CBR: Rankin on Constantine's "Dark Entries"

[CBR News]

Novelist Ian Rankin delves into the mind of John Constantine in "Dark Entries," an original Vertigo graphic novel. CBR spoke with Rankin about the project, the nature of Constantine, and the phenomena of reality television.


Full article here.

[rickfury188]

This sounds promising, but I can't say I dig the art.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

I'm a little worried about his belief that the character is a blank canvas, and the idea that he's a private eye for hire.
Gives me the feeling that it could be Denise Mina over again - someone whose been given free reign because of their name, but misses the point/character/tone by a long mile.

[rassmguy]

It sounds like Rankin has no understanding of the character whatsoever. A blank slate? Uh, no. No, he's not. He has a rich history that each writer has built on, and a very established background and personality. A gumshoe for hire? He most DEFINITELY is not that. And a story about reality TV? What the heck? I hope Rankin is just not very good at giving hints, because this sounds ridiculous--and very unlike Hellblazer. I'll read it before making a final judgment, because I recognize that it may play out a lot better on paper than it does in the interview, but I have to admit, my hopes for this story have been kind of dashed by Rankin's very un-Hellblazer-like and un-Constantine-like comments.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

Yeah, its the usual spiel you here from a writer who has missed the point - they then go on to write a very standard story full of stuff you've seen before, making the mistake that because it was interesting to them and the first time they'd written it that it was interesting to us, and the first time we'd seen it.

[stealthwise]

Yeah, its the usual spiel you here from a writer who has missed the point - they then go on to write a very standard story full of stuff you've seen before, making the mistake that because it was interesting to them and the first time they'd written it that it was interesting to us, and the first time we'd seen it.

Yeah, I got that feeling as well, glad to see it confirmed here by others. I'll likely be skipping this.

Does it not bother anyone else at how Will Dennis just picked up the phone and called this guy out of the blue, when there's likely a ton of other talented writers who would do well writing Constantine? Hell, I'm sure even someone like Charlie Huston or Gregg Hurwitz or Christos Gage, you know, known authors who actually have written comics once or twice before and have some name recognition, would have an idea as to what to do with JC.

[FunkyGreenJerusalem]

Yeah, I got that feeling as well, glad to see it confirmed here by others. I'll likely be skipping this.

Does it not bother anyone else at how Will Dennis just picked up the phone and called this guy out of the blue, when there's likely a ton of other talented writers who would do well writing Constantine? Hell, I'm sure even someone like Charlie Huston or Gregg Hurwitz or Christos Gage, you know, known authors who actually have written comics once or twice before and have some name recognition, would have an idea as to what to do with JC.

His name will sell though.
Getting him on is a coup, but now the editor should be working with him to actually craft a story that is true to the property.

Even Azz, I liked it some hated it, had JC stay true - it's just it wasn't his usual type of story, and he wasn't the star the whole time.
Then again, I haven't liked Constatine since then.