Constantine #6 (2013)

At the Joint Bar in New York City, its proprietor Lloyd Ortiz is in poor shape, but much better shape than John Constantine. Having been told by John in advance of anything bad happening to him not to call 9-1-1, Lloyd instead makes a call to Zatanna. Unfortunately, he gets her machine, which is troublesome, because John is about to die. While Lloyd is busy panicking, John himself is having an out-of-body experience. He has company, though, in the form of Chris, the young man he allowed to be murdered by Sargon the Sorceress. John isn't glad to see him, given that he's supposed to have passed on by now. Chris reveals that he never did, and in fact, he has been hanging around, haunting John ever since the moment of his death - and now he wants revenge. John tries to calm him by explaining how he actually spared Chris a more painful death because the boy's powers were essentially frying his brain. Meanwhile, his death had been the sacrifice that helped John defeat Sargon in the first place. This only serves to anger Chris more, and he reveals that he has been cutting deals since he entered the astral plane, and he intends to use those deals to bring John some prolonged pain. In the Swiss Alps, the sorcerer Tannarak's ritual is interrupted by Mister E and Sargon. They report that their assassin has brought John Constantine to the edge of death. This pleases Tannarak, but he can sense in Sargon a reluctance. She admits that she would have liked to bring him over to the Cult of the Cold Flame rather than seeing him die, claiming her reticence is nothing more than that. Dismissive, Tannarak responds that the Cold Flame claims everything eventually, and sends some of his followers to be sure that John's remaining wisp of life be cut short. When those cultists arrive at the bar, however, they are not expecting to find Lloyd's rifle barrel ready and waiting to blast their heads off. John, meanwhile, warns Chris that his anger and rage are being exploited by the dark spirits of the Cult. He offers that if Chris can agree to let go of his vendetta, and practice the deep meditation he was taught, he will be spared being torn apart by the spirits. Time is running out, though. Unfortunately, Chris can't get a handle on things, and is dragged away by the Cult's eliminators. When Chris is gone, they turn to John, who warns that bigger fish than they will be coming for him, once he actually dies. Lloyd is surrounded and out of bullets, and the eliminators warn that if he reloads, they will kill him. Though he is defiant, the eliminators begin dropping like flies, and Lloyd wonders if it is John's work. He is surprised to learn that is saviour is Papa Midnite. Midnite is bothered to learn that his man MopMop was corrupted and killed by the Cult of the Cold Flame, and though he admits that he can help John, he has no motivation to do so, as yet. Meanwhile, Tannarak follows John's energy signature around New York until he discovers Dotty's Pet store, and makes his way inside. From the astral plane, John explains to Midnite that his continued survival is necessary to the defeat of the Cult of the Cold Flame, who - unless impeded - will discover him as well. Midnite uses voodoo magic to bring John back to life, and the experience is quite painful. Though John is alive, his problems are just beginning. Tannarak has found his secret room, where all of the occult weapons and artifacts he has been keeping from the Cult are hid.