Rambaldi cures all plot-related ills, and especially all plot-related crossover ills. I've never really understood why people objected to that storyline, because it is absolutely the most useful thing ever, even though it makes absolutely no sense at all and was resolved in the stupidest possible way.

I am so glad that the imagery works, and that it's a little scary -- it needs to be, because after all, they're among the dead -- and I probably spent more time working out the setting than writing the dialogue.

And yes, John is a scary, hard core bastard. I love him so much.