Hellblazer is an American contemporary horror comic book series originally published by DC Comics starting in January 1988. The series was later moved to DC's mature-readers Vertigo imprint in March 1993, becoming the imprint's longest-running and most successful launch title. The central character is John Constantine, a streetwise, chain-smoking working-class magician, occult detective, and con man from Liverpool, England. Constantine was created by Alan Moore, Stephen R. Bissette, and John Totleben, first appearing as a supporting character in Swamp Thing (vol. 2) #37 in June 1985 before headlining his own series.
The series is renowned for its dark, pessimistic tone and its blend of supernatural horror with sharp social and political commentary. Unlike traditional superhero comics, Hellblazer grounded its supernatural elements in a gritty, realistic world, dealing with themes of class struggle, addiction, existential dread, and the moral ambiguity of its protagonist. Constantine rarely relies on superpowers, instead using his wits, extensive knowledge of the occult, and a vast network of contacts to manipulate friends, enemies, and demons alike.
Over its 300-issue original run, Hellblazer became a stepping stone for many prominent British comic book writers, including Jamie Delano, Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, Brian Azzarello, Mike Carey, and Peter Milligan. The series heavily influenced the modern occult detective genre and spawned a major film adaptation, a television series, novels, and numerous spin-offs and crossovers. The original series concluded in 2013 and was briefly revived in 2019 under DC's Black Label imprint as part of The Sandman Universe line.