Constantine #6 Review

If you're the type of reader who prefers the cover of a comic to offer a decent indicator of the events within, prepare to be annoyed with Constantine #6. The covers suggests that Constantine will be hounded by the spirits of every person he's ever wronged in his long, miserable life. How does one even fit that many characters into a standard-length comic, you ask? The truth is that the only vengeful spirit he confronts in this issue is Chris, who kicked the bucket back in issue #1. This issue is really kind of a letdown considering that the previous one ended with Constantine being violently killed.

The main problem seems to be that Ray Fawkes was and still is moving pieces around the board in the aftermath of the series' brief Trinity War tie-in. This issue eventually moves into interesting territory, but it's two-thirds of the way over by the time that actually happens. The showdown between Constantine and Chris isn't terribly memorable or dramatic. Nor does the extended scene of the Cold Flame and their ritual worship add much to the larger conflict. Only the scenes involving Lloyd's desperate standoff in his bar and the timely arrival of Papa Midnite really spice up this script. But when doesn't Papa Midnite spice up one of Constantine's adventures?

Renato Guedes' art is eye-catching enough, if not always as consistent as it could be. Again, the barroom scenes tend to stand out the most thanks to the way Guedes frames each panel and his dynamic angles. Disappointingly, the astral plane material is comparatively flat and dull. But colorist Marcelo Maiolo deserves credit for lending a vibrant, eerie shine to every scene.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com