Dreary Bus Ride with John Constantine

As the dreary London fog swirled around the bus, John Constantine gazed out the grimy window at the city's grey modern sprawl. The bus rumbled along the crowded streets of downtown, the iconic Big Ben tower looming in the distance like a skeletal giant. Constantine's eyes, red-rimmed from a night of heavy smoking and harder drinking, squinted against the misty drizzle that clung to his face like a damp shroud. He was headed to a meeting with a mysterious client, one who claimed to have information about the latest supernatural shenanigans plaguing the city. But as the bus inched along, Constantine's mind began to wander, his thoughts consumed by the weight of his own mortality and the endless struggle against the forces of darkness that lurked in every shadow. The bus lurched to a stop and Constantine's gaze drifted back to the fog-shrouded streets, his eyes narrowing as he sensed something malevolent lurking just beyond the veil of reality.

[Workflow: Inspired by an Aaron Campbell panel from John Constantine, Hellblazer: Dead in America #1, I then started with a basic image of JC from a couple NightCafe image prompts, hand-fixed up AI artifact issues, layered in better glass for the windows, and added more paint texture to the outer bus shell during final edits in Affinity Photo.]

Hi-rez image link [2777px wide]

Aaron Cambell's inspirational panel

Portrait of John Constantine

John Constantine smoking a cigarette in London.

[Workflow: JC's starter image from my Tengr prompt, masked in a background of London, canvas texturing, along with masking and AI artifact clean-ups in Affinity.]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

The Skull of Simon Magus: A Constantine Story

As John Constantine puffed on his cigarette, the acrid smoke curling around the skull of Simon Magus in his grasp, he gazed out into the fog-shrouded streets of London with a mixture of disdain and fascination as a massive, horned demon slowly emerged from the swirling mist, its eyes glowing red with an otherworldly hunger.

Hi-rez image link [3264px wide]

Demons and Drafts (with John Constantine)

As the sun dipped below the London skyline, John Constantine held a mug of cold British lager, savoring the crisp taste and the fleeting sense of relief that came with another day of outwitting demons and evil warlocks. Standing tall in the crowded pub, his worn trenchcoat flapping open to reveal a rumpled white shirt and a pair of scuffed boots, he gazed out at the room with a mixture of disdain and amusement, the dim lighting and raucous chatter of the patrons a welcome respite from the darkness that lurked just beyond the edge of reality. John surveyed the room and announced "Cheers, mate! Let's get smashed!" to the few patrons conscious enough to understand his words.

[Workflow: I started with some Tengr input images, took the pieces I wanted, and merged them into the final image.   Artifacts cleaned up in Affinity with various Fx, color tweaks, and other adjustments for the finished look and feel.]

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

Migraine of the Damned and a Pint of Trouble (John Constantine)

As the sun dipped below the London skyline, John Constantine slumped in his chair at the outdoor cafe bar, one eye fixed on the amber liquid in his pint glass with a mixture of disdain and desperation. The bitter taste of the British lager was a poor substitute for the whiskey he'd rather be drinking, but it would have to do. The sounds of the city's nightlife hummed in the background, a cacophony of laughter and music that only served to grate on his already frayed nerves and continued to amplify the head-pounding migraine he woke up with. But it was the figure lurking in the shadows that really caught his attention - the devil himself, horns gleaming in the fading light, his presence a constant reminder of the deals that had been made, and the debts that still needed to be paid. Constantine's gaze flicked towards the devil, his expression a mask of disdain, but a spark of curiosity flickered in his eyes - what did the Prince of Darkness want now?

Hi-rez image link [2160px tall]

John Constantine Taking in the Local Pub

My image of John Constantine taking a break in the local London pub was inspired by artist Moritat's panel image I saw in Hellblazer #2 (2016).

Moritat's inspiring image

Smoke and the Shadows in the Cemetery of Lost Souls (John Constantine)

As the sun began its slow descent towards the horizon, casting a warm, blue-tinged glow over the crumbling headstones within the Abney Park Cemetery, John Constantine stood tall, his eyes fixed on the statued gravestone before him. The angel, its features chiseled from marble, held a bow and arrow in its outstretched hand, its gaze seeming to pierce the soul of the man standing before it.

The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and the distant chirping of crickets provided a mournful accompaniment to the silence. A light foggy mist had begun to rise from the ground, shrouding the gravestones in a veil of mystery. The fog was so fine that it seemed to glow with soft, ethereal light as if the very essence of the dead was rising to greet the living.

As Constantine puffed on his cigarette, the flame casting a brief, golden glow on his weathered face, he noticed that the mist was illuminated by shafts of light that seemed to pierce through the fog like rays from the heavens. The light was so intense that it cast eerie shadows on the ground, making it seem as if the dead themselves were rising to claim the living.

"What's the story, angel?" Constantine muttered to himself, his voice low and gravelly.  As he spoke, the wind picked up, rustling the leaves of the nearby trees and sending a faint whispering through the air. Constantine's eyes never left the angel's face, his mind racing with the possibilities. He knew that in this place, where the veil between the worlds was thin, the whispers of the dead could be heard on the wind. And he had a feeling that this angel was trying to tell him something that would change his life forever.

[Workflow: Used Tengr to generate a variation of a source Llovet image featuring John. Then used Google image searches to find all the other components to use as further elements. Composed these pieces of John, re-used cigarette+smoke+glow from one of my other images, refaced the grave marker behind John, added more trees, applied curves + HSL recoloring effects, fog pixel layers, ray lighting layer, bunches of masking work.  All final edits, and source image clean-ups were done within Affinity Photo.]

Image list:

1. final image of John smoking a cigarette in a graveyard
2. Gravestone Halloween image i used
3. Graveyard with trees
4. green rays that I overlaid with foggy/mist layer

Smoke and the Shadows in the Cemetery of Lost Souls 

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John Constantine Maps Out the London Tube

My image of John Constantine taking a glance at the London subway map was inspired by artist Moritat's panel image I saw in Hellblazer #2 (2016).

Zatanna: London, Two Nights Only (Book 1) [TrUzApalOOza cardstock wraparound variant cover]

[my rough proposal for a two-part Zatanna Zatara storyline for DC Comics]

In the city of magic and wonder, where the lights of the West End shine bright, a legendary illusionist is about to take the stage. Zatanna Zatara, the enchanting mistress of magic, has arrived in London for a limited two-night engagement at the historic Garrick Theatre in the heart of Westminster.  As she prepares for her opening night, Zatanna is approached by an old family friend, the enigmatic and mysterious Sargon the Sorcerer. His eyes gleam with an otherworldly intensity as he whispers a cryptic message in her ear. "Zatanna, my dear, I have a favor to ask of you. A dear friend of mine, a collector of rare and ancient artifacts, has gone missing. His name is Silas, and he was last seen in the city, searching for the Orb of St. Edward. It seems that the Cult of Mithras, a secretive and ancient organization, has stolen the Orb from the British Museum, and Silas was tracking them down. I fear he may have gotten himself into trouble, and I need your help to find him and recover the Orb."

Zatanna's eyes narrow, her mind racing with the possibilities. She knows that Sargon's friends are often involved in the darker side of magic, and she senses that this is no ordinary case. "I'll help you, Sargon," she says, her voice firm and resolute. "But I need to know more about the Orb of St. Edward and what kind of danger we're facing."  Sargon's smile is like a crack of thunder on a stormy night. "Ah, Zatanna, you always were one for the thrill of the chase. Very well, I'll tell you what I know. The Orb of St. Edward is a powerful relic, said to grant the power to control the very fabric of reality. It's been passed down through the centuries, and its last known resting place was the British Museum. But now it's gone, and I fear that if it falls into the wrong hands, the consequences will be catastrophic."

Zatanna's eyes flash with excitement. She knows that she's in for the adventure of a lifetime, and she's ready to face whatever dangers lie ahead. "Then let's get started, Sargon," she says, her voice dripping with determination. "I'll find Silas and the Orb of St. Edward, no matter what it takes." And with that, Zatanna Zatara sets off on a journey that will take her to the very limits of her magical abilities, and beyond. The game is afoot, and the stakes are higher than ever before. Will Zatanna emerge victorious, or will the darkness consume her?  The world of magic is full of surprises, and Zatanna is about to find out just how true that is...

I am proposing this would be written by Paul Dini, interior art by Jamal Igle, and exclusive painted covers by TrUz ApalOOza.

[Workflow: A series of image prompts from Bing Co-Pilot and NightCafe to give me a chunk of starter images, which I then composed and merged within Affinity Photo. Lots of layers, overlays for shadows and lighting, texture layers for lens flares, sparkles, fireworks, distorted/warped/twisting all over with a large dash of masking.]

Image list:

1. final TrUzApalOOza cardstock variant wraparound cover of Zatanna London book 1
2. raw version of the painting (reduced resolution), without final book layouts/logos
3. front cover view
4. back cover view
5. The series logo which I worked within both Affinity Photo and Designer
6. Letter Z, applied to her tuxedo lapel
7. and a glance at my Affinity Photo layering panels with Fx filters

Constantine's Inferno

John Constantine stands at the edge of a hell portal, with the apocalyptic backdrop of a burning London looming behind him. The eerie atmosphere sets the stage for a thrilling adventure as Constantine, a seasoned demon hunter, prepares to face the unknown terrors that lie ahead.