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Mike Carey
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Genre
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Media
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Graphic Novel
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Publisher | Titan Books | ||
ISBN | 978-184576068 | ||
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Reviewer
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Gareth
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Synopsis
BACK IN THE OLD COUNTRY! Soon to be stepping from the shadows into his own live action movie (starring Keanu Reeves) comes a classic comics character: John Constantine, the enigmatic chain-smoking mystic! Having finally returned from his lengthy sojourn around the United States, John Constantine's back in the UK, in Liverpool, to let his sister and niece know that he's far from dead, as they had believed. But almost as soon as he arrives, Constatine finds himself caught up in a mysterious wave of killings - and the culprit has magic in mind! Written by cult favourite Mike Carey (Lucifer), with art from talented newcomer Marcelo Frusin, it's Constantine at his best - on home ground, and in trouble!
Review
Red Sepulchre collects Mike Carey's first two story arcs for Hellblazer. The first arc is a nice self-contained, home-spun story of your basic, home-grown evil... That doesn't mean it's any the less creepy - if anything it's all the more plausible. - wait till you see who the antagonist is... this then segue ways into the main "Red Sepulchre" and this time it's personal as Constantine's own niece is threatened. Constantine is able to approach this, outwardly, calm, as if he's always in control, but then that is surely the sign of a good magician -and there's no one better than John Constantine.
Carey is able to make the magical seem real - whether he is writing about demons; possessions or "sick building syndrome". Whereas other writers try to emphasise the fantastical elements or take the opposite road and focus on the "human" Carey blends them seamlessly so the magic is just as common place as a family ruckass.
It's also possible to see subtle hints at future storylines to come -which will get picked up in further reviews.
This is a great start for anyone who hasn't read Constantine before because you don't really need to know what's happened before - it helps of course. This story shows you a definitive view of what John Constantine is all about - in my view, the definitive view. Carey has a tight grasp on all the nuances of his character and every time I re-read one of his tpb's I pick up on more of the nuances.
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