--uoy deen ot eb a retteb nosreP. 
- — Zatanna
Constantine #13 is an issue of the series Constantine (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 2014. It was published on April 9, 2014.
Synopsis for "Spellbound"
In Moscow, John Constantine pays a visit to Viktor Mironov, also known as Spellbinder, who has been using his mind-controlling abilities to make profit on war and turmoil between world governments. John claims that he has come to warn Mironov that the Cult of the Cold Flame has taken an interest in him, but Mironov senses that John has an ulterior motive. John responds that the real reason for his visit lies in his mind, and challenges Spellbinder to come and get it.
Obliging, Spellbinder enters John's mind, and the first thing he sees is John being berated by Nick Necro and Billy Batson for underestimating Mironov. Billy warns that Mironov will reprogram John, if he's not careful. Nick and Billy are part of some kind of defence mechanism that John implanted in himself - a message to warn him. John ignores them, remembering the bridge on which they are sitting as the same one that his friend Maureen leapt to her death from. Angrily, Nick reminds him that he can't think about that now. They need to stick to the plan by first remembering how they got there.
John had been with Sargon the Sorceress, being told to go and convince Spellbinder to join the Cult of the Cold Flame, when he was suddenly attacked by some kind of mystic assault. Tannarak attempted to get the attacker out of John's head with his sword, and as the sword enters John's head, he wakes up.
John is awake, thinking what he just experienced a nightmare, but when he enters his washroom to splash water on his face, he is surprised to find himself aged. A message is scrawled in blood on the mirror: "There's something in your head." Annoyed, John realizes that Spellbinder is trying to get to him, and warns that it will take more than preying on his emotional triggers. Ignoring him, Spellbinder persists.
John is tortured by a vision of Zatanna, condemning him for using people, and getting them killed. John dispells the vision, but Spellbinder digs deeper, to a memory, where Zatanna begged him to be a better person. He had responded that he only intends to deal with his own business, rather than the world's. Spellbinder notices that John has been reprogrammed to be a better person - by Zatanna, using her backwards magic.
He delves even deeper, to the moment that Papa Midnite brought him back to life. Together, they had planned to save the world by choosing the players who will remain once the bad guys have been wiped out. They had conspired to gather allies, but John had to have the plan kept secret from even himself, and so that memory was buried - waiting for Spellbinder to find it.
Meanwhile, in the Cult of the Cold Flame's temple in the Alps, Papa Midnite is summoned before Tannarak and Sargon, dumping the body of one of his men, killed by the cult, at their feet. He explains that he has come to cut a deal. In exchange for the truth about John Constantine's plans, the cult must stay out of Manhattan. Sargon believes that John is already under her control, and insists that she will merely take what he hides from them.
Spellbinder senses one last secret hidden, and goes deeper. He approaches a moment in John's memory that it is imperative he not see. The defence mechanism kicks in again, and Nick Necro reminds John of the four steps he must take to survive: remember how he got there, quiet his mind, face his secrets, and then show Spellbinder what he's made of. In response, John unleashes his every childhood memory; his life's story. He overloads Spellbinder's power until he is forced out, breathless.
With his mind returned to him, John smirks, asking whether Spellbinder is ready to agree to join in on whatever it was that his subconscious had to offer. John explains that in five minutes, he will tell the Cold Flame that Viktor refused his offer. Spellbinder welcomes this, adding that - at the crucial moment that John needs him most, it will remain to be seen whether he is there or not.
As John leaves, he is plagued by thoughts of the memory that he'd worked so hard to prevent Spellbinder from seeing, and admits to himself that it's time to go face that secret.
Appearing in "Spellbound"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Nick Necro (As an illusion only)
- Billy Batson (As an illusion only)
- Zatanna (As an illusion only)
- Papa Midnite
Antagonists:
- Spellbinder
- Cult of the Cold Flame
- Sargon the Sorceress (As an illusion only)
- Tannarak (As an illusion only)
- Mister E (As an illusion only)
Other Characters:
- Maureen
Locations:
- Moscow
- Switzerland
- Alps
- Temple of the Cold Flame
- Alps
Items:
Vehicles:
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Hellblazer Recommended Reading
- Constantine (Volume 1)
- Constantine: The Hellblazer (Volume 1)
- Hellblazer (Volume 1)
- The Hellblazer (Volume 1)
- Hellblazer: Bad Blood (Volume 1)
- Hellblazer: Lady Constantine (Volume 1)
- Hellblazer: Papa Midnite (Volume 1)
- Hellblazer Special: Chas (Volume 1)
- John Constantine: Hellblazer (Volume 1)
- John Constantine: Hellblazer - Dead in America (Volume 1)
- Spirit World (Volume 2)
- Swamp Thing (Volume 2)
- Trenchcoat Brigade (Volume 1)