Marvel Comics Presents (1988) # 68

"Acts of Vengeance, Part 5: Mutants, Ninjas, & Demons"

Cover Date: January 1991

On Sale Date: November 1990

Writer: Howard Mackie
Artist: Mark Texeira
Inker: Harry Candelario
Letterer: Clem Robins
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Editor: Terry Kavanagh
Editor in Chief: Tom DeFalco

Cover Artist: Paul Gulacy

Following the kidnapping of Brigette by Deathwatch's men, the Ghost Rider is furious for vengeance. Wolverine and Brass attempt to hold him back, but the Rider easily throws them away. He jumps on his motorcycle in order to find Deathwatch, and Yuji jumps on the bike as well, telling Wolverine and his son to wait for them. After they leave, the two men decide they don't enjoy waiting, and both head off to find Deathwatch on their own.

A few minutes later, Brass and Wolverine wait atop a building overlooking the street. Brass says that if the ninjas are heading back to Deathwatch, this is the shortest route back into the city. They spot the vans turning the corner, but Brass welcomes them with a volley of grenades. The two descend to the street, and are immediately attacked by a cadre of ninjas. Though they easily defeat the assassins, a mysterious duo with swords attempt a sneak attack on Brass, firing a blast of energy at his back. The young man easily side-steps the blast, like he knew it was coming. The duo uses the opportunity to escape, but the two heroes steal a remaining van to follow.

Simultaneously, Ghost Rider and Yuji arrive at Deathwatch's building, but are attacked by ninjas before they can enter. The ninjas pose little problem for the two. Fifteen minutes later, Wolverine and Brass arrive at the building and decide to enter. Yuji emerges from the shadows and tells them to wait. The Ghost Rider has already proceeded inside, and he suggests the rest of them stay out of his way.

Ninja Clown Machine is the name of my new band.

THE ROADMAP

This issue of Marvel Comics Presents also contained stories featuring Shanna the She-Devil, the Fantastic Four, and Lockjaw.

CHAIN REACTION

Yeah, I'm quickly running out of things to say about this story.

Brass gets a proper introduction here following his appearance at the end of the last chapter, and there's a lot to like about him. Along with being a solid fighter on par with Wolverine, Sean Watanabe has a cockiness about him that fits his code-name well. It's not often that a new character can get away with smarting off to Wolverine without getting his head handed to him, and it's this brashness that helps to sell Brass as an immediately likable character.

Likewise, Yuji Watanabe gets some quality screen time when he pairs up with the Ghost Rider to track down Deathwatch. Yuji asks all the right questions during the ride on the Spirit's bike, and you can tell that the Ghost Rider is getting annoyed. "I don't know" is the answer to all of these questions, summing up perfectly just how driven by outside forces the Ghost Rider truly is. He knows as little about himself as the people he meets, making him as much a cipher as this story's plot.

Speaking of the plot, it's mainly just more ninja fighting with little answers as to what really is going on. I can see the appeal in using ninjas in stories such as this, considering how immediately disposable they are. But regardless, five issues of ninja fighting is starting to wear thin.

What's also wearing thin is the sub-par artwork by Texeira and Candelario, which falls short once again after stepping things up some in the last few chapters. At least this issue has backgrounds in most of the panels, even if they are crudely sketched in at seemingly the last minute. You can see the glimmer of potential in Texeira's pencils, but Candelario continues to successfully suck all life from the artwork. A shame.

Mackie needs to do two things with this story, and do them quickly: cut down on the ninjas and start giving the readers some answers to the plot questions.

Why ask why, old man?