Hellblazer #104

Hellblazer issue #104, published by DC Comics under the Vertigo imprint in August 1996, serves as a pivotal installment in the long-running series featuring occult detective John Constantine. This issue was crafted during the mid-nineties, a period when the series explored increasingly dark and sociopolitical themes. It was written by Paul Jenkins, who took over the title during this era, and features artwork by Sean Phillips, whose gritty, moody aesthetic helped define the visual language of the Vertigo line, grounding Constantine’s supernatural struggles in a bleak, contemporary reality.

The issue is particularly noted for its role in the broader character arc of Constantine, focusing on the internal and external pressures that define the protagonist. By the mid-90s, the series had established itself as a critical pillar of mature-audience comics, distancing the character from his mainstream DC superhero origins. The design and narrative direction were intended to evoke a sense of inevitable dread and cynical realism, a stylistic choice that was widely praised by critics of the time for maintaining the character’s integrity while expanding the scope of his harrowing encounters.