In 1979, Ritchie Simpson became friends with Constantine and, as a pioneer in quantum magic, accompanied him on a visit to the Casanova Club in Newcastle, owned by an amateur mage named Alex Logue. There they found the bodies of Logue and his followers, torn to shreds by a demon named Norfulthing, which had been summoned by Logue's daughter. The resulting events left most of the group scarred including Constantine; Ritchie arguably got away with the least damage. Almost a decade later Constantine asked Ritchie to help him track down the "Resurrection Crusade", a Christian cult. Using the computer at the cereal factory where he worked, he tracked the cult's money trail to the main server. Ritchie found the location and passed it on to Constantine, but then tripped a nasty mystical trap that burned him to a blackened skeleton. Constantine was unable to help his friend, quite literally pulled the plug on him. Ritchie's consciousness however was still active and contacted Constantine through a gas bill, leaving a phone number to call him on. Constantine ordered a special computer that would allow Ritchie's consciousness to be downloaded into a new body. Constantine agreed to help but only if he would help him with the demonNergal. They uploaded the demon's consciousness along with Constantine's to the digital plane. It is there, Constantine tricked Nergal into destroying itself. Ritchie then possessed Constantine body, but Constantine was able to convince Ritchie to take over Nergal's body instead. In this new form he became a "techno demon". As he was admiring his new powers, Hell's law enforcers, Agony and Ecstasy, dragged him to Hell to learn how to become a true demons.
In other media
Television
Live action
In the pilot episode of Constantine, Ritchie Simpson is played by Jeremy Davies. He is portrayed as an academic at Ivy University and speaks with a Southern American accent. Like his comics counterpart, he was present at the failed exorcism in Newcastle. When John meets him again, he is using prescription drugs to cope with his guilt. He is reluctant to have anything to do with John, but John blackmailed him into assisting him by hacking into the Atlantapower grid. He later returns in "A Whole World Out There". Simpson is a University professor, and four of his students learn about Jacob Shaw, a man who could travel between worlds.
Film
Animation
Ritchie Simpson is featured in Justice League Dark, with Jeremy Davies reprising his role. He is still a friend of John Constantine, who was visited by the newly formed Justice League Dark, regarding helping with a mystical disturbance. Ritchie was revealed to be dying and his friends attempted to ward off death. However, this was all a ploy for him to enter the House of Mystery and retrieve the Dreamstone. Ritchie is revealed to have been manipulated by Destiny who then possessed his body. The team of mystical heroes defeat Destiny as Ritchie's cancer kills him shortly after and his soul was dragged to Hell.
