John Constantine

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Constantine’s origins trace back to Liverpool, where he was born on May 10, 1953. His mother, Mary Anne, died during his birth along with his stillborn twin brother due to a weakened womb from a forced abortion by his father, Thomas. Blaming John for the tragedy, Thomas instilled a deep mutual dislike between them. As a child, John strangled his twin in the womb; in a parallel universe, that twin survived as a well-adjusted magician. His lineage includes the Laughing Magicians, legendary mages known for bluffing gods. Constantine moved to London in 1969, rooming with Chas Chandler, his closest friend. He later became involved in occult circles, traveling to San Francisco where he began dating Zatanna Zatara.

In Their Own Story

Initially created because artists Bissette and Totleben wanted a character resembling musician Sting (specifically from Brimstone and Treacle and Quadrophenia), Constantine evolved into something more than just a visual homage. Alan Moore described fitting together disparate ideas about serial killers, the Winchester House, and Sting into a 'big intellectual puzzle.' Early on, Rick Veitch added an earring to make the character feel risqué for 1985. In Swamp Thing #37, he was drawn with a marked resemblance to Sting, even appearing in Swamp Thing #51 on a boat named The Honourable Gordon Sumner. While DC later tried to erase these references due to fear of legal action, Moore confirmed the character existed solely because the artists wanted to draw Sting. Constantine won the Eagle Award for 'Favourite Supporting Character' twice in 1986 and 1987 before receiving his own title, Hellblazer.

Reader's Guide

Constantine's publication history shifted significantly when he moved from Swamp Thing to his own series in 1988. In 1993, it became an official Vertigo imprint title, where editorial policy originally forbade him from appearing outside that line until 2011. That year, Peter Milligan integrated him into the DC Universe's Justice League Dark, though he maintained a distinction between the younger 'DCU Constantine' and the older 'Vertigo Constantine.' Jeff Lemire later took over writing duties for Justice League Dark in issue #9, citing Constantine as his favorite character in all fiction. The character has also appeared in live-action, played by Keanu Reeves in the 2005 film Constantine, and by Matt Ryan in the TV series Constantine and various Arrowverse shows. Jenna Coleman later portrayed a female version of the character in The Sandman.

Did You Know?

• Constantine was originally created because artists Stephen R. Bissette and John Totleben wanted to draw a character who looked like Sting.
• In Swamp Thing #51, Constantine appears on a boat named 'The Honourable Gordon Sumner,' which is Sting's real name.
• Alan Moore stated that the character only existed because Steve and John challenged him to fit Sting into the Swamp Thing story.
• Constantine won the Eagle Award for 'Favourite Supporting Character' in both 1986 and 1987.
• In his earliest appearances, Rick Veitch gave Constantine an earring, which was considered risqué for 1985.