A review by crowyhead
Hellblazer, Vol. 8: Rake at the Gates of Hell by Garth Ennis
5.0
"I'll be with them asleep or dreaming
I'll be there when they wake up screaming
At the hour of death I will nurse them
To have a moment more to curse them
Watch the maggots crawl out of them
Hear the angels call above them
Watch them as the cold air sucks them
Down to hell good night good luck
Then if any should escape above me
Beg and cheat until they trust me
Drag them down to be damned with me
Laugh at them as they forgive me
Mothers eyes are sparking diamonds
Still the moon shows no likeness
Roses wither may god deliver
The rake at the gates of hell tonight."
- The Pogues, "Rake at the Gates of Hell"
This is a fantastic Ennis collection. The opener, Damnation's Flame, is a little weak; it starts off strong, but the ending is a bit rushed and confusing. Still, it's got its moments.
Things are back on firmer footing with a return to the UK. "Act of Union" is a wonderful character sketch of young Brendan, John, and Kit, all the better for William Simpson's return as the artist. It meshes beautifully with "Confessions of an Irish Rebel" and "And the Crowd Goes Wild," both ghost stories of different sorts, and an excellent lead-in to "Rake at the Gates of Hell," which bookends Ennis's run by finishing what "Dangerous Habits" started.
This is a classic Constantine story, with blood and guts and double-crossing and awfulness.. and then Ennis goes and does that Ennis thing, where there's a peaceful and heart wrenching interlude all set to "Rainy Night in Soho" that actually leaves me crying. Right in the Feels, man. Right in the Feels. Then it all goes to hell again, but there's that wee bit of redemption at the end. It's fine, fine work.
The last story in the collection is also fine work, of a different sort -- a kind of slice of life letting us know what Kit's up to and that she's got her own crap to deal with. It's a strange note to end on, but it works.
"When I let her go, it felt like life itself was slipping through me fingers. I started to say something, I dunno, something bloody stupid and sentimental, something not-very-Constantine-at-all… But she knew as well as I did that it wouldn't last for long, that I'd be no use if I came with her, and even if I did change, shit, I'd just laugh it off and drown it in bravado. So the last thing she said to me, her smile getting wider all the time, was 'Good night and God bless -- now f*ck off to bed.'"
I'll be there when they wake up screaming
At the hour of death I will nurse them
To have a moment more to curse them
Watch the maggots crawl out of them
Hear the angels call above them
Watch them as the cold air sucks them
Down to hell good night good luck
Then if any should escape above me
Beg and cheat until they trust me
Drag them down to be damned with me
Laugh at them as they forgive me
Mothers eyes are sparking diamonds
Still the moon shows no likeness
Roses wither may god deliver
The rake at the gates of hell tonight."
- The Pogues, "Rake at the Gates of Hell"
This is a fantastic Ennis collection. The opener, Damnation's Flame, is a little weak; it starts off strong, but the ending is a bit rushed and confusing. Still, it's got its moments.
Things are back on firmer footing with a return to the UK. "Act of Union" is a wonderful character sketch of young Brendan, John, and Kit, all the better for William Simpson's return as the artist. It meshes beautifully with "Confessions of an Irish Rebel" and "And the Crowd Goes Wild," both ghost stories of different sorts, and an excellent lead-in to "Rake at the Gates of Hell," which bookends Ennis's run by finishing what "Dangerous Habits" started.
This is a classic Constantine story, with blood and guts and double-crossing and awfulness.. and then Ennis goes and does that Ennis thing, where there's a peaceful and heart wrenching interlude all set to "Rainy Night in Soho" that actually leaves me crying. Right in the Feels, man. Right in the Feels. Then it all goes to hell again, but there's that wee bit of redemption at the end. It's fine, fine work.
The last story in the collection is also fine work, of a different sort -- a kind of slice of life letting us know what Kit's up to and that she's got her own crap to deal with. It's a strange note to end on, but it works.
"When I let her go, it felt like life itself was slipping through me fingers. I started to say something, I dunno, something bloody stupid and sentimental, something not-very-Constantine-at-all… But she knew as well as I did that it wouldn't last for long, that I'd be no use if I came with her, and even if I did change, shit, I'd just laugh it off and drown it in bravado. So the last thing she said to me, her smile getting wider all the time, was 'Good night and God bless -- now f*ck off to bed.'"