Ghost Rider #5

Genre action Author Daniel Way Publisher Marvel Comics External Links Official Marvel Comics Website

An all consuming task is rarely something that is just decided upon a whim. Usually it is a decision that results from a series of events that carry a heavy history behind them. Then, there is a catalytic event that catapults the perpetrator into this task. Whether an entrepreneur that creates a new business to get out of a bad economic situation or a serial killer that begins the transformation from nice neighbor to cannibal, there is a vengeance that consumes all activities in order to achieve retribution. All decisions are made based on the desire to see that vengeance fulfilled.

Johnny Blaze is filled with an all-consuming vengeance. As we will see later on, he can't even see some obvious things that are right in front of his face; and as we saw last issue, he just completely forgot about Dr. Strange as his involvement with in Lucifer's plan became more apparent. Blaze is now driven by his desire to see Lucifer sent back to Hell whether in one piece or 666. In showing how Blaze got to this point, this issue provides a backwards glance at his origin. It is told creatively within the context of the current Lucifer storyline and allows those new readers of the Rider without the background information to come up to speed. Granted, it does not include the years of Ghost Rider occupying Daniel Ketch's body, but it would be hard to lump that into this series easily and it does a tidy job with Johnny Blaze. I applaud the way that writer Daniel Way did this although I did get confused momentarily when it reminisced about Johnny being content and settled with the wife and kids.

Looking back, we can see some of the specific events that have created this vengeful creature that Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze have become. The death of his father, abandonment by his mother and Crash Simpson's death combined with all the suffering that came after and, probably most importantly, the loss of the ability to simply die and let go of all the pain are all contributors to Blaze's vengeful rage. Now that he's embroiled in Lucifer's plan to stay and grow in power on this earthly plane and as the one to bring him to it, his rage has grown exponentially. Numecet's revelation to him that, in all likelihood, Ghost Rider is the only one that can bring him back to Hell has provided Johnny Blaze with his now single-minded endeavor fueled by this vengeance that continues to grow within him.

This vengeance has blinded Blaze to other things. We mentioned the episode with Dr. Strange. In this issue, Lucifer brings Johnny back to his old daredevil haunt to show him something. We are not told what it is. However, there is also something else that Blaze overlooks - the Bible left behind in his old trailer. It remains unburned amidst the explosion that Johnny unleashes at Lucifer. Are these two things that have been overlooked the same thing? We don't know that yet either. But the Bible that did not burn is obviously the same one that saved his life all those years ago. There must be something to it. Why would Lucifer be trying to show it to him if it was successful in preventing Johnny from descending to Hell? What is the catch? Or are the two things actually different and Lucifer himself did not know the book was still there. Hopefully all will be revealed to us as we move forward.

A couple of minor issues that cropped up in this issue puzzled me. The Sheriff at the end of the issue looks an awful lot like Crash Simpson, Johnny's adopted father. Is this purely coincidental by Saltares and Texeira or intentional? While we are dealing with a graphic character with edgy subject matter, the gore shown when Ghost Rider kills two of Lucifer's henchmen is a little excessive. Is it really necessary? One can believe that an injured demon probably is still capable of wrecking havoc and does need to be completely incapacitated, but I think we could have done without it. Finally, the car crash between the two police cars when Johnny is tracking down the demons on the motorbikes was carelessly caused by Blaze. Couldn't Blaze go between the two cars instead of over one. Has Blaze thrown all care for humans out the window? I hope not. But if so, he needs to work on this for he can not go off half-cocked with no regard for human life. It will only feed Lucifer's carnal greed.

Javier Saltares and Mark Texeira bring us another beautifully drawn issue while Dan Brown continues to provide luscious inks. I again reference the sheriff and Crash Simpson and wonder about the similarities. If it is an oversight, it is a gross one. Other than that, this quality team continues to dazzle the eye.

This issue served a dual purpose. While giving a capsule to Johnny Blaze's early life and origin as the Ghost Rider, it also helped feed a lead-in to a new storyline development. Well done and orchestrated by Daniel Way, and presented beautifully by the artistic team, it continues the high standards that we have come to expect through the first four issues.