Vertigo is an interesting name for a publishing imprint. There’s an implicit suggestion (threat or promise depending on your inclination) that you’ll be made sick by their publications. And sadly, it’s usually for the wrong reasons. After a promising start typified by writing beyond the confines of the superhero ghetto, this sub-brand of DC Comics established its own particular stylistic blend of cliche and pretension that has had some high points, and produced a lot of dross too.

Fortunately there have always been some gems in the mire, and those have tended to be associated with particular writers. And sooner or later, those writers will end up on Vertigo’s flagship title, Hellblazer. A horror title chronicling the adventures of dodgy magician geezer John Constantine, I read a good chunk of the early issues in the late 80s comics boom. Yes gentle reader, before there were comics articles in Sunday papers titled Comics Grow Up featuring Maus and Watchmen and Jimmy Corrigan, there were comics articles in Sunday papers about Maus, Watchmen, and Cerebus.

In retrospect, a lot of the comics I was reading at the time were crap. Non-mainstream crap for sure, but Hellblazer was often overwritten by Jamie Delano, or used as a vehicle by Garth Ennis to write more stories about blokes in pubs who swear a lot. I sold my collection to fund the decoration of a bedroom, holding onto just a few copies, a beautiful one-off by Neil Gaiman (whose Sandman I find a bit fey) and a couple by Grant Morrison (whose praises I have already sung in these parts).

After that, I ignored Hellblazer. Until yesterday, when I ended up acquiring a copy of The Laughing Magician. It’s written by Andy Diggle, whose Losers was one of the best comics titles in recent years, an action thriller on paper with a political undercurrent, explosively illustrated by fellow Brit Jock. I’d heard good things about Diggle’s take on Constantine, and was happy to find out on a 3 graphic novels for 2 deal at Waterstones.

I’m more than glad I did. Under Diggle, Constantine’s story is a kinetic drama that’s more about creating a good yarn than its writer emoting in print through a cypher, as Hellblazer has been under weaker writers. The collection kicks off with an excellent self-contained story that displays Diggle’s command of a particular take on magic as Constantine battles with entities that have come into existence because people believe in them. It’s a great notion to play with, that brings some creepy London-centric urban legends to life, and that horror vibe is combined with Diggle’s established flair for strong pacing and action: it moves like shit off a shovel.

The other story gives the collection its title, as Constantine is put up against a genuinely scary African magiphage, that is one who eats magicians. Quite why he picks on Constantine when Paul Daniels is still standing I couldn’t tell you, but he travels from Africa to hunt John on his homeground hoping to add to his magical power. As is conventional with Constantine, there’s much angst about John stitching his allies up to save the day, any guilt the antihero feels being assuaged by the fact that most of his buddies are a shower of users and tossers. Having hung round various groups who fancy themselves magically inclined, I concur that this is a reasonable portrayal.

It’s bloody good stuff, and I understand there’s another Diggle Hellblazer collection out there to pick up. Paired up with suitably moody art from Leonardo Manco and Danijel Zezelj, this is the strongest I’ve seen Constantine’s adventures in a very long time. Oh, and if you’re curious about what I’d do with the title, have a look at the script in the writing samples section on this site for one take on the character.