Nergal

Nergal is a Babylonian god-turned-demon and a recurring antagonist featured in comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Hellblazer #6 in June, 1988 and is presented as a persistent and vital foe of John Constantine. Nergal was also referenced in the short-lived Constantine television series on NBC.

Biography
Nergal is a powerful demon from Hell. Back in the late 1970s, a terror elemental known as the Norfulthing appeared in Newcastle, England to protect a young girl named Astra Logue, who had become the victim of tantric sex rituals. The Norfulthing slaughtered everyone in the area. A group of amateur occultists, led by John Constantine attempted to banish the Norfulthing. To accomplish this, John summoned Nergal in the hopes that the more powerful entity would destroy the terror elemental. Nergal accomplished this, but in so doing, decided to avail himself of Astra as well. He took possession of Astra, and John and friends were now tasked with exorcising him from the girl's body. This attempt failed horribly, and Nergal took Astra's soul to Hell. This botched exorcism became one of the defining moments in John Constantine's career.

Notes & Trivia



 * Nergal received a mini-profile under the Newcastle entry in the Vertigo Secret Files: Hellblazer one-shot special in August, 2000.