History Main / TrenchcoatBrigade

-->-- '''AmbroseBierce''', ''StanleyAndHisMonster''

* Magic hater Roland Deschlain from the ''{{The Dark Tower}}''

->''"You [[MysteriousPast learn the basics]], have a [[DarkAndTroubledPast hideous experience in a graveyard]], they give you a [[BadassLongcoat trenchcoat]] and [[PermaStubble steal your razor.]] Like an assembly line, really."''

** Creator/GrantMorrison wanted Constantine to become a recurring character in his ''Comicbook/DoomPatrol'', but couldn't, so he created Willoughby Kipling. However, instead of looking like Sting, he looks like RichardEGrant from ''WithnailAndI''.

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-- ThePhantomStranger, ''BooksOfMagic''

** TropeNamer "Trenchcoat Brigade" was coined in the ''BooksOfMagic'' MiniSeries by Creator/NeilGaiman. There was even a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trenchcoat_Brigade four issue Trenchcoat Brigade mini-series]]. In the minis - and in the main BooksOfMagic series - Constantine was teamed with DC characters ThePhantomStranger, [[OccultDetective Doctor Occult]], and Mister E; the Trenchcoat Brigade functioned as something of a mystical/magical {{Justice League| of America}}.

* Lampshaded in "ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable" with the Whisper.

* John Taylor from the {{Nightside}} series by SimonRGreen fits this rather well...

* Fitz Kreiner, from the Literature/EighthDoctorAdventures. Being GenreSavvy, he seems to know it, too. He smokes, wears a leather coat most of the time and a trench coat some of the time, swears more than basically anyone he knows, has PermaStubble (because he's bad at shaving), and is a lower-middle-class Londoner and a [[GuileHero Guile]] {{Sidekick}}. He's also basically quite sweet and sensitive, but most characters, upon first meeting him, distrust him.

* While his literary counterpart below has some aspects of this, Anton in the ''NightWatch'' films is an even better example, wearing a trench coat and CoolShades, and is clearly an alcoholic.

* Damien from {{Nightschool}}. He doesn't have stubble, but when you can [[spoiler:''stop bullets from reaching your skin, break bones by thinking about it, and can flatten NYC'']] then you can be a nitpicker.

* Fitz Kreiner, from the EighthDoctorAdventures. Being GenreSavvy, he seems to know it, too. He smokes, wears a leather coat most of the time and a trench coat some of the time, swears more than basically anyone he knows, has PermaStubble (because he's bad at shaving), and is a lower-middle-class Londoner and a [[GuileHero Guile]] {{Sidekick}}. He's also basically NeutralGood and quite sweet and sensitive, but most characters, upon first meeting him, distrust him.

->"Just what the world's been waiting for. The Charge of the Trenchcoat Brigade."\\
-- '''[[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]]''', ''BooksOfMagic''

->''"You [[MysteriousPast learn the basics]], have a [[DarkAndTroubledPast hideous experience in a graveyard]], they give you a [[BadassLongcoat trenchcoat]] and [[PermaStubble steal your razor.]] Like an assembly line, really."''\\
-- '''AmbroseBierce''', ''StanleyAndHisMonster''

* Gillian Seed from ''{{Snatcher}}''. Subverted in that despite being [[ComicBookFantasyCasting modelled pretty blatantly]] after Harrison Ford in ''Film/BladeRunner'', he's well-groomed, not too moody and occasionally a bit of a CloudCuckooLander.
** And by way of Gillian Seed, Old Snake's cover story in ''MetalGearSolid4'''s third act is that he's one of these.

-- '''[[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]]''', ''{{Books of Magic}}''

Many creators figure that if they give a bloke a [[BadassLongcoat trenchcoat]], a pack of [[SmokingIsCool smokes]], and a [[PermaStubble five o'clock shadow]]; a [[DeadpanSnarker quick wit]], [[FirstPersonSmartass hard-boiled and self-referential dialogue]] and a [[MysteriousPast mysterious]] and [[DarkAndTroubledPast dark past]], they've got themselves a {{magnificent bastard}} of an {{antihero}} that they can send out to fight [[EldritchAbomination occult foes]].

* The UrExample is, of course, [[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]] of VertigoComics. He first appeared in ''Comicbook/SwampThing'' and spun-off into his own series some years later. (''Comicbook/SwampThing'' showed the title character and John Constantine both active in the ''Comicbook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', although Constantine had only a ''very'' small role in the actual miniseries.) Constantine was created by AlanMoore based on his idea of "creating a character who looked like Sting", although Sting did not tend to wear trenchcoats or smoke (at least in public).

** Jack Carter from WarrenEllis' ''{{Planetary}}'' goes from a John Constantine analogue to a [[{{Transmetropolitan}} Spider Jerusalem]] analogue. (WarrenEllis, of course, created Spider Jerusalem.)

* Lampshaded in "{{Knights of the Dinner Table}}" with the Whisper.

* A recent addition to the brigade is Jimmy Stark, antihero of Richard Kadrey's ''{{Sandman Slim}}''. Ragged & snarky, with a dark past and hellish powers; wearing a black silk trenchcoat with no irony, and smoking Maledictions, the cigarettes from Hell.

* Franklin from ''TrueBlood'' is introduced as one of these, but turns out to be a villainous psycho.

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* Detective Badd from ''AceAttorney Investigations'', whose ragged trenchcoat is pockmarked with bullet holes from all the times he's been shot at. He doesn't smoke, though--he just makes [[SweetTooth constantly sucking on lollipops]] look cool.
** To elaborate a bit on this guy, EVERYONE, including Manfred von Karma, respects this guy, even if only grudgingly. He's one of only three known people Franziska won't ever whip. To the fan community, he's Ace Attorney's very own Chuck Norris.
* Gillian Seed from ''{{Snatcher}}''. Subverted in that despite being [[ComicBookFantasyCasting modelled pretty blatantly]] after Harrison Ford in ''BladeRunner'', he's well-groomed, not too moody and occasionally a bit of a CloudCuckooLander.
** And by way of Gillian Seed, Old Snake's cover story in ''MetalGearSolid 4'''s third act is that he's one of these.

-- ThePhantomStranger, ''{{Books of Magic}}''

* The UrExample is, of course, [[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]] of VertigoComics. He first appeared in ''Comicbook/SwampThing'' and spun-off into his own series some years later. (''Comicbook/SwampThing'' showed the title character and John Constantine both active in the ''CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', although Constantine had only a ''very'' small role in the actual miniseries.) Constantine was created by AlanMoore based on his idea of "creating a character who looked like Sting", although Sting did not tend to wear trenchcoats or smoke (at least in public).
** TropeNamer "Trenchcoat Brigade" was coined in the ''BooksOfMagic'' MiniSeries by NeilGaiman. There was even a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trenchcoat_Brigade four issue Trenchcoat Brigade mini-series]]. In the minis - and in the main BooksOfMagic series - Constantine was teamed with DC characters ThePhantomStranger, [[OccultDetective Doctor Occult]], and Mister E; the Trenchcoat Brigade functioned as something of a mystical/magical {{Justice League| of America}}.

** GrantMorrison wanted Constantine to become a recurring character in his ''DoomPatrol'', but couldn't, so he created Willoughby Kipling. However, instead of looking like Sting, he looks like RichardEGrant from ''WithnailAndI''.

** NeilGaiman for ''TheSandman'' actually created John Constantine's ancestor: Johanna Constantine. Even though she doesn't wear a trenchcoat, she's still a MagnificentBastard.

* [[TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden]] has definite shades of this. Considering John Constantine has been around since 1985,and JimButcher is a self-proclaimed fan of the series, the real question is whether it is a case of "influenced by", "inspired by", or ''CaptainErsatz''.

* Anton of ''NightWatch''.

* Spike in ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' really, really wants to be one of these after his HeelFaceTurn. Unfortunately, there's a reason why BadassDecay used to be called Spikeification - Spike never quite managed to get the requisite level of cool.

* Riff of ''SluggyFreelance'' fits most of the trope. His dark and troubled past working as a Hereti Corp freelancer is often brought up even today. His inventions potentially destroying all (or most) of mankind is another for which he's visibly trying to redeem himself for. He also has a string of girlfriends he left behind. He doesn't smoke though.

* The UrExample is, of course, [[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]] of VertigoComics. He first appeared in ''SwampThing'' and spun-off into his own series some years later. (''SwampThing'' showed the title character and John Constantine both active in the CrisisOnInfiniteEarths, although Constantine had only a ''very'' small role in the actual miniseries.) Constantine was created by AlanMoore based on his idea of "creating a character who looked like Sting", although Sting did not tend to wear trenchcoats or smoke (at least in public).

* Riff of ''SluggyFreelance'' fits most of the trope. His dark and troubled past working as a Hereti Corp freelancer is often brought up even today. His inventions potentially destroying all (or most) of mankind is another. He also has a string of girlfriends he left behind. He doesn't smoke though.

* The movie version of John in ''{{Constantine}}'' just barely qualifies. He has the DarkAndTroubledPast and the trenchcoat, which he generally does not wear.

Many creators figure that if they give a bloke a [[BadassLongcoat trenchcoat]], a pack of [[SmokingIsCool smokes]], and a [[PermaStubble five o'clock shadow]]; a [[DeadpanSnarker quick wit]], [[FirstPersonSmartass hard-boiled dialogue]] and a [[MysteriousPast mysterious]] and [[DarkAndTroubledPast dark past]], they've got themselves a {{magnificent bastard}} of an {{antihero}} that they can send out to fight [[EldritchAbomination occult foes]].

Many creators figure that if they give a bloke a [[BadassLongcoat trenchcoat]], a pack of [[SmokingIsCool smokes]], and a [[PermaStubble five o'clock shadow]]; a [[DeadpanSnarker quick wit]] and a [[MysteriousPast mysterious]] and [[DarkAndTroubledPast dark past]], they've got themselves a {{magnificent bastard}} of an {{antihero}} that they can send out to fight [[EldritchAbomination occult foes]].

** Angel borderlines it, there have even been comments about similarities between Constantine and Angel, or possible inspiration.

Members of the Trenchcoat Brigade are those characters who are strongly influenced by, inspired by, or out and out copies of the character of JohnConstantine, first introduced in 1985 by DC Comics. He has all of the above characteristics, as well as being British, blond, and pretty much a loner.

* The TropeMaker is, of course, [[ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]] of VertigoComics. He first appeared in ''SwampThing'' and spun-off into his own series some years later. (''SwampThing'' showed the title character and John Constantine both active in the CrisisOnInfiniteEarths, although Constantine had only a ''very'' small role in the actual miniseries.) Constantine was created by AlanMoore based on his idea of "creating a character who looked like Sting", although Sting did not tend to wear trenchcoats or smoke (at least in public).

[[quoteright:330:[[{{Hellblazer}} http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Hellblazer03.jpg]]]]

-- '''[[{{Hellblazer}} John Constantine]]''', ''{{Books of Magic}}''

* The TropeMaker is, of course, [[HellBlazer John Constantine]] of VertigoComics. He first appeared in ''SwampThing'' and spun-off into his own series some years later. (''SwampThing'' showed the title character and John Constantine both active in the CrisisOnInfiniteEarths, although Constantine had only a ''very'' small role in the actual miniseries.) Constantine was created by AlanMoore based on his idea of "creating a character who looked like Sting", although Sting did not tend to wear trenchcoats or smoke (at least in public).

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* Damien from {{Nightschool}}. He doesn't have stubble, but when you can [[spoiler:''stop bullets from reaching your skin, break bones by thinking about it, and can flatten NYC'']] then you can be a nitpicker.