History Main / TrenchcoatBrigade

* Creator/LindseyDavis doesn't let the fact that her Roman public informer Literature/MarcusDidiusFalco lived seventeen centuries before the invention of the trenchcoat get in the way of this trope. [[Film/TheMalteseFalcon Falco]] is often seen on investigations lurking in a dark out-of-the-way corner whilst wearing a big dark hooded cloak, often loosely fastened in front with a belt.

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* Bigby Wolf from the adaptation ''Game/{{The Wolf Among Us}}''. While Bigby doesn't do trenchcoats, The voice actor really did great job in making him a ''Hellblazer''-standard SnarkKnight.

[[folder: Western Animation]]

* Castiel from ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' was influenced by Constantine's image. Though he's not British and doesn't smoke (as far as we know), he does wear a trenchcoat and is morally dubious, [[OurAngelsAreDifferent even though he's an angel]]. He was originally meant to be Constantine, [[WhatCouldHaveBeen but adding him to the show's lore was too complicated.]]

* Castiel from ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' was influenced by Constantine's image. Though he's not British and doesn't smoke (as far as we know), he does wear a trenchcoat and is morally dubious, [[OurAngelsAreDifferent even though he's an angel]]. [[WhatCouldHaveBeen He was originally meant to be Constantine, but adding him to the show's lore was too complicated.]]

* Castiel from ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' was influenced by Constantine's image. Though he's not British and doesn't smoke (as far as we know), he does wear a trenchcoat and is morally dubious, [[OurAngelsAreDifferent even though he's an angel]].

For the trenchcoat itself, see BadassLongcoat, mere possession of which does not automatically make one a member of the Trenchcoat Brigade. 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. Not as much overlap with TrenchCoatWarfare as you might expect.

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

* Edward Carnby from ''Franchise/AloneInTheDark'' who uses more guns to fight monsters than magic.

** 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 ComicBook/ThePhantomStranger, [[OccultDetective Doctor Occult]], and Mister E; the Trenchcoat Brigade functioned as something of a mystical/magical {{Justice League| of America}}.

* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' has John Constantine, Pete Wisdom and Harry Dresden, all of whom are mentioned on this page.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden'', private investigator and wizard ticks every box on the list but the smoking for the look and everything but the MagnificentBastard and/or AntiHero tendencies personality-wise, and even then he [[PragmaticHero can be pretty ruthless]] when [[GodzillaThreshold the stakes are high enough.]] He technically wears a leather duster rather than a trenchcoat, but the visual effect is the same. It's also justified, because the duster is enchanted to be bulletproof. His [[http://img01.spacenode.com/article/5pc_dresden-new-cover.jpg book covers]] add a NiceHat to the formula, but the actual character makes a point of [[CoversAlwaysLie not being a hat person.]]

* Jack Harkness from ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'', an immortal, snarky, morally questionable [[TheMenInBlack Man In Black]] who is one of the few people on this page to seriously rival John Constantine for the number of his friends and allies who have ended up horribly dead or broken. (Jack's coat is dark blue wool.)

The most famous spitting image of an OccultDetective, 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 [[DarkAndTroubledPast dark]], [[MysteriousPast mysterious past]], they've got themselves a MagnificentBastard of an {{antihero}} that they can send out to fight [[EldritchAbomination occult foes]].

The most famous spitting image of an OccultDetective, 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 MagnificentBastard of an {{antihero}} that they can send out to fight [[EldritchAbomination occult foes]].

* Sissel from ''GhostTrick''.

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. Not as much overlap with TrenchCoatWarfare as you might expect.

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

* Jack Harkness from ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'', an immortal, snarky, morally questionable [[{{MIB}} Man In Black]] who is one of the few people on this page to seriously rival John Constantine for the number of his friends and allies who have ended up horribly dead or broken. (Jack's coat is dark blue wool).

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden'', private investigator and wizard hits every tick on the box but smoking for the look and everything but the MagnificentBastard and/or AntiHero tendencies personality-wise, and even then he [[PragmaticHero can be pretty ruthless]] when [[GodzillaThreshold the stakes are high enough.]] He technically wears a leather duster rather than a trenchcoat, but the visual effect is the same. It's also justified, because the duster is enchanted to be bulletproof. His [[http://img01.spacenode.com/article/5pc_dresden-new-cover.jpg book covers]] add a NiceHat to the formula, but the actual character makes a point of [[CoversAlwaysLie not being a hat person.]]

* Ronan O'Connor from ''Videogame/{{MurderedSoulSuspect}}''. Though he doesn't wear a coat, he still smokes and snarks like it's running out of style, even in the afterlife.

* Simon R. Green's {{Nightside}} series has John Taylor, who is basically a nicer John Constantine.

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles Harry Dresden'', private investigator and wizard hits every tick on the box but smoking. He technically wears a leather duster rather than a trenchcoat, but the visual effect is the same. It's also justified, because the duster is enchanted to be bulletproof. His [[http://img01.spacenode.com/article/5pc_dresden-new-cover.jpg book covers]] add a NiceHat to the formula, but the actual character makes a point of [[CoversAlwaysLie not being a hat person.]]

* Though many writers have wanted to use Constantine in their series, DC [[ExecutiveMeddling denied them]] up until 2011 because of the "mature readers" status of ''Hellblazer'' and fears that including the character in the more supposedly family-friendly parts of the DCUniverse might cause controversy. So, instead, various [[CaptainErsatz analogues and homages]] to John have appeared.

* Dante Vale from ''{{Huntik}}''.

* 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.

* Though many writers have wanted to use Constantine in their series, DC [[ExecutiveMeddling denied them]] up until 2011 for fear of disturbing the "realism" of ''Hellblazer'', even though Constantine (technically) inhabits the DCUniverse, where a number of these {{Expies}} also reside. So, instead, various analogues and homages to John have appeared.

** The character Jack Horner also quitely fits this trope. While not wearing a trenchcoat, or smoking that much cigars, or being British at all, Jack fits the bill for being the snarkiest, selfish bastard in the Fables series, much akin to John Constantine. Like him, Jack also tricks gods and devils from time to time and also does some hustling conjobs along the way.
* 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]]. Since Excalibur deals with Marvel's mutants in England, and ''lots'' of dimension-travelling, there's no question on the supernatural elements he's had to face.

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

* Tatsumi Saiga of ''SpeedGrapher'' fits the bill to a T. Smokes, cynical and snarky- hes a photo journalist investigating a fetish ring. Top of all that, he's also got some nifty occult powers.