Fic: Afterimage (Constantine)

[ivy03]

Repost of my first Constantine fic. New title and some minor editing.

Title: Afterimage
Author: Ivy
Rating: PG-13 (swearing)
Summary: Coda to the end of the movie, somewhere between Ravenscar and the rooftop scene with Angela.

Comments

[sydni_64]

I love the irony of John listening to "Stairway to Heaven," even if it is only because Chas had it on his playlist. :)

[ivy03]

That whole record thing was the inspiration of the story. I was thinking - John only has a record player, what would Chas being able to get on LP to make John cooler (cause let's face it, though I love Take Five, it ain't cool). And then I was thinking - Led Zeppelin. Classic, and old enough to be on record. Then it was just sort of bing! Stairway to Heaven! Of course! The miracle of the LP. I won't try and analyze how perfectly it fits for the mood (OK a little - the whole "buying a stairway to Heaven" soooo perfect for John) because it's not a song!fic and I was trying to make it as subtle as possible (hence not naming the song). But thanks for the fb! Now go read my latest.

[faded_memories]

I found this by... going to one journal and clicking... and clicking... and clicking some more until I got turned around and I was so lost that I started to cry for my Mommy. But at least I had great fic to keep me busy until the search party caught up with me.

This fic worked very well with what we were given in the movie. I think you did a very good job with Constantine's character. I love how he wasn't sure what to do, almost as though he didn't know his place. It was just great.

[ivy03]

Well, I'm glad you stumbled here. Come on in, set a spell. Anything I can do to help with the navigation problems?

Thanks for the feedback! It's always good to hear that my characterization is accurate.

[faded_memories]

The search party has found me at last. It turns out that I found you/this through sydni_64 --> collie --> constancanon.

I tend to try and absorb anything and everything from new fandoms. :)

[ivy03]

Ain't sydni_64 great? She's the one who sucked me into this whole fanfic thing. And I am totally the same with new fandoms. This one is so brand-spanking new it's possible to read every fanfic written so far in an afternoon. Have you checked out ashen_wings, constatineslash and hellblazerslash yet? That's where all the stories seem to be landing so far.

[chuckro]

No Mucous Membrane in the movie faux-continuity, then?

I'm not sure I can see Constantine worrying this much about the details. If there's anything John Constatine is known for, it's an endless supply of disposable friends who'll take care of the details. And he's never struck me as the obsessive-compulsive detail-oriented type. He always seemed more likely to let the details take care of themselves and concern himself with the next big score.

Oh, and I don't think the comic Constantine knows how to drive. Hence the constant need for a driver or to hitchhike.

[ivy03]

No, no, Mucous Membrane. Given the fact that he had a record player playing Dave Brubeck in the film, I'm not seeing the punk rocker.

Your response is what I've been getting from the people who've read the comic books, and I understand that, but I think movie John is fundamentally different. And even though he has gone through many friends (look! look! he got Midnite to take care of the funeral), I think he would feel different about Chas since he was mentoring him.

And, according to movie continuity, John is using Chas as his driver because his license was suspended.

Additional movie nitpicks

[chuckro]

1. Rebecca pointed out that the entire premise rests upon a misunderstanding of Catholic doctrine. John is obviously repentant for commiting suicide. If he goes to confession and does penance, then he's back in heaven, no sweat.

2. Cutting your wrists the way John does at the end won't actually kill you. (Unless you've got a clotting disorder, which we can safely assume from other events in the movie that John doesn't.)

Re: Additional movie nitpicks

[ivy03]

Point 1 - well, yes. See my other story. I also feel the need to point out that if John sacrificed himself for Isabel just as a ploy to get out of hell (and I really can't read it as anything but that) then it shouldn't work because he's still being selfish. The only way I can read it is as a set of rules with loopholes, like the tax code. As soon as you admit the possibility that an innocent could be in hell, the whole concept of divine justice goes right out the window. In order for the mythology of Constantine to work, God needs to either be all powerful or all good, he can't be both

[danamulder]

Absolutely awesome fic! I'm in no way familiar with the comics, btw. lol This fits right in with the movie, and John caring more than he lets on, because I think leaving his lighter on Chas' tombstone at the end of the credits proved that.

[ivy03]

Thanks! It's always great to get fb on older fic. I'm glad this characterization works for you. Because, yes, John's an asshole, but he's soft and mushy on the inside, like a blowpop.