John Constantine has been one of comics’ most compelling anti-heroes since 1988, a British occultist and con man who fights supernatural evil while dragging everyone around him into ruin. The Hellblazer run under DC’s Vertigo imprint produced some of the darkest, most literary superhero-adjacent comics ever published. Whether you’re brand new to the character or filling gaps in your collection, these five volumes represent the best of what Constantine has to offer.
| Product | Best For | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Hellblazer: Original Sins | First-time readers | 9.5/10 |
| Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits | Single-arc excellence | 9.8/10 |
| Hellblazer: Fear and Loathing | Horror fans | 9.0/10 |
| Hellblazer: Rake at the Gates of Hell | Delano completionists | 8.8/10 |
| Constantine: The Hellblazer Vol. 1 | Modern entry point | 8.2/10 |
Hellblazer: Original Sins — The Essential Origin
Jamie Delano’s debut arc introduced John Constantine to a generation of readers hungry for something grittier than the mainstream DC universe. Set in Thatcher-era Britain, the stories tackle poverty, racism, and supernatural horror with equal weight. The art by John Ridgway has a scratchy, claustrophobic quality that perfectly mirrors Constantine’s paranoid worldview. This volume covers the first nine issues and includes the Hunger Demon arc, which remains one of the most disturbing single stories in the entire Hellblazer canon. A must-own.
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Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits — The Perfect Single Arc
Garth Ennis’s debut on Hellblazer is widely considered the single best Constantine story ever told. Constantine is diagnosed with lung cancer and has about three months to live. What follows is a masterclass in character writing — Constantine uses every trick, lie, and manipulation in his arsenal to cheat death itself. The story inspired the film’s plot but executes it with far more emotional weight. Even readers who have never picked up a Hellblazer issue will be gripped from page one. This is as good as the medium gets.
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Hellblazer: Fear and Loathing — Horror at Its Rawest
Another Ennis entry, Fear and Loathing follows Dangerous Habits and digs deeper into the consequences of Constantine’s deal with the Devil. The tone is bleaker and the horror more visceral, with standout issues exploring trauma, addiction, and loss. Steve Dillon’s art, later famous from Preacher, is at its most expressive here. This volume is not a standalone — reading Dangerous Habits first is recommended — but it rewards that investment with some of the most emotionally brutal storytelling in the series.
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Hellblazer: Rake at the Gates of Hell — Delano’s Dark Finale
Jamie Delano returned to Hellblazer after several years away to write this closing chapter on his version of Constantine. The volume is denser and more mythologically ambitious than his earlier work, drawing threads from the original run into a bleak apocalyptic climax. It rewards readers who have followed Delano’s arc from the start. For completionists, this is indispensable. For newcomers, it is better approached after Original Sins and at least a few intervening volumes to appreciate what Delano is resolving.
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Constantine: The Hellblazer Vol. 1 — The Modern Starting Point
For readers who want a more recent, accessible entry into the character, this 2016 series by Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV offers a streamlined Constantine set in New York City rather than London. The tone is still dark but slightly more superhero-adjacent than the original Vertigo run. The art by Riley Rossmo is expressive and stylized, giving the book a distinct visual identity. It is not a replacement for the classic Hellblazer but works well as a gateway for readers who find the older art style a barrier.
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How to Choose a Constantine Graphic Novel
Start with your goals. If you want the definitive Constantine experience, the original Hellblazer Vertigo run is the answer — begin with Original Sins and work forward. If you want a single self-contained masterpiece, Dangerous Habits stands alone. If you’re newer to comics and find older art off-putting, the 2016 Constantine series is a gentler on-ramp. Budget matters too: most collections runcurrent pricing new, but used copies are easy to find. Reading order matters more here than in most superhero comics because Constantine’s supporting cast and emotional stakes accumulate across arcs.
Picking up any volume here is a solid move. For related reading, check out our guide to [/articles/best-dc-graphic-novels] and [/articles/best-horror-comics]. For more on how we rank and evaluate collected editions, see our [/methodology].
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Constantine graphic novel for a first-time reader?+
Hellblazer: Original Sins is the ideal starting point. It collects Jamie Delano's first nine issues and establishes John Constantine's voice, world, and moral complexity without requiring any prior knowledge of DC Comics. The stories are self-contained enough for newcomers while rewarding longtime readers with deep lore.
Are Constantine graphic novels connected to the TV show or film?+
The comics are largely separate from the Keanu Reeves film and the NBC TV series. The Hellblazer comics are set in a British context and are far darker. DC's New 52 series Constantine is closer to the TV show tone, but hardcore fans generally recommend the original Vertigo Hellblazer run for the definitive version of the character.