John Constantine, the main character in Hellblazer, was originally a very minor character in DC Comics' Swamp Thing. Next came his only series, in which this hard-smoking, hard-drinking, all around manipulator walked the thin line of magic between this world and hell. So when Irishman Garth Ennis was asked to write this comic book, he had asked himself, "What could I possibly do to John Constantine that hadn't been done before? And one course of action suddenly stood out above all others: Kill him." The result is a tense supernatural drama that begins with Constantine being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Though this book only hints at the freeform casualness and over-the-top vulgarity that became Ennis' trademark in the Preacher series, this is an immensely enjoyable read with strong characters and dynamite plot twists. \—Jim Pascoe

Cynical mystic John Constantine has dealt with the dangers of magic and mysticism firsthand. Even with his mastery of the dark arts, he has tasted death many times and barely survived. So when he learns that his niece has decided to follow his dangerous career path, he knows that even greater trouble awaits him. But not even he is prepared for what lies ahead, as he finds himself challenging mad racists, coping with personal betrayals, and attending his own fortieth birthday party with the Swamp Thing.

From the breakup of the romance he hoped would redeem his soul, John Constantine joins the ranks of London's homeless, meeting a vicious vampire cult and revisiting the scene of one of his earliest encounters with dark magic.

Book by Garth Ennis