Editing Hellblazer (section)

====Mike Carey (#175–215, #229)====
Following Azzarello's run, writer [[Mike Carey (writer)|Mike Carey]] took over the title, following his [[Eisner Award|Eisner award]]-winning title ''[[Lucifer (DC comics)|Lucifer]]'', set in the ''[[The Sandman (Vertigo)|Sandman]]'' universe.<ref name="vert-luci">{{Citation | last = Irvine | first = Alex | author-link = Alexander C. Irvine | contribution = Lucifer | editor-last = Dougall | editor-first = Alastair | title = The Vertigo Encyclopedia | pages = 118–124 | publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]] | place = New York | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-0-7566-4122-1 | oclc = 213309015}}</ref> Carey's run attempted to return John Constantine to his roots, with the title largely set back in London, and featuring many characters from former runs on the title. Mike Carey also has the honour of being the first [[Liverpudlian]] to write the Liverpudlian character. His was the second longest run by any single author on the title up to that time, second only to Garth Ennis,<ref name="vert-hell"/> until Peter Milligan's run.

The start of his run introduces Angie Spatchcock, a fellow magician, and reintroduces his niece, Gemma Constantine, who has also fallen into magic use, to her uncle's consternation. After ridding his sister's house of an evil spirit, and finding out Gemma has gone missing, John returns to London, to find his old colleagues and enemies are all taking sides in the hunt for a mythical item, known as the Red Sepulchre. John eventually locates the item, and finds Gemma, freeing her from his old enemy Josh Wright.<ref>{{cite book|title=Red Sepulchre|publisher=Vertigo|author=Mike Carey|year=2005|isbn=1-4012-0485-6}}</ref> Following several forewarnings, Constantine then travels the world to set up a plan for a forthcoming tragedy, which will occur when "Three doors are opened", involving [[Swamp Thing]] and the [[Garden of Eden]] amongst others.<ref>{{cite book|title=Black Flowers|publisher=Vertigo|author=Mike Carey|year=2005|isbn=1-4012-0499-6}}</ref>

John's preparations have no effect, however, as he is tricked into killing the guardian that had been preventing the tragedy, freeing a beast which can control the collective unconsciousness of mankind. John Constantine cuts his own wrists, in order to free himself from consciousness, and plays a confidence trick on the beast, allowing his friends time to use the collective consciousness to rebuild the guardian that had kept the beast trapped. However, in this process, Swamp Thing has his human soul removed, setting up [[Swamp Thing#Volume 4|the fourth run of the comic, relaunched shortly afterward]]. In the process John loses his memory, setting up the events leading up to the 200th issue.<ref>{{cite book|title=Staring at the Wall|publisher=Vertigo|author=Mike Carey|year=2006|isbn=1-4012-0929-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/johnconstantineh0000care_u0t6}}</ref> Leading up to the landmark issue, John has little control over events, and is led along by a psychic serial killer, who threatens to kill Chas and his family, and a demon, Rosacarnis, who offers his memories back, at the cost of 24 hours in her service. John eventually gives into this offer, and the 200th issue shows how Rosacarnis manipulates his reality, making him raise three children with her, in the guise of Kit Ryan, from Garth Ennis's time on the title, Zed, from Jamie Delano's, and Angie, from the current run,<ref>{{cite book|title=Stations of the Cross|publisher=Vertigo|author=Mike Carey|year=2006|isbn=1-4012-1002-3}}</ref> with three different artists, [[Steve Dillon]], [[Marcelo Frusin]] and [[Leonardo Manco]] each drawing one story, as the past, present and future of the title.

Carey's final run followed the attempts of John's three new children attempting to kill all of his family and friends, culminating in the death of his sister, Cheryl, at the hands of her possessed husband.<ref>{{cite book|title=Reasons to be Cheerful|url=https://archive.org/details/johnconstantineh0000care_d7f1|url-access=registration|publisher=Vertigo|author=Mike Carey|year=2007|isbn=978-1-4012-1251-3}}</ref> John then travels into Hell to try to rescue her soul, with the assistance of Rosacarnis's father, Nergal. The plan ultimately fails, and John returns broken, and intending to renounce magic.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Gift|publisher=Vertigo|author=Mike Carey|year=2007|isbn=978-1-4012-1453-1|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/johnconstantineh00mike}}</ref>

Mike Carey returned to the title for a single issue between Denise Mina and Andy Diggle's runs on the title, and also wrote the well-received<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fantasyliterature.com/reviews/hellblazer-all-his-engines/|title=''Hellblazer: All His Engines'' review|publisher=Fantasy Literature|author=Hawley, Brad|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706055822/http://www.fantasyliterature.com/reviews/hellblazer-all-his-engines/|archive-date=2014-07-06}} May 17, 2013</ref> ''Hellblazer'' graphic novel ''[[All His Engines]]'' about a strange illness sweeping the globe.<ref>{{cite book|title=All His Engines|publisher=Vertigo|author=Mike Carey|year=2006|isbn=1-4012-0317-5|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/johnconstantineh0000care}}</ref>