“Hellblazer” to end with #300; “Constantine” will be New 52 title

This image provided by DC Entertainment shows chain-smoking British occult detective John Constantine. Constantine, long a staple of Vertigo's "Hellblazer," is getting what promises to be a duly deserved send off as the title ends at No. 300 in February. (AP Photo/DC Entertainment) ORG XMIT: NY107

The longest-running as yet un-relaunched DC Comics comes to an end in February, as “Hellblazer” ends with issue No. 300, according to an AP story.  The John Constantine character, created by Alan Moore, first appeared in “Swamp Thing.”

A new series, “Constantine,” will launch in March as part of DC Comics “New 52,” as the chain-smoking detective again becomes more tightly intertwined with the DC Comics universe.

“The Surrogates” and “X-O Manowar” author Robert Venditti will join artist Renato Guedes (“Superman”) on the title.

“Few characters in comics are as complex and entertaining as John Constantine, and I’m finding him to be every bit as enjoyable to write as he is to read,” Venditti says at DCComics.com. “It’s my goal to have the new CONSTANTINE series be equal parts familiarity and surprise.  This will be the Constantine we all know and love, but facing new and unexpected challenges from both inside and out.”

John Constantine came to films in the 2005 film “Constantine,” where the character was played by Keanu Reeves.

- Matt Price