 This was followed by a lengthy nine @-@ issue story arc , " The Fear Machine " , revolving around a <unk> plot to collect people 's fears , in order to resurrect a <unk> god known as <unk> , and his efforts to prevent this with the help of environmentalists , including Mercury , a young psychic girl , and <unk> , her mother , with whom he becomes romantically involved . The penultimate major run of Delano 's tenure was " The Family Man " , which differed from the main body of the series thus far in that Constantine 's nemesis is not supernatural ( beyond an opening <unk> encounter with a fictional fence ) , but a former policeman turned serial killer . John 's ethical quandary as to whether murder is ever acceptable , and his <unk> with the murder of his father , Thomas , frames this story . During this run on the title , Grant Morrison ( issues # 25 & 26 ) and Neil Gaiman ( issue # 27 ) both filled in during a three @-@ month break , Grant Morrison 's story dealing with nuclear fear , and Neil Gaiman 's being a simple romantic ghost story . 
