Book excerpt: Acclaimed author Mike Carey continues his pivotal run on England’s iconic antihero with JOHN CONSTANTINE, HELLBLAZER VOL. 17: OUT OF SEASON. In his countless encounters with the forces of evil, John Constantine has had his share of double crosses, near misses and narrowly averted disasters. Yet England’s savviest street sorcerer has always managed to survive, with both his mind and the world at large left (mostly) intact. Now he’s about to make the biggest mistake of his magical life—and every soul on Earth will pay the price. Thanks to Constantine’s carelessness, the Beast of the Apocalypse has slouched into London to be born, and the minds of all humanity are at its mercy. From the Swamp Thing to Lucifer himself, the Hellblazer’s allies and enemies alike are powerless to stop the slaughter. In order to save the world, Constantine must sacrifice his own mind, and all of the memories that go with it. Can he survive without the secrets of his own dark history? And if so, will the resulting life actually be a fate much worse than death? This volume collects issues 189-201 of the signature VERTIGO series and features the all-star artistry of Marcelo Frusin, Leonardo Manco, Chris Brunner and Steve Dillon.