Cover Date: May 1993; Publication Date: March 1993
Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artist: Jim Mooney; Inker: John Tartag; Letterer: Tom Orzechowski; Colorist: George Roussos; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Darick Robertson
Following their rescue from Satan, the
Ghost Rider and the unconscious Witch Woman are dropped off in the
desert by Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan. Johnny protests that
Hellstrom is leaving them to die a hundred miles from civilization, but
the Son of Satan leaves them stranded regardless. Linda Littletrees
awakens, her soul now free from Satan's influence, and Blaze tells her
that they're stranded in the desert. Linda attempts to use her powers to
save them, but finds them gone now that her soul has been freed. Johnny
tells her that he'll die once the sun comes up, due to the injuries he
endured in his human form. Linda tells him that he still has his powers,
and with her help he can learn to harness them. Under Linda's guidance,
Johnny concentrates and creates a flaming motorcycle from a stream of
hellfire. Linda tells him that he must hurry, for the cycle will only
exist until he reverts back to Blaze's form, and that she can't ride the
bike because she no longer has her Satanic powers - to her, the bike
wouldn't exist. So Blaze rides off into the desert, promising to make it
to a town and find help for her.
Johnny rides for hours through the desert,
desperately looking for signs of civilization. Finally he sees a
freeway, with a city just beyond, and he increases his speed to reach it
in time. As Blaze rides onto the freeway, however, dawn rises behind
him - triggering his transformation back into his injured normal body.
As he transforms, the hellfire cycle disappears beneath him, causing him
to tumble viciously onto the highway, causing a massive wreck of cars
in his wake. As police approach the scene of the accident, Johnny lays
unconscious on the concrete. A few miles distant, Roxanne Simpson runs
for her life after she, too, had been abandoned in the desert. She sees a
light coming down the road, and her heart jumps with hope that she's
been rescued - but instead she finds Big Daddy Dawson, her pursuer,
bearing down on her. Roxanne attempts to run again, but her legs are
caught by Dawson's chain. He captures her again and takes her back to
his hideout.
The next evening, Johnny awakens from a nightmare
and finds himself in a hospital, watched over by doctors and the police.
Dawson reads about Johnny's hospitalization in the newspaper and
decides to ransom off the kidnapped Roxanne to him. As night falls,
Johnny finds himself transforming once again into the Ghost Rider, and
he easily escapes the hospital. He leaves the entrance to the building
just as Dawson pulls up with Roxanne, catching the biker by surprise.
When Dawson realizes that his bullets are ineffectual against the
demonic Ghost Rider, he leaves Roxanne behind and flees on his
motorcycle. Blaze again creates his flaming cycle and takes chase,
following Dawson onto a crowded highway. Johnny blasts Dawson with
hellfire, but accidentally sends his enemy crashing into a truck,
killing Dawson and causing another massive wreck that injures countless
innocent drivers. In shock, Johnny hears the approaching police sirens
and decides to run - to where, he doesn't know.
"Ghost Story"
Writer: Dan Slott; Artist: Dick Ayers; Letterer: Dave Sharpe; Colorist: Mike Worley; Editor: Evan Skolnick
Carter Slade is performing a
ritual dance with a Sioux Indian tribe as "He Who Rides the Night
Winds". During the dance, he tells the story of how he became the
Phantom Rider.
THE ROADMAP
This issue is a reprint of Ghost Rider (1973) # 3.
This issue also included an all-new back-up story
featuring the old western Ghost Rider, Carter Slade, now re-named the
Phantom Rider as of West Coast Avengers # 19.
The synopsis for the Phantom Rider story comes from Ghost Rider: The Official Index to the Marvel Universe.
The Phantom Rider story is a re-telling of the character's origin, which was originally told in The Ghost Rider (1967) # 1.
CHAIN REACTION
The back-up strip creative team re-tell the Phantom Rider's origin with an inspired framing structure.
There's not a whole lot to be said about this chapter of the Phantom Rider serial, as it's a straight retelling of the origin story from the 1960s series. I like the idea of Carter Slade taking part in a Native American "ghost dance" ritual that serves as as the storytelling device for the flashback. Otherwise, this is strictly catch-up for readers who aren't familiar with the character's back-story.
Dick Ayers continues to produce quality artwork, but it actually pales in comparison to the work he did on the exact same story in the 1967 comic. I credit that with the passing of time, naturally. Ayers still turns in solid work here and it's obvious why he was synonymous with the character.
The Phantom Rider back-ups obviously weren't the selling point for this reprint series, but they're a nice little bonus nonetheless.
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