John Constantine is no stranger to Hell – having gone there and back again more than once; yet he will apparently have to escape it once again, as he has several times throughout his history. That is, if DC’s most notorious con man can pull off the biggest con of his life.
Based on the trajectory of John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America so far, it’s not clear yet how the book’s protagonist will end up in Hell, only that it seemingly involves another classic supernatural DC character, Swamp thing. Further, it appears John will receive guidance from a creature that appears similar to Etrigan the demon.
John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America #8 (2024) | |
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Release Date: | August 21, 2024 |
Writers: | Simon Spurrier |
Artists: | Lisandro Estherren |
Cover Artist: | Aaron Campbell |
Variant Covers: | Christian Ward |
John Constantine is in hell. Literally. Trapped without his friends or a way home, he’ll resort to what he’s done before…conning the legions of the underworld into setting him free. That is, unless he’s lost his touch… | |
John’s been in Hell before, but it seems that there’s a major key difference this time, as the solicitation specifically points out that John is trapped. As DC hints, it appears John will test his formidable skills as a con man against the forces of Hell itself.
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“Dead In America” Will Be The Greatest Test Of Constantine’s Skills
Once More, His Soul Is On The Line
John Constantine is one of the best con men in the DC Universe. He’s been able to talk almost anyone into anything. In the Injustice Universe, John Constantine managed to manipulate Batman, which is certainly not an easy feat. But his being trapped in Hell again opens up a few problems for him. As mentioned before, John has been to Hell in the past, but he’s always had an exit strategy. Being tossed into Hell now would be a major problem for him, especially if either Demon Constantine or The First of the Fallen is still there.
The First of the Fallen is one of the most evil and powerful beings in the DC Universe. He is DC’s version of Satan, and he has a very specific interest in Constantine. John and the First of the Fallen first met on the night the First tried to take the soul of Brendan Finn, a friend of Constantine’s. John managed to prevent this, and even worse, managed to force the First into curing his lung cancer. This has made the First of the Fallen want to claim John’s soul more than any other mortal. Now he might just have his chance, as John is trapped in Hell, which the First rules over.
John Constantine Has To Pull Off The Hardest Con Of His Life
And Escape An Old Enemy
John Constantine conned humans, demons, angels, and everything in between. However, conning Satan not just twice, but three times would be a feat unlike any other. It’s not currently clear if the First of the Fallen will make an appearance, but considering their history and that the First is the ruler of Hell, it’d be a major missed opportunity if he didn’t. The only thing fans know for sure right now is that if John Constantine wants to get out of Hell with his soul intact, he’s going to need to pull off a con, unlike anything he’s done before.
