User:Stephen Day/Rough Draft

Secret Defenders is a comic book series published in the 1990s by Marvel Comics.

Hellblazer Presents: Chas - The Knowledge is a comic book limited series, written by Simon Oliver, with artwork by Goran Sudzuka, and cover art by Glenn Fabry. It is a spin off from the Vertigo series Hellblazer, featuring John Constantine's oldest and closest friend, Francis 'Chas' Chandler.

The first issue was printed in July 2008. The series will run for five issues.

Issues
#1 July 2nd 2008

Cab driver Francis "Chas" Chandler leads an unremarkable existence. His greatest moments have come tagging along with John Constantine -- as a chauffeur. His home life is nothing special, and his beloved London is becoming a soulless metropolis. In middle age, Chas is stuck in a rut.

But Chas is a master of "The Knowledge," the elaborate system of routes and landmarks which every London cabbie must memorize. Until now, The Knowledge has been just a tool for Chas. But now, he's about to discover a more sinister significance of The Knowledge.

An ominous entity from London's grim history has reemerged, and only someone with The Knowledge can stop it. Is Chas up to the task, on his own?

#2 August 6th 2008

A demon is loose in London, and where's John Constantine? On a beach in Ibiza with a mai tai and a Brazilian model. That leaves Chas alone to solve a bloody mystery – but when one of his old friends goes missing and a new friend emerges to turn his life upside down, saving the city is the last thing on Chas's overburdened mind.

#3 September 3rd 2008

Those who forget history...Well, let's just say that some parts of the past are better left buried. London is about to learn that lesson the hard way – but John Constantine has picked a bad time to go the beach. And the one man who could unlock the mysteries of "The Knowledge," Francis "Chas" Chandler, is having enough trouble solving the puzzle of his own middle-aged life.

#4 October 1st 2008

Red vs. Blue. The demon possessing Chas's would-be protégé, Nicky, has unlocked the secrets of "The Knowledge," and now it's looking to rip the soul right out of London. And where better to start than a football match between two of the city's most heated rivals? The ensuing chaos creates a moment of decision in the life of "Chas."

#5 November 5th 2008

The demon Tuma'el stands poised to take control of London's very soul. Chas Chandler must save the city, and at the same time, rediscover his own place in his beloved London.

Reception
The first issue sold an estimated 10,463 issues putting it at 182 in the Diamond Comic Distributors sales table.

Collected editions
The series will be collected into a trade paperback:


 * Hellblazer: Chas (128 pages, Vertigo, April 2009, ISBN 1-40122-127-0)