John Constantine is only a self-proclaimed dabbler in the Dark Arts, so it comes as a surprise to eveyrone when he becomes the target of a magic-stealing mage who is convinced that Constantine is the famed "Laughing Magician" who reappears throughout the ages. Considering that he isn't the first of his family to play a major (if unheralded) role in world events we readers buy into the theory a bit easier than everyone else - even if Constantine does seem to literally laugh in the face of his magical problems and come out on top every time. Some sources seem to think that he's not actually the "chosen one" though, and it is actually his twin who died in the womb who was fated to get all the magical powers. This brings up some interesting theories about fate circumvented or transferred, since John clearly got a decent dose of power - possibly more than the average magician. Does this in turn mean that he was given a double dose of power, or that he is able to tap into the power of a person who never really existed? Or is his opponent completely wrong and there is no laughing magician of this age? ( )

Hellblazer/Constantine, my favorite bad boy. Re-read. Andy Diggle can do no wrong. ( )