|
Mark Millar and Paul Jenkins Era (1994-1998) |
 Mark Millar was about as
unknown as a comic book writer could be when he cowrote, with
Grant Morrison,
the first four issues of Swamp Thing's new era. When Morrison departed and Millar
continued, his work was confusing and unsatisfying until he began a new storyline, which
clearly contained very good material. Millar's work would be on and off until his last
storyline, which would also be the final storyline of the series. Millar's run had, after so
many years of much more lackluster work, finally sunk the legendary series. But readers were
treated to six of the finest issues ever, incredibly clever and brilliant work that not only
tightly wrapped up the entire body of Millar's issues -- and featured beautiful ideas, such as
Téfé's imprisonment and Swamp Thing's structure in the swamps -- but featured the return
of characters like the Floronic Man, Anton Arcane, and John Constantine.
Each usage was masterful, demonstrating not only awareness of past appearances but clever
reinterpretations. Swamp Thing, the title's protagonist who readers had known for decades,
was completely unapproachable, beyond human (and thus readers') ability to identify; moreover,
this not only was necessitated by his history (though past writers had wished to avoid this
difficult-to-write implications) but not a problem for Millar's brilliant scripts.
Anton Arcane, the archly evil, literally demonic character who had long stood as Swamp Thing's
great enemy, returning over and over ad nauseum, was now a Christian convert -- a move
that undermined the entire structure of good and evil for the series (and the narrative) and
profoundly pointed out that people change and, when unseen for some time, can return transformed;
such is the individual power of the individual soul, from which character, and our interest in
characters, stems. Moreover, Millar not only utilized Constantine for narrative purpose (or
cheap sales increase) but added to Constantine's past, filling in noticably (though, apparently,
not to past writers of either title) lacking gaps.
The work was masterful, leaving Swamp Thing transfigured, seriously
changed for the first time since
Alan Moore.
But Swamp Thing fared less well. Mid-1996 saw #171, the last issue of the
longest-running title of the Vertigo line.
Just before and after Morrison and Millar began, a five-part mini-series was published that focused not on Swamp Thing but on
the Un-Men, Anton Arcane's artificial creatures. American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men
was written by Dave Louapre, writer of the beautiful Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children
(published by DC's imprint Piranha Press, precursor to Paradox Press). Illustrated by Vince
Locke, the story was more interesting than satisfying.
About nine months after Millar's run began (with Morrison's help),
Garth Ennis's successful run on Hellblazer ended. A single issue written by
Hellblazer defining original writer,
Jamie Delano,
followed. Then came a four-issue storyline written by independent comics great Eddie Campbell.
Following this, Paul Jenkins began a major run on the title, a run that would last 39 straight
issues, two of them "double-sized" -- as well as his dominant writing of the two-issue
mini-series Hellblazer / The Book of Magic. His work started strong, then ebbed and
flowed, but the spectre of Garth Ennis haunted Jenkins. Most prefered Ennis's approachable
graphic violence and simple, straightforward themes to Jenkins' work. Some preferred Jenkins,
or at least argued in favor of his subtlety by comparison, whether he always hit or not.
Others actually argued in favor of Jamie Delano.
What was clear was that the title had featured major writers with quite
different visions of John Constantine, who appeared a uniquely adaptable character. Delano had
prefered psychological horror set firmly in Thatcherite England. Ennis had written a
younger-acting Constantine, more concerned with boozing and straightforward love than magic.
Jenkins lacked an approach as unique or definitive, but his strength was in resolving the plot
threads of past issues, expanding Constantine's magical and cultural influence into Australia
and elsewhere, and writing stylish tales high on structure. Whereas Ennis had created a whole
cast of friends, supposedly long-known but never seen in earlier issues, this annoying feature
became ridiculous in Jenkins, who similarly created a whole new cast. Ultimately,
Hellblazer was certainly stronger for Paul Jenkins's work, though not as popular.
Jenkins left Kit alone, and pleasantly so, but offered a new long-term
love interest in the form of a less attractive black girl. Not only did this undermine the
unique nature of John's relationship with Kit, in contrast to his usual womanizing and flight
from long-term situations, but it lacked chemistry and believability. When the magic occurred
during Jenkins's run, it was particularly clever. But John's down time took most of the time,
and John seemed less old, as would be appropriate, than mundane. It was a worthwhile point, to
give Jenkins credit, but the entire run resolved itself in John merely losing the friends
Jenkins had accumulated for him -- and no one minded. By the end of Jenkins's run, even those
who praised his highs on the title (and indeed they were rather high), felt it was time for a
new era.
In some ways, artist Sean Phillips defined the era even more. He began
as regular artist on the title as soon as Garth Ennis left, illustrating both Delano's issue
and Campbell's four. With assistance on one issue and only three issues off, Phillips lasted
until the last eight issues, which were illustrated by Warren Pleece. Phillips generally went
straight to ink, giving his pages a feeling of spontaneity. His page layouts used negative
space, curving along the edge of pages and around large title areas. At his best, his use of
shadows gave the title a slightly spooky feeling, working well with readers' perceived need to
analyse Jenkins's scripts. The overall effect was decidedly moody and stylish -- and, of
course, consistent thoughout the run.
In late 1994 and early 1995, during those issue that preceded Jenkins's
run and concluding in the same month as Jenkins's first issue, DC /
Vertigo published a mini-series entitled Mobfire. It featured British gangsters who had
integrated magic to their trade, employing psychic raids, zombies, and whatnot for the purposes
of organized crime. While a seperate narrative, Mobfire featured the same terrain as
Hellblazer and even featured John Constantine; it is for these reasons that it is
included here.
In the first year of Jenkins's run, Jamie Delano, who had already
returned to write a single issue prior to the beginning of Jenkins's run, returned again --
this time as the writer of The Horrorist, a two-issue prestige format mini-series.
The Horrorist featured beautiful painted art by David Lloyd. The story
was cosmic, spanning the continents as John followed what seemed to be the incarnation, or
avatar, of suffering. While (perhaps necessarily, given its topic) unsatisfying, it proved
memorable.
As 1996 rolled into 1997 (after Swamp Thing was concluded and
Hellblazer was on #110 or #111), Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon, then working on the very
successful Preacher, returned to Hellblazer with a special following Kit in
Ireland without Constantine. The entire story of Heartland was an expansion on the
themes of Hellblazer #70, similarly entitled "Heartland", which similarly featured Kit
without Constantine in Ireland. Whereas Constantine was present in spirit in the earlier
issue, now Kit was more decidedly the focus. The issue featured Kit's family and told a good
deal about their past together. Decidedly focused on characters and lacking in the usual
melodrama, it garnered critical praise.
A year later, Swamp Thing reappeared, though not in his Alec Holland
incarnation, in a 64-page painted graphic novella by Jon J. Muth. Though largely incoherent,
its images were certainly beautiful and showed how Swamp Thing might be visually treated.
For readers of Swamp Thing, it was a lovely, though brief, return of a major character whose
series had been lost.
|
| IMAGE | TITLE | DESCRIPTION | STATUS |
| American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men #1-5: Dave Louapre script, Vince Locke art; photographic covers by Gaz, based on designs by Richard Bruning |
| American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men #1 | cover-dated February 1994 | 1 |
| American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men #2 | cover-dated March 1994 | 1 |
| American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men #3 | | 1 |
| American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men #4 | | 1 |
| American Freak: A Tale of the Un-Men #5 | cover-dated June 1994 | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #140-150: John Mueller cover |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #140-143:
Grant Morrison
and Mark Millar script |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #140 | includes letter by Mark Millar; cover-dated March 1994 | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #140 [platinum edition] | has metalic ink on the front cover, a letter to retailers (to whom this edition was given as a promotion) on the inside front cover, new black-and-white art by John Mueller on the inside back cover, and new color art by Phillip Hester on the back cover | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #141 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #142 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #143 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #144-171: Mark Millar script |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #144 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #145 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #146 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #147 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #148 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #149 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #150 | 40 pages; cover-dated January 1995 | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #151-158: "River Run" storyline |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #151-153: Brian Bolland cover |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #151 | cover-dated February 1995 | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #152 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #153 | occurs in an alternate reality in which the Nazis won World War II and conquered the United States; Chris Weston art | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #154 | has Abby humping Uncle Anton in an alternate reality | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #155 | features Solomon Grundy | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #156 | Phil Jimenez pencils | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #157 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #158 | cover-dated September 1995 | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #159 | Jill Thompson art; cover-dated October 1995 | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #160 | cover-dated November 1995 | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #161 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #162 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #163 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #164 | "The Parliament of Vapors" | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #165 | "Chester Williams: American Cop", which has the hippie transform into a right-wing asshole; pencils, ironically, by Curt Swan, famous for his old (and thought conservative) work on Superman; begins with a satirical letter by Mark Millar with art by Phillip Hester; cover by Curt Swan and John Totleben; cover-dated April 1996 | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #166-171: the brilliant "Trial by Fire" storyline |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #166 | begins one year later; cover-dated May 1996 | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #167 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #168 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #169 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #170 | | 1 |
| Swamp Thing (second series) #171 | final issue; cover-dated October 1996 | 1 |
Larger Version Available
| Heartland #1 |
Garth Ennis script; follows Kit in Ireland, with no John Constantine appearance; 58 pages plus a title page and a page of endnotes by Garth Ennis; cover-dated March 1997 | 1 |
| The Hellblazer story from Vertigo: Winter's Edge, published in December 1997, occurs here |
| Swamp Thing: Roots | the early sequence with the Buddhist monk is nice; Jon J. Muth script and painted art; 64 pages; cover-dated March 1998; published in January 1998 | B |
 |
Hellblazer
| |
|
| The Horrorist #1-2: Axel Alonso, editor of Hellblazer gave the official word on The Horrorist's placement in continuity, writing (in Hellblazer #100) that "events in [The Horrorist] ... take place directly after the conclusion of Garth Ennis and Steven Dillon's "Rake at the Gates of Hell" and before the
Delano
one-shot ("In Another Part of Hell") that preceded Eddie Campbell's [issues]" |
| The Horrorist #1 | cover-dated December 1995; published in October 1995 | B |
| The Horrorist #2 | cover-dated January 1996; published in November 1995 | B |
| Hellblazer #84 | "In Another Part of Hell", revealing the genesis of Chas's indebtedness to John; begins with John returning from Haiti; John Eder cover; cover-dated December 1994 | 1 |
| Mobfire Preview | pages 10, 2-3, 6-7, and 14 (in that order) of Mobfire #1 in black-and-white with captions in slightly different places | 1 |
| Hellblazer #115, 121-128, Mobfire #1-6: Warren Pleece art |
| Mobfire #1-6: Gary Ushaw script |
| Mobfire #1 | John Constantine appears; cover-dated December 1994 | 1 |
| Mobfire #2 | | 1 |
| Mobfire #3 | | 1 |
| Mobfire #4 | cover-dated March 1995 | 1 |
| Mobfire #5 | | Needed |
| Mobfire #6 | cover-dated May 1995 (though printed as March on the cover) | 1 |
| Hellblazer #85-128, Hellblazer Special: Bad Blood #1-4: Sean Phillips cover |
| Hellblazer #85-88: "Warped Notions" storyline; Eddie Campbell script |
| Hellblazer #85 | cover-dated January 1995 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #86 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #87 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #88 | cover-dated April 1995 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #89-128: Paul Jenkins script |
| Hellblazer #89 | cover-dated May 1995 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #90 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #91 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #92-96: "Critical Mass" storyline |
| Hellblazer #92 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #93 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #94 | Pat McEown pencils, Sean Phillips inks | 1 |
| Hellblazer #95 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #96 | cover-dated December 1995 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #97 | Constantine seemingly meets God; cover-dated January 1996 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #98 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #99 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #100 | has Constantine come to terms with, and seem to learn that he was not responsible for, his mother's death; has greatly effective deliberately "misprinted" cover; 38 pages; cover-dated April 1996 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #101 | Al Davison art | 1 |
| Hellblazer #102-104: "Difficult Beginnings" storyline |
| Hellblazer #102 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #103 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #104 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #105 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #106-107: "In the Line of Fire" storyline |
| Hellblazer #106 | cover-dated October 1996 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #107 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #108 | Charles Adlard art | 1 |
| Hellblazer #109 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #110-114: "Last Man Standing" storyline |
| Hellblazer #110 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #111 | cover-dated March 1997 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #112 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #113 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #114 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #115 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #116-117: "Widdershins" storyline |
| Hellblazer #116 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #117 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #118 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #119 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #120 | "Desperately Seeking Something"; has John Constantine address the reader and incorporates the writing and illustration of the title into the issue, which features Sean Phillips saying goodbye; 38 pages; cover-dated December 1997 | 1 |
| Hellblazer / Books of Magic Preview | simply covers, front, back, and inside; the publication information does indeed give the title without The, unlike the publication information given in the actual issues | 4 |
| Hellblazer / The Books of Magic #1-2: Paul Jenkins script, "from a story co-plotted with John Ney Rieber"; Paul Lee art |
| Hellblazer / The Books of Magic #1 | cover-dated December 1997 | 1 |
| Hellblazer / The Books of Magic #2 | cover-dated January 1998 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #121-124: "Up the Down Staircase" storyline |
| Hellblazer #121 | cover-dated January 1998 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #122 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #123 | cover-dated March 1998 | 1 |
| Hellblazer #124 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #125-128: "How to Play with Fire" storyline |
| Hellblazer #125 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #126 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #127 | | 1 |
| Hellblazer #128 | cover-dated August 1998 | 1 |
