Go Mavs!!!

About 12-13 years ago I worked for a CD-ROM gaming company that was working with Neil Gaiman to make video games from a couple of his properties; the company tanked and the games never got made but I did get to spend some time with one of my idols and that job is still the greatest professional experience I’ve ever had. I’d brought in a handful of comics/books for Neil to sign (my comics are an unorganized mess – I brought in what I could find) and one of them that I brought in was Hellblazer #27. Everything else he just signed but he actually sat down and re-read this one cover to cover. He obviously hadn’t seen it in a long time and was also very pleased with it.

Great comic and a really good guy. Thanks for writing about it.

I was a pretty huge Constantine fan (up until the comic brought him to the USA for several arcs about 5 years back - near issue 130 or so). But eventually, I had to make cuts in the buying-habits and sadly, Hellblazer fell under the knife.

I have everything up until that point (all the one-shots, tie-ins, guest appearances, mini-series, etc...) but even though I'll be selling off all the rest of those issues, THIS is one that I'm pretty sure I'll keep.

It speaks to me of the character (both for good and ill) of Constantine as well as ourselves.
I immediately was pulled into the story and wondered how I would react to many of the situations therein.

I've had many experiences with "the homeless" (a sad, one-size-fits-all-lump-them-together title), and usually treat them one-on-one as people and give my time (and money, whenever I can) to treat them the same respect and humanity that I would hope for if I were in their shoes (although, some aren't even wearing those).

The friends who would chastise me for doing so aren't my friends any longer, and though I have moved to a place where the plight of the homeless is less seen, I know that if I were to meet up with them, I will try whatever I can to help.
This issue always comes to mind and reminds me of doing right.
(Odd, that most of my morality lessons are more deeply ingrained from reading comics, then they are from all my years of Church-going or Christian-instilled learnings.)

~P~
P-TOR

I also respectfully disagree with the adverse opinions. But that's cool - we're all friends here!

It's the only issue of Hellblazer I own-- I got it because the creative team behind Black Orchid (my favourite DC comic of the late 1980s-- Neil Gaiman back when he was the cool new DC writer and not, well, Neil Gaiman) was doing an issue of Hellblazer. It's a great story, and I love the sad and haunting ending.

I remember at the time being disappointed Gaiman and McKean weren't going to do the book regularly. I smile when I think back on that.