The 1990s were a transformational time in American comics. Superman died and was later resurrected. The greatest Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, went on a killing spree and tried to destroy the universe. Spider-Man battled a serial killer named Carnage. A wacky merc-with-a-mouth named Deadpool broke the fourth wall on a regular basis. And the first issue of Todd McFarlane’s Spawn sold over a million copies for the nascent indie publisher, Image Comics. Antiheroes were all the rage in the nineties because of popular comics starring Wolverine, the Punisher, Venom, Lobo, Cable, and more. Beyond those obvious highlights, this era was also a revolutionary time for queer representation, especially when you look at Hellblazer‘s John Constantine.

The eighties planted the seeds for the proliferation of LGBTQ+ characters in the nineties. This was in large thanks to Rachel Pollack’s Doom Patrol run and the rise of two British superstar writers named Grant Morrison and Neil Gaiman. The “British Invasion” of American comics in the ’80s led to the launch of Hellblazer. It was a monthly horror series starring the chain-smoking con man and magician, John Constantine. As a working class and deeply flawed occult detective, John Constantine battled the evils of the Thatcher administration in Britain. Constantine remains a deeply singular figure in comics. But he represents both an antihero perspective of this time period, as well as comics’ movement towards queer perspectives. 

In 1992’s Hellblazer #51, by John Smith, Sean Phillips, and Tom Ziuko, John Constantine casually remarks that all of his past girlfriends and “the odd boyfriend” end up walking out on him. It was the first time that Constantine revealed to the reader that he was bisexual. While a subtle moment, the reveal of Constantine’s queerness was groundbreaking in the early nineties. The decade would go on to feature the debut of gay couple, Midnighter and Apollo, and a dramatic coming out story for mutant and Alpha Flight member Northstar. But Hellblazer remains unique in its nonchalance about Constantine’s sexuality. If anything, the reveal of Constantine’s sexuality confirmed what Hellblazer readers already knew: he’s a deeply queer character. 

Queerness has a political significance in that it represents non-normative and transgressive modes of being. This is precisely what the ethos of Hellblazer had always been. The unsavory aspects of Constantine’s life and personality made him a rejection of the traditional “wise old sage” magicians in British literature. His dabbling with the occult and supernatural led him into horrific situations. And he was often unable to help the people affected. Both the disturbing things Constantine encountered in Hellblazer, as well as his deep flaws, questioned the moral foundations underlying superhero comic books. 

Contemporary magic users in comics, like DC’s Doctor Fate and Marvel’s Doctor Strange, captured fans’ admiration. However, Constantine wasn’t someone readers should model themselves after. Instead, the tragic aspects of his life, like his traumatic experience in a mental institution, were something readers could empathize with and relate to. Considering this, it is not surprising that Hellblazer had a starkly different aesthetic from other DC and Marvel books at the time. It took on a grittier and quotidian look despite its supernatural elements. For Constantine, his queerness wasn’t just his sexuality but also his unique perspective and persona.

This idea is especially pertinent with regards to how Constantine stood out from other queer men from ’90s comic books. As opposed to Midnighter, Apollo, and X-Men’s Northstar, Constantine wasn’t buff or particularly attractive. (Interestingly, the character’s aesthetics draw inspiration from singer Sting.) He kept his bony frame hidden under a ratty suit and an even rattier trench coat. While Northstar’s muscular body zoomed the pages of X-Men books, Constantine would rarely punch or kick anyone. When he did, he looked awkward and uncoordinated. There was never an intention for Constantine to look nor behave like a “normal” character in superhero comics. He did not assimilate into the heteronormative image of a comic book hero. 

In the same vein, Hellblazer subverted mainstream narratives of ’90s queerness. Constantine’s casual mention of his past boyfriends was a break from the spectacle of coming out. Coincidentally, Hellblazer #51 hit shelves a couple months after the release of Alpha Flight #106. In that issue, Northstar became the first character from mainstream American comics to reveal that he was gay. The X-Men spinoff book, written by Scott Lobdell, features Northstar pouncing towards the reader while shouting, “I am gay!” It takes a much more sensationalist approach to queer sexuality. 

The story revolves around Northstar visiting his newborn adopted daughter in the NICU. There, a doctor tells him that “the child has AIDS.” Later on, when Northstar fights a father who lost his gay son to AIDS, he says, “Do not presume to lecture me on the hardships homosexuals must bear. No one knows them better than I. For while I am not inclined to discuss my sexuality with people for whom it is none of their business––I am gay!” The issue’s cover tops off its sensationalism, bearing the tagline “Northstar as you’ve never known him before!” Alpha Flight #106 and Hellblazer #51 came within months of each other, five years before Ellen DeGeneres’ People magazine cover with the headline, “Yep, I’m Gay.” 

When viewed in comparison with his contemporaries, John Constantine becomes an even more important figure in queer comics history. Unlike Alpha Flight, Constantine’s sexuality wasn’t a plot device and did not come from a heteronormative gaze. Considering that Alpha Flight #106’s cover reads, “Northstar as you’ve never known him before,” it is clear that the issue was created without an imagined queer readership. In this context, queerness is a personal thing kept to oneself, away from others “for whom it is none of their business,” instead of an entire worldview and mode of existence. Northstar’s queerness was something to identify and not identify with.

Hellblazer #51 showed how queerness also applies to artistic expression beyond just direct content or subject matter. It is also within established canon. In fact, a previous issue by Garth Ennis, William Simpson, and Tom Ziuko shows Constantine meeting with a vampire king in the middle of the woods. Vampires are certainly an enduring metaphor for queer sexuality in literature. Thus, Hellblazer frequently surrounded Constantine with details that hinted at his queerness. 

Hellblazer’s dark subject matter, queer perspective, and political themes laid the groundwork for future LGBTQ+ comics like The Department of Truth, The Invisibles, and the current generation of X-Men comics. Constantine’s antihero elements made him an early example of a queer protagonist who was not bound by the duties of “positive representation.” Instead, Hellblazer gave us a deeply human picture of a queer man living in dehumanizing circumstances. He is someone who wants to do the right thing even when the narrative dooms him. In today’s climate, Constantine’s voice has never felt more urgent. 

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It maybe didn’t light the cinematic world on fire in 2005 when it came out, but the Constantine movie starring Keanu Reeves has gone on to be cult favorite for fans of occult adventure and comic books. Now, according to Deadline, Warner Bros. will finally make a sequel. 17 years? Why so soon? Reeves will return along with original film director Francis Lawrence and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman. Goldsman will also produce along with Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella.

The movie took a fair amount of liberties from the Vertigo Comics source material. The original character John Constantine is a working-class warlock, occult detective, and con man from Liverpool stationed in London. He first appeared in 1985’s Swamp Thing #37 from writer Alan Moore and artists Stephen R. Bissette, Rick Vietch, and Jon Totleben. Moore and Bissette famously based Constantine’s look on Sting. Vertigo later spun the character off into his own series, Hellblazer, and Constantine played a big part in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman as well.

The movie, by virtue of casting Reeves, made the character American and transposed his exploits to New York City. Despite this, they actually managed to keep a number of his character traits and foibles. Reeves’ Constantine is hard-living, smoking, sneering, and defiant to the end. Though the character would be closer to the comics in the NBC and later CW Arrowverse shows, the movie introduced Constantine to a lot of new fans.

The announcement of a Constantine sequel is indeed a weird one consider how many DC films have been shelved or delayed since the Warner Bros.-Discovery merger. However, as the cult following continues to grow, surely the WB brass have recognized the name recognition Constantine has. The numbers on HBO Max must have given some indication. Probably even the Sandman Netflix series, with Jenna Coleman’s Johanna Constantine, brought people back to the movie.

No word yet on when the movie will materialize, nor when or if any of the other cast members from the original will return. If anyone else plays Lucifer besides Peter Stormare, however, we will be very disappointed.

Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.

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Netflix’s The Sandman is a loving tribute to the original comic published by DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint. Many of its characters remain consistent from page to screen, even if their genders are different in the show. In a world where comics and their Hollywood adaptations have never felt more separate, The Sandman’s attention to detail in regards to its source material feels revolutionary. In one instance, The Sandman tucks in a deep cut from John Constantine’s Hellblazer comics. This small yet vital mention adds another heartbreaking dimension to one of the series’ saddest moments. 

The Sandman adapts the comic written by Neil Gaiman, with art by Sam Kieth, Kelley Jones, Mike Dringenberg, Shawn McManus, Colleen Doran, and more. The story chronicles the journey of Dream (Tom Sturridge), also known as Morpheus of the Endless. Dream is responsible for protecting a space known as The Dreaming, a place of infinite possibility and power channeled from the dreams of humanity. Dream is captured and imprisoned for a period of one hundred years on Earth. After this, The Dreaming falls into disrepair, with Dream’s objects of office—a helm, the ruby Dreamstone, and a pouch of sand—scattered across the Earth and in Hell. As Dream sets off to recover each object one by one, he comes across a powerful, irreverent magic user named Johanna Constantine (Jenna Coleman) who is in possession of his sand pouch. 

Johanna Constantine is based off of the occult detective John Constantine. His appearances in the Sandman comics and in his Hellblazer solo series paint him as a deeply flawed yet charming master manipulator. Magicians are often portrayed as wise and noble in traditional English fantasy stories; however, Constantine is the dramatic opposite. He’s foul-mouthed, difficult to trust, and cursed with an uncanny ability to make terrible decisions impacting his loved ones. Johanna Constantine is canonically John’s ancestor from the 18th century in DC Comics. But Coleman’s portrayal in The Sandman is the most faithful adaptation of the character in live-action. 

This faithfulness to both Constantine’s character and Hellblazer comics is heartbreakingly clear in episode three of the Sandman TV series. In “Dream A Little Dream of Me,” a deep cut reference cements Constantine’s tragic love life. Johanna retrieves Dream’s sand pouch from the apartment of her ex-girlfriend, Rachel (Eleanor Fanyinka). While there, Johanna’s former flame reveals that she called up several of her exes in order to find Johanna. This list includes Oliver, a reference to the Constantine: the Hellblazer comics series by Ming Doyle, James Tynion IV, and Riley Rossmo. In this comic series, John Constantine dated a man of the same name. Oliver met a terrible fate after he made a deal with a demon to condemn his soul to Hell in exchange for the safety of his two daughters. It is a tragic end that is unfortunately common for many of Constantine’s lovers. 

Referencing this particular moment in Constantine’s publication history is significant. It underscores The Sandman’s commitment to its source material as well as the queerness of its characters. John Constantine is one of the most high profile bisexual characters in DC Comics. And the Constantine: the Hellblazer series (2015-2016) remains the most thorough exploration of his queer sexuality in comics. Taking an element of Constantine: the Hellblazer and putting it into The Sandman affirms the show’s depth of lore. And it also cements Oliver and John’s relationship as an indispensable part of his persona.

The Sandman placing this relationship within the context of Johanna and Rachel’s story makes it even more heartbreaking. The version of Rachel that Johanna had been speaking to was later revealed to be an illusion. The real Rachel lays wasting away in her bed, her body emaciated from holding onto Dream’s sand pouch. It’s a cruel reminder to Constantine that her magical prowess always has an adverse effect on the people around her. Johanna thought she was protecting Rachel by vanishing from her life. But she ended up inadvertently dooming Rachel anyway, just as John did with Oliver in Constantine: the Hellblazer. 

By reimagining John Constantine as Johanna in the show, The Sandman queers his original relationship with Rachel. But this happens while also providing a callback to the comics run that radically reimagined his character in the 21st century. This establishes Constantine’s bisexuality in the most Hellblazer way possible, as the phantasm of a former lover lays out the tragic timeline of Constantine’s past.

The Sandman’s Oliver seems to have escaped his sad comics fate; however, viewers never truly know what happened between him and Johanna. Regardless, The Sandman makes it clear that Oliver still remains a ghostly presence in this iteration of Constantine’s life, a fact that haunts both comics fans and now emergent fans of the show. 

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Over the last few years, DC’s Showcase animated shorts have placed the spotlight on less high-profile heroes. These shorts arrived as extra features on various animated films. Now, Warner Bros. Animation and DC are reissuing several of these shorts, along with a brand-new one starring DC’s resident occult expert, John Constantine.

DC Showcase: Constantine – The House of Mystery is a new collection of DC Comics R-rated shorts, hitting home video this spring. And you can see the first trailer for Constantine’s supernatural adventure, as well as read the official synopsis, right here:

Matt Ryan (Constantine, Legends of Tomorrow) reprises his live-action and animated role as the Hellblazer himself. In the all-new short, John Constantine wakes up in the eerie House of Mystery. And with no recollection of how he got there. Fortunately, Zatanna and his friends are all there. Unfortunately, they have a bad habit of turning into demons and ripping him to shreds. And they do this over and over again!

Among the voice cast are Camilla Luddington (Grey’s Anatomy) and Ray Chase (Licorice Pizza). They reprise their roles from Justice League Dark: Apokolips War as Zatanna and Jason Blood/Etrigan, respectively. Robin Atkin Downes and Damian O’Hare reprise their roles from Constantine: City of Demons as Negral and Chas. Grey Griffin and Lou Diamond Phillips also join the cast. Matt Peters (Injustice) directs House of Mystery from a script by Ernie Altbacker (Batman: Hush).

Judging from the trailer, it looks like Constantine will have to face the consequences for his restructuring of reality that we saw in the Apokolips War. (Hmm, sounds a bit familiar to another superhero magician’s current circumstances). Included in this collection are the previously released DC animated shorts for Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth, The Losers, and Blue Beetle. DC Showcase: Constantine – House of Mystery arrives on Blu-ray, 4K, and on Digital starting May 3, 2022.

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A recent rumor—sparked by a social media post by Peter Stormare—hints that Keanu Reeves may be returning as John Constantine in a long-awaited sequel to the character’s 2005 film. That’s all well and good, but there is another who has carved a place as the powerful bisexual occult detective. Matt Ryan, who has since played the character on Legends of Tomorrow. Now, I would never suggest that anyone should pick one hot Constantine above the other. In fact, what I’m suggesting is so obvious I can’t believe WB hasn’t already made it. Two John Constantines. In the same movie. And maybe they’re hot for each other?

Warner Bros.

We’ll get back to that last part later (it’s actually canon, kids). For now, let me make the argument for why two John Constantines are better than one. Let’s begin with how lucky we are to have dueling iterations of a character once seen as a C-list hero. Fans have lauded Ryan’s funny, comics-accurate, and emotionally driven performance as one of the best superhero adaptations. Meanwhile, Reeves’ demonic sad boy has garnered a totally justified cult following in the years since its release.

In a pre-MCU world, audiences weren’t expected to follow deep lore or multiple timelines, or to hunt for Easter eggs in every scene. But we are in a different world now. One with viewers well-versed in the idea of the multiverse. And moreover, one where DC recently introduced multiple iterations of multiple characters on a primetime TV crossover.

Multiple universes and versions of heroes are par for the course in DC Comics. John Constantine is no exception. That means that there are plenty of places the film could draw from. For instance, the Earth-2 World’s End arc where an alt-universe non-magical and very happy version of John is drawn into a battle of epic proportions by his Earth-1 counterpart.

DC Comics, art by Jeremy Haun and The Hories

So what could this completely hypothetical film look like? It would need to be R-rated just like Reeves’ original. Partially so Ryan can finally dig into the darkness of the character—something the actor really wants to do. The most sensible thing to do: create a new story that balances the tone and atmosphere that made the Hellblazer comics so beloved with what made people love the movie. It would be incredibly easy to imagine a world where Reeves has to magic up some help and ends up invoking Ryan’s British equivalent.

This also opens up the potential for a truly threatening villain; if you need two Johns to beat it then you know it’s going to be scary. Trigon seems like an obvious option, or you could go far more classic and pit them against Lucifer himself. John’s always been a reluctant hero, but we know he cares about humanity and Earth enough that he’ll be ready to fight to save it. No matter what the cost.

Warner Bros.

This could lead to an emotional climax that forces one John to die in order to save the day. Just look to the comics, specifically the New 52 era and the aforementioned World’s End arc when two Constantines collided. This story ended with two huge moments that we could easily see translate to the screen. In order to restore balance to the world, one John had to die. While the Earth-1 version of the character considered allowing his happy, kind, counterpart to survive, he ended up embracing him with a Judas make-out session… all while stabbing him.

That last part may no longer be a matter of dreaming too big. We do live in the Legends of Tomorrow timeline where everything is gay and Beebo is king. Regardless, this combination of Constantines seems like a way for DC to print money. It would give Ryan a much deserved space to explore the darker side of the character while also continuing the legacy of Reeves’ iconic iteration.

Featured Image: Warner Bros

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Few things can surprise us anymore in this year of 2020. However, the minds behind Legends of Tomorrow managed to both shock us and put a smile on our faces with a brilliantly unexpected crossover. They hilariously found their way into one of our all-time favorite CW shows, Supernatural!

The CW/Michael Courtney

Legends of Tomorrow returned in a new episode “Zari, Not Zari” that was full of huge reveals, a shocking loss, and a bunch of new info for die-hard fans. But what we were really excited about was the totally unexpected Supernatural crossover that occurred whilst Charlie, Sara, and John were on the hunt for the mythical artifact known as the Loom of Fate. We should have known what to expect when the crew ended up in modern day Vancouver. The trio confirmed our hunch when they wandered through a forest and found a shooting notice for the magical demon-hunter series.

It turns out Canary has the hots for the Winchester brothers. Dean is even her “Hall Pass” with her girlfriend Ava! Bisexual representation!! That’s not the only Supernatural nod, though. We even got to see the crew rifling through the trunk of a very familiar 1967 Chevrolet Impala… yep, the beautiful Baby made a cameo. There was even a prop dead body and a little Supernatural music cue, too.

The CW/Michael Courtney

Legends has always excelled when it pokes fun at itself. This super meta episode did that in the best possible way. Not only does the smash hit show Supernatural exist in the world of the Legends of Tomorrow, the trio’s excursion put it in jeopardy. Charlie’s sister, who just so happens to be a Greek god named Atropos, locates Sara and Charlie. And sadly for the crew of Supernatural, she’s also the God of Death. That doesn’t bode well for the crew shooting the final season of the beloved show. As Sara states, “If they’re dead, who’s shooting season 15?”

We couldn’t be happier that the Legends crew blessed us with this silly CW crossover. It gave us some much needed giggles during this trying time.

You can watch Legends of Tomorrow on The CW app or every Tuesday at 9:00pm ET/PT!

Featured Image: The CW / Michael Courtney

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Two years ago, NBC launched Constantine, an adaptation of DC Comics’ magical antihero John Constantine, that lasted only a single season due to low ratings. Constantine was retroactively added to the CW’s DC Universe last season on Arrow, and now CW Seed is stepping up to show fans what they missed the first time!Via KsiteTV, all 13 episodes of Constantine are now available to stream on CW Seed for free. This is very good news, especially since Constantine has yet to get a DVD/Blu-ray release; CW Seed is now the only legal way to enjoy a very underrated series. A full revival of the show may be too much to hope for, but at the very least we’re hoping that it could lead to Matt Ryan reprising his role as John Constantine at some point in the future. The producers of Arrow previously said Ryan’s guest appearance was a one-time deal, but then the show continued to reference him throughout its fourth season.As for the Constantine TV series itself, the first and only season introduced Ryan’s take on the title character, which was very faithful to the spirit of his comic book counterpart. Charles Halford co-starred as Chas, Constantine’s seemingly immortal friend; with Angélica Celaya as a burgeoning psychic named Zed; and Harold Perrineau as Manny, an angel with an agenda for Constantine. Fair warning: the story ends on a cliffhanger revelation that was never resolved because NBC declined to order a full season. Given the fact that the CW’s DC TV shows are still going, we can probably assume that Constantine and his allies succeeded in saving the world. But we’d still love to see that story play out in live-action, if possible.To find Constantine season 1 on CW Seed, click here!Are you excited to catch up with Constantine? And would you prefer more guest appearances or a new season of Constantine? Cast your spells in the comment section below!

Image: Warner Bros. TV/NBC

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