But Constantine, I can see you're not just looking for protection. Why is it... when people like you see something pure and good and beautiful... that you have to kick it down and drag it through the mud? 
- — Gabriel
Hellblazer #66 is an issue of the series Hellblazer (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1993.
Synopsis for "Fear and Loathing, Part Three: Down to Earth"
Dez Foster died of his wounds nearly an hour ago, and John Constantine had to sit there, tied to a chair, and listen to his friend's death rattle. He knows something has happened to his girlfriend Kit Ryan, too, and there's nothing he can do about it. His captor, Charlie Patterson returns with his thugs for a bit of a gloat.
Elsewhere, Julie invites Gabriel up to her flat. He is visibly nervous, and she coyly asks if this is his first time. He tries to lie, but in the end, he can't. She assures him that it will be alright.
Patterson warns that he is not a stupid man. John obviously thinks he is a stupid man, but that is just another instance where it is nice to have someone to hate; to look down on. All people are scared of losing the little worlds they've created for themselves, and if someone appears to be taking them away, then those fears are gone, because now those people can hate freely. Personally, Patterson hates blacks and Pakistani people. Even as the liberal media teaches people that racism is cruel and stupid, each man goes back to his old ways eventually - because to go against one's hatred is to go against instinct.
Elsewhere, Dez' younger brother George has acquired a sawed-off shotgun and now threatens a neo-nazi whom he overheard bragging about the capture of John Constantine and his "monkey." Threateningly, George demands to know where his brother is. The man whimpers that John and Dez were taken to a shed off the train tracks near Putney. For his service, George shoots off the man's kneecap.
Meanwhile, Gabriel and Julie make love for the first time, and the archangel marvels at how wonderful the pleasures of sex can be. He goes so far as to think that she feels like Heaven. There, in the darkness, he feels her using her fingers, but suddenly looks on in horror to find that she has transformed into what she truly is. She is Chantinelle, the succubus, and she has just torn out his angel's heart. Grinning, she whispers that he'd better go, as his daddy wants a word with him.
Before Charlie's men can begin beating him to death, John demands to know what he wants with the Snob. Charlie explains that he had hoped to turn the archangel in order to gain political clout with his power. Seriously, John states that Patterson has no hope of corrupting the angel. He has no idea how in the first place. Besides, it's too late. John has already succeeded in corrupting Gabriel for his own means on this very night. Angrily, Patterson has his men dump Dez' body while he goes to investigate Gabriel's status. George happens to spot Patterson's men, and sees what they did to his brother.
Having returned to Heaven to see his father, Gabriel is cast out; stripped of his armour, wings, and sword, and returned to earth.
John is released, and he explains that once he gets what he wants from the fallen angel, he will pass him off to Patterson, though he promises himself he will destroy Patterson before he's done. Just seconds later, Patterson's chest explodes before John's eyes, having been filled with buckshot from George's gun. John reacts with surprise and indication, having planned already to take Patterson's organization down hard. Derisively, George turns away and unloads another shot into Patterson's head, ending his whining. George turns back to John severely and warns him never to judge him. John looks for a moment at the splat that used to be Charlie Patterson's head, lights a cigarette, and goes home.
Kit is none too pleased with him. She didn't call the police after she was attacked, and she ended up sleeping on Chas Chandler's couch when it became clear that John wasn't coming home. John tries to explain that he was tied to a chair at the time, but she won't hear it. He had promised to keep her out of things like this. John can't find much to say, and tries to excuse himself. Balefully, Kit responds that he won't be going anywhere until he cleans up the bloody mess in the kitchen.
John promises himself that he'll smooth over things with Kit as he makes his way to the crypt where he intends to meet up with Ellie. She is waiting there with Gabriel, and the pair of them make fun of him for having soppily fallen for the cherry blossom bit - she owes him for the bet they made on it. Sadly, Gabriel asks why this was done to him. John responds that when he needed help, Gabriel turned him away, so John had to deal with things his own way. Essentially, Gabriel is now compelled to watch over John, and protect him from the First of the Fallen. The removed heart, according to the foreskin bible that John recently acquired from Rick the Vic, is the only thing that keeps Gabriel from ending up in Hell like his fallen brothers.
Angrily, Chantinelle lords their victory over the angel, complaining of how he had killed her lover Tali without question. Gabriel admits that he had not cared at the time what he had done. But he sees that Constantine did this for more than just protection. Something in the man compels him to corrupt and humiliate all that is pure, good, and beautiful. John brushes him off, and warns that the wings still attached to Gabriel's back will be a problem for him, if he's going to keep living on earth - so he takes out a chainsaw, and prepares to remove them for him, in as painful a manner as possible.
Now, without wings and without a father, Gabriel walks the alleys of London like a drifter. He is no longer the Snob, and he is without pride. He is merely a frightened and fallen angel.
Appearing in "Fear and Loathing, Part Three: Down to Earth"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Charlie Patterson (Dies)
Other Characters:
- Dez Foster (Appears only as a corpse)
- The Presence (Mentioned only)
- Tuli (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- London
- Putney
Items:
Vehicles:
See Also