Out of all the comics I have read and reviewed to make a best of list, Constantine was one of the easiest to decide on. This isn’t because there are not a lot of great options it’s because one just stands out above and beyond the rest for our best Constantine comics review.
Below in our John Constantine review you will find our pick of the best comics and a few runners up. Also we have gone through and answered a few popular questions on John Constantine that we found while searching around for some information. Thanks, in advanced for reading and if you enjoy sign up for our mailing list and receive future reviews and comic news in your email.
Dangerous Habits (Hellblazer #41 thru 46) is by Far the Best When it Comes to John Constantine and Writer Garth Ennies
Anytime a comic is made into a blockbuster movie starting an actor in his prime you know it has got to be a good one. I am not sure if it was a blockbuster of if Keanu was in his prime at the time but I loved it and its right up there with the Matrix for me as far as his movies go. If that’s the movie which got you interested in his comics well this is what you are going to want to read.
How do you take a powerful character who is smart, cunning, and just an all out bad to bone kind of guy and make him more well weak and like us? Come to find out its cancer. In these books John Constantine finds out he has cancer and is dying. This about how a character who is pretty much damned to hell when he dies will react when he knows he is dying and soon. You guessed it he fights like hell to not go to hell.
In this group of comics he tried everything you would expect from magic to items to beings who can help. In the end the way he gets out of it is through his own wit and others greed. So if you are interested in seeing him convince the demons that its in their best interest to help instead of getting his soul, well this is the best Constantine comics by far.
Rake At The Gates Of Hell (Hellblazer #76 thru 83) The runner up is the Climax of Garth Ennies writing for John Consantine
In this set of comics Garth Ennis attempts to end his writings on John Constantine with a bang. We all love when a story builds up to a grand final battle with the old powerful enemy. Well that’s why this is the runner up. Hell is in chaos, Angels are swarming, exorcism going wrong, London is burning, and to top it all off the First of the Fallen has a score to settle. They also have a little death and Ex-old lady prostitution in the mix to tie it all together.
If wasn’t hard to put “Dangerous Habits” at the top of our list but it was very hard to put “Rake at the Gates of Hell” at number 2. Maybe if it wasn’t for the movie drawing me into the comics I would have felt different. All in all either one of these two set of comics can be considered the best Constantine comics to date. So I recommend you enjoy them both.
Popular Questions About John Constantine Comics
Below you will find our answers to some of the popular questions asked about John Constantine. If you have more questions or items you would like us to review or dig up for you leave us a comment below. Thanks again for your support.
What was the First Constantine Comic
The first time John Constantine appeared in a comic was the 1985 Swamp Thing #37. This would be two years before he finally got his own book. It is a great set up to give you a little backstory and to build him up as a blue collar magician trying to make a buck. In the issue he is searching for Invunche which is also the creature in Constantine’s Hellblazer #1 comic. On a side note it may not be on our list of best Constantine comics but the first concept of him is claimed to in Swamp Thing #25 in which a person in drawn with no real role in the comic.
Where Should I Start with Constantine Comics
There is a lot of debate on where to start reading the Constantine comics. He has been written a few different ways over the years, dying of cancer, part of the justice league dark, a mysterious figure in swamp thing, but there are still really only two places to start in my opinion. Hellraiser #1 of course, but which one the 1988 version or the 2019 version? To me that depends on you and what you like to read. Personally I love the older books and how they are written but if you are mor interested in a modern version then start with the new series. The good thing is you can read either one on https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/ just by signing up for a free trial and see which you like best. Let me know in the comments below.
How Many Constantine Comics Are There
At the time of writing this post John Constantine appeared in over 5000 comics. As for how many comics of his own there are the number is just under 400 which include both the older and newer run of HellBlazer which is his main comic. There are few other titles that he is a major part of as well but they are not his per se.
Does Marvel have a John Constantine
This is one of the few characters that I don’t think has a counter part stolen or that was stolen from. There are a lot of sorcerer type characters with Dr. Strange being the most known but they don’t share the same dark twist. There are also a few lesser known magic users like Damian Hellstorm but its not the same type of character. So for once I can say DC is the only place you will find a John Constantine. If you have someone you think is a spin off please give us a comment. And no I don’t agree that Hanibal King is a good fit either…he is a vampire…..I guess he is a detective if that makes it close.
Can Constantine beat Superman
At first I saw this question and I thought really? Then I realized that’s the trick with Superman, he knows he is unbeatable which makes him vulnerable. Take come Kryptonite mix it with a little dark magic and trick superman to eat it, wel I guess he could win. In a first fight though John Constantine will be outmatched….by a long shot. Maybe he could team up with Lex, get some hair, send it to the sun, make an evil superman…. Oh wait that’s already been done. Was that the movie with Richard Pryor?
Can John Constantine beat Dr Strange
I wish this was more of a battle, but I think most readers would vote that Dr. Strange wins in a one on one battle. Dr. Strange has gone up against some serious villains and beat them with power. Usually, John Constantine will trick them into beating themselves. On the other hand I could see John coming out of a battle with the win if there was a lot of time involved and he could convince the right team to join him in his quest while also double crossing the team to save his own hide.
Is Constantine a villain
Hmmmm whats your definition of a villain. He cons people, does magic, and summons demons. On the other hand he will give up his soul to the devil to save someone he considers a friend. In the comic world he is considered an Anti-Hero. So if you are looking for a all around good guy who never crosses the line this maynot be the character for you to read. On the other hand if you like a real, gritty type of a guy who gets the job done, well this is your hero I mean villain I mean hero. You get the idea.
Will There be a Constantine Sequel Movie
There are some rumors around saying that yes there will be a new movie coming out and that it is in the works. Check out this update if you are interested. I hope that DC is smart about this one and creates a movie that ties into the future of the DC movies and shows. Can we expect to see a Justice League Dark being tied into the credits of the next Constantine move….. I really hope so. I am still waiting for DC to figure out the magic and tie it all together on the screen.