The Sandman
Morpheus , theSandman , andJohn Constantinewould traverse route several times , but their most perverted crossover had a brilliant wrench . In March 1990’sSandman # 14,Rose Walker stumbles across a serial Orcinus orca formula , and one of the guests of honor was being prosecute acontinent away by John Constantinein April 1990’sHellblazer # 28 . And while the two shared a mutual interest in this convention , they never met at any peak during the story .
Thanks to the success of Alan Moore ’s seminalSwamp Thing , DC Comics began sharply levy natural endowment from Great Britain , include Grant Morrison , Neil Gaiman , Jamie Delano , Peter Milligan and others . Delano would help launchHellblazerin 1987 and Gaiman would start out his legendarySandmanseries a class later . These titles , while seemingly determine in the DC Universe , rarely crossed over with the the likes of of Superman and Batman , freeing them to recount more gritty and naturalistic story . Over time , DCwould launchAnimal ManandShade the Changing Man , written by Morrison and Milligan , respectively ; these books would spring the foundation of DC ’s now - defunct Vertigo imprint . While these titles eschew traditional comic book figure such as big crossing over event , there was still a sense of continuity among them , and that was on display inSandman # 14(written by Neil Gaiman and illustrate by Mike Dringenberg ) andHellblazer # 28(written by Jamie Delano and illustrated by Rob Tiner ) , published just a calendar month apart .
Related : Nightwing Proved Constantine ’s Blistering Takedown of Batman Correct
InSandman # 14 , Rose Walker and her friend Gilbert stay into a non - descript wayside motel . There , the two discover the horrifying truth : the motel is hosting a serial killer whale convention ; in attendance are some of the most vile , terrorize beings to ever take the air the world — includingthe demented Corinthian . While the emcee chequer the guest listing , he asks if anyone “ has seen the Family Man ? ” He gets no reply , and he moves on with business .
InHellblazer # 28 , John Constantine is on the lead of the Family Man , a serial slayer who only targets families , brutally slaying them . The Family Man was finding victim through afriend of Constantine’sand when John inadvertently helped him , he took it upon himself to disembarrass the man of the Family Man . A kat and shiner game between the two result , and during the spare-time activity , John observe the Family Man ’s invitation to the serial killer convention seen inSandman # 14 — where he was one of the Guests of Honor !
Titlessuch asThe SandmanandHellblazershowed a darker , grittier side of the DC Universe , populated by unsavory character both human and supernatural ; they were among some of the first mainstream comics to stockpile the “ For Mature Readers ” label , common today but rarified at the time . SandmanandHellblazeropted for a more human take on their subject topic ; this dull advance to common laughable book figure carry over into the crossover between the titles . Rather than cross the two characters over in some dry land - shaking , universe - specify event , the two titles just recognise events occurring in the other ; Constantine does not help Morpheus with the in series killer convention nor does Morpheus intervene in Constantine ’s dogged chase of the Family Man . Interestingly enough , Morpheusencountered ConstantineinSandman # 3 ; John Constantine would aid Morpheus find his pouch , lose when he was imprisoned . The SandmanandHellblazerwould take form the foundation garment for the Vertigo imprint a few years by and by , but the two would never crossbreed over again .
The SandmanandJohn Constantineare some of DC ’s premier supernatural characters , and one of their “ crossover ” had a brilliant twist — they never met at any point during it , go through each other like ships in the night .
Next : Superman & Constantine May Be Opposites , But They Share a Brutal Power
