Original Price: $3.99
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Michael Broussard
Inkers: Rob Hunter, Rick Basaldua, & Joe Weems
Letterer: Troy Feter
Colorist: Larry Molinar
Editor: Rob Levin
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Cover Artist: Marc Silvestri
Witnessing the vision of a mysterious, fiery woman in his Orb of Agamotto, Doctor Strange confers with his manservant Wong about a threat coming to this realm. Great forces are work, taking care to hide their tracks from detection, and Strange admits that, as ever, mortals will be caught in between.
Meanwhile, in a seedy bar in New York City, mobster Jackie Estacado - also known as the demonically-powered being the Darkness - talks with his friend Butcher about his recent criminal charges being dropped in court. Their table is approached by Sara Pezzini and Danielle Baptiste, the former and current wielders of the Witchblade. Pezzini claims that their encounter is coincidence and ends their tense conversation by telling Dani that Estacado is "a bad guy but not a bad man". At that moment, the Ghost Rider crashes through the wall of the bar, declaring that vengeance will be his against Estacado. Jackie orders Butcher to get the two women out of the bar and then transforms into the Darkness. Ghost Rider says that while he escaped the law, Estacado will not escape him. While the two start to fight, one of the bar patrons collapse in pain - this patron is Bruce Banner, and the stress of the battle causes him to transform into the monstrous Hulk, who throws both the Rider and the Darkness into the street outside. Danielle then enters the fight, powered by the Witchblade, and saves Estacado from the Hulk. The two go back-to-back while the Hulk and the Ghost Rider charge from each side - the Rider pulls the Darkness away with his chains while the Hulk throws a car at Witchblade. As the battle progresses into more and more violence, Estacado and Baptiste are surprised when their attackers suddenly freeze in mid-air. Doctor Strange appears, and it was he who suspended the Hulk and Ghost Rider. The two monsters disappear, teleported away with erased memories by Strange. The Doctor tells Estacado and Baptiste that a war involving them both is coming and then fades away, leaving the two with more questions than answers.
Elsewhere, the headquarters of Cyberforce, a team of cybernetic heroes, is visited by the fiery woman in Strange's vision...
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| Yeah, because The Darkness is so much cooler. |
THE ROADMAP
Ghost Rider last crossed-over into the Top Cow Universe during the Devil's Reign series, specifically in Devil's Reign: Cyblade/Ghost Rider # 1 and Devil's Reign: Ghost Rider/Ballistic # 1.
Ghost Rider and the Hulk last encountered each other in the World War Hulk crossover, specifically in Ghost Rider (2006) # 12-13.
This story continues into the First Born crossover in the Top Cow Universe titles.
CHAIN REACTION
To say that this comic wasn't very good shouldn't really be a surprise. The book came and went like a shadow, apparently published by Top Cow without the benefit of Marvel's usual hype machines, and it was just by happenstance that I even came across this book the week it came out. Top Cow and Marvel have been doing crossovers like this for years, and other than the Ghost Rider chapters of Devil's Reign I've never once been interested in picking them up. The reason for that is shown with amazing precision by Unholy Union - they're nothing but trailers for Top Cow stories with Marvel characters thrown in to try and snag readers.
I've nothing against Top Cow or the comics they produce. I know books like Witchblade and the Darkness have their fans, and they may even be well written and drawn, but I just have absolutely no interest in them. Would I have picked this up without the Ghost Rider appearance? Absolutely not. Even with the Ghost Rider appearance, do I feel I wasted money on it? Absolutely.
Other than the bewildering idea put forth by the creators that this story is in canon for Ghost Rider and Hulk (made impossible given the current timelines for both characters), there's nothing in this story that has any bearing whatsoever on either of them. Sure, it has possibly big concepts introduced for the Top Cow characters - I don't have a clue, honestly, since I don't read those books - but the selling point for non-fans of Top Cow are the Ghost Rider and Hulk appearances. But neither character are exactly top sellers these days and the story contained in Unholy Union is merely a big fight scene without even a proper finish. The characters come across each other by happenstance and depart without concluding their business. That's what infuriates me the most about this comic - it doesn't have an ending! How frustrating, especially considering that Ghost Rider's sudden grudge against the Darkness will never be touched on again. It's being declared as canon but gives no reason for fans to consider it as such. It's completely disposable, a trailer for Top Cow comics I plainly have no desire to read. But, that's to be expected I suppose, considering Marvel's hands-off approach to the comic.
At least the artwork is decent, produced by newcomer Michael Broussard. While it's true that Broussard is simply yet another clone of Marc Silvestri, Top Cow's creator, just like every other Top Cow artist, he at least picked an artist I like to ape a style from. Broussard's Ghost Rider in particular looks rather good, and he does a decent job conveying the fight scene between all of the characters.
Would I recommend picking up this issue to Ghost Rider fans? Certainly not. In fact, unless you have a fondness for the Top Cow characters and universe, I'd even advise Ghost Rider fans to stay far away from this comic. All it will do is disappoint and frustrate you.
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| Hulk and Ghost Rider are seriously slumming it here. |
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