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Loading... Constantine Vol. 1: The Spark and the Flame (original 2014; edition 2014)by Jeff Lemire (Author), Ray Fawkes (Author), Renato Guedes (Illustrator), Fabiano Neves (Illustrator), Brian Cunningham (Editor) — 3 more, Katie Kubert (Editor), Kate Stewart (Editor), Rowena Yow (Editor)I haven't read any of the previous Constantine comics so I have nothing like that to compare to. What did fly through my head sometimes while reading this was that this is what Dark Dresden would be like and I kinda like that. This isn't the best comic series around but it was a good read and I'll continue picking up the monthlies for awhile longer. As much as I was looking forward to reading about the adventures of the new incarnation of John Constantine, I had strong suspicions that this series wouldn't be quite the same as the original. Unfortunately, my suspicions proved to be entirely accurate. This new Constantine doesn't have quite the same gritty charm, and he is not helped by the clichéd art style chosen to depict him. They start out the story referncing the "temptations of his youth," implying a slightly more wizened and hard-done-by character than normal, and yet he stands before us with sparkling blonde locks and a trenchcoat clean enough to swirl in the lightest breeze. Don't even get me started on the bevy of villains from the Cold Flame - a buxom sorceress with a scanty wardrobe, come on. They seriously need to clean this shite up - and fast - or those of us who are up with the original story will be forced to bow out from supporting this weak effort. I almost wish that they had left the ending of the series lie. What an exciting day for me to receive my box of graphic novels that I won from bookriot.com on National Comic Book Day! I had to read Constantine first. It's been so long since I've read Constantine in comics. I had no idea he had even stepped out from the pages of Hellblazer and into the regular DC universe to become Constantine. And what is Justice League Dark? Ah, I've been out of it for far, far too long. Constantine is always great, even through the different writers and illustrators through the years. As for the story? Well, it obviously left me on a cliff hanger and I didn't win the second book in the series, so I suppose at this point I just have to have faith in my favorite magician. Sargon? Mister E? Tannarak? I'm not so familiar with them. Did i want them in this story? I'm not sure. I'm more comfortable with your basic demons, voodoo priests, and fallen angels. Shazam? The Spectre? Hmmm. Well, at least there's the usual amount of blood, gore, and decent folks dying to save the show. A reasonable start to a series and one that doesn't hide Constantine's Machiavellian tendencies. In fact, it sort of rubs it up the wrong way & Rams it down your throat. He isn't an anti hero to sympathise with and this isn't a story for those that like their hero s clean and white and charming. He's arrogant, manipulative and esoteric, but if you're interested in your heroes hard boiled, morally grey and interacting with a sort of Street urban fantasy then this might be for you. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)741.5Arts & recreation Design & related arts Drawing and drawings Comic books, graphic novels, fotonovelas, cartoons, caricatures, comic stripsLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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