John Constantine, Hellblazer is headed back to the pages of DC's comics — with a surprising catch. On Saturday, during DC's "Coming Up in the DC Multiverse" panel at New York Comic Con, the publisher announced the first details surrounding John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America. The new eight-issue miniseries, which arrives in January of 2024, will publish under DC's Black Label imprint, and will continue the narrative of Si Spurrier and Aaron Campbell's previous John Constantine, Hellblazer series. In Dead in America, Spurrier, Campbell, and colorist Jordie Bellaire will partner for what is being called the "second act" of Constantine's saga.
"Hellblazer is back. Between 2019 and 2021, Aaron Campbell and I chronicled John Constantine's sly progress through London," said writer Si Spurrier. "For 13 issues, the book dripped with heart and hate and rage—rage at the state of the world, rage at the state of our minds and lives. Those 13 issues were our poisonous love letter to the Constantines of the past—[Alan] Moore's, [Jamie] Delano's, [Garth] Ennis's. It was the best work we've ever done. And then it stopped. On a note of death and despair, with—like all magic—a heavy price levied. And now it's back. Because the cost doesn't count if we don't get to see it being paid. Because even dead things can make a difference."
What Is John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America About?
In John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America, John has cheated death once again—but his heart's not beating, his body is decaying, and he, his friend Nat, and his son Noah are on the run in America, wanted for murder. Naturally, it's all John's fault—it always is. But as it turns out, Dream himself needs John's help. Something terrible has taken root in America, and it's using the sand from Dream's pouch to impose its will. If John can put a stop to it, he might be able to parlay that favor into a chance to save all their lives—but he's going to need help from someone he hasn't spoken to in years. Someone he wasn't always…all that kind to. Someone…or some…Thing?
"When the email came through informing Si and I that we had the greenlight to finish the John Constantine, Hellblazer story we began several years ago, I could hear something, just over my shoulder—a scraping metallic flick. Once, twice, three times a charm. Then a long, deep inhalation. I could almost smell the smoke and hear the words, 'You really thought I was gone for good, mate?'" said artist Aaron Campbell.
"There are two types of people, aren't there?" Spurrier added. "First, there are those who understand that the world doesn't neatly divide into good and evil. That sometimes a bastard with a rotten heart is the best hope we've got. That we swim in an ocean of living, seething stories. That the tales whose labored breathing hints at mysteries and mythologies are the ones capable of delivering the highest highs and most tremulous takeaways. The ones which slither through nuance and awkward truths. The ones which present a recognizable reality, which can't be improved through the expedient of punching. The good ones. The second group of people won't be reading these words, so we needn't worry about them. And we're bringing back Hellblazer because maybe—there are more of the first type of people out there than we ever dared to believe."