John Constantine, Hellblazer Vol. 2: The Devil You Know (New Edition) (Hellblazer (Graphic Novels)) Kindle & comiXology

Jaime Delano's arcs are visceral and depressing and steeped in the 1980s. Yet the battles with Nergal are far too much in the astral plane and while some key figures for the Vertigo line are established and explored here (many of the denizens of hell are here that also show up in Sandman), but it's a little hard to follow and the trippy, 80s pastel coloring is distracting here. "On The Beach" has all the 1980s paranoia of Thatcher/Reagan area in the overt nuclear metaphors: about as subtle as Roger Waters' album from the same period. "The Bloody Saint" hints at the past life of Constantine. The backstory for Constantine given here is just a little dull: the almost obligatory Arthurian references made edgier are slightly distracting. The Horrorist is artistically stunning although some of the paintings do make hard to follow the characters and the plot is bleak, but one must admire the artistic acumen involved. The premise, Constantine following a girl who causes people to face their worst sins, leads to something about as amusing as it sounds like it would. Delano does a lot of character building for Constantine here, but actual plots are just not consistent enough to hold it together.

This is more like a 3.5 book. I liked the apocalyptic story in the beach and the story of his ancestor. I found not very good the ending of his challenge against his old demon rival. I disliked so much "The Horrorist" that is precisely the story that somebody that knows suffering only in photos of magazines would write, usually persons that know about suffering would not want it to others to experience it.This is going to be my last incursion in Delano's Hellblazer.

Art is amazing, you don't just skim thru the muck, or chill, you sense it.As if walking & sleeping & waking all at once in a numb fading painted landscape.John may very well live in the land of the dead, & a Hell as only be could witness.But Hell is real, pain is sharp as memory.But John is dead, as he can't think to even give a card anymore.Yet we read on.See what John is seeing.& Hell claims him, it makes reality out of his, & the long blinded, sadly...John gets to awaken, he gets to feel, while we still end upNumb, dumb, with a self satisfaction, that pridefuly leaves us all alone...Hell is Earth.& We will refuse to hear another scream, or a silent revery, torn from our verySelf concerned guises...

I dabbled in some Hellblazer a few years ago and found it interesting. Lately I was craving so,e occult comics and figured I'd read the new 52's Constantine and Justice League Dark. I gave both a solid try, reading two trades each. They kind of sucked.I finally gave in and decided to read Hellblazer from start to finish. Two volumes in, and they're a million times better than the new 52.

The last story is entertaining, but a majority of this volume is a curious story regarding ancient Merlin and nothing to do with Contantine. Good story, but not a fight against the damned soul.

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I know nothing about graphic novels. I do like the character Constantine.

A real mixed bag.We finally find out what happened in glorious Newcastle!First few stories follow on nicely from the first comic.With John on the run and worrying about Negral the demon, we have a lot of reading.Some stories I struggled with.A massive bumper issue with Johns past was a difficult but intriguing read. I don’t remember reading this in my youth! Very Game of Thrones family history of, Constantine.Some of the stories flowed easier than others. I got a bit lost in the Newcastle story because a lot of the faces seemed to blend into each other and look so similar. The colour pallet is very primitive with, Constantine having yellow hair rather than blonde.The Horrorist issues were my personal favourite, great art and it’s really sculpting Constantine to what he will become.If you’ve struggled, all I would suggest is to keep pushing on because the stories do get better and better.The poor treatment of these books is ludicrous.Cheap paper and a thin paperback cover. It’s just not good enough.Recommended? Absolutely! Although a mixed bag, keep pushing on because the stories keep getting better.

As books go it's got it all...Pictures and words all printed in colour on paper.Ace!

Definitely worth buying

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Great collection of the comic world's greatest anti hero!