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Mark Buckingham Draws Justice League Dark #13 – But Not The Bit That Revisited His Hellblazer Newcastle Story

Alan Moore may have stopped writing comics, but that doesn't mean people have stopped writing Alan Moore comics. And odds are, such is the fascination with them, that they never will. And Jamie Delano may be writing novels now, but even the additions to Alan's work that he made and now also being reworked and rejigged for a new audience without any pesky things like having to pay royalties.

Justice League Dark #13 revisits a scene from Swamp Thing #50 by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette and Rick Veitch from 1986…

John Constantine Revists the Moore and Delano Years in Justice League Dark

And how it looks today.

House of X #1 is the Hickmaniest of Jonathan Hickman Comics - Translated

Continuity has changed with the new DC Universe. Zatanna's father Zatar, though appearing in ghostly forms over the years, playing more of an active role in his own death than as written at the time, and the man who recruited Constantine, who had his issues. Talking of which, Constantine has always had a thing about what happened in Newcastle. Again from 1986…

John Constantine Revists the Moore and Delano Years in Justice League Dark

It would come up a lot then, and it comes up again now.

House of X #1 is the Hickmaniest of Jonathan Hickman Comics - Translated

It would be two years since it was first mentioned in Swamp Thing that the Moore-hand-picked writer of John Constantine: Hellblazer, Jamie Delano, would visit that story in Hellblazer #11 in 1988, with Richard Piers Rayner and Mark Buckingham.

John Constantine Revists the Moore and Delano Years in Justice League Dark

And the events that occurred within those pages, elaborated and detailed for the first time. So we see the Casanova club, back then…

John Constantine Revists the Moore and Delano Years in Justice League Dark

… and now.

John Constantine Revists the Moore and Delano Years in Justice League Dark

And through those doors, as the young girl Astra is possessed by a demon but Constantine's exorcism doesn't go to plan…

John Constantine Revists the Moore and Delano Years in Justice League Dark

 

Thirty years later, that story is told again…

House of X #1 is the Hickmaniest of Jonathan Hickman Comics - Translated

And Astra is dragged to hell. And the rest of the Newcastle Crew are cursed, their deaths come quickly. Just in case anyone wanted to take a look back… or figure out who may be owed royalties for this. But you know one of the original crew who will get paid for this issue of Justice League Dark?

Mark Buckingham. He inked that original Hellblazer #11 then. And is the penciller for the first chapter of this issue… before we get to Constantine and Zatanna, which Daniel Sampere draws. I wonder whose decision it was that he draw the first chapter – and not the one that revisits a story he drew thirty years ago?

I checked in with Buckingham, who I now realise I've known for 25 years or more, who told me,

My main focus this year has been to lock myself away in my studio to quietly plug away at the long-awaited return of Miracleman, so I've been doing my best to keep extracurricular comic work to a minimum. However writer James Tynion IV and new series editor Brittany Holzherr did an excellent job in twisting my arm to make a guest appearance on their fantastic Justice League Dark book. I asked them to limit it to ten pages so I limit the impact on my day job to a minimum.
I really enjoyed the nostalgic revisiting of Doctor Fates origin, from More Fun Comics way back in the 1940's, plus a first chance to draw Wonder Woman was a real treat. I didn't realise at the time, that the second half of the book would include a brief nod to my very first series at DC, Hellblazer, with a look back at the Newcastle incident.
It's funny how so many things I'm doing these days seem to take me full circle through my thirty plus year-long career!"

Thanks, Mark. Justice League Dark #13 is published today.

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #13 YOTV THE OFFER
(W) James Tynion IV (A) Daniel Sampere, Mark Buckingham (CA) Guillem March
Their battle against Doctor Fate may have come to an end, but the Justice League Dark's problems are just beginning when the helmet begins its search for a new host. Meanwhile, what can Lex Luthor offer a magic user like Circe? For one thing, Lex knows a thing or two about monsters. And where Circe can find them.In Shops: Jul 24, 2019
SRP: $3.99


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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