Cover Date: December 1975
On Sale Date: September 1975
Writer: Tony Isabella
Artist: Bob Brown
Inker: Don Heck
Letterer: Karen Mantlo
Colorist: Michele Brand
Editor: Marv Wolfman
While Johnny - as the Ghost Rider - attempts to land a dangerous stunt with Katy Milner in his arms, Karen Page is shooting at the pair with a laser gun while under the control of the Orb. One of Karen's shots hits Katy in the shoulder, while the other hits the gas tank of the Stuntmaster cycle that Blaze is riding. Johnny manages to ride the bike down a ladder, but then crashes into a clothes rack, which cushions them. When the Ghost Rider recovers, he notices that the Orb is a bit too solid to be a real ghost, and watches as the villain grabs the enthralled Karen and jumps on his bike with her. Realizing that the Orb pretended to be a ghost to get to Karen - to cash in on the million dollar bounty that's been placed on her head - Johnny blasts a wall of fire between himself and his enemy. A stunt-rider himself, the Orb easily leaps his bike over the flame-wall and blasts Blaze with his laser gun, incapacitating him long enough to make his escape. By the time he's recovered, Johnny is surrounded by the show's crew, including the Stuntmaster and director Coot Collier. Coot angrily blames Blaze for Karen's kidnapping, causing Johnny to knock him aside and pursue the Orb on his own. Jumping on his own skull-cycle, Johnny rides after his foe. When the Stuntmaster helps Collier to his feet, the director comments that he deserved the shot, and that they need to go help Blaze rescue Karen. In quick succession, the Orb, the Ghost Rider, and a car carrying the Stuntmaster and the gun-toting Collier crash through the gates of Delazny Studios and head toward the freeway.
Meanwhile, studio accountant Cosgrove is pouring through the Stuntmaster show's records for dirt on Collier. He finds that there's an employee on the show that has no records, no past employment, union record, or even a record of work time and payment. Not understanding why this person hasn't complained about not being paid, Cosgrove decides that Collier's hiding something and that he's going to find out exactly what it is.
The frantic chase between the Orb and the Ghost Rider makes its way onto the crowded Ventura Freeway, where the villain is firing his laser wildly into traffic. Johnny attempts to blast the villain with his flame, but the Orb merely laughs and tells him that he's wearing an asbestos-fibered costume as protection. However, the fire serves to break the trance placed on Karen, who begins to fight back against the villain. Despite his desire to cash in on her bounty, the Orb decides in favor of self-preservation and tosses Karen off his bike. She's barely caught by Johnny, who stops along the side of the freeway to let her off. He then again races toward the Orb, who uses his laser pistol to cause a major traffic accident on the highway. Johnny is forced to jump the wreckage, but is a sitting duck for a shot from the villain's gun. However, he sees the gun shot out of the Orb's hands, and looks back in surprise to find Coot giving him a thumbs up with his rifle in hand. The Ghost Rider rides up beside the Orb and leaps off his bike, tackling his enemy to the side of the freeway. Blaze begins to pound away at the Orb's head, shattering his helmet, and doesn't even notice that he has transformed back into his normal self now that the danger to him has passed. He continues to beat on the Orb until Karen arrives with Coot and the Stuntmaster and yells for Johnny to stop. Blaze counters that the Orb tried to kill his stepfather and will keep trying to kill him if he doesn't take him out once and for all. Johnny then turns to find his "friend" that helped him beat back Satan approaching. The "friend" tells Johnny that he will soon have an opportunity to direct his rage at those he should truly be angered at, and he should not take his frustrations out on a defeated foe. Blaze thanks the man and tells him that he's not going to waste time feeling sorry for himself, no matter how lousy he feels for what he's done.
Elsewhere, at a local hospital, Richard and Wendy Pini arrive to check in on the injured Katy Milner. The doctor tells them that Katy won't respond to any medical treatment at all, but is interrupted by a nurse coming out Milner's room. The doctor and the Pinis rush into the room and discover Katy possessed by demons who call themselves the Possessors.
The million-dollar bounty on Karen Page was first mentioned in Ghost Rider (1973) # 13, when the Trapster attempted to kidnap her. Karen is the employee that Cosgrove discovers has no records at the studio - because they were stolen by the Stuntmaster, as revealed in Ghost Rider (1973) # 18.
The mysterious "friend" (who was originally intended to be Jesus Christ), first appeared in Ghost Rider (1973) # 9. He is actually a guise of Satan himself, as revealed in Ghost Rider (1973) # 19.
The Orb returns in Ghost Rider (1973) # 28.
Writer: Tony Isabella
Artist: Bob Brown
Inker: Don Heck
Letterer: Karen Mantlo
Colorist: Michele Brand
Editor: Marv Wolfman
Cover Artist: Sal Buscema
While Johnny - as the Ghost Rider - attempts to land a dangerous stunt with Katy Milner in his arms, Karen Page is shooting at the pair with a laser gun while under the control of the Orb. One of Karen's shots hits Katy in the shoulder, while the other hits the gas tank of the Stuntmaster cycle that Blaze is riding. Johnny manages to ride the bike down a ladder, but then crashes into a clothes rack, which cushions them. When the Ghost Rider recovers, he notices that the Orb is a bit too solid to be a real ghost, and watches as the villain grabs the enthralled Karen and jumps on his bike with her. Realizing that the Orb pretended to be a ghost to get to Karen - to cash in on the million dollar bounty that's been placed on her head - Johnny blasts a wall of fire between himself and his enemy. A stunt-rider himself, the Orb easily leaps his bike over the flame-wall and blasts Blaze with his laser gun, incapacitating him long enough to make his escape. By the time he's recovered, Johnny is surrounded by the show's crew, including the Stuntmaster and director Coot Collier. Coot angrily blames Blaze for Karen's kidnapping, causing Johnny to knock him aside and pursue the Orb on his own. Jumping on his own skull-cycle, Johnny rides after his foe. When the Stuntmaster helps Collier to his feet, the director comments that he deserved the shot, and that they need to go help Blaze rescue Karen. In quick succession, the Orb, the Ghost Rider, and a car carrying the Stuntmaster and the gun-toting Collier crash through the gates of Delazny Studios and head toward the freeway.
Meanwhile, studio accountant Cosgrove is pouring through the Stuntmaster show's records for dirt on Collier. He finds that there's an employee on the show that has no records, no past employment, union record, or even a record of work time and payment. Not understanding why this person hasn't complained about not being paid, Cosgrove decides that Collier's hiding something and that he's going to find out exactly what it is.
The frantic chase between the Orb and the Ghost Rider makes its way onto the crowded Ventura Freeway, where the villain is firing his laser wildly into traffic. Johnny attempts to blast the villain with his flame, but the Orb merely laughs and tells him that he's wearing an asbestos-fibered costume as protection. However, the fire serves to break the trance placed on Karen, who begins to fight back against the villain. Despite his desire to cash in on her bounty, the Orb decides in favor of self-preservation and tosses Karen off his bike. She's barely caught by Johnny, who stops along the side of the freeway to let her off. He then again races toward the Orb, who uses his laser pistol to cause a major traffic accident on the highway. Johnny is forced to jump the wreckage, but is a sitting duck for a shot from the villain's gun. However, he sees the gun shot out of the Orb's hands, and looks back in surprise to find Coot giving him a thumbs up with his rifle in hand. The Ghost Rider rides up beside the Orb and leaps off his bike, tackling his enemy to the side of the freeway. Blaze begins to pound away at the Orb's head, shattering his helmet, and doesn't even notice that he has transformed back into his normal self now that the danger to him has passed. He continues to beat on the Orb until Karen arrives with Coot and the Stuntmaster and yells for Johnny to stop. Blaze counters that the Orb tried to kill his stepfather and will keep trying to kill him if he doesn't take him out once and for all. Johnny then turns to find his "friend" that helped him beat back Satan approaching. The "friend" tells Johnny that he will soon have an opportunity to direct his rage at those he should truly be angered at, and he should not take his frustrations out on a defeated foe. Blaze thanks the man and tells him that he's not going to waste time feeling sorry for himself, no matter how lousy he feels for what he's done.
Elsewhere, at a local hospital, Richard and Wendy Pini arrive to check in on the injured Katy Milner. The doctor tells them that Katy won't respond to any medical treatment at all, but is interrupted by a nurse coming out Milner's room. The doctor and the Pinis rush into the room and discover Katy possessed by demons who call themselves the Possessors.
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| That's right, my costume is lined with cancer! |
THE ROADMAP
Ghost Rider appears next in The Champions (1975) # 3.
The million-dollar bounty on Karen Page was first mentioned in Ghost Rider (1973) # 13, when the Trapster attempted to kidnap her. Karen is the employee that Cosgrove discovers has no records at the studio - because they were stolen by the Stuntmaster, as revealed in Ghost Rider (1973) # 18.
The mysterious "friend" (who was originally intended to be Jesus Christ), first appeared in Ghost Rider (1973) # 9. He is actually a guise of Satan himself, as revealed in Ghost Rider (1973) # 19.
The Orb returns in Ghost Rider (1973) # 28.
CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 15 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!
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| Nice jumpsuit, "friend". |
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