Hellblazer #43

Published in July 1991, Hellblazer #43 is a significant installment in the long-running Vertigo series featuring John Constantine. Written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Steve Dillon, this issue represents the beginning of the pair’s influential 'Dangerous Habits' story arc. The narrative captures the gritty, cynical tone that came to define the series during the 1990s, centering on Constantine’s terminal lung cancer diagnosis and his desperate attempt to outmaneuver the forces of Hell to save his own life.

The collaboration between Ennis and Dillon was instrumental in shaping the character's transition from a supporting player in Swamp Thing to a standalone icon of mature-readers comics. Dillon’s grounded, expressive linework complemented Ennis’s dark humor and grim supernatural stakes, grounding the ethereal horror in a very human sense of desperation. This era of Hellblazer remains highly regarded by critics and readers alike for successfully blending social commentary with occult horror, cementing the issue's status as a quintessential piece of modern dark fantasy literature.