Epiphany, Hold On!
I just had an "Epiphany, Hold On!".......
Shade, The Changing Man is changing it up for John Constantine. The end of the arc would only leave us with more Madness.
Peter Milligan's Hellblazer has been building up for Shade. Scab over the older John Constantine, Peter Milligan hoped we would be Hooked with Kathy George in Hell. Madness would first find John in India as well as dealing with Sid Vicious. 20 issue down and I am still trying to figure it all out. One thing I do know is that Peter Milligan is having fun playing with Shade again.
Sectioned is a great name for this arc because it is not just focused on John Constantine, it is also on Shade. The books is for lack of a better word "sectioned" off between the two crazed men. This arc also sections off ideas of love and marriage. In past Peter Milligan reviews I have mentioned Peter Milligan's "one trick pony" is the idea of identity. There is nothing wrong with being a "One Trick Pony" kind of writer. Alan Moore aims to write "unfilmable" comics. Warren Ellis writers great pricks like John Constantine and William Gravel. Peter Milligan writes about identity.
With Shade being such a polar character Peter Milligan can explore John Constantine's Identity. Is john Constantine just an old bitter man that has wasted his life and the only way for reconciliation is Marriage? Going white bearded and missing a thumb make him less of a man? Is a @$$]-[0L3 always an @$$]-[OL3? Many questions asked to define what makes John Constantine. What is his Identity?
Without spoiling this issue's ending I can tell you Shade is still here to play with us in the next arc. Peter Milligan's run keeps me coming back each month. Each issue builds on top of the last. I have no clue where the series is going, I don't care. I am getting lost in the madness.
Cheers!
- Silkcuts
