Hellblazer #255

Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Goran Sudzuka and Rodney Ramos

This is a decent enough Constantine type of story, but in some ways, it feels like Milligan is just phoning this one in. Nothing momentous happens - Constantine goes to a supposed pit of plague victims, and ends up talking to one of their spirits - a phony plague doctor who went to extreme ends to keep his family safe from that horrific deed, and then doesn't help him. It's a good story, but it's on such familiar ground, that it causes deja vu.

I hope that the next arc brings back some of the energy that Milligan's first story arc had. It was nice to see Sudzuka's art again, but I found that I was really liking Camuncoli's look for this book. Good thing he's back next issue.

Hellblazer# 254

Written by Peter Milligan
Art by Goran Sudzuka and Rodney Ramos

Milligan is into his second story on Hellblazer, and I'm happy to see that Phoebe is still in the mix, as is the London Olympics, 17th century plague doctors, more dried skin, the next Banksy, and bird masks. In other words, it is definitely 'good Milligan' at work on this title, and it seems to keep getting better.

I really like seeing John get involved in local political protest action, even if he doesn't really have much choice in the matter. It works to balance his earlier involvement in breaking strikes in the last arc.

Sudzuku's pencils here make me nostalgic for Y The Last Man, and he does an admirable job, but overall, I think I prefer Camuncoli on this book now.