No. No. No no no no no. This is not my problem
Oh bollocks!
Exorcist, Demonologist, Master of the Dark Arts and definitely not the kind of magician you'd hire for your
kid's birthday party
Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we'll be exploring the comic book origins of John Constantine
As with most comic book characters, they're often re-imaginings and different versions to a character's past
We've chosen to primarily focus on the first 12 issues of Hellblazer and along with 1999's Hellblazer #39 and
The New 52's 2015 Secret Origins #11. John Constantine aka the Hellblazer is not only a working
class magician and con man but also a detective who specializes in the occult
Even though he's adept at casting spells, John proves his resilience by relying more on his supernatural
knowledge, quick wit and the ability to manipulate friend or foe to his benefit
John's first official debut was in 1985's Swamp Thing #37 appearing as a young man with a chaulk of blonde hair
tan trenchcoat and chainsmoking like it's nobodies business.
What's in that trench coat?
I am
This anti-hero was created by Alan Moore, and designed by artists Steve Bissette and John Totleben
Who were visually inspired by singer/songwriter Sting. When Constantine was originally introduced, his past
was a mystery. This changed when Jamie Delano fleshed out the character in the 1998 Hellblazer series
giving us John Constantine's haunting upbringing.
Born in Liverpool on May 10 1953, his mother Mary Anne died giving birth to John and his stillborn twin brother
As it turns out, the womb had been weakened as the result of a previous abortion attempt done against the
mother's wishes by John's father Thomas
It was also revealed that while in the womb, John strangled his twin with his own umbilical cord
This dead twin became known as the Golden Boy and thanks to the miracle of plot twists
would make additional appearances in future issues and in an alternate universe. The Golden Boy is a powerful
magician and the exact opposite of John but that's a story for another day. During his adolescence John traveled around the world
participated in various occult circles and formed a punk band called Mucous Membrane
Back in Jurassic times I fronted a punk band called Mucous Membrane
That's right. I wasn't always an outstanding warlock
Barely ever produced our first and only record
While on tour, John came across a result of a magical orgy gone wrong at a club in Newcastle
An abused girl named Astra had summoned a demon that exacted revenge on her tormentors
However,the demon refused to leave and John devised a plan with fellow occultist friends to conjure another demon
known as Nergal that would destroy the threat
John's recklessness and failure to control Nergal resulted in Astra being dragged to Hell, her soul forever damned
Oops!
Her name...was Astra
and I can handle her death. It's her damnation that's eating me alive
-Dragged to hell - John its time to face the truth
-Nine years old and suffering for all eternity - The only one suffering here is you
-It's on me man - There are no demons
That's all you keep telling me!
The event in Newcastle remains a festering wound for John compounded with the ghosts of his friends that haunt him
constantly reminding him of the failings that weigh heavily on his psyche
As if the man isn't plagued enough,
He encountered Nergal once again while he's hospitalized and is forced to make a deal with him
A deal which includes his blood being tainted by the demon
John's ability didn't emerge just by dabbling with the occult but from his bloodline and ancestors
were skilled in the art of magic. This bloodinge is known as the laughing magicians and spans across all of mankind's history
bestowing special gifts on those who carry it
In John's case luck is tipped in his favor and increases his chance of success. Because of this
John can easily escape and evade his opponents, protect himself from harmful spells and weapons, and
and can be in the right place and the right time
It's safe to say that John is one lucky but miserable bastard. Despite the advantageous perk, John's a
walking bad omen
Bringing misfortune and death to whoever crosses his path
especially his friends. In DC's Ne 52 reboot. John's origin alters providing a preview of the Hellblazer before he earned his moniker
In 2014's Constantine #14, John's childhood was instead set in the 80's and as a young boy
He was thought his first magic spell by a sorceror name Tanorak. The sorcerer sort of failed to warn Constantine
that the cost of the gift was the lives of his parents and the destruction of his home.Oops again
John Constantine's orgin was again reconnected in 2015's Secret Origins 11. When a magical creature
named Legendbreaker is summoned by a group of kids who inquire about Constantine's true origin
The creature offers 3 diverging narratives:
Each one offering a completely different version of how John came to be the man he is today
The one consistency is that each story ends with the death of his family and and places John on the path towards magic
[Speaking Magical Spell]
John Constantine has appeared in both the big and small screen throughout the years
In 2005, the movie Constantine was released with Keanu Reeves cast as the occult detective
Reeves of course is also supernaturally ageless.
Don't worry. Happens to everyone their first time
It's the sulfur
Reeves portrayal of the character was even darker than in the comics and the film took many liberties with the character
Constantine the TV series aired in 2014 and breathed new life into the character
while also sticking closer to the source material
Despite the show's faithful interpretation of John's world and Matt Ryan's impressive performance,
the show was cancelled after the first season
In what could have been described as a small miracle,
Matt Ryan reprised his role for a guest appearance in season 4 of CW's Arrow
John Constantine has been outwitting foes, defying fate, and musing in dark corners for over 30 years yet his appeal hasn't waned
He's troubled and incredibly flawed but finds a way to stay relevant and consistently present in the DC Universe
Are you a fan of the Hellblazer?
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