John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America #4: Small Town Haunts

*Trigger Warnings: This issue deals with SA and SI.*

Si Spurrier and Aaron Campbell pull no punches in John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America #4, which holds a mirror up to America while dealing with some poignant and intense subject matter. Spurrier has continuously given readers what seems relevant in this series while pointing out that it has always been this way. Other than mentions and references to more modern technology like smart phones, this issue could have been written thirty years ago. Despite the tragic timelessness of the subject matter, the writing and art in this issue are sharp and some of the best to come from this creative team so far. In addition to John and Noah going undercover as a priest and faith healer, this issue features Swamp Thing prominently.

Spurrier continues to show his immense talent in this issue by absolutely nailing the voices for John, Swamp Thing, and even Dream. The interactions between Swamp Thing and John are as good as it gets and extremely engaging. Not many creative teams can make a conversation in the middle of a cornfield mesmerizing but Spurrier, Campbell, Bellaire, and Bidikar are all simply fantastic. Aditya Bidikar’s lettering for Swamp Thing is especially excellent in this issue. Jordie Bellaire’s colors work so well with Campbell’s art. Campbell’s creative direction is one of the main reasons why this book is so good, and Bellaire’s colors add a layer to it that at times seems so subtle but by the end of the issue the colors haunt you with their beauty.

Many things about this book will haunt you. The general plot of the issue is that John is trying to figure out how the town had such a big harvest and how it connects to a missing girl, who we learn was assaulted and killed by a group of boys. In the end, John and company figure out how to help Swamp Thing and then they can keep moving, but for the town, there isn’t a solution, and that’s the point. John uses the grain of Dream’s sand to influence the dreams of the townsfolk to hopefully inspire change, but as he puts it, “It’s up to the parents, aint it? To make their kids better– ‘owever they think best. Whatever ‘appens next? It’s better than nothing.”