John Constantine

John Constantine ( /ˈkɒnstəntaɪn/) is a fictional character, an antihero/occult detective in comic books published by DC Comics, mostly under the Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in Swamp Thing (vol. 2) #37 (June 1985), and was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, John Totleben and Rick Veitch. Constantine is the protagonist of the comic book Hellblazer, first published in 1988 and scheduled to conclude in 2013, when it will be replaced with Constantine under the standard DC imprint.

Also known as Hellblazer, Constantine is a working-class magician, occult detective, and con man stationed in London. He is well known for his endless cynicism, scathing wit, ruthless cunning, and constant chain smoking, which earned him the name "The Ultimate Con Man". A roguish counterculture anti-hero, Constantine is also a passionate humanist driven by a heartfelt desire to do some good in his sinful life. Pop artist Sting was the visual inspiration for John Constantine. Originally a supporting character who played a pivotal role in the "American Gothic" Swamp Thing epic, Constantine had his own comic in 1988. A live-action film was also released in 2005 entitled Constantine, where the character is played by Keanu Reeves.

Reception of the character is largely positive. The Hellblazer series is the longest and most successful Vertigo title, and is the only remaining publication since the imprint's launch. Empire Magazine ranked him third in their 50 Greatest Comic Characters of All Time, IGN ranked him #29 in their Top 100 Comic Book Heroes, while ranked #10 in Wizard Magazine's Top 200 Comic Book Characters of All Time.