The Good
John Constantine is one of my favorite characters that I know almost nothing about, and this issue makes me feel like I'm on the same page with the rest of the DC readers... the ones that don't read HELLBLAZER that is. This issue is a fantastic jump-on point for any new reader who is interested in the Justice League Dark or more so in Constantine and Zatanna, since this story primarily revolves around these two characters.
Constantine, a magic user, heads to New York City looking to become well versed in all things magic, since Europe didn't have much to offer him. There he meets Nick Necro and his lady, Zatanna, at an occult club. He becomes an apprentice and learns a lot about magic, while his feelings grow for Zatanna. This issue had an overall great story that was incredibly interesting and gave a lot more depth to its JLD characters.
I've always liked Zatanna and seeing the relationship between her and Constantine develop was very intriguing and gave me a better appreciation for the two of them and where their characters are at now. I loved Nick Necro, who is a more obsessive and egotistical version of Constantine. I hope the character comes back. Well, I have a very good feeling about that, since this character's obsession is finding the Books of Magic which is what Constantine is currently trying to do in the main story line.
We are also introduced to the cult of the Cold Flame, a group of black magic cultists with a knack for repeating their own name. It's an element that really fits into the world that Jeff Lemire has done a great job at developing since he took over the book.
Penciller Lee Garbett does a fantastic job on this issue. His best work appears during the summarized time Constantine spends with Zatanna and Necro. The page layouts are unique and interesting, and they have a great sense of flow to them.
The Bad
There is one panel, towards the end of this issue, where Zatanna is speaking in reverse to make a member of The Cold Flame disappear and her face looks a bit messed up. Either her right eye is too large or out of place, or her face is way too large for her head. It really caught me off guard since Lee Garbett's pencils were fantastic throughout the issue.
The Verdict
This is one of the top issue 0s that DC has put out. JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK 0 is a fantastic jump on point for new readers and reintroduces the world to two characters most people know but may not be too familliar with: Constantine and Zatanna. It's a fantastic story from start to finish.
Lee Garbett does a great job with the art in this issue, especially on a couple pages where the page layouts were fantastic as we sped through the character's lives together. However, these was a panel, towards the end which Zatanna's face looked extremely awkward.
Jeff Lemire has done a fantastic job with this book so far, and this is a great point to start reading. I highly recommend this issue.
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