Garth Ennis and Nancy A. Collins (as well as Dick Foreman) Era (1991-1995) One point no one has made about Garth Ennis's run is that it is roughly semetrical. Consisting of 42 issues, numbered #41-83 with the absence of #51, the center point occurs between #62 and #63. The former is entitled "End of the Line" and, beyond the plot, the title also refers to the end of the first half; the latter is the first Vertigo issue. At the beginning as well as the end, we have a six-issue storyline ("Dangerous Habits" and "Rake at the Gates of Hell"). Though the exact distribution of these varies within both halves, each half next has, after a few issues without a declared storyline, a four-issue storyline ("Royal Blood" and "Damnation's Flame"). After a few more issues without a declared storyline, each half next has a three-issue storyline ("Guys and Dolls" and "Fear and Loathing") in cemetrical positions; these storylines directly lead to or from the central issues, #62 and #63. Each half features a single anniversary issue with additional content (#50 and #75), though the second half features a second story within this issue rather than a longer single story -- and that second half also features an additional short story and a special, though these occur outside the main title. More importantly, the first half ascends to the mid-point: the first issue has John dying from the first page, but John ascends in confidence and situation, beating the Devil twice and rubbing it in, triumphing against no less than the royal family, and -- most importantly -- gaining a good and long-term relationship for the first time. #62, in which John ensures no descendants will have their lives destroyed by magic as he has, is his point of greatest ascent; in a rather Irish way, it is children who are the future. #63 begins the descent but does so in celebration of the ascent: we get a hedonistic and amusing party, but the underlying message being avoided is that John is getting old; the comedic ending, with Kit upset, appears merely comic but really foreshadows the descent. Immediately thereafter, John's friend is killed by racists who attack Kit, causing her to leave him, and him to become homeless. This descent leads into a scathing portrait of America and a final storyline, both conclude with villains vanquished -- but through others, at least in direct terms, and a considerably damaged John. Perhaps the symmetry of Ennis's run is numerically subconscious, but its formal symmetry only cements the ascent and descent of the narrative, clearly intentional. Though flawed in execution, it is this symmetry that is historically most impressive about Ennis's run, demonstrating what a writer, even young and in some ways anti-artistic, is capable of achieving on a pre-existing title. DC Comics has collected about half of Ennis's run. Ennis's initial storyline was collected first, prior to his success on Preacher. After that success, DC began to put into print collections of his work with Steve Dillon, the entire team of Preacher, beginning with #62, the first issue featuring Steve Dillon as the title's permanent artist. Skipped were #47-50 and 52-61, despite that #49 and 57-58 were illustrated by Dillon. Moreover, #59-61 featured the progeny of an angel and a demon, much like Genesis in Preacher, an artistic source that was read literally, with these issues interpreted literally as the origin of the character Genesis rather than a precursor; these issues raised greatly in monentary value as a result, limiting Preacher readers' ability to aquire them while raising their desire to do so. The final storyline by Ennis and Dillon has also yet to be collected. More to come.

IMAGE	TITLE	DESCRIPTION	STATUS
	Hellblazer #51	"Counting to Ten"; John Smith script; the official word on the placement of this issue occurred in its own letter column, at the end of which readers were told that "for the continuity-minded among you [I think I qualify, at least in terms of this project], this issue takes place between issues #40 and #41, before Constantine met Kit" (but note that John in #41 says that there's been "no bad craziness" since the events of #40); cover-dated March 1992	1
Hellblazer #41-50, 52-83: Garth Ennis script
Hellblazer #41-50: Tom Canty covers
Hellblazer #41-47, 59-61: William Simpson pencils
Hellblazer #41-46: the very good "Dangerous Habits" storyline
Hellblazer #41-42: Mark Pennington inks
	Hellblazer #41	cover-dated May 1991	1
	Hellblazer #42		1
	Hellblazer #43	Malcolm Jones III inks	1
Hellblazer #44-45: Tom Sutton inks
	Hellblazer #44		1
	Hellblazer #45		1
	Hellblazer #46	meets Kit again; inks by Mark Pennington, Mark McKenna, Kim DeMulder, and Stan Woch	1
Larger Version Available	Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits	collects Hellblazer #41-46; introduction by Garth Ennis; published in late 1993 [REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]	B
Black Orchid (second series) #1-5, 7-16, 18-22; Hellblazer #47-48: Stan Woch inks
	Hellblazer #47	"The Pub Where I Was Born"	1
	Hellblazer #48	"Love Kills"; continued from the previous issue	1
Heartland #1; Hellblazer #49, 57-58, 62-74, the main story in 75, 76, 78-83; the Hellblazer story in Vertigo Jam #1: Steve Dillon art
	Hellblazer #49	"Lord of the Dance"	1
Hellblazer #50, 52-55, back-up story in 75: William Simpson art (entirely)
	Hellblazer #50	"Remarkable Lives"; John meets the King of the Vampires; the 38-page story is told with interposed pages of illustrated text; cover-dated February 1992	1
Hellblazer #52-76, 78-83; Hellblazer Special #1; Vertigo Jam #1: Glenn Fabry cover
Hellblazer #52-55: the very good "Royal Blood" storyline
	Hellblazer #52		1
	Hellblazer #53		1
	Hellblazer #54		1
	Hellblazer #55		1
	Hellblazer #56	"This is the Diary of Danny Drake"	1
	Hellblazer #57	"Mortal Clay"	1
	Hellblazer #58	"Body and Soul"; continued from preceeding issue	1
Hellblazer #59-61: the very good "Guys and Dolls" storyline
Hellblazer #59-60: Mike Barreiro and Kim DeMulder inks
	Hellblazer #59		1
	Hellblazer #60		1
	Hellblazer #61	Agony and Ecstasy appear; Mike Barreiro inks	1
	Hellblazer #62	"End of the Line"; John ensures that he'll be the last Constantine obsessed and warped by magic; includes "Death Talks about Life" (written by Neil Gaiman with art by Dave McKean) as a special added section	1
	Hellblazer #63	"Forty"; John and friends celebrate his fourtieth birthday; John pisses on the Phantom Stranger's shoes; Swamp Thing appears and grows marijuana for everyone, including Zatanna; the first Vertigo issue (using mainstream DC Universe characters -- ironic, given Vertigo's intended and always half-hearted seperation from the mainstream DC Universe); cover-dated March 1993	1
Hellblazer #64-66: "Fear and Loathing" storyline
	Hellblazer #64		1
	Hellblazer #65	features a gratuitous wound to male genitalia, a (matriarchal) tendency in Ennis's writing	1
	Hellblazer #66	cover-dated June 1993, the same month as Vertigo Visions: The Geek #1	1
	Hellblazer #67	"Dear John"; Kit leaves John	1
Larger Version Available	Hellblazer: Fear and Loathing	collects Hellblazer #62-67; introduction by Warren Ellis; published in late 1996 [REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]	B
	Hellblazer #68	"Down All the Days"; features John, homeless and encountering the King of the Vampires; begins with a poetic introduction to John's homeless state (thus suggesting it occurs prior to Vertigo Jam #1, published between this issue and the next); cover-dated August 1993	1
	Hellblazer #69	"Rough Trade"; has John kill, far too abruptly, the King of the Vampires	1
the last story in Black Orchid Annual #1; Swamp Thing (second series) #140-152, 154-155, 157-158, 160-164, 166-171; the last story in Swamp Thing Annual #7; the Swamp Thing story in Vertigo Jam #1: Phillip Hester pencils
	Vertigo Jam #1	features an 8-page story of the Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Kevin Nowlan, a 13-page Hellblazer story, featuring John on the street, written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Steve Dillon (and featuring another gratuitous wound to male genitalia, this one playing into the largely invented fear of penile consumption by the vagina -- perhaps more real to the Irish than most), a 7-page Animal Man story written by Jamie Delano, with Scot Eaton pencils and Mark Pennington inks, an 8-page Doom Patrol story written by the astoundingly bad Rachel Pollack, illustrated by Eric Shanower, a 7-page Swamp Thing story written by Nancy A. Collins, pencilled by Phillip Hester and inked by Kim DeMulder, an 8-page Kid Eternity story, written by Ann Nocenti and illustrated by Duncan Fegredo & Sean Phillips, and a 7-page Shade, the Changing Man story, written by Peter Milligan and illustrated by Michael Allred; cover-dated August 1993	1
	Hellblazer #70	"Heartland"; follows Kit without John in Ireland	1
	Hellblazer #71	John recovers through an encounter with a dead World War I pilot	1
Larger Version Available	Hellblazer Special #1	the brilliant 45-page "Confessional", plus a gallery of pin-ups by Glenn Fabry, Steve Pugh, Richard Case, William Simpson, Jill Thompson, Glyn Dillon, Charles Vess, Gary Erskine, David Lloyd, and Phil Winslade; published between #70 and #71	1
Larger Version Available	Hellblazer: Tainted Love	collects Hellblazer #68-71, Hellblazer Special #1, and the Hellblazer story from Vertigo Jam #1 [REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]	0
Hellblazer #72-75: "Damnation's Flame" storyline
	Hellblazer #72		1
	Hellblazer #73		1
	Hellblazer #74		1
	Hellblazer #75	includes the 26-page conclusion to "Damnation's Flame" (with Steve Dillon art) as well as the 14-page "Act of Union" (ocurring in 1980; with William Simpson art); cover-dated March 1994	1
	Hellblazer #76	"Confessions of an Irish Rebel"; John talks to Brendan's ghost	1
Hellblazer #77; Swamp Thing (second series) #154-158, 160-164, 166-171: John Totleben cover
	Hellblazer #77	"And the Crowd Goes Wild"; Peter Snejbjerg art	1
Larger Version Available	Hellblazer: Damnation's Flame	collects Hellblazer #72-77 [REVIEW AND PURCHASE THIS BOOK]	0
Hellblazer #78-83: "Rake at the Gates of Hell" storyline
	Hellblazer #78	brilliantly begins with a black page and the caption "If anyone wants to pray for him, now's the time."	1
	Hellblazer #79		1
	Hellblazer #80		1
	Hellblazer #81		1
	Hellblazer #82		1
	Hellblazer #83	cover-dated November 1994	1
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing (second series) #110-115, 117-125, 127-138; Swamp Thing Annual #6-7: Nancy A. Collins script
Swamp Thing (second series) #110-115, 117-120, 122-128; Swamp Thing Annual #6: John Higgins cover
	Swamp Thing Annual #6	includes a letter by editor Stuart Moore; Bill Jaaska pencils, Rick Bryant inks; cover-dated 1991	1
Swamp Thing (second series) #110, 114-115, 117-123, 125-152, 154-158, 160-171; the last story in Swamp Thing Annual #7; the Swamp Thing story in Vertigo Jam #1: Kim DeMulder inks
	Swamp Thing (second series) #110	Tom Mandrake and Bill Jaaska pencils; cover-dated August 1991	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #111	17 pages with Tom Mandrake pencils and Kim DeMulder inks; 7 pages with Shawn McManus art	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #112	Tom Yeates layouts and Shepherd Hendrix inks	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #113	continued from the previous issue though I don't know any more information	Needed
Swamp Thing (second series) #114-115: Tom Mandrake pencils
	Swamp Thing (second series) #114	John Constantine appears; cover-dated December 1991	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #115	John Constantine appears; continued from the previous issue; cover-dated January 1992	1
Swamp Thing (second series) #116, 159: Tom Taggart cover
	Swamp Thing (second series) #116	"The Growing Season", a good story; Shawn McManus art	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #117	Jan Duursema pencils	1
Swamp Thing (second series) #118-135, 138: Scot Eaton pencils
	Swamp Thing (second series) #118	Matthew the Raven (from The Sandman) appears; concludes with Téfé kidnapped	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #119	Lady Jane introduced; continued from the previous issue	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #120	with Abby jealous of Lady Jane, the latter narrates her past	1
Swamp Thing (second series) #121, 129-139, Swamp Thing Annual #7: Charles Vess cover
	Swamp Thing (second series) #121		1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #122	"The Eye of the Needleman"; includes pin-ups by Charles Vess and Arthur Adams	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #123		1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #124	"Husks"; nice in that it shows Swamp Thing as a god outside of his narrow universe; ends with material arriving on Clark Kent's desk; Greg Baker inks	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #125	has an opening sequence that responds to Lucifer's abdication in The Sandman #23 and occurs six months prior to the main story; Anton Arcane returns and possesses Sunderland at the end; Agony and Ecstasy appear; The Phantom Stranger appears; cover-dated November 1992	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #126	features an underground cartoonist; includes a trip sequence that's one long panel, a third of the page in height	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #127	Chester announces he's moving to New Orleans; Swamp Thing leaves a duplicate behind with Lady Jane and his family while he goes off to fight a Sunderland monster	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #128	Swamp Thing's duplicate screws Abby while he fights and wanders poisoned; includes a pin-up by Glenn Fabry	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #129	Swamp Things wanders and hallucinates; first Vertigo issue; cover-dated March 1993	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #130	John Constantine appears; Swamp Thing's dupicate thoroughly becomes an Abby-satisfying sex machine; includes a pin-up by Kelley Jones	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #131	Swamp Thing is healed by mythic creatures who see him as Erl-King, but the process leaves him with Spawn-like spikes	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #132	Swamp Thing absorbs his duplicate, causing Abby to cry; Black Orchid and John Constantine are shown briefly responding to disturbances in the Green; cover-dated June 1993, the same month as Vertigo Visions: The Geek #1	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #133	Swamp Thing stops a gigantic flower (yes ... ) as Abby asks Chester to take her with him; Arcane-Sunderland is resurrected; includes a pin-up by Paul Chadwick	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #134	Abby yells at an immediately pursuing Swamp Thing; Abby gets a job playing on her sexuality, then meets John Constantine	1
the Swamp Thing story from Vertigo Jam #1, featuring Swamp Thing responding to his wife's abandonment of him, occurs here
	Swamp Thing (second series) #135	John Constantine talks to Abby; Lady Jane reads to Téfé and begins to mate with Swamp Thing; cover-dated September 1993, the same month as Black Orchid (second series) #1	1
	Swamp Thing Annual #7	part 4 of Vertigo's The Children's Crusade crossover (running through 1993's Vertigo annuals); in the main story (with Mark Buckingham art), Téfé has an adventure while Lady Jane and Swamp Thing are screwing in the Green (the main story specifies that it takes place during #136), then returns with a distorted face; also contains a short story (with Dennis Cramer art) focusing on the living flowers' society; also contains a story (with Phillip Hester pencils and Kim DeMulder inks) in which Lady Jane reads Téfé a story (the ending of which is shown, without the last word balloon, in #135); cover-dated 1993	1
Swamp Thing (second series) #136-137: Russell Braun pencils
	Swamp Thing (second series) #136	has Téfé going off and returning altered as she did in the main story of Swamp Thing Annual #7; Abby goes on a date and winds up captured by Arcane; John Constantine visits Swamp Thing and breaks up his screwing of Lady Jane	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #137	everyone, including Constantine, goes to rescue Abby; Arcane-Sunderland gets a new body, grown by Téfé, and Abby's body is revealed to be deformed; contains a pin-up by Mike Mignola	1
	Swamp Thing (second series) #138	Agony and Ecstasy appear; Arcane defeated; John Constantine consoles Swamp Thing as Abby leaves again; Lady Jane takes Téfé, now comfortable using her powers, away into the Green; cover-dated December 1993	1
Black Orchid
	Vertigo Visions: The Geek #1	56-page story written by Rachel Pollack and illustrated by Michael Allred; cover by Michael Allred and Matt Wagner; cover-dated June 1993	1
Black Orchid (second series) #1-22, Black Orchid Annual #1: Dave McKean cover
Black Orchid (second series) #1-4, 6: Jill Thompson pencils
	Black Orchid (second series) #1	cover-dated September 1993	1
	Black Orchid (second series) #2		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #3		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #4		1
	Black Orchid Annual #1	part 2 of Vertigo's The Children's Crusade crossover (running through 1993's Vertigo annuals); features a story focusing on Suzy in two parts (the first with Gary Amoro pencils and Jason Minor inks, the second with Charlie Adlard art); also contains a back-up story of the original Black Orchid (with a script by "Sheldon" Foreman, pencils by Phillip Hester, and inks by Bruce McCorkindale); has a particularly beautiful cover	1
	Black Orchid (second series) #5	Jill Thompson and Rebecca Guay pencils; cover-dated January 1994	1
Black Orchid (second series) #7-17, 19-22; Swamp Thing (second series) #139: Rebecca Guay pencils
	Swamp Thing (second series) #139	continued from Black Orchid (second series) #5; Black Orchid searches out Swamp Thing in the swamp, where his oblivion-seeking mind is unconsciously altering the landscape; cover-dated January 1994	1
	Black Orchid (second series) #6	Bruce McCorkindale inks	1
	Black Orchid (second series) #7		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #8		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #9		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #10		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #11		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #12		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #13		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #14		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #15		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #16		1
Black Orchid (second series) #17-22: "A Twisted Season" storyline
	Black Orchid (second series) #17	Dick Giordano inks	1
	Black Orchid (second series) #18	Jamie Tolagson pencils	1
	Black Orchid (second series) #19	I'm assuming this has Rebecca Guay pencils and Stan Woch inks	Needed
	Black Orchid (second series) #20	I'm assuming this has Rebecca Guay pencils and Stan Woch inks	Needed
	Black Orchid (second series) #21		1
	Black Orchid (second series) #22	Black Orchid dies and Suzy, now in adult form, takes her place; cover-dated June 1995	1

On The Continuity Pages: Swamp Thing Click here to return to the main Swamp Thing page. Vertigo Chronology This large, hyperlinked table covers the publications of DC's Vertigo imprint, organized by cover-date and by type. The Continuity Pages: Garth Ennis Miscellany The continuity page for Garth Ennis's miscellaneous work, including all relevant links. The Continuity Pages: Preacher The continuity page for Preacher, written by Garth Ennis with artwork by his Hellblazer collaborator, Steve Dillon. "Belfast and New York, Ireland and America, and the Strange Phenomenon of “Irish Studies” as Seen in the Graphic Fiction of Garth Ennis" An essay by Julian Darius on Garth Ennis as an Irish writer and of his conflicting depictions of Belfast and New York -- including in Hellblazer.	Off-Site Please be aware that the continued quality, and even existence, of these sites cannot be guaranteed. None at present.
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