Constantine is no longer dead, which is good. But he’s also not exactly alive, which means he needs help from an old friend. Your Major Spoilers review of John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead In America #1 from DC Comics awaits!

JOHN CONSTANTINE HELLBLAZER: DEAD IN AMERICA #1

Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Aaron Campbell
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Editor: Chris Conroy
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: January 16, 2024

Previously in John Constantine, Hellblazer: Constantine has cheated death once again… but his heart’s not beating, his body is decaying, and he, his friend Nat, and his son Noah are on the run in America, wanted for murder. Naturally, it’s all John’s fault. It always is. But as it turns out, Dream himself needs John’s help. Something terrible has taken root in America, and it’s using the sand from Dream’s pouch to impose its will. If John can put a stop to it, he might be able to parlay that favor into a chance to save all their lives… but he’s going to need help from someone he hasn’t spoken to in years. Someone he wasn’t always… all that kind to.

Someone, or some… Thing?

WELCOME TO AMERICA, DEAD MAN

We open with a skeleton, one that I think used to be John Constantine, climbing over a ridge to look down into a valley of great despair. His arm snaps off and he rolls down the hills, distracted by the sight of a pornographic movie being made below as he tumbles down from… the Hollywood sign. A few weeks earlier, John, his son Noah, and their friend Nat try to resolve their “John is dead” problem at what is purported to be the Fountain of Youth, in Florida. Their demonic host lets Constantine know that his masters know his reputation, and reminds him that his current undead state is because of a previous deal with previous devils. But before that conversation can finish, a girl scout walks in, offering to sell him some cookies. She answers ALL John’s questions, dispels the demonic presence, and welcomes him to America, explaining that she and her “kin” are going to be his hosts. Stealing a double-decker bus out of the cargo ship that brought them, Constantine begins a perilous journey to Louisiana, and his old friend, the Swamp Thing.

Instead, he gets a visit from Dream of the Endless, who has a bone to pick with Mister Constantine.

DARK, BRUTAL, AND A LITTLE FUNNY

The biggest shock of the issue is a revelation/retcon about the first arc of The Sandman, more than three decades ago, turning one single line of dialogue into a whole new complication and a possible way out of John’s predicament. Spurrier knows how to pace and craft a story, giving this issue distinct acts, showing us the dark side of the United States, explaining how John once lied to Morpheus, then ending with the shocking reveal of what has happened in Houma. DC’s current perspective on continuity being a big shrug helps immensely, as we don’t need to know what’s up with Alec Holland, the Swamp Thing that replaced him, what’s been happening with Sandman or anything else for the story to work. The art is moody and chiaroscuro, making for a perfect complement for Spurrier’s tale. The subtle touches compare with the unsubtle, like the racist cop whose first response to Noah is to prepare to shoot, leaving us for a truly shocking final page reveal that take a little bit to fully process.

BOTTOM LINE: IT’S VERTIGO, YOU GUYS

Having bought all 300 issues of the original Hellblazer off the stands, I am well-versed in your Constantine lore, so I can tell you with authority that John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead In America #1 is as complex as its title, giving us the Constantine of old with a dark, 21st-century flair, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. I don’t know how he’s going to survive this one, but I’m going to be reading avidly to find out.

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