John Constantine

Origin

John Constantine

John was born in Liverpool, but has spent most of his life growing up in London, from the sixties onward. He first left his father's house to live in a London squat aged fifteen. He is a natural born thrill seeker with hints of morality. Despite living in England for most of his childhood, Constantine has moved around the world on several occasions, following occult and mysticism all across the planet. He was born a twin, which he happened to strangle in the womb. His mother died in labor and his father blamed John for the death of his mother and that was the root to the friction between them. When not running away from home John Constantine was raised by his older sister Cheryl Masters.

Constantine is a chain smoker and has been from the very start of his characters introduction, his brand of choice is Silk Cut, though he has been seen smoking Marlboro or Camel’s from time to time, presumably when out of the country or when Silk Cut are unavailable. Despite being a chain smoker himself, Constantine does not take any other drugs, and once called his friend a “Dirty lowlife bastard” when he found a needle with a nondescript drug in it.

John eventually moved in with roommate Chas Chandler, the two became best friends. Around this time John began following occult circles around London, and eventually became the magic using, demon tricking, con artist he is today.

Creation

John Constantine is the star of the comic book Hellblazer. The character was originally created by Alan Moore, John Totleben and Steve Bissette, though the real creator of the Constantine we know was writer Jamie Delano, who was the first to write about Constantine in a real world environment, with the groundbreaking Hellblazer title. The comic has been running under the name Hellblazer since 1987 and its debut story ‘Original Sins’. A trade paperback collecting the first nine issues of Hellblazer, and the ‘Original Sins’ storyline was released in 1992 (Hellblazer: Original Sins). The series has now been running for more then twenty years and is still in print, the character John Constantine has also made a variety of appearances in other comics as a regular character or cameo appearance. He has been seen at various events in the DC universe, as well as others such as Green Lantern #81 where he was spotted at the Funeral of Hal Jordan.

Character Evolution

DC Comics

John Constantine (DC Comics)

John Constantine has had many incarnations over the years. Alan Moore first presented him as a morally gray character, which appears before a great event. He was almost like an omen; some may say a great "Constant One". This version of John is still present in his seldom appearances in Swamp Thing, however this version is different from the Hellblazer John Constantine that was fleshed out from Jamie Delano and the writers after him. This original version at one time resembled the pop singer Sting, but has moved away from that look in DC Comic's fear of him taking legal action.

Vertigo

John Constantine (Vertigo)

The character of John Constantine is one of the very few comic characters that have actually aged with real time (and therefore his age as of now is 57 whereas when Hellblazer #1 came out he was 34), though this might have changed due to the demon blood of Nergal. Constantine is normally shown wearing a dark brown trench coat with shirt and tie, his dress sense hasn’t changed from the start of the series where his first appearance is leaving a taxi after the flight back to England (Before this his whereabouts are unknown). During the first series he is shown wearing a dark blue or black suit including the suit jacket (which is often missing in later issues) with a white shirt and tie, his hair is short, often slicked back and blond in color.

"I'm the one who steps from the shadows, all trenchcoat and cigarette 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 the 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 the darkness, leaving only a nod, a wink and a wisecrack. I walk my path alone... who would want to walk with me?"

Post-Flashpoint

John Constantine (Post-Flashpoint)

John Constantine is a member of Justice League Dark.

Major Story Arcs

DC Comics:

Swamp Thing

Young Constantine

When created by the Swamp Thing team of Alan Moore, John Totleben and Steve Bissette they wanted to create a character that looks like Sting the rock star, although his appearance has grown away from that, it is still something a lot of fans associate with the character. Alan Moore has stated that he wanted this character to be a sort of working class, blue-collar warlock. The name "Constantine" is intended to be pronounced "Con-Stan-Tine" (rhyming with "mine" rather than "teen"). John Constantine was used as a supporting character within many major Swamp Thing story arcs. His character has become a key character in the modern Swamp Thing mythos.

American Gothic

Swamp Thing

John Constantine was introduced in the "American Gothic" arc created during Alan Moore's Swamp Thing run. This run was Alan Moore's take on horror in America. It has dealt with Werewolves, Vampires, evil cults and monster made men. John Constantine's character was used not as a focus point, more as an omen. Once John Constantine appeared to The Swamp Thing, that meant the evil to good ratio in the world was off balance and The Swamp Thing must balance it once more.

Swamp Thing uses John's Body To Makes Love To His Wife Abby Holland

Abby Holland

The Swamp Thing (Alec Holland) was sent on many trials that always seemed to be delivered by John Constantine. These trials help shape and improve Alec Holland's knowledge of that he is now. Alec was no longer a man. He was a Plant lying to himself he was a man, and his man was named Alec Holland. Alec Holland developed many powers he never had before with the introduction of John Constantine to his life. Such powers included the ability to travel anywhere in the world, just by discarding his old body and growing a new one elsewhere. Another ability was to growing "tubers" which as almost like narcotic yams. These "tubers" allowed whoever to consume them to enter the "Green", the Green is the subconscious world of the plants. These "tubers" were used so Alec could make "Love" to his wife Abby Holland. The Swamp Thing as well had the ability to increase growth speed of any plant form; this ability showed destructive abilities in humans as that the Swamp Thing could increase the size of plants you have consumed in your stomach, making you very uncomfortable if he doesn't want to kill you this way. This growth of food ability may have led to why we never see John Constantine eat anything, but that is up for interpretations.

John & Swamp Thing Daughter Tefe'

Tefe'

The ties between John Constantine and Alec Holland became joined in blood when Alec "confiscated" John Constantine's body to use as his vessel to create a child. John Constantine's body was then used to "make love" to Abby Holland's body and help contribute the male part of the equation to make a baby. This baby was born a young girl named Tefe', named after the forest in Brazil in which the Parliament of Trees live. John Constantine serves as the surrogate father, while Tefe' considers Alec being her true father. Tefe' has yet to cross-over to John Constantine's Hellblazer, her only currently interaction with John has been within the pages of Swamp Thing Volumes 2-4.

Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search For Swamp Thing

The Search for Swamp Thing

John Constantine was wanted by The Green to become the next Swamp Thing. He recruited Batman and Superman through his own manipulations to find the recently resurrected Alec Holland. John was able to find Alec Holland and when he asked Alec if he wanted to become Swamp Thing Alec vehemently said no. Alec Holland turned and left.

Vertigo:

Original Sins

The story arc starts with a young John traveling the bustling streets of NYC. It's in the issue, we first see Mnemoth, a demon that has been captured by Gary Lester. After causing chaos throughout, Mnemoth flies off to do bigger things, leaving a mess in Constantine's lap.

Quickly he gives the problem to Chas Chandler, by telling him "You'll need to buy three days worth of food, fags and dirty books", adding "he owed him." John leaves with a picture of the African man that Gary Lester had captured and had the demon exorcised out of. The next day, John takes it to a magical professor and determines from there that the tattoos on the boy's head were from a tribe in Southern Sudan. Leaving him no option other than to call, Papa Midnite.

After heeding his words, Constantine flies to Sudan. Soon, he finds a hill and a top the hill is an old Shaman. Constantine goes into the hut and meets with the older wiser man. He is then asked to perform a ritual with him. It is revealed that John can't stop Mnemoth on his own. So upon returning to NYC, he and Gary meet with Papa Midnite. Papa Midnite explains he will consider helping John but nothing definite. Constantine leaves, leaving Papa to handle Gary.

Constantine heads to the scene of the crime where his girlfriend, Emma has died from Mnemoth's wrath. Later, he finds Mnemoth through the help of Emma's ghost.

The Devil You Know

The major event in this trade is the famous "Newcastle" story (issue 11) which John Constantine has talked about even in the pages of Swamp Thing. The Newcastle incident is told in a flashback story titled "Newcastle: A Taste of Things to Come". This is a story of when John Constantine is not proficient yet with his magic skills. He is hanging out with The Newcastle Crew, they decided to check out a shot spot known as the Casanova Club, where there was a monster with a child, Astra. The Newcastle Crew attempted to get rid of it by summoning their own demon. But they didn't have control of the demon and once it had destroyed the child's monster it took the child to hell. This John would have a nervous breakdown from this incident, which would get him sent to a mental institution. The rest of the Newcastle Crew was left mentally and physically scarred. John was never fully cured at the mental hospital because he was sprang by London crime-lord Harry Cooper.

Dangerous Habits

John flipping his middle finger

John learned that he had contracted lung disease. John had attempted, and failed, to save his own life. He was also mad at the First of the Fallen, for cheating him out of a friends soul. So John made a deal with the three rulers of Hell. He promised his soul to each of them. Eager to get the infamous John Constantine they each accepted, separately. For his plan John committed suicide (by slitting his wrists) bringing each of the Fallen forward to collect his soul. Realizing they all had a claim to his soul, but none of them were willing to give up their claim to John, they were forced to save his life, ridding him of lung cancer. As they left John flipped them his middle finger.

Azzarello's Run

In the year 2000 John was framed for the murder of his old friend "Lucky" Fermin, who had really committed suicide, he was locked up in prison. He escaped with the help of FBI agent Frank Turro. John then traveled across America, looking for Lucky's wife, Marjorie, now a widow, to ask forgiveness, because he felt personally responsible for Lucky's death.

John encountered psychotic relatives of Lucky (who made porn), a black bear, and a group of snowboarding killers on his trip. After all this he figured out Marjorie had joined a neo-Nazi group. Lucky's ghost revealed to him that Lucky had committed suicide as a deal that Lucky and Marjorie had made with Stanley Manor , who John had swindled years before, so as to frame John for murder. John tricked Stanley Manor into committing suicide, but unfortunately, in the process Agent Frank Turro was killed.

John returned to London in 2003 and reconciled with his sister, Cheryl Masters. John then got involved in a magic war in London. He then was horrified to discover that his niece, Gemma Masters, was a witch.

Reasons to be Cheerful and The Gift

Nergal leaves Chas' body

John's three children by Rosacarnis (Maria, Saul, and Adam Constantine) attack any people who have been associated with John, since they can't kill him directly.

This results in the deaths of several people in London, such as Alba Suria and Albert (who serves Clarice Sackville), but John manages to save Angie Spatchcock, with the help of Chas who was possessed by Nergal. Both the worst affect is the death of John's sister, Cheryl.

So John goes to retrieve his sister's soul from hell. He gets dragged into a plot by Nergal to regain his thrown. John reaches the House of Nergal, to confront Rosacarnis, while Nergal goes to get a better body. John confronts Rosacarnis and says he will help her, because Nergal has his sister's soul (which Nergal does, it is unclear when John discovered this), she agrees but the First of the Fallen kills her quickly after this, after Nergal swears allegiance to the First.

Eventually Cheryl is seen, confused about where she is. John says that the First of the Fallen must release her, since she is an innocent soul, but instead the First offers Cheryl an option; either Cheryl returns to Earth or she remains in hell with her husband, Tony Masters (who had committed suicide when realizing that he had killed Cheryl) and Tony's double punishment would be split between them. Cheryl decides to stay in hell with Tony, and the First of the Fallen returns John home to London, devastated. unable to look at his niece, John runs out into the night, barefoot and crying.

John Gets Married

John cutting his thumb to summon Shade

In the current Peter Milligan run, John has tied the knot and married Epiphany Greaves. At his wedding Demon John (who had replaced him in the ceremony) attacks Gemma in the bathroom so she swears revenge on her uncle (believing it was actually John who did it to her). She got help from a witch and summoned a demon for John to fight and stole his trench coat. She then sells the coat online.

Sandman

John Constantine was first mentioned in issue two of the Sandman, though he didn’t appear until issue three. He is mentioned by the three-fates who said John had traded Morpheus' bag of sand to a demon. Morpheus tracks down John in the human world, coming from the Dreaming Realm. John helps Dream get his bag of sand, and in return, Morpheus cures him of the nightmares he's been having from the guilt of Astra.

Constantine is not seen again until issue 71 of Sandman.

In Sandman Presents: Love Street, we see a young John Constantine in the house of Morpheus "Dream" of the Endless was still being held captive. The Sandman as well had interactions with one of John Constantine's ancestors, Johanna Constantine.

House of Mystery

So far John Constantine has had one "advertisement" appearance for the House of Mystery, in which he talks about his former visits to the House of Mystery.

A short story of his life was also presented in both the first and second Halloween Annual. This stories takes place within the current Peter Milligan Hellblazer run.

Powers and Abilities

Constantine is very much a "brains over brawn" character, while he has been known to engage in combat with someone he would much rather outsmart his opponents then beat them up. If he is in a physical confrontation he has been know to utilize magic or fight dirty. He is considered a master con artist and is expertly manipulative (even conning the Devil himself). His manipulation and cunning are how he prefers to win against his opponents.

Constantine's blood is also tainted with demon blood, which gives an extended longevity (slowing his aging process but not stopping it) as well as a slight enhanced healing ability. It has also proved helpful when it came to fighting vampires (a sort of "bitter taste" defense).

Constantine is also famous for being a magical adept with his utilization of magic spells and sometimes potions. Some examples of the magic John has used are Divination, Demon Summoning, Cursing, Golemancy, Oclumancy, Necromancy, Vivimancy, Illusion, and various stage magic tricks like hypnosis, sleight of hand, and escapology.

Relationships

John is well-known, possessing many friends and contacts. However, a lot of people who associate with Constantine end up dying, a fact that John is quite aware of.

Wedding

John's wedding kiss

John proposed to alchemist Epiphany Greaves. Before he gets any answer Shade kidnaps Epiphany, and then sends her to 1979, London. John goes through a lot of trouble, but manages to return Epiphany to the present. Epiphany then accepts his proposal. After John and Epiphany tell Terry Greaves, Epiphany's father, that they are engaged he (after finally agreeing to it, when John offers to do a job for him that he had previously refused) sends invitations out to many old friends of John's (such as Kit Ryan, Beano - the old drummer in John's punk band Mucous Membrane, and John's niece Gemma Masters) without John knowing or agreeing to it. The couple marry in an old church (that is no longer a church) with Chas as John's best man.

Family

Gemma

John was a twin, he strangled his twin in the womb. His twin brother in a parallel universe survived, and became the much loved magician John never was. His mother, Mary Ann, died in childbirth, and his father blamed John for this which caused great conflict between John and his father. He lived with his old sister (who is older then him by 7 years), Cheryl, for sometime. His sister later dies, and is in hell, because she takes part of the punishment of her husband, Tony Masters, who had killed her. John has a niece Gemma Masters, who is a practicing witch. He is the biological father of Alec Holland's daughter, Tefe', as Alec Holland inhabited John to sire a child with his wife Abby Holland.

Chas Chandler

John's longest surviving friend is Chas Chandler, who has assisted John in many of his adventures. Chas is a taxi driver, and usually ends up driving John where ever John needs to go. John tries (and tends to fail) to keep Chas out of the dirtier aspects of what he does. Chas' wife, Renee, dislikes John greatly.

Swamp Thing

John originally appeared in Swamp Thing, giving Swamp Thing challenges. John has helped Swamp Thing use his powers better, and they have stayed "friends" over the years. Although their friendship mostly consists of John using Swamp Thing and Swamp Thing remaining distrustful of Constantine.

Other

John has a had an on and off relationship with the magician Zatanna. This is seen in Everyday Magic and Come Together. They have remained good friends over the years, and he will sometimes drop by to borrow a magical hand from Zatanna when he needs to. He was a member of the Newcastle Crew, and the Trenchcoat Brigade.

Other Versions

Hellblazer

John Constantine "Hellblazer"

The current Hellblazer ongoing series John Constantine is given a very British lifestyle in an American comic. It is common tradition for British comics to be finite and/or allow their characters to age in "real time". Another example of a British comic character allowed to age in real time is Judge Dredd. The Hellblazer series that has been running longer then the Vertigo imprint it is printed in Vertigo has given John Constantine this rare gift that comic book characters have, which is a change to grow old naturally. The ongoing John Constantine has celebrated Birthdays and other life events, such as watching his niece Gemma Masters grow up to a beautiful woman. Even if this standard John Constantine is in his late 50s he has maintained vitality because of his occult practices. At average most of the series is considered canon with this current John Constantine. Nergal gave him the Demon Blood the first time, Chantinelle (or Ellie) would be the donor of Demon Blood later on. It is believed the tainted blood he possesses has great healing power, which was confirmed in Mike Carey's run. The main version of John Constantine would also now have a scar over his left eye and lacking a thumb to his left hand because of Peter Milligan's run.

A major debate for this version is if John Constantine is a considered a LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-gender) character because of a guest writer's "throwaway comment" of John Constantine having the occasional "boyfriend" with writer Brian Azzarello later adding to this concept. Some fans argue it is another example of John Constantine being a sarcastic con artist. Constantine has thus far never had a serious boyfriend during Hellblazer, though he has had a couple of serious girlfriends. John Constantine is currently married with four children from two different "women", two of these children are deceased and only his daughters (Tefe' Holland and Maria Constantine) are alive. Most writers ignored John Smith's guest issue #51 of Hellblazer as canon, and this comic has also never been collected in any format.

The notorious "bisexual" comment

There are other versions of John Constantine within the ongoing series. John Constantine would develop a "Demon" John Constantine during Paul Jenkin's run. Another important variation to the main John Constantine is his unborn "twin" brother, known as "The Golden Boy", who was first introduced in Jamie Delano's main run. The Golden Boy would be fleshed out more during Andy Diggle's run on Hellblazer.

Alternate Delano versions

The "Bad Blood" John Constantine would be the first possible future for John Constantine. This is a future written by the original Hellblazer writer Jamie Delano and it is set in the year 2025. John Constantine is still alive, still likes women and tends to be an omen for major events. In this future there is scandal in the Royal family and the series is presented as a satire. No ongoing writer has returned to this version of John.

The " Pandemonium" John Constantine is presented as older than the John written at the time in the ongoing series, which was Andy Diggle's John Constantine, who ironically was playing tribute to the classic John Constantine Delano fleshed out. John Constantine in Pandemonium interacts with Nergal as if he still had Nergal's blood in him while technically Nergal's blood is gone from John Constantine and it is instead Ellie's blood that now runs through him. Pandemonium John can be considered an Elseworlds story since it is not connected to the main ongoing story.

Elseworlds

Lord Constantine and alternate Zatanna

John Constantine would obtain another "Elseworlds" version in Books of Magick: Life During Wartime. Timothy Hunter was supposed to be the DC universe's greatest magician until the Vertigo universe split and Tim Hunter never obtained that status. In the 2005 attempt at the Books of Magic(k), Timothy is a bit older and he still has a connection to John Constantine, Constantine being one of his teachers in the original Books of Magic, by Neil Gaiman. In Books of Magick: Life During Wartime, there is an alternate "Evil" John Constantine known as Lord Constantine.

City of Demons

John Constantine in City of Demons

Part of the 25th anniversary celebration Vertigo would release a mini series called Hellblazer: City of Demons, which was written by Books of Magick: Life During Wartime writer Si Spencer. "City of Demons" John Constantine is a different take on what tainted demon blood could do. As in the main series, John's Blood has healing properties, the City of Demons is written on the premise that John's blood infects people and makes them demonic monsters.

Other Media

Film

Constantine (2005)

Keanu Reeves as Constantine

John Constantine is changed significantly for the big screen adaptation, known simply as Constantine (with the name being mispronounced as "Con-Stan-Teen" rather than rhyming with "Mime" and "Fine"). In the film, John Constantine was portrayed by actor Keanu Reeves, and the setting is moved to the United States of American, rather than the traditional comic cook setting of England. The film Constantine is also depicted as having no issue using a gun, while in the Hellblazer comic it is shown in story arcs like the Family Man that Constantine hates guns.

Other Appearances

Alex Ross tribute poster to Alan Moore, with Constantine appearing in the lower left corner

• He appears on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes (2011), as #29
• Is in an Alex Ross tribute poster to Alan Moore
• In the DC Universe Tarot card deck he is the Fool
• Has a drink at The Lux in Lucifer
• An unofficial walk-by cameo in Preacher #7
• He is a memory in Hitman #16
• Even Alan Moore has claimed to have had an encounter with John Constantine at a bar, told in Snakes and Ladders
• He and the rest of the Trenchcoat Brigade teach prodigal mage Tim Hunter in Neil Gaiman's The Books of Magick, and come to his aid once again in Names of Magic
• He also is part of the two secret origins, numbers #23 and # 27