How many women have issues with Constantine?
Creative Staff:
Story: Tom Taylor
Art: Bruno Redondo & Xermanico
What They Say:
Batman and Constantine search out a new ally in Madame Xanadu. But there’s no warm welcome in the mystic’s parlor.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Having a bit of time focusing on Superman and what he and his have been up to has been decent to be sure, since you can see some conflict in it. But the main focus at the moment is still on what Constantine and company are up to in trying to deal with this mysterious new evil magic that’s out there that threatens them in a big way. They’ve had their losses, some very difficult ones at that, and also a firming up of the relationship that exists between Constantine and Batman. The two are definitely very different people in some very significant ways, but they both also know that there’s things that they need each other for in order to really survive all of this. It’s not working with a lesser evil in a way but rather with someone that doesn’t conform to their style or their need to be the one in control, making for some very fun dialogue and looks between them.
With information being the key to figuring out what’s going on, and having lost some of what they needed recently, the next step is to get more by going to one of the main resources out there with Madame Xanadu. Not surprising, Xanadu wants nothing to do with Constantine, though she interacts lightly with Batman in a comical way. It’s her coping mechanism for all of what’s happened as they have a history to be sure and with all the other events in the world, she’s not inclined to deal with him. But with a bit of coaxing, it’s good to see them in an interacting, since she’s so strict in a sense about him in her place and what he wants to touch and do with various magical aspects. But his need to do so is important since he has to reveal what happened to Jason Blood, which hits her pretty damn hard considering their thousand year story together.
The way she reacts is spot on, and the fact that Constantine knows it and how to work within it says a lot about it as well. While she works through it after kicking them out, we do get a good examination of Batman by Constantine as well, as he knows how to read him and why he needs to change his approach when it comes to Superman and the other threats they’re facing. You get the sense that there are few people that could say such things to Batman overall, but with the situation as it is and Constantine being a twisted mirror magic version of him as well in a way, it makes sense that they have these kinds of moments so far in the series. Not surprisingly, Xanadu comes around to helping because of the greater good, and a need to get vengeance herself, and that leads her to looking at what’s going through her cards. It does reveal a few teases of what’s to come, with nods to Swamp Thing, Deadman and the Joker, which certainly makes it all quite intriguing.
In Summary:
With a heavy focus on just Constantine and Batman as they seek help from Madame Xanadu, we get a good bit of character material here between the three of them in different configurations. I really like Constantine in general, especially in this incarnation, and I’m definitely digging his time with Batman as they cope with what’s going on while gathering information. The time with Madame Xanadu is spot on as Constantine certainly knows how to read her and is doing everything he can towards fighting the larger fight. But it costs him, as always, when it comes to others and that plays out in some harsh but honest ways here. Good stuff once again with some new teases of what’s to come.
Grade: B
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: DC Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: November 4th, 2014
MSRP: $0.99