Constantine Vs. Hellblazer

Constantine Vs. Hellblazer:
American Commercialization of a British Icon

Origin of Hellblazer
Hellblazer is a modern comic book horror series that was originally owned by DC Comics and was later transferred to the Vertigo title due to the mature themes associated with the main character--John Constantine.
Constantine (2005)
In 2005, Warner Bros Entertainment produced the live action adaption of the Alan Moore classic --Hellblazer. This movie combined with
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
and
From Hell
, marked the third title of Moore's to be translated to cinema. For this film, the writers selected to adapt a run of issues written by Jamie Delano.
"Dangerous Habits" story arc (Hellblazer #41–46) In this arc, John Constantine is struggling with cancer, the death of a friend, and deal that he has made with the Devil.
Cosmetic Adaptations to the Character
As with any adaptions, there will be issues of fidelity between the precursor text and its progeny. Hellblazer is no exception.
Appearance
Unlike the original character, the John Constantine of the cinematic world lacks the trademark bleach blonde hair. This adaptation was most likely a necessity due to the actor's natural hair color being darker. By choosing to adapt, the production company was able to capitalize on the popularity of Reeves following his appearance in The Matrix.
Visual Aesthetics
Since Hellblazer was first published in the 1980's which was "during the early days of the Modern Age of Comics, and so its themes were dark, edgy, politically and morally ambiguous as its contemporaries." ( Doyle)
As a result, the style of Hellblazer is decidedly
Brut
or "ugly." By favoring the darker hues and undefined lines, the artists are able to capture the corruption of not only the world, but John Constantine as well.
Character Profile: John Constantine
Constantine is British Anti-Hero who is characterized as one of the preeminent authorities on the occult world. He operates primarily out of London and the British Isles. Often dealing with the Judeo-Christian Occult.
John Constantine
Location
John Constantine was created by a British Author, is a British character, and protects the British Isles--yet the 2005 film adaptation removes him from this locale to place him in Los Angelas.
The character, John Constantine, was first created for the series --Swamp Thing. However, due to the immense popularity of the character, a spin-off series was formed. Hellblazer began in 1988 and has been continuously published until 2013. Since then, the character and story has been adapted to the main company of DC Comics. Hellblazer has spawned novels, trading cards, table-top games, television shows, and even a movie --Constantine (2005)
John often resorts to cunning and guile to outsmart the malicious entities that threaten the mortal world.

John has a lot of baggage. He is a chain smoking alcoholic who is estranged from his abusive father and is willing to sacrifice just about everyone and everything to save the world.
Originally, John Constantine's appearance was based off of the singer/songwriter--Sting. Since then, the character has been seen with his iconic bleach blonde hair, trench coat, and pack of cigarettes. However, this image was adapted to fit an Canadian actor --Keanu Reeves
Ultimately, the transplanting of the character (or the change in appearance for that matter) do not affect the plot or the personality of the character in a tremendous way. It is a minor deviation that is used to help solidify attraction to the audiences and make a connection with a larger fiscal market.
Cinematic Visual Aesthetics
Remaining true to the style of the comic, the director of Constantine (Francis Lawrence), utilizes blurred action and darker shots that echo the vices of Constantine and the darkness of his world
In this clip, John Constantine suffers from his addiction to cigarettes in the form of lung cancer. Additionally, the appearance of the Vermin-Man perfectly showcases the chaotic nature of Constantine's predicament. John must grapple with the unknown amorphous forces of evil while he suffers from his own demons. Ultimately, John triumphs against the physically imposing entity through guile and the use of his occult tool set. This adaption maintains fidelity with the original texts by capturing both the gritty world and the personality of John Constantine.
Plot Elements:
Minor Adaptions Yield Excellent Representation
Dangerous Habits Plot:
Constantine Plot
In the original "Dangerous Habits" story arc; Constantine is struggling not with cancer, but the ultimate collection of his soul by the Devil. The mortality of the predicament is equal, but different. In both instances, the audience is acutely aware of how dire his situation is.
While the idea of John's soul being committed to Hell is still present in the film adaptation, this plot line is tertiary in the movie. The deal with the Devil is a personal motivation for Constantine and helps to develop the character throughout the movie rather than being the major focal point. The importance aside, the elements that are present remain true to the original comic.
Appearance of the Devil
Both in the comic and the movie, the plot resolves with the appearance of the Devil appearing to collect his due. Physically, the Devil appears as a mockery of Christ and Humanity.
In the cinema, Satan is portrayed by Peter Stormare. His costume consists of a pure white suit which signifies the perversion of the innocence associated with the color. Additionally, the actor's face appears to be strained by the entity within. This strain is shown by the exaggerated veins pulsing near the eyes lending to the menace of the character. Most notable are the tar/oil covered feet which is juxtaposed to the traditional biblical story of Jesus Christ and the cleaning of his feet as a representation of his purity. The dark material taints the soles of the entity trying to maintain a level of purity. Finally, the taunting that the Devil does on Constantine shows the level of disdain that the character has for John and the familiar nature of their relationship,
The comics reveal the Devil appearing to collect John's soul after he has committed suicide. Suicide being a mortal sin according to Christian religion. The Devil appears as a mockery of Christ. The entity enters in the fashion of a crucifixion and with sullied feet. This appearance shows the opposition in which Satan exists.
Resolution of the Plot: Adapted and Original
Original Resolution:
John Constantine is known for his street smarts, utter disregard for his own safety, and the feelings of others. Given the chance, this character will piss off anyone. This storyline is no exception. Once the Devil appears and taunts the hero, two more infernal entities appear to collect his soul. Apparently, John had succeeded in selling his soul to 3 different buyers. This act forces Satan to heal Constantine and ensure that he lives because if John's soul were to go to Hell, the devils would be forced to go to war. In a final act of defiance Constantine "flips-off" Satan and begins his new lease on life.
Cinematic Resolution:
Similar to the comic, the movie does showcase the brilliance of John, but in a slightly more efficient (cinematic efficiency) way. John still outsmarts the Devil, but his suicide is forgiven by Heaven due to all the souls that were saved by his actions. John still maintains his defiant attitude, but the Devil has the last laugh. The Devil saves his life by removing the cancer in John's lungs with the promise that John will find a way to damn his soul again.
Overall Thematic Adherence
As with most movies, adaptions must be made from the precursor text, to the script, to the final product. In the case of Hellblazer and Constantine, there are threads of similar plots and a strong adherence to characterization. Hellblazer is loved for its ability to combine "supernatural and real life horror, akin to contemporary gothic, with noire, cynicism, surrealism and occult detective fiction elements."(Ellis) The movie captures all these themes with only minor deviations for time, audience appeal, costs, and coherency of the final product. While fidelity will always be an issue, the movie Constantine is an excellent adaption of the Hellblazer title.
Future Adaptions of Hellblazer
New 52 and the DC Universe:
In 2013, Hellblazer was canceled after its 300th issue. The title was reborn as Constantine within the DC Universe. This reboot allows the character to interact with mainstream characters such as Superman and Batman. However, unlike Vertigo, DC comics is far more censored than the original Hellblazer
Television Series: Constantine
In October of 2014, NBC plans to air: Constantine. This show will be a live action adaptation of the Hellblazer series. From the trailer it appears to be a closer modeling of the original character design.
Works Cited
Constantine. Dir. Francis Lawrence. Perf. Keanu Reeves. Warner Home Video, 2005. DVD.

"Constantine." IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 30 June 2014.

Delano, Jamie, John Ridgway, and Alfredo P. Alcala. John Constantine:
Hellblazer: Original Sins. New York, NY: Warner, 1993. Print.

Duncan, Randy, and Matthew J. Smith. The Power of Comics: History, Form and Culture. New York: Continuum, 2009. Print.

Ennis, Garth, and Others. Hellblazer:Dangerous Habits. N.p.: D. C. Comics (US), 1998. Print.

Ennis, Garth, Steve Dillon, and Tom Ziuko. John Constantine, Hellblazer. New York: Vertigo, 1997. Print.