Books like Constantine, Volume 1: The Spark and the Flame

3.5 starsEveryone's pretty much right. This isn't Vertigo's Constantine, so fans of Hellblazer will probably feel quite a pang of disappointment at DC's shinier version of the character.Not that John's shitting rainbows, but this title definitely captured his PG-13 side.I've really enjoyed him in Justice League Dark, so I was hoping (since this is volume 1) that this would give an origin story for him.No such luck.I haven't read a great deal about him outside of the DC universe, so I'm not really sure about his backstory. And even I was I was, I'd still like to see where the New 52 Constantine came from, ya know?In this, Constantine goes up against some bad guys looking for a magical compass, screws over everyone who knows him, temporarily steals Billy Batson's power, and gets himself shot.All of this ties in to the Trinity War stuff, in case you're interested.Overall, it a good story if you like him from JLD, but hardcore fans won't be as impressed. And as long as my library gets this one in, I'll keep coming back for more.