Since his debut The Saga of the Swamp Thing (1984), John Constantine has risen to become one of DC Comics’ most popular heroes (or antiheroes, as it were). For decades, this street magician and occultist has battled demons, ghosts, and all a manner of creepy crawlies to save his life and others, but, at one point during the height of his comic book legacy, Constantine also fought a terrifying illness that is all too real in our world: lung cancer. While comic books are certainly entertaining, the colorful boxed pages of these adventurous stories also teach us lessons about real life, and some of these “educational sessions” can be dark and disturbing, sometimes in the right ways. Let’s take a closer look at the horrors of chain-smoking as presented by John Constantine.
Do You Believe in Magic?
Originally starting out as a minor character (in the shadow of Swamp Thing), John Constantine quickly rose to become one of the most prominent antiheroes (and sometimes hero) in the world of DC Comics. Not long after his introduction, the demon hunter got his own series and marveled teen and adult readers with his spunky, charming, and cunning personality. Throughout his career, Constantine has walked the border between our world and the spirit world and has put his soul on the line one too many times to count. So what else could possibly happen to the hard-smoking, habitual drinking magic master? Contracting lung cancer might be a place to start.
Grim Reality vs. Grim Reaper
While certainly not the best edition in his series, Dangerous Habits is a very intuitive series that helps us answer the question: how would we cope with a terminal illness? After all, we’ve seen comic book character recover from addiction or abuse, but what about a story where the character actually doesn’t beat his problem? In this series, Constantine discovers he is suffering from lung cancer (due to his chain smoking) and only has a short time to live. Desperate to right the wrongs done to him, he quickly seeks the help of a friend to cure his illness, only to find that a horde of shadowy monsters is waiting to take his soul. Despite the supernatural tones, the story does provide a metaphor for a downward spiral. Play against nature long enough, and your body begins to wear down.
Always remember that cigarettes do not have control over your life. You do. Are you suffering from a substance use disorder or a severe form of addiction? Do you have a friend or family member suffering from one or more of these debilitating illnesses? If you do, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and healthcare experts are ready to walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and rehabilitation and guide you towards living a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While the road to recovery might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way. Take the first step to stay fit, healthy, and safe.
The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your drug abuse or addiction troubles today.
