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Pandemonium, written to celebrate John Constantine's 25th anniversary, marks the return of Hellblazer's original author, Jamie Delano, joined this time by British artist Jock (2000 AD). What a long, strange trip Constantine's had since his inception in the pages of Alan Moore's Swamp Thing twenty-five years ago. John's been through a lot -- a lot of booze and cigarettes; a lot of women; and a lot of trouble, supernatural or otherwise -- in that time, but he's still essentially the same guy (discounting the demon blood coursing through his veins, of course). He's still a smart ass; he's still a capable magus; and he's still bad news for any one around him. This time around, trouble comes in the form of a beautiful Iraqi woman. One glimpse, and John's hooked. And hooked good, as a sequence of events involving the woman, an explosion in the British Museum and an ancient stolen artifact land him in Iraq, forced to interrogate something far older and more powerful than any American tank. Caught up in events beyond his control, John becomes a first hand witness to (and victim of) modern warfare and the manipulative schemes of those who are something other than human. However, John Constantine is a survivor, and he makes it out of this mess much as he often does, with insouciance and cunning (not to mention some mad bluffing skills) . And those who coerced him into this mission in the first place? Let's just say John's payback is very fitting indeed. As Hellblazer stories go, Pandemonium is entertaining enough, filled with dark humor and horror in equal measures and some interesting plot twists, but it never really rises above the ordinary (or what passes for ordinary in Constantine's world) -- not the exotic locale, nor the antagonists, not even Jock's excellent artwork. This is somewhat of a disappointment, given Delano's involvement and the volume's celebration of a quarter century of John's special brand of chaos. Still, the outcome might not be earth-shattering, but a new Hellblazer story is always a welcome addition to any fan's bookshelf. Vertigo's online home is here
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