Jakarta Daemon, Part One (Intrigues in Jakarta with John Constantine) [TrUzApalOOza cardstock variant cover]

[my rough proposal for a new John Constantine storyline for DC Comics]

In the neon-drenched underbelly of Jakarta's downtown Tanah Babah shopping district, John Constantine stood shrouded in darkness, the only illumination coming from the eerie glow of vending machines that seemed to pulse with intermittent energy. The rain-soaked streets reflected the dim light of the city, casting a melancholy mood over the bustling metropolis. As he puffed on his cigarette, the faint yellow glow of the burning tobacco cast an eerie light on his weathered face, etched with the lines of numerous battles and countless moral compromises. This is the beginning of the five-part storyline titled Jakarta Daemon, an eerie narrative of terror and the paranormal where John Constantine delves into the dark heart of the city to hunt down the Indonesian daemon known as Kuntilanak that has been mutilating and murdering young women in gruesome and inexplicable ways for the past four months. I am proposing this would be written by Simon Spurrier, interior art by Bilquis Evely, and exclusive painted covers by TrUz ApalOOza.

• Part 2: "The Cursed Streets of Old Batavia" John Constantine's investigation into the daemon Kuntilanak leads him to the historic streets of Old Batavia, where he meets with his local contacts, a group of street-smart kids who've been tracking the daemon's movements. But as John digs deeper, he begins to suspect that his contacts may be hiding something. Despite his reservations, John decides to trust them, and together they uncover a web of ancient secrets and forbidden knowledge hidden within the city's oldest temples.
• Part 3: "The Whispering Walls of the Sultan's Palace" As John's investigation takes him to the Sultan's Palace, he discovers that his local contacts have been playing him all along. They've been using him to get closer to Kuntilanak the daemon, and now they're demanding a share of the profits. John is torn between his loyalty to his new friends and his duty to stop the evil terrorizing their city. He decides to betray his contacts, using them to get closer to the daemon, but at what cost? The whispers of the palace walls begin to echo with the weight of John's betrayal.
• Part 4: "The Blood of the Ancients" John's betrayal of his contacts has consequences, and the streets of Jakarta begin to run red with blood. The daemon's power grows stronger, and John realizes that he's made a terrible mistake. He must now navigate the treacherous underworld of Jakarta's criminal networks to find a way to stop the daemon and make amends for his betrayal. But the city's ancient secrets are not so easily uncovered, and John finds himself trapped in a web of man-made deceit and demonic corruption.
• Part 5: "The Daemon's Reckoning" In the climactic final act, John must face both Kuntilanak, and the true gangster masterminds behind the horrors plaguing Jakarta. But his betrayal of his local contacts has left him isolated and alone. With the city on the brink of chaos, John must use all his wits and cunning to stop the daemon and end the city's cycle of violence. But at what cost? The daemon's reckoning is at hand, and John must confront the consequences of his previous actions. Will he be able to redeem himself, or will the city burn around him?

[Workflow: My final image was inspired by a sketch I found on Reddit which started my creation within Tengri, then elements were added to fill in the gaps to fill out the comic book cover layout, variant cover logo overlay merged, storyline logo with text and sigil badge, creator credits, barcode, DC Black Label badge, the addition of rain, smoke, cigarette features, and camera refocusing were all completed within Affinity Photo.]