This month is WTF month at DC - a completely pointless marketing gimmick theyve trotted out for no reason other than to try and get some column inches (what could they be planning? etc). It also means each DC comic this month has a fold out cover with an eye-catching image implying that inside is a totally bizarre story to match the cover. Constantine #2s cover shows a deceased Constantine lying in a pool of blood with the tagline Dead in the streets... and the fold out continues ...at the hands of the Spectre! showing Constantines soul being dragged off by the Spectre. And, like most of the other WTF covers, Constantines has nothing whatsoever to do with the contents of this comic. If the point of WTF month was to have the reader wonder why they even bothered with it in the first place, all I can say is: Great job, DC! But thats about all Im going to complain about with this second issue because, like the first one, its a solid continuation of John Constantines solo series. John is on the trail of the various pieces that make up Croydons Compass, a divination tool that, once assembled, will aid the owner in finding every single magical object in the world, and in the wrong hands, potentially making them an unstoppable force. Unfortunately evil figures are also after these pieces and, escaping the evil sorceress Sargon in Norway, Johns now in Myanmar to get to the dial before she (and whoever else) do. Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes do an excellent job writing this issue from the pacing of the storytelling to the characterisation of John Constantine, its all superbly done. John has an excellent scene with Mister E, as well as the aforementioned Spectre, though with both encounters its smoke and mirrors without any real conflict - the star is once again the writing and the art, not the pyrotechnics of overblown action, which is a path this comic couldve easily chosen to go down, and happily avoided. Renato Guedes art is great too, his Constantine is perfectly drawn and his character designs for Sargon and Mister E are great too - menacing but not over the top evil looking. Overall, this is a very solid issue for this promising new series. So its London calling for the next issue as John has a homecoming of sorts arranged for him by his enemies, and Ill definitely be there for that. If you like your comics with a supernatural twist and a roguish anti-hero for a main character, Constantine is the comic for you. Its definitely one of the better series in the New 52 and well worth a look. Lets just hope DC knock off any belated publicity stunts from now on. Oh crap, theyve just announced Villains Month in September! Ugh...
Constantine #2 by Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes and Renato Guedes is out now at your local comics shop and online at Comixology and DC Comics