History ComicBook / JohnConstantine

There is a [[Film/{{Constantine}} 2005 film adaption]], starring KeanuReeves as a [[ChristianityIsCatholic Catholic]], [[CulturalTranslation Californian]], [[AdaptationDyeJob raven-haired]], [[TheGunSlinger gun-wielding]] [[ChurchMilitant exorcist]] version of Constantine.

** CharacterizationMarchesOn: To be fair, there are two notable exceptions to this in the Newcastle incident and ''[[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness the very first issue of Hellblazer.]]'' Given the former was a BreakTheHaughty moment for John and the second is likely many people's first impression of him, it's likely a NeverLiveItDown moment for him. John also has a high casualty rate with his followers that is going to look suspicious to anyone even if his past is only in BroadStrokes. "New John" is very much a con man influenced by these elements.
* HiddenDepths: John admits, while sober and not magically-compelled, that he feels responsible for the death of Zatanna's father and it will not do him any favors winning Zatanna's heart back.

** JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: New 52!John is more often this than his Vertigo counterpart. Some writers seem to forget to make him sympathetic most of the time.

[[caption-width-right:250:Funny old world, innit?]]

->''My name's John Constantine, and here I stay: haunted by London. And London, haunted by me.''

->'''''Mictlantecuhtli:''' You forget yourself. I am no upstart demon, scrabbling in the dirt of the human soul. I am Mictlantecuhtli. I am a ''god''.''
->'''''John:''' Great stuff. I'm John — and I'm a ''bastard''.''

** CharacterizationMarchesOn: To be fair, there are two notable exceptions to this in the Newcastle incident and [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness the ''very first issue of Hellblazer.'']] Given the former was a BreakTheHaughty moment for John and the second is likely many people's first impression of him, it's likely a NeverLiveItDown moment for him. John also has a high casualty rate with his followers that is going to look suspicious to anyone even if his past is only in BroadStrokes. "New John" is very much a con man influenced by these elements.

* ItIsPronouncedTro-PAY: John's last name is pronounced Constan-TYNE ("rhymes with 'fine'") in keeping with the British pronunciation, not the American Constan-TEEN that many fans (and adaptations) often use.

* ''Saga of the Swamp Thing'' #37-40, 44-45) (June 1985)

* ''Hellblazer/Books of Magic'' #1-2 (Dec 1997)

[[Characters/ConstantineTV See the character page for the series]].

John Constantine is a creation of Creator/AlanMoore and Steve Bissette, first appearing in ''[[Comicbook/SwampThing Saga of the Swamp Thing]]'' #25 (June, 1984) and going on to hed his own Vertigo series, ''Comicbook/{{Hellblazer}}'', in 1988. The character started out firmly entrenched in Franchise/TheDCU -- his first arc was a crossover with ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', even! -- but gradually drifted off into his own self-contained [[TheVerse universe]]. (Although the likes of ComicBook/{{Zatanna}}, his ex girlfriend, and ComicBook/ThePhantomStranger still popped in from time to time, as has [[ComicBook/TheSandman Morpheus]].)

A cute (!) version of John appears with other Vert-goMites in the Batmite story ''Mitefall''.

* ''Justice League Dark'' #1-ongoing (November 2011)
* ''Constantine'' #1-23 (May 2015)
* ''Constantine: The Hellblazer'' #1-13 (August 2016)
* ''The Hellblazer'' #1-ongoing (September 2016)

''Series/{{Constantine}}'' debuted on NBC in the fall of 2014, with Creator/MattRyan (the voice of [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag Edward Kenway]]) in the title role. Unlike the film version, the TV version of Constantine is blond, British, and (according to WordOfGod) bisexual, the three Bs many Hellblazer fans expect from the character. Matt [[RoleReprisal reprised the role]] for the WesternAnimation/{{DC Universe Animated|OriginalMovies}} film, ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueDark'', and will again for the [[WesternAnimation/{{Constantine}} animated continuation of the live action series.

''Series/{{Constantine}}'' debuted on NBC in the fall of 2014, with Creator/MattRyan (the voice of [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag Edward Kenway]]) in the title role. Unlike the film version, the TV version of Constantine is blond, British, and (according to WordOfGod) bisexual, the three Bs many Hellblazer fans expect from the character. Matt [[RoleReprisal reprised the role]] for the WesternAnimation/{{DC Universe Animated|OriginalMovies}} film, ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeagueDark''.

* {{Badass}}: John, naturally.
** BadassLongCoat: Literally. After years of being worn during various mystical encounters, the damn thing's developed sentience.
** BadassBoast: As John says it beautifully, "I'm the one who steps from the shadows, all trenchcoat and cigarettes and arrogance, ready to deal with the madness. Oh, I've got it all sewn up. I can save you. If it takes the last drop of your blood, I'll drive your demons away. I'll kick them in the bollocks and spit on them when they're down and then I'll be gone back into darkness, leaving only a nod and a wink and a wisecrack. I walk my path alone... who would walk with me?"

* ComicBookFantasyCasting: When he was first created, he was drawn to look like Sting of Music/ThePolice.

Series/{{Constantine}} debuted on NBC in the fall of 2014, with Creator/MattRyan (the voice of [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag Edward Kenway]]) in the title role. Unlike the film version, the TV version of Constantine is blond, British, and (according to WordOfGod) bisexual, the three Bs many Hellblazer fans expect from the character.

* ''Constantine'' #1-ongoing (May 2013)

[[quoteright:302:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/john_5069.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:302:Funny old world, innit?]]

Constantine himself is generally portrayed as an adrenaline junkie who's constantly getting involved with the supernatural because [[AllergicToRoutine everything else bores him to tears]]. Although he is a BadassLongCoat AntiHero, he's portrayed as being a poor fighter (unless he's fighting dirty or gets the first punch in), generally eschews guns, and is actually not that powerful a sorcerer. Instead, he uses his ''brains'' to outwit, trick and manipulate his enemies. Well, [[ThePlan brains,]] [[FunctionalMagic magic]] (mind-reading and gambling a specialty!), [[ConsummateLiar bullshit]], and not infrequently [[ShroudedInMyth the power of his own reputation]]. His reputation as a manipulative bastard has led to him being referred to as the World's Greatest Con Man.

* {{Flanderization}}: He is constantly accused of backstabbing his own friends and leading them to their destruction. Unless they've done a lot of rewriting, John doesn't actually betray people to their doom: instead, he tends to be helpless to save people who were already doomed (Gary Lester, Brendon Finn, etc.) He's not a good man, but as a rule he's not making a moral choice to damn people. Such treatment is also unjustified considering much of the character's original past (i.e. Hellblazer) was retconned for the New 52 universe.

* {{Flanderization}}: He is constantly accused of backstabbing his own friends and leading them to their destruction. Unless they've done a lot of rewriting, John doesn't actually betray people to their doom: instead, he tends to be helpless to save people who were already doomed (Gary Lester, Brendon Finn, etc.) He's not a good man, but as a rule he's not making a moral choice to damn people.

* Token Evil Teammate: Treated as such in-universe by every member of the Justice League Dark, and pretty much anyone he meets, to be honest. He seems quite hated by all in the New 52.

Series/{{Constantine}} debuted on NBC in the fall of 2014, with Matt Ryan (the voice of [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag Edward Kenway]]) in the title role. Unlike the film version, the TV version of Constantine is blond, British, and (according to WordOfGod) bisexual, the three Bs many Hellblazer fans expect from the character.

* InterspeciesRomance: John himself is no stranger to this. He's slept with the demon Rosacarnis [[spoiler: who later gave birth to three children trying to kill him]], and "Angel", the embodiment of oppression, famine and murder, along with a couple of succubus' along the way.

In the ''ComicBook/{{New 52}}'' reboot, an alternate, younger John works as a member of the JusticeLeagueDark, a team that focuses on the magical and supernatural aspect of the DCU. He also received a DC solo title called simply ''Constantine'' in 2013, which often ties into ''Justice League Dark''.