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Character

John Constantine comics

John Constantine first appeared in The Saga of the Swamp Thing #37, cover-dated June 1985, from DC Comics, created by Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette and John Totleben. Brief background cameos in Saga of the Swamp Thing #25 precede the first full appearance.

First appearance
The Saga of the Swamp Thing #37
Cover date
June 1985
Publisher
DC Comics
Creators
Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette and John Totleben

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John Constantine guides

First appearance, key issues and what drives the prices.

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  • Collecting

    First appearance vs cameo: what is the difference?

    A cameo is a brief appearance — often a single panel, a shadowed figure, or a last-page teaser — while a first full appearance is the issue in which the character plays a real part in the story. The market usually prices the first full appearance higher, but when the cameo is the first time the character is seen at all, both issues become keys. Incredible Hulk #180 (cameo) and #181 (first full appearance) for Wolverine is the classic example.

    Updated Sep 14, 2026

  • Characters

    What is the first appearance of John Constantine?

    John Constantine's first full appearance is The Saga of the Swamp Thing #37, cover-dated June 1985, by Alan Moore, Stephen Bissette and John Totleben, who modelled his look on the musician Sting. He can be glimpsed in background cameos in Saga of the Swamp Thing #25 (June 1984). Constantine's own series, Hellblazer, began in January 1988 and ran 300 issues.

    Updated Sep 14, 2026