Blake Petit
December 27th 2004, 09:55 PM
Review by: Blake M. Petit Blake@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Reasons to be Cheerful Part Two
Constantine faces his enemies – and a friend.
<a href="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/media/122/hellb203.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/thumbnails/122/hellb203.jpg" align="left" border="0"></a>Writer: Mike Carey
Art: Leonardo Manco
Colors: Lee Loughridge
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Editor: Jonathan Vankin
Cover Art: Tim Bradstreet
Publisher: DC Comics/Vertigo
Review: Constantine’s past catches up to him as he continues to get wrapped up in the plots of his own demonic children from another timeline… or another point in the timeline or… or something. Frankly, it’s all a little confusing at this point.
Not so confusing as to make a bad comic though, fortunately. There are a lot of titles where things leave you scratching your head trying to figure out what in blazes is going on. Mike Carey, to use what’s probably an inappropriate analogy, seems to use a model of the timestream similar to “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” – as long as you accept it and try not to think too hard, you’ll be able to handle it.
We’ve got strong characterization here too, seeing Constantine not as a hero, but as a charming cad just trying to survive. Carey also delivers a strong semi-twist at the end that revs you up and will leave you waiting to see what happens next.
There’s a good bit of action in this issue – telekinesis and flying cutlery, summonings of ghosts, possessions and fisticuffs that all make for an exciting package. Mike Carey’s solid writing makes this title work, but the fantastic artwork by Leonardo Manco really elevates it. He does a fantastic mixture of magic and horror that fits perfectly on this title. There’s a splash page near the end in particular that gives us a really stellar, really grotesque image that will stay with you after you put the comic down.
It may not get the attention of a Y: The Last Man or a Lucifer, but every month, this is one of the strongest titles in the Vertigo line – plus I think it deserves credit for being the longest-lasting. With a movie coming out in just a few months, it’s good to know that the title is this strong just as the character will be reaching maximum exposure.
Rating: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg
Buy Hellblazer products from X-World and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=130&cat=HELLBLAZER)
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Reasons to be Cheerful Part Two
Constantine faces his enemies – and a friend.
<a href="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/media/122/hellb203.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/thumbnails/122/hellb203.jpg" align="left" border="0"></a>Writer: Mike Carey
Art: Leonardo Manco
Colors: Lee Loughridge
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Editor: Jonathan Vankin
Cover Art: Tim Bradstreet
Publisher: DC Comics/Vertigo
Review: Constantine’s past catches up to him as he continues to get wrapped up in the plots of his own demonic children from another timeline… or another point in the timeline or… or something. Frankly, it’s all a little confusing at this point.
Not so confusing as to make a bad comic though, fortunately. There are a lot of titles where things leave you scratching your head trying to figure out what in blazes is going on. Mike Carey, to use what’s probably an inappropriate analogy, seems to use a model of the timestream similar to “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” – as long as you accept it and try not to think too hard, you’ll be able to handle it.
We’ve got strong characterization here too, seeing Constantine not as a hero, but as a charming cad just trying to survive. Carey also delivers a strong semi-twist at the end that revs you up and will leave you waiting to see what happens next.
There’s a good bit of action in this issue – telekinesis and flying cutlery, summonings of ghosts, possessions and fisticuffs that all make for an exciting package. Mike Carey’s solid writing makes this title work, but the fantastic artwork by Leonardo Manco really elevates it. He does a fantastic mixture of magic and horror that fits perfectly on this title. There’s a splash page near the end in particular that gives us a really stellar, really grotesque image that will stay with you after you put the comic down.
It may not get the attention of a Y: The Last Man or a Lucifer, but every month, this is one of the strongest titles in the Vertigo line – plus I think it deserves credit for being the longest-lasting. With a movie coming out in just a few months, it’s good to know that the title is this strong just as the character will be reaching maximum exposure.
Rating: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg
Buy Hellblazer products from X-World and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=130&cat=HELLBLAZER)