History Main / TrenchcoatBrigade

** Beast is also one when he plays dress-up as Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe as he track down his demonic wife.

* Bigby Wolf from ComicBook/{{FABLES}}, who wears a trenchcoat and smokes thin cigars. The actual {{Big Bad Wolf}}, Bigby nonehtheless has supernatural powers in him, and he's a detective too.

* Bigby Wolf from the adaptation ''Video Game/{{The Wolf Among Us}}''. The voice actor really did great job in making him a ''Hellblazer''-standard SnarkKnight.

* Bigby Wolf from ComicBook/{{FABLES}}, who wears a trenchcoat and smokes thin cigars. The actual {{Big Bad Wolf}}, Bigby nonehteless has supernatural powers in him, and he's a detective too.

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

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

Members of the Trenchcoat Brigade are those characters who are strongly influenced by, inspired by, or out and out {{expy}}/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 strings of loved-and-lost women -- [[BiTheWay or occasionally men]] -- they may take up with don't count.)

* The UrExample is, of course, John Constantine from ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'' 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 Creator/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).

* Constance Johanssen was also Ellis' homage/parody of Constantine in the ''Pryde and Wisdom'' mini-series: "Constance Johanssen. Excellent occult detective. Has a habit of getting her friends killed. Two hundred at last count"

** Creator/NeilGaiman for ''Comicbook/TheSandman'' actually created John Constantine's ancestor: Johanna Constantine. Even though she doesn't wear a trenchcoat, she's still a MagnificentBastard. It's also implied that Constantines gravitate towards this trope especially if their initials are "JC".

** Constance Johanssen was also Ellis' homage/parody of Constantine in the ''Pryde and Wisdom'' mini-series: "Constance Johanssen. Excellent occult detective. Has a habit of getting her friends killed. Two hundred at last count"
** Due to the above, Creator/GrantMorrison created Willoughby Kipling for ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol''. He also based him on Whitnail from ''Film/WhitnailAndI''.

** Creator/PhilFoglio's update of ''ComicBook/StanleyAndHisMonster'' featured author Creator/AmbroseBierce drawn to look like Constantine and playing much the same role, after DC wouldn't allow the use of Constantine. The series claims that his horror stories were based on truth, and he staged his own disappearance to avoid an EldritchAbomination that was coming to complain about his depiction of it. People keep mistaking him for Constantine, who he calls a hack.

* Creator/PhilFoglio's update of ''ComicBook/StanleyAndHisMonster'' featured author Creator/AmbroseBierce drawn to look like Constantine and playing much the same role, after DC wouldn't allow the use of Constantine. The series claims that his horror stories were based on truth, and he staged his own disappearance to avoid an EldritchAbomination that was coming to complain about his depiction of it. People keep mistaking him for Constantine, who he calls a hack.

* While his literary counterpart below has some aspects of this, Anton in the ''Literature/NightWatch'' films is an even better example, wearing a trench coat and CoolShades, and is clearly an alcoholic. Dealing with the "Others" is probably eough to turn anyone sour.

* Gambit from ''Franchise/{{X-Men}}''. Trenchcoat, stubble, mysterious past, dubious morality, all that's missing is the occult specialty.

* 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. Like all of the Doctor's compainions, he's given a WeirdnessMagnet, to make sure when he wanders off, he discovers the nearest source of alien influence.

** TropeNamer "Trenchcoat Brigade" was coined in the ''Comicbook/TheBooksOfMagic'' 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 ''Comicbook/TheBooksOfMagic'' 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}}.

* Riff of ''Webcomic/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. Dimentional travel, hell's kittens, and time travel all rear their heads in this (supposedly) Slice of Life series. He also has a string of girlfriends he left behind. He doesn't smoke though.

-- ThePhantomStranger, ''Comicbook/TheBooksOfMagic''

* The UrExample is, of course, John Constantine from ''ComicBook/{{Hellblazer}}'' 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).

-->-- '''AmbroseBierce''' in PhilFoglio's ''ComicBook/StanleyAndHisMonster''

* Riff of ''Webcomic/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. Dimentional travel, hell's kittens, and time travel all rear their heads in this (supposedly) Lsice of Life series. He also has a string of girlfriends he left behind. He doesn't smoke though.

* Pete Wisdom from ''Comicbook/{{Excalibur}}'' (even when he wasn't being written by Warren Ellis, his creator) was always like this. He's cleaned up a bit recently, though. Given up smoking and everything. Some fans have theorised that the original character ''was'' the NinetiesAntiHero version of the character, and this is just a [[CharacterDevelopment natural progression]].
* Cal [=McDonald=] from the ''CriminalMacabre'' comics by Steven Niles isn't British, but otherwise fits this trope to a T.

* Harvey Bullock from the Franchise/{{Batman}} mythos. This fat trenchcoat, [[CigarChomper cigar smoking]], and donut eating cop is morally ambiguous in his cases. Lampshaded much in ''ComicBook/GothamCentral''.

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

* 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.

** Angel borderlines it, there have even been comments about similarities between Constantine and Angel, or possible inspiration. Angel doesn't smoke, although he did once have one as Angelus, I think.

** As well as most of the ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' cast.

* Riff of ''Webcomic/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.

* Inspector Zenigata from ''Franchise/LupinIII''. Although he's rather a bumbling ButtMonkey a few times before in his battle with Lupin, once he get serious, his morals of black and white turns to grey as he fights injustice. He also tends to smoke alot and wears a trench coat.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Detective Badd from ''VisualNovel/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.
[[/folder]]

* Alucard from ''{{Hellsing}}''. The guy's a cold-hearted bastard who loves to taunt his foes, but occasionally sides with the good as an OccultDetective.
* 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.
* Inspector Zenigata. Although he's rather a bumbling ButtMonkey a few times before in his battle with {{Lupin III}}, once he get serious, his morals of black and white turns to grey as he fights injustice. He also tends to smoke alot and wears a trench coat.

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

** 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 ''Film/WithnailAndI''.
** PhilFoglio uses Creator/AmbroseBierce for his series ''ComicBook/StanleyAndHisMonster''. He even gives him a bit of LampshadeHanging as shown in the above quote.
** John Ostrander had to use Rasputin in his ''{{Firestorm}}'' series instead of Constantine.
** Creator/NeilGaiman for ''Comicbook/TheSandman'' actually created John Constantine's ancestor: Johanna Constantine. Even though she doesn't wear a trenchcoat, she's still a MagnificentBastard.
*** It's also implied that Constantines gravitate towards this trope especially if their initials are "JC".
** With the breaking of the Vertigo embargo in 2011, John's reclaimed the Trenchcoat Brigade role in the main DCU.

* {{Hellboy}} from Dark Horse, not only is he an {{occult detective}}, he's a trenchcoat fan and a heavy smoker.

* {{Gravel}}, another Warren Ellis invention (a writer of ''Hellblazer''), is an example of this trope, and was explicitly created by Ellis as a Constantine Expy, although he's evolved away from that as his adventures progressed.
* Garth Ennis, former ''Hellblazer'' writer, created ''{{Preacher}}''. The protagonist Jesse Custer is an example.
* Michael Jones from ''ComicBook/DesolationJones''. Another of Ellis' characters to take the Hellblazer tone of a darker world. Note the blond hair and Trench Coat.
* Although Hannibal King from ''{{Blade}}'' precedes John by some years, he later becomes one in later years.
* {{Lampshaded}} in ''ComicStrip/KnightsOfTheDinnerTable'' with the Whisper.
* ''ShadeTheChangingMan''
* Samuel Burke from ''{{Spawn}}''. Although overweight, the guy sees everything in the shades of grey. He smokes from time to time and when he taggles along with Spawn in his adventures, he becomes an OccultDetective.
* Lt. Kellaway from ''{{The Mask}}'' qualifies. He wears a trench coat and smokes, even having a cynical yet-by-the-book look in his cases, and as he chases down the reality-warping maniac Big Head.
* Harvey Bullock from the {{Batman}} mythos. This fat trenchcoat, [[CigarChomper cigar smoking]], and donut eating cop is morally ambiguous in his cases. Lampshaded much in ''{{Gotham Central}}''.

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

* Selene from ''{{Underworld}}'' is a female example.
* Balthazar Blake from ''Film/TheSorcerersApprentice''. Guess what... he's a sorcerer too.

* John Taylor from the ''{{Nightside}}'' series by SimonRGreen fits this rather well...
** Though he does subvert it a bit by the coat being white.
* ...as does FelixCastor from ''The Devil You Know'' and its sequels by Mike Carey (given the fact that Carey wrote ''{{Hellblazer}}'' for a while).
* Cal [=McDonald=] (see comics examples above) has also appeared in a series of novels by creator Steven Niles.
* [[Literature/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''.
** Though given Harry's stupid sense of humor, he might be closer to a [[XMeetsY cross between]] John Constantine and {{Spider-Man}}. (Which he has also admitted: "I follow the Tao of Peter Parker," anyone?)
** Given Harry's status as a PopCulturedBadass, he was probably trying to invoke the image intentionally.
* Anton of ''Literature/NightWatch''.
* A recent addition to the brigade is Jimmy Stark, antihero of Richard Kadrey's ''SandmanSlim''. Ragged & snarky, with a dark past and hellish powers; wearing a black silk trenchcoat with no irony, and smoking Maledictions, the cigarettes from Hell.

* Magic hater Roland Deschlain from the ''Franchise/{{The Dark Tower}}''.
* Dilbert Pinkerton from ''TheArmadilloMysteries''.

** As well as most of the ''{{Torchwood}}'' cast.

* Gillian Seed from ''VisualNovel/{{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 ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4's'' third act is that he's one of these.
* Revolver Ocelot from ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' fits in this trope. Although he sometimes wears a duster than a coat.
* Aiden Pearce from the upcoming video game ''VideoGame/WatchDogs'', albeit in a CyberPunk setting rather than UrbanFantasy; instead of magic, he has the power of HollywoodHacking. [[TropesAreFlexible Eh, close enough.]]
* Looker of ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' and ''[[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Black and White]]'' wears a brown trenchcoat. It doesn't flutter in the wind a lot, but he still looks like a badass.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* The Net.Trenchcoat Brigade, a [[VertigoComics Vertigo]]-inspired LegionOfNetHeroes spinoff.
[[/folder]]

For the trenchcoat itself, see BadassLongcoat, mere possession of which does not automatically make one a member of the TrenchcoatBrigade. The item of apparel in question is also (and [[OlderThanTheyThink was earlier]]) a stereotype of "stale beer" SpyFiction, which lends plenty of inspiration to the characters on this page.

* {{Gravel}}, another Warren Ellis invention (a writer of Hellblazer), is an example of this trope, and was explicitly created by Ellis as a Constantine Expy, although he's evolved away from that as his adventures progressed.

* ShadeTheChangingMan

* Harvey Bullock from the {{Batman}} mythos. This fat trenchcoat, cigar smoking, and donut eating cop is morally ambigous in his cases. Lampshaded much in {{Gotham Central}}.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* Alucard from ''{{Hellsing}}''. The guy's a cold-hearted bastard who loves to taunt his foes, but occasionally sides with the good as an OccultDetective.
* 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.
* Inspector Zenigata. Although he's rather a bumbling ButtMonkey a few times before in his battle with {{Lupin III}}, once he get serious, his morals of black and white turns to grey as he fights injustice. He also tends to smoke alot and wears a trench coat.
[[/folder]]

* Dilbert Pinkerton from The Armadillo Mysteries.

* Some incarnations of the Doctor in ''DoctorWho'', specifically the ones who are cold and snarky bastards.

For the trenchcoat itself, see BadassLongcoat, mere possession of which does not automatically make one a member of the TrenchcoatBrigade.