HELLBLAZER's John Constantine must become part of HAUNTED PALACE--a closed-set reality game show (think BIG BROTHER) in order to deal with a supern...
read full description
reviews
Aug 13, 2011
Dan
rated it: 
John Constantine: Hellblazer is one of my all-time favorite characters. Before I discovered Hellblazer and The Sandman I was seriously considering quitting reading comics altogether... the superhero bit had just worn on me, and I was rapidly getting sick of all of the crossovers and continuity reboots. I got into Hellblazer just before Garth Ennis started his historic run on the series, and when he came on board (with Steve Dillon as artist... later they did The Preacher, which is hands-down o
More...
Apr 26, 2011
[Yeah, spoilers. Boilerplate, polite version: I promise I don't "spoil" anything about this book that would have bothered me had I known about it in advance of reading this book. That said, I cannot think of anything I have read in my life that would have been spoiled had I known the plot-advancing facts. And this is not, I promise, a mini–Cliffs Notes–style detailed summary of the story. Perhaps the only real way to "spoil" a book is to detail any serious flaws in logic, to
More...
Mar 22, 2011
Michael
rated it: 
John Constantine, tempted by a fat wad of cash, agrees to troubleshoot the latest tv reality show, ratings phenomena 'Haunted Mansion'. Or so he's told. The contestants are isolated in a rambling mansion, filled with secret passages and tricked up fake paranormal effects. So far the show has wowed the viewers with a slew of strange happenings. The only problem is... none of the fake spooks and tricks have been triggered so far. So what are the contestants reacting too?
Lots of writers have More...
Lots of writers have More...
3 comments
like
(5 people liked it)
Mar 14, 2011
Melissa
rated it: 
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jan 16, 2011
Larissa
rated it:
Another entry in my graphic novel education, this book was lent to me by a friend ages ago and I've just now read it. (Bad form!) Dark Entries is part of a series of graphic crime novels that are published by Vertigo, which in itself is a really good idea. I found this one particularly intriguing because it was written by Ian Rankin, whose Inspector Rebus novels have been on my to-read list for quite some time.
However, although the storyline is inventive (paranormal detective John Con More...
However, although the storyline is inventive (paranormal detective John Con More...
Sep 15, 2010
Shawn
rated it:
Well, this was okay. I'll try not to be spoilerish. I was reading Alan Moore's SWAMP THING off the spinner racks back when J.C. first showed up (I still remember when he was so mysterious that there were theories he was meant to be Jesus Christ!) and kept reading his book, HELLBLAZER, up until shortly after Garth Ennis left (I stuck around for Eddie Campbell's short run but was unimpressed by Ennis' return). It is the nature of monthly comics that at some point, no matter how flexible the cha
More...
Aug 28, 2010
Marcus
rated it:
It strikes me that I’ve never really read much Ian Rankin. I think I read one years ago that was named after a Cure song - Hanging Garden, maybe? – but beyond that, nothing. I do read the Hellblazer comic, though (I even like the film, don’t tell anybody) and it seemed like such a good idea for DC to get a seriously big-name author involved. I’m sure they could have sold bucketloads of this book to the general punter, although it seemed to me that distribution issues may have reduced the im More...
Nov 22, 2009
Ryan
rated it:
John Constantine's never been my favourite character. I like him enough in small doses (like in his roles in Moore's Swamp Thing and brief appearances in Gaiman's Sandman and Books of Magic series), but I've never found him interesting enough to be a protagonist.
I do have a fondness for haunted house stories, though, especially when elements of reality TV are thrown in the mix (van Belkom's Scream Queen, the Halloween: Resurrection film), and this one seemed to have some shades of W More...
I do have a fondness for haunted house stories, though, especially when elements of reality TV are thrown in the mix (van Belkom's Scream Queen, the Halloween: Resurrection film), and this one seemed to have some shades of W More...
Oct 03, 2009
Hood
rated it: 
Hard Print
http://theleadmiamibeach.com/2009/091809...
Scenes of Graphic Violence
Vertigo Crime Smashes Onto the Racks
By John Hood
First off, I dig it when things come in a series, especially violent things. Because that tends to place some semblance of order on a very disordered portion of our wild world. For instance, I dug it when the Black Lizard collection of Noir novel reprints became the hard-boiled Vintage Crime. And I continue to dig More...
http://theleadmiamibeach.com/2009/091809...
Scenes of Graphic Violence
Vertigo Crime Smashes Onto the Racks
By John Hood
First off, I dig it when things come in a series, especially violent things. Because that tends to place some semblance of order on a very disordered portion of our wild world. For instance, I dug it when the Black Lizard collection of Noir novel reprints became the hard-boiled Vintage Crime. And I continue to dig More...
Oct 25, 2011
Zachary
rated it:
Wish I could give it a three and a half - it doesn't quite merit a four, but it was better than a three. This is the second of Vertigo's ambitious hardback illustrated crime novels that I have had a chance to read, and the first to concern an existing character, Hell's Rake himself, John Constantine. Ian Rankin is a more than passable modern crime writer, and I have enjoyed a few of his books in the past, though his reoccurring detective character is not my fav.
This was a double-treat More...
This was a double-treat More...
3 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Apr 28, 2010
Jaime
rated it:
I can’t remember the last time I read a graphic novel, but I’m pretty sure it’s been about 10 years. It definitely won’t be another 10, because I really enjoyed this and plan to find some more graphic novels to read soon. You may be familiar with the main character, John Constantine, from the comic Hellblazer or the movie based on it, Constantine. Constantine is a magician, though not the type you’re used to. And he tends to use his magic to keep those trying to get out of hell in their place.
More...
Sep 19, 2010
Graziano
rated it:
John Constantine becomes part of a reality show (Big Brother) in order to investigate the supernatural events that happen in this haunted house.
The first impression of Constantine: ‘Maybe we all screwed up our lives somewhere and this is the punishment. The punishment ... or the cure.’ (p. 106) Could it be so easy? No, the border of the drawings changes color: from white to black, so Evil tells the truth of the story.
The black and white drawings by Werther Dell’Edera follow th More...
The first impression of Constantine: ‘Maybe we all screwed up our lives somewhere and this is the punishment. The punishment ... or the cure.’ (p. 106) Could it be so easy? No, the border of the drawings changes color: from white to black, so Evil tells the truth of the story.
The black and white drawings by Werther Dell’Edera follow th More...
Feb 20, 2011
Sharon
rated it:
I didn't realize this was a graphic novel when I ordered it from the library, but I decided to try it because I like Ian Rankin's work. It was an OK fast read, but I won't be reading any more. The premise is OK: the investigator John Constantine is asked to join a 'Big Brother'-style reality show as a contestant in order to investigate seemingly paranormal events. I won't spoil the thin plot for others, but most readers can probably figure out the 'problem' in the first few pages. Rankin's
More...
Oct 27, 2009
Ryne
rated it:
Think of Dark Entries as a cross between House on Haunted Hill and film noir. If that sounds like your kind of comic series, then this graphic novel is absolutely for you.
John Constantine, cool, gruff, and collected paranormal investigator, has been commissioned to join a reality TV show where contestants are kept in a house and subjected to their fears. The house, however, has been conjuring up its own nightmares for the housemates, and it seems to be bugging the director, Keene. So More...
John Constantine, cool, gruff, and collected paranormal investigator, has been commissioned to join a reality TV show where contestants are kept in a house and subjected to their fears. The house, however, has been conjuring up its own nightmares for the housemates, and it seems to be bugging the director, Keene. So More...
May 18, 2010
Robo
rated it:
Whoever thought of paring Constantine with Ian Rankin deserves a medal of some sort because this was genius! I was always going to read this from the moment I knew about it and that was even before I discovered that the plot is a fabulous mechanism to subvert that most loathesome of TV genres: reality programming.
Ranking spins a grippin yarn with some great twists as well as hitting Constantine's gruff, hard-boiled but troubled, smartarse personality right on the head. Some of the More...
Ranking spins a grippin yarn with some great twists as well as hitting Constantine's gruff, hard-boiled but troubled, smartarse personality right on the head. Some of the More...
May 18, 2011
Jim
rated it:
My friend gave this to me on "Comic Book Day." Excellent read if you like graphic novels. To be honest, I was a little disappointed with the art & ink, but that's because I feel compelled to compare it to that of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series. Really, it's very good, and it doesn't detract form the story... I just didn't exclaim, "wow!" as I did with Dave McKean's Sandman covers. John Constantine is the perfect subject for Rankin, a tough, gritty lone wolf who doesn't always f
More...
Oct 28, 2009
Loyd
rated it:
Dark Entries starts with an interesting premise: what if there was a "Big Brother" reality TV series where unexplainable supernatural events began to happen? Would they shut it down? Or would the producers exploit the macabre occurrences for higher ratings, perhaps even encouraging or manufacturing them?
Ian Rankin's entry into the hardback comic noir field features the character John Constantine, star of Vertigo Comic's Hellblazer series, who is a supernatural detective, an More...
Ian Rankin's entry into the hardback comic noir field features the character John Constantine, star of Vertigo Comic's Hellblazer series, who is a supernatural detective, an More...
Feb 05, 2011
Hoyland
rated it:
I'm not really a graphic novel person and just read the odd one here and there. I read this one because I found it in the library and I like Ian Rankin. I definitely could have done with knowing a bit more of Constantine's backstory (though I assumed this would be the case going in). I had some trouble telling the characters apart in the artwork, which made parts of the story hard to follow. I knew what was going on, but I couldn't really understand why it was happening. I think some of the char
More...
Oct 23, 2009
Susan
rated it:
John Constantine, a detective who deals with occult matters, is hired to be a mole on the hottest new tv reality show, "Haunted mansion". Strange uncontrolled instances are haunting the contestants. John is sent un to figure out the source of what is taking place only to realize he is just a pawn in the bigger scheme of things. John must figure out who is in control before a deadly person from his past destroys him and the others, canceling them for eternity.
My first ventur More...
My first ventur More...
Nov 13, 2009
matt
rated it:
The artwork: Excellent. I loved the loose brushwork, loved the use of black, it was really nice and very fitting with the tone of the book. The artist did seem a little out of his element when trying to depict some of the supernatural settings that are in the latter part of the novel.
The Story: This was disappointing. The book starts out with a classic mystery premise involving a hard boiled detective, slimy TV producer, a haunted house, and unexplained paranormal activity; but then switche More...
The Story: This was disappointing. The book starts out with a classic mystery premise involving a hard boiled detective, slimy TV producer, a haunted house, and unexplained paranormal activity; but then switche More...
Apr 27, 2010
Tibbi
rated it:
Synopsis: In the book Dark Entries Constantine gets persuaded to go onto a game show that has been having some strange things happening and it's his job to figure out these strange miss-happenings. But as this constant study of things makes the ratings skyrocket Constantine will discover something that no one wanted to know.
Classification:
Audience- Male Teens
Purpose- Entertainment
Medium- Graphic Novel
Genre of Setting- Sci-Fi
Genre of Style- Ideali More...
Classification:
Audience- Male Teens
Purpose- Entertainment
Medium- Graphic Novel
Genre of Setting- Sci-Fi
Genre of Style- Ideali More...
Dec 31, 2010
Hannah
rated it:
Read it in two days, would probably have managed it in one if I hadn't have been stealing it from my husband's desk whenever he put it down :-)
Nice pace, nice twist, weak ending.
I've given it a 4/5 because I think it does a couple of things well:
- It was good to see an author trying a new medium and I think he managed it well.
- I'm not a frequent graphic novel reader, it was the author who drew my interest and made me want to buy it. That was worth doing and h More...
Nice pace, nice twist, weak ending.
I've given it a 4/5 because I think it does a couple of things well:
- It was good to see an author trying a new medium and I think he managed it well.
- I'm not a frequent graphic novel reader, it was the author who drew my interest and made me want to buy it. That was worth doing and h More...
Oct 05, 2009
Jason
rated it:
Awesome self contained John Constantine graphic novel. Pitch perfect haunted house meets reality television morality tale with a harrowing conclusion. Can't say much more without spoiling the plot.
My only complaint is the cover / marketing. I passed the book for weeks in the shop before I realized it was a Constantine / Hellblazer story. Who do they want to buy this book if not the already built in Hellblazer fan base? Possibly there trying to expand his base by marketing to a wider More...
My only complaint is the cover / marketing. I passed the book for weeks in the shop before I realized it was a Constantine / Hellblazer story. Who do they want to buy this book if not the already built in Hellblazer fan base? Possibly there trying to expand his base by marketing to a wider More...
Sep 20, 2011
Sam
rated it:
A Big Brother type house and it's contestants are being haunted by ghosts so the show's producer gets Constantine in to investigate. Things become stranger as none of the contestants can remember how they came on the show or much about their past. Then about the halfway point things get very Hellblazer and the story takes off.
I've never read Ian Rankin or a John Constantine: Hellblazer book so this was something of a gamble. Fortunately Rankin keeps the pace ticking over very nicely More...
I've never read Ian Rankin or a John Constantine: Hellblazer book so this was something of a gamble. Fortunately Rankin keeps the pace ticking over very nicely More...
Feb 09, 2011
Robert
rated it:
Ian Rankin, Dark Entries (Vertigo, 2009)
Okay, first off, the very concept of this book should make you wet your pants. Five words that you never thought you would hear together: “Ian Rankin does John Constantine.” That's a pretty good equivalent of “Sex in a Jar”, right there. I grant you, some writers do John Constantine a whole lot better than other writers (and trying to rank them is liable to earn you enemies in the world of the geek. But come on, guys, Brian Azzarello rocked so ha More...
Okay, first off, the very concept of this book should make you wet your pants. Five words that you never thought you would hear together: “Ian Rankin does John Constantine.” That's a pretty good equivalent of “Sex in a Jar”, right there. I grant you, some writers do John Constantine a whole lot better than other writers (and trying to rank them is liable to earn you enemies in the world of the geek. But come on, guys, Brian Azzarello rocked so ha More...
Dec 03, 2011
Timothy
rated it:
As a fan of both Rankin and Constantine, I went into this book with a bit of trepidation: Was this simply an attempt to toss a marquee name on a comic book property, or something more?
In the end, I'd go with something more. I'm not sure if Rankin is a longtime Hellblazer fan or simply read through a bunch of the back catalog, but he managed to tell a "real" John Constantine story, one that not only fits with the character's backstory (and draws upon it), but one that has a More...
In the end, I'd go with something more. I'm not sure if Rankin is a longtime Hellblazer fan or simply read through a bunch of the back catalog, but he managed to tell a "real" John Constantine story, one that not only fits with the character's backstory (and draws upon it), but one that has a More...
Apr 13, 2009
Tom
rated it:
Clever concept that gets a little bogged down as it progresses but a generally entertaining and genuinely fun little book. Rankin does a nice job with John Constantine even if the ride is a little more broad than nuanced. Who needs nuance in hell, anyway?
As with a number of these neo-noir graphic novels, the art teeters on the edge between appropriately bleak and annoying sparse. Sometimes it's really difficult to tell what a panel is trying to tell me, though it generally becomes More...
As with a number of these neo-noir graphic novels, the art teeters on the edge between appropriately bleak and annoying sparse. Sometimes it's really difficult to tell what a panel is trying to tell me, though it generally becomes More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Jun 09, 2010
Jake
rated it:
What a surprisingly great little book. I picked this up on a whim from the library, not even recognizing it at first as a John Constantine title (the spine just calls it a "graphic mystery"). It's a great premise, perfectly executed. Rankin nails Constantine's charm and bastardiness. Better yet, the book stands alone, free of any Hellblazer baggage, which is great, as I've only read a few volumes of the character's main series. Glad I didn't flip through the book before reading as even
More...
Sep 28, 2011
Paul
rated it:
In Rankin's hands John Constantine is re-imagined as a detective who solves a detective story by deduction.
It's not a bad story (when viewed separately from the rest of the Hellblazer canon) and the author is obviously a good writer, but for me it fails because Rankin doesn't seem to understand that Constantine's character is an untrustworthy Trickster archetype, not a Detective (a literary archetype in itself) who methodically solves crimes.
It's not a bad story (when viewed separately from the rest of the Hellblazer canon) and the author is obviously a good writer, but for me it fails because Rankin doesn't seem to understand that Constantine's character is an untrustworthy Trickster archetype, not a Detective (a literary archetype in itself) who methodically solves crimes.
May 29, 2011
Miia
rated it:
Dark Entries is a graphic novel that features John Constantine, the main character of the Hellblazer comics. I read this book purely because Ian Rankin wrote it, and it was easy to follow even for someone like me, who’s unfamiliar with the comics. I enjoyed the twisted (and twisty) satire on reality television, although I have to say I didn’t care much for the illustrations. I wouldn’t mind reading more graphic novels penned by Rankin.
