THE GHOST RIDER - JOHNNY BLAZE
VOLUME ONE
PART TWO
- Notes on the previous post -
Welcome to the next leg of our journey through the original saga of Johnny Blaze - the "original" Ghost Rider! The previous post we covered Johnny Blaze's first appearance in Marvel Spotlight #5 on through Marvel Spotlight #12, Ghost Rider #1 through #12, including Ghost Rider's guest appearance in Marvel Team-Up #15. All in all covering 22 issues... or rather it should've been 22 issues.
We should've covered Marvel Two-In-One #8 and Avengers #118 in that post as well... but we forgot (actually, we didn't forget, we just didn't bother with them as they held little bearing on the overall story). Simply put, Avengers #118 is the penultimate issue in the amazing AVENGERS/DEFENDERS WAR epic! Ghost Rider has a one panel cameo in this issue, vaguely shown as one of the heroes battling monsters in the wake of Dormammu's meddling. This moment isn't even acknowledged in the slightest in Ghost Rider's own book.
As for Marvel Two-In-One #8, this is a Christmas issue! This issue begins with a strange star shining in the night sky, peculiarly similar to the fabled Star of Bethlehem. Ghost Rider, while driving through the Arizona desert, is inexplicably drawn to the strange star. At the same time, Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing, has headed out to investigate this star as well (to keep Reed Richards at home on Christmas to be with his family). There they find the evil Miracle Man using his nigh infinite powers to recreate the Nativity Story in hopes of birthing a new messiah to enable Miracle Man, as the "father" of the new messiah, to become God and take over the world. His plans are thwarted when the Thing and Ghost Rider pretend to be two of the Three Magi, disrupting the birth of the new messiah. It's a bizarre version of the Nativity Story that makes for a fun little comic book. It is referenced in GR's solo title too, though it doesn't have the same bearing that Marvel Team-Up #15 does on GR's story.
Sorry, I didn't touch on that issue in the first post, hopefully this makes up for it!
And if you need to get completely caught up check out the previous post linked below!
JOHNNY BLAZE - GHOST RIDER: PART ONE
TO BEGIN
With Part Two we'll endeavor to cover Ghost Rider #13 through #26, Champions #1 through #17, Captain America #191 (which is only a tiny recap of events from GR #13... and this all we're going to say about that issue), Marvel Premiere #28, Daredevil #138, Marvel Treasury Edition #13, The Human Fly #2, Marvel Team-Up #58, Super-Villain Team-Up #14, Iron Man Annual #4, and Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #17 & #18, and the rest of the issues featuring the Champions. It seems like a lot, but really it isn't. There's a complete Champions read in here which, in regards to Ghost Rider, can be summed up pretty quickly. The focus will remain on Ghost Rider so, while we did a complete Champions read including guest appearances, several of those issues don't feature GR (so, don't expect me to touch on them here).
Onward down the highway to Hell!
BECOMING A SUPER HERO - THE CHAMPIONS ERA
Still firmly in the Isabella run, one of the first changes writer Tony Isabella enacts is that Johnny's transformations are no longer governed by day and night, rather when there is danger near, starting with issue #13, immediately after the battle with the Phantom Eagle. Because of this change Johnny believes he's free from the Devil's pursuit. Johnny decides to put down some roots and maybe get a visible job in case Roxanne wants to reconnect and find him.
The story moves away from demons and satanism for a while in exchange for more standard super hero fair, pushing the character towards a more traditional super hero esthetic. Johnny moves to Los Angeles and battles the villainous Trapster (of the Frightful Four) and the Orb (run of the mill villains). He gets a job as the stunt double on the Stuntmaster television show and starts dating Karen Page (yes, Daredevil's Karen Page), setting up a permanent residence in California. There's even a cool issue shamelessly attempting to ape the JAWS movie craze at the time where Ghost Rider battle a great white shark (I actually really enjoyed the issue too)! And, while in California, he becomes a founding member of a new super group: THE CHAMPIONS.
On a drive through Berkeley near the University of California, Johnny transforms into Ghost Rider upon encountering Cerberus standing the middle of the road. More craziness is occurring around Berkeley which leads Ghost Rider into the paths of Hercules, Black Widow, Venus, the Angel, and Iceman all similarly engaged in battle against Greek mythological menaces. Pluto, Ares, and Hippolyta, the villains behind the chaos, are eventually defeated by the combined might of these heroes, after which is formed The Champions; "Heroes for the common man!" being their slogan.
Tony Isabella is also the initial writer for the Champions book and maintains decent continuity between both Ghost Rider's solo book and this new team book. Chris Claremont pens issue #4 with Isabella returning for issues #5 and #6. Bill Mantlo then takes over the title, maintaining a consistent run from issue #6 on to the end of the book with issue #17. Though the Champions have 17 issues themselves plus a half dozen tie-ins with other books, Ghost Rider's role in it all can be summed up pretty quickly. The Champions only ever focuses on Black Widow, Hercules, Angel, or Iceman. Not once is there a Ghost Rider centric story among these twenty odd issues. He does come up with a key part of the plan to defeat Pluto, Ares, and Hippolyta. And then, near the end, Ghost Rider is the only hero immune to Dr. Doom's mind-control and is the hero to ultimately bring Doom down. That's it. In issues #14 and #15 the Champions battle the villain SWARM (issue #14 being Swarm's 1st appearance) and GR proves fairly formidable against the villain's swarms.
A running plot throughout the Champions has Johnny feeling at odds with the team, paranoid that the team doesn't trust him. And in reality, the cast of heroes altogether feels rather strangely assembled, Ghost Rider foremost among them, but everybody on the team really. The book itself is quite fun and well written. Bill Mantlo delivers some solid writing when he takes over. Ghost Rider's impact on the book though, as well as the book's impact on him and his solo title, is fairly minimal. Thus ends Ghost Rider's first time with a super hero team. We could go into more detail, but it would only steer further away from Ghost Rider.
Of note here, during the Champions era saw the most crossovers and guest-spots for this entire volume. In addition to appearing in 15 of the 17 issues of Champions, he also guest-appeared with the Champions in Avengers #151 in a one page cameo, Marvel Treasury Edition #13 in the last few pages having a snowball fight with the team at Christmas, Iron Man Annual #4 battling alongside Iron Man against Modok, Super-Villain Team-Up #14 battling Dr. Doom in a crossover with Champions #16, and Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #17 & #18 (all Champions tie-ins). These last Spider-Man issues mark the epilogue of sorts for the Champions.
Along with Marvel Team-Up #15, Ghost Rider co-starred in Marvel Two-In-One #8 alongside the Thing, a cameo in Captain America #191, The Human Fly #2, and Marvel Team-Up #58 (in which Ghost Rider battles the Trapster yet again...). You wouldn't think it, but The Human Fly #2 is actually one of the best of this bunch, the two stunt riders engaged in a rigged death race where only their combined talents can lead them to victory. And then there's MARVEL PREMIERE #28...
Marvel Premiere #28 should've been an epic issue as it co-starred Man-Thing, Morbius, and Werewolf By Night. First and foremost, the artwork by Frank Robbins left much to be desired. And the story was more of a think piece commenting on the human fears of the unknown, what makes a monster, and destroying things that will make us better people, the things that make us human. Aside from an epic cover, the issue doesn't do much to favorably showcase the characters, rather displaying the worst in them. It is still cool to see them all together in one story though.
And in just a few paragraphs we've covered over thirty different comics books (an omnibus' worth of material). Have we given these books their proper due? No. There is a great deal herein that we could discuss, but the points of discussion would scarcely concern Ghost Rider. There is definitely a dedicated post to be done concerning the Champions (especially since we did a COMPLETE read of them). But that's for another time. Needless to say, Ghost Rider hadn't quite found himself yet, even though appearing in over fifty issues by now. The real work on Ghost Rider had yet to be done.
Let us continue...
HELLSTROM - SATAN - DAREDEVIL
Returning to GR's solo book, Karen Page's stunt double, Katy Milner, is suddenly possessed by a demon. Contacting one-time friend, Daimon Hellstrom, to perform an exorcism, the demon proves difficult to expel, threatening to kill Katy if Hellstrom forcibly removes it. The one orchestrating the affair calls himself THE CHALLENGER and forces Johnny to participate in an impossible motorcycle race across Hell. At the end the Challenger is revealed to be the ARCHDEMON of Satan, the most powerful of Satan's servants trying to attain Johnny's soul. The challenge proves to be more than just a race, but also a challenge of Johnny Blaze's confidence, conviction, and spirit. Emerging victorious, Johnny returns and Daimon expels the demon from Katy Milner. Then, somehow, Ms. Milner's true identity is revealed to be none other than Roxanne (don't ask me how)! Tony Isabella's run ends here with issue #19 and the return of Roxanne Simpson.
Tony Isabella took Ghost Rider in a different direction from Gary Friedrich, still including demonic elements albeit sparingly, but making an earnest attempt to push the character into the classic role of the super hero. And why not? This is Marvel after all, the home of super heroes. Despite this honest effort, the super hero bit wasn't quite the right fit for Ghost Rider. Even if it didn't quite work, Tony Isabella at least tried something different with the character, searching for where Ghost Rider works best.
As the story continues... During this death race of Johnny's, Karen Page is abducted by a long-thought deceased villain, her own father in the guise of DEATH'S HEAD (the first character in Marvel to carry that name, not to be confused with the Freelance Peacekeeping Agent from the future, yes?). This occurs on the last page of issue #19. After saving Katy/Roxanne from possession, Johnny sets out to save Karen Page and discovers that he isn't the only hero out to save Karen. In a crossover with Daredevil's solo title, Ghost Rider and Daredevil discover Death's Head real identity: Death-Stalker, not Karen's deceased father.
Part One of this story occurs in Daredevil #138 with Part Two taking place in Ghost Rider #20. This crossover was written by Marv Wolfman and was pretty good, showcasing Ghost Rider very well as he was immune to Death-Stalker's touch of death. Daredevil and Ghost Rider track Death-Stalker down, rescue Karen, and enter in final battle. Daredevil is nearly killed by Death-Stalker, saved only by GR. Daredevil realizes he can't harm Death-Stalker. But Ghost Rider's hellfire reduces the villain to ashes. GR comes out looking pretty good in this crossover. Comics legend John Byrne delivers the art here offering a rare glimpse of his rendition of Ghost Rider. All in all, a decent crossover.
UNLEASHING THE DEMON
Gerry Conway comes aboard for two issues, #21 and #22, keeping the Daredevil influence going with a battle against DD's old foe; The Gladiator, working for a would-be kingpin of California's underworld called The Enforcer. In what feels like an all-time low for Ghost Rider and the series, issue #21 sees Ghost Rider lose to THE EEL of all villains. Conway doesn't attempt to move Ghost Rider in any direction, opting instead to keep the status quo. This story centering around the Enforcer feels truly like the last gasp of GR's stint as a traditional super hero, the writer treating GR like a discount Spider-Man (which Conway was adept at, having written many issues of Spidey. But what works for Spider-Man just doesn't work with Ghost Rider here). Gerry Conway exits before the story finishes, leaving the finale to the next writer; Jim Shooter. Although Conway does leave the character with one significant change: Now Johnny Blaze can transform into the Ghost Rider at will. This change will stay around for a while.
Inheriting this story from a different writer, issue #23 has Ghost Rider fighting against a character called the Water Wizard in another story that feels like it would be better suited for someone like Spider-Man, Daredevil, or even the Sub-Mariner and, to Jim Shooter's credit, this issue feels like it could've been written by Gerry Conway. Noteworthy here, the Water Wizard exclaims that "it feels like his soul is burning" which is the first hint of a new power of Ghost Rider's.
In issue #24, the finale to the Enforcer story arc, Jim Shooter imbues Ghost Rider with strength, confidence, and power. For the first time in the entire series Ghost Rider is... kinda badass. Don Heck provides some of the coolest artwork of Ghost Rider here too, showing GR torn up and beat down, more of his fiery skeleton on display. Even looking terribly damaged, GR acts just as confident and looks even more menacing. Jim Shooter really knows how to showcase Ghost Rider as a badass and it continues in earnest with issue #25. There is some wonderful imagery of GR in issue #25, particularly at the beginning with Ghost Rider entering a burning building to rescue a woman inside, shown from the POV of the first responders on the scene.
GR battles a wanna-be super villain named Malice rains down hellish vengeance upon the evil doer. In a sequence that services the character thoroughly well, Ghost Rider races down a fleeing Malice, Malice wrapping his car around GR like one would a tree (in one of the first overt displays of GR's super strength). Ghost Rider melts the pavement beneath Malice's feet, fusing the villain to the ground, and bathes Malice in hellfire. As Malice writhes in agony he cries out that the fire is cold, not burning his flesh, but searing his soul. I'd argue that issue #25 does more to showcase how awesome Ghost Rider is than any comic featuring GR that came before it, truly uplifting the character.
Finally, at long last, it feels like we're really diving into the character with these last few issues and a sign that significant work is being done with the character. During this story arc Johnny is constantly drained of energy, having to form the hellfire-motorcycle at a moment's notice and even forcing the change into Ghost Rider through sheer willpower. Another noticeable change when Jim Shooter takes over is Johnny's change in personality. The "cowboy-speak" is ditched entirely and Johnny is angrier. Ghost Rider is noticeably more intense than he's ever been before and goes after the Enforcer and Malice hard, taking the up and coming villains down before they ever really get started. Another aspect that stands out is in GR himself (not Johnny Blaze) showing Ghost Rider laughing demonically and genuinely reveling in dealing out his hellborne vengeance.
With issue #26 Doctor Druid, Marvel's technical 1st super hero of the silver age, guest-stars in maybe the best issue so far in this series. Since Roxanne's return, a love-triangle sub-plot between Johnny, Karen Page, and Roxanne has been brewing in the background. Johnny's been leaning more towards Karen, but when he sees Roxanne with another man he flies off the handle into a murderous jealous rage. Meanwhile Doctor Druid senses evil in the Ghost Rider and tracks Johnny to the movie studio. Still emotionally volatile, when confronted by Doctor Druid, Johnny transforms into the Ghost Rider in front of everyone present. His coworkers are terrified, seeing his actual skull enflamed and hearing his demonic voice.
Having been goaded into a confrontation by Doctor Druid, Johnny drives away to a cemetery where he lashes out among the tombstones in fiery anger. Druid arrives and the final battle begins. Ghost Rider gets the upper hand, about to crush Druid's skull beneath a headstone when he comes to his senses. As Johnny hesitates, Druid reveals a talisman that forces Ghost Rider to revert to Johnny Blaze and knocks him unconscious. Doctor Druid reaches into Blaze's memories and senses the good man inside despite sensing evil in the Rider. Realizing he acted in error, Doctor Druid leaves. And Johnny, having transformed into Ghost Rider in front of everyone he works with, decides to cut ties and leave California.
With the foreknowledge that I already have, this issue felt like the first big step towards seeing the actual demon that Satan bound within Johnny Blaze. Beginning with issue #21, over the course of these last six issues we see Johnny pushing harder and harder on the Ghost Rider power and it taking a heavier toll on him as he wills the transformations to happen. Little by little we see Johnny weaken and change until he no longer seems like himself, acting more like the demon he appears to be. Issue #26 feels like a big payoff of everything the book was building toward from issue #13. Ghost Rider even refers to himself as a "Spirit of Vengeance" in this issue, using this iconic phrase for the first time. And the issue ends with Johnny finally leaving Los Angeles, signifying that this era has drawn to a close.
And thus we come to the end of this leg of the journey!
Whoever made it this far, we apologize for how long this post was.
We covered nearly 50 issues of Marvel comics here (yet only 14 of these were from Ghost Rider's solo comic series). This section is the most scattered and crowded period during the original Johnny Blaze era, but yet the real cream of the crop only really occurs in the last few issues when Jim Shooter takes over as the writer. There's a ton of fun and good stuff to be found among all of these issues though.
Personally, what I enjoyed the most from this section: Issue #16 (where GR fights a shark), issues #17 thru #19 against the Challenger/Archdemon, and issues #24 thru #26 (culminating with the battle against Doctor Druid). Issues #24 thru #26 specifically being the best of this section in my opinion. Amongst all of the writers to have contributed to Ghost Rider thus far, Jim Shooter somehow tapped into the best way to present the character, showcasing the first glimpses of what would turn out to be the definitive characterization of Ghost Rider.
Before we go however...
KEY MOMENTS FOR THIS SECTION
1) CHANGING POWERS
*Transformation changes, now occurring whenever danger is present (revealed in Ghost Rider #13)*
*Transformation changes, now occurring at will (revealed in Ghost Rider #22)*
*Ghost Rider first's overt display of super-strength (first explicitly shown in Ghost Rider #25)*
*First hints that Ghost Rider has a different type of hellfire that is cold and can burn the soul (first hinted at in Ghost Rider #23, then again in #25. In issue #26 it is Doctor Druid who first explicitly states that GR's cold hellfire is meant to burn the soul not the flesh)*
*Ghost Rider possesses two kinds of Hellfire powers: 1 - Cold Soul Searing Fire. 2 - Intense heat Fire*
2) PROTO-ICONOGRAPHY
*First major hints that Johnny Blaze may be possessed by a demon i.e. the true source of his power (revealed in Ghost Rider #26 by Doctor Druid)*
*Ghost Rider first uses the words "Spirit" and "Vengeance" near each other in description of himself (first seen in Ghost Rider #24 and next in issue #25)*
*Ghost Rider first uses the phrase "Spirit of Vengeance" together in description of himself (first spoken in Ghost Rider #26)*
3) MAJOR ENEMIES note: this list excludes characters featured in the Champions
*The Orb - Drake Shannon (returns in Ghost Rider #14 and #15)*
*The Challenger - Archdemon (Ghost Rider #17 thru #19)*
*The Enforcer - Charles Delazny (Ghost Rider #21 thru #24)*
*Water Wizard a.k.a. Aqueduct - Peter van Zante (Ghost Rider #23 thru #24)*
4) MINOR ENEMIES note: this list excludes characters featured in the Champions
*Trapster - Peter Petruski a.k.a. Paste-Pot Pete (Ghost Rider #13 & Marvel Team-Up #58)*
*Death Stalker (Daredevil #138 and Ghost Rider #20)*
*The Gladiator - Melvin Potter (Ghost Rider #21)*
*The Eel - Leopold Stryke (Ghost Rider #21)*
*Malice - (Ghost Rider #25)*
5) ALLIES & GUEST STARS note: this list excludes characters featured in the Champions
*Morbius, Werewolf By Night, and Man-Thing (Marvel Premiere #28)*
*Daimon Hellstrom (Ghost Rider #17 thru #19)*
*Daredevil (Ghost Rider #20)*
*Spider-Man (Marvel Team-Up #58)*
*Doctor Druid (Ghost Rider #26)*
*The Human Fly (The Human Fly #2)*
And that's it for this post!
Once again, in case you missed it, click here to get caught up with
JOHNNY BLAZE - GHOST RIDER: PART ONE
and be on the look out for Part Three coming soon!
And for more Ghost Rider related posts check out these others too!
TOP TEN GHOST RIDERS
TOP TEN GHOST RIDER VILLAINS
TOP TEN DOCTOR STRANGE VILLAINS
TOP TEN MARVEL SUPERNATURAL HEROES
TOP TEN MARVEL HEROES YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF
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