All His Engines
Encyclopedia
All His Engines was an original graphic novel
written by Mike Carey, with art by Leonardo Manco
. It was a tangent to Vertigo's popular Hellblazer
series, not being published as issues, and not having any issue number. It was first published in January 2005.
s seizing the world, John Constantine
and his best friend Chas Chandler travel from the UK to Los Angeles to try to discern its origin. They unwittingly step into a war between gods, most notably Mictlantecuhtli
, the Aztec deity of death, who resents Constantine's intrusion into his business. Beroul, a demon who behaves as if he were a Hollywood movie executive, holds hostage the soul of Chas' granddaughter Trish. Constantine can get her back, if he disposes of Beroul's enemies, which he eventually does by enlisting the help of Mictlantecuhtli. Constantine is able to trick his way out of the bargain, however. The story begins on a dark night in Liverpool
in August 1961.
As the clouds in the sky begin to take strange forms, we see that the shapes are transpiring above the home of a young John Constantine
. He is awake in his bed and believes the noises coming from outside his window to be from his sister, Cheryl, breaking in after curfew. Suddenly, however, an enormous skeleton-like creature manifests itself on Constantine's bed and demands that he hand over something better than his own immortal soul. The frieghtened Constantine screams at the sight of the monster and it disappears. However, John's father comes into the room and, despite his pleads that a ghost had been in his room, scolds John for waking him up at such an hour. A confused Constantine is left staring out his bedroom window. The focus of the story then shifts to the home of Geraldine Chandler, Chas' daughter in the fall of 2004. Her ex-husband is screaming at her to see his divorced daughter, Tricia, as she apparently should be ready to leave with him. Finally, he storms into the house to force his daughter out with him. However, when he and Geraldine enter her bedroom they are shocked to find Tricia motionless and unresponsive on her bedroom floor.
Following a trip to the hospital, the entire Chandler family, Chas included, is seated in the waiting room of the hospital, discussing Tricia's condition. As tensions arise between Chas and Geraldine's ex, Constantine arrives to the hospital to offer his hand in helping Tricia. Immediately, however, Chas' wife, Renee rejects his help and demands that he not go anywhere near Tricia. Following this outburst, Chas explains to John that his granddaughter is in critical condition and that the doctors are clueless as to why. Desperate for an answer, Chas called on Constantine for help, fearing the possible cause to be supernatural. John agrees, but warns Chas that things might get very difficult as he goes deeper into this mystery and that he will need a driver. Chas agrees and the two leave the hospital to seek answers. The first place that the two visit is the home of an old friend of Constantine's named Fennel.
On the way there, Constantine suffers a flashback in which he is arm wrestling a supposed friend of his. After taking the man's concentration away from the armwrestling match they are having, John ends up the winner. The man is furious with him and prepares to stab him when Chas interviens and the pair end up against every other man in the room. Suddenly, all the men in the room save for John and Chas begin to wither away and die. Once again, the same enormous skeleton-like being appears in the house and once more demands something from Constantine. Back in Chas' car, John begins to strain himself as he refuses to believe the events of the flashback actually happened.
Once inside Fennel's house, John wisecracks his way into getting his friend to help him. Fennel is apparently a powerful psychic, which John intends to exploit for his own gain. The two set up the necessary environment and begin a seance of sorts in order to contact Tricia. When Fennel finally reaches her, she reveals that she is in chains and that the only one who she's seen so far is the 'nasty man'. Before revealing who this man is, he forces his control onto Fennel and tells Constantine that what's his is his. Unfortunately, the stress is too much for Fennel's body and he explodes in a storm of fire, leaving only a burning address in the floor of Fennel's home. This address is one that exists in Los Angeles, where Chas and Constantine prepare to go. Following a troubling flight for Chas, the two arrive at the Los Angeles airport, intent on seeking the address. After acquiring a vehicle, Chas drives Constantine to the address they seek. At this address, a large mansion sits atop a hill and is adorned with many tacky lawn ornaments.
, the art like a moodier, more solid John Ridgway
."
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
written by Mike Carey, with art by Leonardo Manco
Leonardo Manco
Leonardo Manco is an Argentine comic book artist and penciller.-Bibliography:Manco is best known for his dark and gritty style on such titles as Hellstorm , Blaze of Glory , Apache Skies , Deathlok Vol.3 and Hellblazer .Other work by Manco has included Archangel #1 , Werewolf By...
. It was a tangent to Vertigo's popular Hellblazer
Hellblazer
Hellblazer is a contemporary horror comic book series, originally published by DC Comics, and subsequently by the Vertigo imprint since March 1993, the month the imprint was introduced, where it remains to this day...
series, not being published as issues, and not having any issue number. It was first published in January 2005.
Publication history
All His Engines was only published in graphic novel format (ISBN 1-4012-0317-5).Plot
With a plague of comaComa
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
s seizing the world, John Constantine
John Constantine
John Constantine is a fictional character, an occult detective anti-hero in comic books published by DC Comics, mostly under the Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in Swamp Thing #37 , and was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, John Totleben and Rick Veitch...
and his best friend Chas Chandler travel from the UK to Los Angeles to try to discern its origin. They unwittingly step into a war between gods, most notably Mictlantecuhtli
Mictlantecuhtli
Mictlantecuhtli , in Aztec mythology, was a god of the dead and the king of Mictlan , the lowest and northernmost section of the underworld. He was one of the principal gods of the Aztecs and was the most prominent of several gods and goddesses of death and the underworld...
, the Aztec deity of death, who resents Constantine's intrusion into his business. Beroul, a demon who behaves as if he were a Hollywood movie executive, holds hostage the soul of Chas' granddaughter Trish. Constantine can get her back, if he disposes of Beroul's enemies, which he eventually does by enlisting the help of Mictlantecuhtli. Constantine is able to trick his way out of the bargain, however. The story begins on a dark night in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in August 1961.
As the clouds in the sky begin to take strange forms, we see that the shapes are transpiring above the home of a young John Constantine
John Constantine
John Constantine is a fictional character, an occult detective anti-hero in comic books published by DC Comics, mostly under the Vertigo imprint. The character first appeared in Swamp Thing #37 , and was created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, John Totleben and Rick Veitch...
. He is awake in his bed and believes the noises coming from outside his window to be from his sister, Cheryl, breaking in after curfew. Suddenly, however, an enormous skeleton-like creature manifests itself on Constantine's bed and demands that he hand over something better than his own immortal soul. The frieghtened Constantine screams at the sight of the monster and it disappears. However, John's father comes into the room and, despite his pleads that a ghost had been in his room, scolds John for waking him up at such an hour. A confused Constantine is left staring out his bedroom window. The focus of the story then shifts to the home of Geraldine Chandler, Chas' daughter in the fall of 2004. Her ex-husband is screaming at her to see his divorced daughter, Tricia, as she apparently should be ready to leave with him. Finally, he storms into the house to force his daughter out with him. However, when he and Geraldine enter her bedroom they are shocked to find Tricia motionless and unresponsive on her bedroom floor.
Following a trip to the hospital, the entire Chandler family, Chas included, is seated in the waiting room of the hospital, discussing Tricia's condition. As tensions arise between Chas and Geraldine's ex, Constantine arrives to the hospital to offer his hand in helping Tricia. Immediately, however, Chas' wife, Renee rejects his help and demands that he not go anywhere near Tricia. Following this outburst, Chas explains to John that his granddaughter is in critical condition and that the doctors are clueless as to why. Desperate for an answer, Chas called on Constantine for help, fearing the possible cause to be supernatural. John agrees, but warns Chas that things might get very difficult as he goes deeper into this mystery and that he will need a driver. Chas agrees and the two leave the hospital to seek answers. The first place that the two visit is the home of an old friend of Constantine's named Fennel.
On the way there, Constantine suffers a flashback in which he is arm wrestling a supposed friend of his. After taking the man's concentration away from the armwrestling match they are having, John ends up the winner. The man is furious with him and prepares to stab him when Chas interviens and the pair end up against every other man in the room. Suddenly, all the men in the room save for John and Chas begin to wither away and die. Once again, the same enormous skeleton-like being appears in the house and once more demands something from Constantine. Back in Chas' car, John begins to strain himself as he refuses to believe the events of the flashback actually happened.
Once inside Fennel's house, John wisecracks his way into getting his friend to help him. Fennel is apparently a powerful psychic, which John intends to exploit for his own gain. The two set up the necessary environment and begin a seance of sorts in order to contact Tricia. When Fennel finally reaches her, she reveals that she is in chains and that the only one who she's seen so far is the 'nasty man'. Before revealing who this man is, he forces his control onto Fennel and tells Constantine that what's his is his. Unfortunately, the stress is too much for Fennel's body and he explodes in a storm of fire, leaving only a burning address in the floor of Fennel's home. This address is one that exists in Los Angeles, where Chas and Constantine prepare to go. Following a troubling flight for Chas, the two arrive at the Los Angeles airport, intent on seeking the address. After acquiring a vehicle, Chas drives Constantine to the address they seek. At this address, a large mansion sits atop a hill and is adorned with many tacky lawn ornaments.
Reception
Although no fan of Carey's run on the main title, Stephen Holland thought that "Carey is on the toppest form I've known of him" and that the style evoked earlier periods as the "script felt like EnnisGarth Ennis
Garth Ennis is a Northern Irish comics writer, best known for the Vertigo series Preacher with artist Steve Dillon and his successful nine-year run on Marvel Comics' Punisher franchise...
, the art like a moodier, more solid John Ridgway
John Ridgway (comic artist)
John Ridgway is a British comics artist.-Career:Ridgway began his career initially as a hobby, drawing D.C.Thompson's Commando War Stories alongside professional work as a design engineer...
."