Editing John Constantine (section)

== Characterization ==
[[File:Hellblazer51.jpg|alt=|right|thumb|John Constantine discusses his previous lovers.]]
Although a compassionate humanist who struggles to overcome the influence of both Heaven and Hell over humanity, and despite his occasional forays into heroism, Constantine is a foul-mouthed, disillusioned British cynic who pursues a life of sorcery and danger. His motivation has been attributed to an adrenaline addiction that only the strange and mysterious can satiate. He also seems to be something of a "Weirdness Magnet" (a term also used to describe Constantine). He is shown to be someone with a wide and international circle of contacts and allies, and is adept at making friends. At the same time, his close friends inevitably suffer or are outright killed simply by being in his life; this has left a severe mark on him. In #69, when the King of Vampires killed the man sleeping beside him and casually asked if he had been a friend, John replied, "Must be. He's dead."

=== Magical powers ===
Constantine also has a reputation as being one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world.<ref name="Hellblazer #2392">{{cite book |author=Andy Diggle |title=The Laughing Magician |publisher=DC Comics |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-40121-853-9}}</ref> Despite this, he rarely uses magic, instead choosing to use his wits to trick his opponents. Constantine is also referred to as "The Constant One"<ref name="Hellblazer #2392" /> because of his whole family tree being somewhat connected to the occult. Many of his ancestors are sorcerers from different eras of history, and have taken part in many known historical events. Some of his ancestors have roles in other works outside ''Hellblazer'', such as ''Batman: The Order of Beasts'', ''[[The Sandman (comic book)|The Sandman]]'', and ''[[The Books of Magic]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Constantine Family Tree |url=http://www.qusoor.com/hellblazer/familytree.htm}}</ref>

=== Sexuality ===
Constantine is bisexual, which was first established in a 1992 comic that referred offhandedly to his having male and female exes. Early stories exclusively showed him dating women, although ''Ashes & Dust in the City of Angels'' showed him as having relationships with men, as well.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 7, 2007 |title=Hellblazer's sassy controller |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article1289712.ece |access-date=February 15, 2009 |work=[[The Sunday Times]] |location=London}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=John |title=Hellblazer: Counting to Ten |date=March 1992 |publisher=Vertigo / DC Comics |issue=#51}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Stevenson |first=Alexander |date=January 20, 2008 |title=Ten Best Gay and Bisexual Science Fiction Characters |url=http://www.newnownext.com/ten-best-gay-and-bisexual-science-fiction-characters/01/2008/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191123012551/http://www.newnownext.com/ten-best-gay-and-bisexual-science-fiction-characters/01/2008/ |archive-date=November 23, 2019 |access-date=May 6, 2021 |publisher=[[AfterEllen.com and AfterElton.com|AfterElton.com]]}}</ref> His romantic relationships in the New 52 have included numerous partners, most significantly Zatanna, as well as the sorcerer Nick Necro; all have been fraught with distrust and mutual disappointments. The relaunch ''Constantine the Hellblazer'' #1 (2015) reaffirmed Constantine's bisexuality through his interactions with male and female characters in the issue.<ref name="io9bi" />{{verify inline|date=September 2024|reason=Speculative fix for undefined reference}} Later issues of ''Constantine the Hellblazer'' depicted John falling in love with a male bartender named Oliver, whom he dated.<ref>[[Ming Doyle]] and [[James Tynion IV]], ''Constantine the Hellblazer'' #1-13 (2015–2016).</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=S.E. Fleenor |date=11 February 2019 |title=John Constantine's Long Journey to Being Out |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/john-constantines-long-journey-to-being-out |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221060226/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/john-constantines-long-journey-to-being-out |archive-date=February 21, 2019 |access-date=20 February 2019 |work=SyFyWire.com}}</ref>

=== Attire ===
While Constantine has worn many clothes over the years, he was originally portrayed as often wearing a blue pin-stripe suit, tan trench coat, and occasionally gloves. As the series progressed, his trademark attire became a grungier (or perhaps the same, just older) trench coat, white shirt, and black or red tie, but eventually<ref>Issue 232</ref> returned more to his earlier fashion. Constantine smokes [[Silk Cut]] cigarettes, consuming 30 or so a day.<ref name="Habits2">{{Cite book |last=Ennis |first=Garth |title=Hellblazer: Dangerous Habits |title-link=Dangerous Habits |date=March 1, 1994 |publisher=Vertigo |isbn=978-1-56389-150-2}}</ref> Constantine also occasionally breaks the [[fourth wall]], where he talks to the reader and narrates the story himself.<ref>{{cite book |author=Garth Ennis |url=https://archive.org/details/johnconstantineh0000enni |title=Hellblazer: Son of Man |publisher=DC Comics |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-40120-202-6 |url-access=registration}}</ref>

=== Real-time aging ===
Constantine is unusual among comic-book characters in that he has aged in real time since his creation.<ref name="toonopedia2">{{cite web |last=DelGrosso |first=David |title=ComicsGeekSpeak.com Aging with John Constantine |url=http://www.comicgeekspeak.com/articles/hellblazerPart1_1.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426132033/http://www.comicgeekspeak.com/articles/hellblazerPart1_1.php |archive-date=April 26, 2009 |access-date=May 31, 2007}}</ref> During the first year of his solo series, Constantine celebrated his 35th birthday. In the relevant issue, Constantine is reading a newspaper when he notices the date on the cover is his birthday, making his date of birth May 10, 1953.<ref name="origin2">{{cite book |author=Jamie Delano |title=Hellblazer vol.1: Original Sins |publisher=Vertigo |year=1992 |isbn=978-1-56389-052-9}}</ref> Five years later, on May 10, 1993, he turned 40.<ref name="fear">{{cite book |author=Garth Ennis |title=Hellblazer: Fear and Loathing |publisher=Vertigo |year=1997 |isbn=978-1-56389-202-8}}</ref> In ''Hellblazer'', it was mentioned multiple times that the demon blood he obtained from Nergal may have affected his aging.<ref name="Hellblazer #2362">{{cite book |author=Andy Diggle |title=Hellblazer:Joyride |publisher=Vertigo |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-40121-651-1}}</ref> In a 2011 interview, DC co-publisher [[Dan DiDio]] said, "Constantine in the Vertigo universe is in his 60s, and what you have in the DC Universe is a character who is markedly younger".<ref name="didio" />{{verify inline|date=September 2024|reason=Speculative fix for undefined reference}}