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Hellblazer

Started by Adrian Bamforth, 02 December, 2005, 06:54:13 PM

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Adrian Bamforth

Was just re-reading old Hellblazers recently and was wondering what other long-time reader thought were the best Hellblazer artists and writers. See, being more easily swayed by art than writing I got into it heavily during Sean Phillips' stint, mostly written by Paul Jenkins. I loved Paul's writing though I don't think hardly any of it has been collected. I read the first collection recently and thought Jamie Deleno's writing was pretty awful, not least when an aquaintance of John's 'enters' cyberspace (what was Jamie thinking?). The narration was truly overwritten: "Anger stabs me from the shadows like homemade knives - hatred batters me with rubber hose, and loathing chills my flesh like a bath of ice..." Tended to fall back on that early Vertigo stalwart of the 'deranged killer on the loose' as well.

In contrast, Delano's later episode drawn by Phillips with Slag the monkey (84) is one of my favourates, though I think Paul Jenkins 'day trip to Abaton' story is one of the most bittersweet tales I've read.

ADE

longmanshort

I adored Jock's Hellblazer, but have been unable to get into the character with any other artist. Dunno why.
+++ implementing rigid format protocols +++ meander mode engaged +++

ming

I only read Hellblazer from #1 to #50-ish and haven't picked it up since.  However, I remember nice David Lloyd art on a couple of issues (written by Grant Morrison) and then there was the Gaiman McKean issue.  I just looked at a Hellblazer site, actually, and I was rewarded with Constantine's final words during the stint of Warren Ellis: "Now - on to Spitalfields, and nun-shagging."

What were the highlights of the last few years (or best collections to pick up)?http://www.insanerantings.com/hell/comics/ongoing/images/hb274.jpg">

Adrian Bamforth



Presumably to stitch up the next writer?

Don't know about collections but personally I loved #84 (Another Part Of Hell, Deleno/Phillips), #85-#88 (Warped Notions, Eddie Campbell/Phillips), #110-#114 (Last Man Standing) but especially #91 Riding The Green Lanes )Jenkins/Phillips and #120 (Desparately Seeking Something, Jenkins/Phillips). Being fickle I didn't read it after the artist change.

ADE

GermanAndy

I read Hellblazer sinde issue 1 und didn?t miss an issue.

The art had its up and downs, sometimes it was unsuited for the this particullary genre. But that is a matter of taste. The writers in a nutshell:

Delanos stuff was sometimes great, but frankly he lost me at the end of his run. A bit too esoteric for my taste.

Ennis? first issues were his best imho, Dangerous Habits is still some oh his best work.

I found Paul Jenkins run rather blah, on the other hand I detest this australien dream-stuff.He also set a precedent which is one of the weaker aspects of the book; every new writer has to invent his own supporting cast. Sometimes they click sometimes not. And Jenkins didn?t for me.

Now Azzarello ... well, I love his 100 Bullets, but his run on HB was wrong for so many reasons and deserves a price for out of character writing. Not awful per se, but awful as a Constantine story.

Ellis? was made to write it, still a pity that he quit. This could have been a definite run. And his never published "Shoot", the story DC pulled, is a great story.

Now Careys run was mostly enjoyable and had some great art from Frusin and then Manco, but it often gave the impression that he somehow held back. Frankly his Lucifer was better.

And now we get a crime novel writer. This could be great, but it could be awful. Some novelist don?t seem to get comics. We shall see.

The Morrison issue is rather overrated imho, but the Gaiman issue is great.

Art

What's that Ennis one where Constantine shags a lesbian and some bloke gets bummed by a demon? I like that one.

Theres some very short, nasty Warren Ellis Hellblazers that amongst his best work, including the banned "Shoot".

Oh, and a very creepy Morrison one set on a Greenham Common like airforce base.

Art


Quirkafleeg

>What's that Ennis one where Constantine shags a lesbian and some bloke gets bummed by a demon? I like that one.

Yeah that rocked (also had 'crack magic' and gestapo bloke)... head and shoulders the best thing Ellis has done and about the best Hellblazer I read. (though I loved the early Delano stuff)

I stopped reading when they gave it to a yank out of principle. And I was proved right when they had 'Constantine goes to prison' which appeared to illustrated by a blind man with parkinsons.

I gave Carey's run a good go but in the end it did nothing for me and I ditched it. If there's a new writer I'll have a new look at it.

I actually think the character needs a bit of a reboot because I'm sick and tired of ... "Ah now you are defeated!" "Ah ha! But you forgot I've got demon-blood... so YOU are defeated!"

And 'Let's spend an episode down the pub'

DavidXBrunt

Unusual to get this far into a Hellblazer thread without someone mentioning John Smith's Constantine does his laundry issue. And last month Frasier (sic) Irving drew it.

Mr C

I've always found the early Hellblazers to be the best, up until the end of Ennis' run, then there was the alrightish Ellis and the "dear lord this is dire!" Bendis runs.
Has it perked up recently? Well, as perky as Constantine can get that is.

Mr C

Sorry, Azzarello, not Bendis, I get the baldies mixed up!

SamuelAWilkinson

"Oh, and a very creepy Morrison one set on a Greenham Common like airforce base."


What, with all the people in big masks and stuff? That was really horrible. The whole arc where he's  a-dyin' of cancer is strong stuff, too.              
Nobody warned me I would be so awesome.

Art

Constantines initial appearance in Swamp Thing, the American Gothic arc, is great as well.

IndigoPrime

One thing I've always wondered about Hellblazer is why they omitted massive chunks of it from TPBs. I'd quite like to read the whole story, but after getting the first GN, I didn't really want to "miss out" on so much stuff before reading the second one...

ThryllSeekyr

Doesn't Glen Fabry do some of the Hell-Blazer cover art?