idea (still don't) which order the comics go in. I suppose wikipedia or the DC wiki might have info.

But yes, Hellblazer is great and Constantine does well as a magician without actually using much magic. It's mostly subtle and full of "or is it?"

I've gotten all my Hellblazer TPB's from my library network (which is how I get most of my comics/manga/anime, actually), but that's just me. I still need to finish Ennis's run though (as I'm reading them in order), which I like a hell of a lot more than Delano's. I mean, he's a good writer, but far too Anvilicious and political for my taste. I mean, evil yuppie demons from hell who throw a party at Margaret Thatcher's reelection? Really? Incidentally, I've heard it's best to skip Brian Azzarello's run, for whatever reason.

^ I thought that was more funny than political, actually.

About Azzarello: our trope page mentions that he made Constantine bi completely out of the blue, so he could seduce another man as part of a scheme, and then this never comes up again ever. I haven't read his stuff yet though, so I can't really comment.

edited 6th Nov '10 7:07:46 PM by melloncollie

I love Warren Ellis's run on Hellblazer, short though it was. If you can get a hold of Setting Sun, that contains some of the best single-issue tales of Constantine ever ("One Last Love Song" is my favorite). The last story Ellis did was called "Shoot" and wasn't published until just recently because it dealt with school shootings and would have been published just after Columbine.

I finished the Garth Ennis. It was amazing!

The climax was insanely tense and yet it ended on a somewhat hopeful tone.

edited 22nd Feb '14 7:26:10 PM by zam

Now go read the Delano run.

It's a bit rougher around the edges, but I think it's got more of an imaginative flair. And it's not so obsessed with that Hell junk. Between the two of them (and Moore's run of Swamp Thing) you get the best of the comic.

I have a lot of issues with some of Ennis's run, as good as it was. Son Of Man on his second run was nothing but an utter abomination. Absolute homophobic and sexist trash written for no purpose but to shock. Ennis's first run, however, was sublime.

That said, I'm a huge fan of Delano and Carey. Delano especially laid the groundwork for everything to come and The Family Man is one of HB's best story arcs to date. Mike Carey's (And Paul Jenkins' but good luck tracking it down) is another wonderful one with a lot of good stories.

The Fear Machine is my personal favourite. Jallakuntilliokan!

But I mean, not by a very long way. All the Delano stuff is really good. It was early days, so the comic hadn't quite found its feet yet, but I actually think his run is the better for it. It deals with more diverse subjects, and approaches the Heaven/Hell stuff from a more interesting angle.

Delano's run was mixed bag for me. Family man & Newcastle are two stories that I will always remember, while fear machine somewhat lost it's edge in the middle. Also, I think I like Carey's more than I should(Leonardo Manco). He was more in home with Lucifer & Unwritten than HB. Azzarello & Milligan on the other hand left me with bad test in my mouth. Which is sad because 100 bullets is one of the best vertigo titles I've ever read while I've heard tons of good things about Milligan's run.

I'm watching the TV show. It's awesome. I had only gotten my hands on a few Hellblazer issues before; where I live it's a bit of a rare comic.