On Sale Date: December 1990 & January 1991
Writer: Tom DeFalco
Artist: Ron Frenz
Inker: Joe Sinnott & Al Milgrom
Colorist: Mike Rockwitz
Lettering: Mike Heisler & Chris Eliopolous
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco
Cover Artist: Ron Frenz
Of all the books Marvel was publishing in 1991, it could be said without pretty much absolute certainty that The Mighty Thor by DeFalco and Ron Frenz was unabashedly the one series that still read like a Marvel comic from the Lee/Kirby days. The influence of the 1960s is blatantly apparent when reading this comic, from the old school superhero slugfests to the retro-feel of Frenz's artwork. So, in theory, bringing in a character like Ghost Rider, who was very much a product of the 1990s, seems like something that would be shockingly out of place here. Surprisingly, it doesn't come off as weird or forced at all, with Ghost Rider slipping into the creative team's style quite nicely.
While it may seem odd at first glance that one of the new Ghost Rider's first appearances outside his title is in Thor, of all places, it makes more sense when you think about the state of the Blaze series that ended back in 1983. The editor on the previous Ghost Rider series at the time of its cancelation was Tom DeFalco, who in 1991 had not only become the regular writer on Thor but was also Marvel's editor-in-chief. If anyone was able to tie together the loose threads from the Blaze series, it would be him, who would have definitely remembered the details of that final issue. In fact, I think he likely handles it better than Howard Mackie, who at this point had yet to start addressing the Blaze/Zarathos status quo. Mephisto had yet to become involved with Mackie's Ghost Rider and he's seen here with the Soul Crystal, as direct a call-back to the last series as you can get.
DeFalco doesn't just have a solid grasp on the continuity, but he also writes Ghost Rider as a character extremely well, following spot-on from Mackie's established characterization. DeFalco gives us a Ghost Rider who is questioning his own identity and mission, which is what Mackie had only established a few months prior in his own series. Ghost Rider would vary wildly in personality across the many (MANY) guest appearances he would make in other titles of this era, but DeFalco is probably the best at maintaining consistency. He also gives us one of my all-time favorite Ghost Rider moments during the fight with the Wrecking Crew. Piledriver, who is convinced that GR is just a superhero with a gimmick, pulls down the back of the Rider's jacket to expose nothing but a flaming skeleton, and it freaks him the fuck out, causing him to run away in terror when he realizes that he really is fighting a for-real ghost.
Another great thing about this comic is the artwork by Ron Frenz, who also doesn't seem like he would fit well with Ghost Rider but nails the character's look perfectly. I mentioned in the review for the previous issue that Frenz had an old-school Kirby feel to his work, but that's changed for this issue. Perhaps its the change in inkers (from Joe Sinnot to Al Milgrom), or perhaps it's due to the characters involved, but Frenz turns in a perfect homage to John Buscema, particularly with his depiction of Mephisto. Frenz does something very difficult, he makes Ghost Rider visually frightening while maintaining the superhero aesthetic that the Thor series did so well in this period.
I'm not a huge fan of Thor outside of Walt Simonson's run, and my experience with the DeFalco/Frenz era is limited, but this 2-issue arc is remarkably well-executed and stands up as one of the best Ghost Rider appearances of the time. Recommended.
In an abandoned Brooklyn tenement building, the Wrecking Crew (the Wrecker, Thunderball, and Piledriver), argue amongst themselves about the fate of their fourth member, Bulldozer, who was captured by the NYPD's superhuman task force, Code B.L.U.E. Sick of the constant in-fighting, the Wrecker tells the other two that they're going to bust Bulldozer free, but only when he feels it's safe to do so. Meanwhile, in a Manhattan police station, Bulldozer is being watched by Mad Dog and Rigger, two Code B.L.U.E. officers. Rigger tells Mad Dog they're going to be escorting their prisoner to Kennedy Airport, from which he'll be transported to the Vault. Mad Dog complains about the assignment being boring, but Rigger tells him that the route will take them through Cypress Hills, where the Ghost Rider is rumored to haunt.
That night, during their transport of Bulldozer, the two police officers make their way past the gate to Cypress Hills Cemetery. Suddenly, the rest of the Wrecking Crew attack the armored truck, and the Wrecker's energy blast knocks the truck into the cemetery. The two cops escape the truck, but both are stunned by the Crew's attack. In another part of the cemetery, however, Dan Ketch is visiting the grave of his deceased sister and sees the fight erupting. He runs to his motorcycle and touches the gas cap, triggering his transformation. While the Wrecking Crew - including the newly freed Bulldozer - prepare to kill the Mad Dog and Rigger, the Ghost Rider rides over the hill. The Crew recognize the Rider from television reports, but are nonetheless surprised by the brutality of the demon's attack. He successfully evades the Crew's blows, but Piledriver believes the Rider to be simply a glorified athlete with a few fancy special effects. The Wrecker gets tired of the Ghost Rider's interference, and blasts him with the Asgardian power contained in his crowbar. The magical energy that strikes the Rider accidentally rips open a dimensional gate, from which emerges the lord of Hell, Mephisto. While Mephisto demands to know who has dared summon him, the Ghost Rider frantically questions why he finds the demon lord so familiar. Elsewhere in the city, the Asgardian trickster god, Loki, senses what has transpired. Cursing the Wrecker for finally attracting the notice of an powerful being, Loki realizes that he must step in and take care of the matter personally.
Later, in an abandoned factory in Manhattan, the Wrecker attacks his teammate Piledriver, who dared to call the Wrecker a coward for fleeing their fight with Ghost Rider after Mephisto appeared. The Wrecker dispels the challenge to his leadership and states that they will be taking out the Ghost Rider tonight. Ghost Rider, meanwhile, rides through the city, feeling fear for the first time since seeing Mephisto, who he recognizes but cannot remember from where. Elsewhere, Loki travels to Hell to meet with Mephisto following the Wrecker's accidental use of Asgardian magic that called the demon-lord to Earth. Mephisto, who is holding the Soul Crystal used to imprison former Ghost Rider Zarathos, tells Loki that the resemblance between the Ghost Rider and his "former vassal" is a coincidence and nothing more. Mephisto shows Loki a "soul-shroud" used to collect the souls of deceased immortals, and the face upon it actually manages to stun Loki, who expresses a desire for an alliance. Later, back on Earth, Loki tells his companions Ulik and the Enchantress that Mephisto is planning to betray him and he must move up his plans to reclaim the Asgardian power from the Wrecking Crew.
While riding through the city, Ghost Rider transforms back into Danny Ketch, who continues his search for the Wrecking Crew, while Eric Masterson transforms himself into Thor to search as well. The Wrecking Crew, while searching for Ghost Rider, see Thor flying by and decide to ambush him. Loki sees these events from afar and uses magic to lure Danny Ketch to the same area. The Wrecking Crew attack Thor on a rooftop and the battle is soon joined by Ghost Rider as well. While the battle is going on, Loki and Ulik take the Wrecking Crew out one-by-one, reclaiming the magic that powers them and leaving them near death. When the Wrecker attempts to use his magic power in his crowbar, Loki twists the blast to open up a rift, from which come a horde of Mephisto's demons. While Thor and Ghost Rider defeat the demons, Loki manages to take out the rest of the Wrecking Crew. When Thor finds them, he sees that the Wrecker has vanished but the rest of the Crew need medical attention. Ghost Rider, his work done, rides away jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Meanwhile, in Hell, Mephisto's soul-shroud has been completed, and the face upon it is none other than Thor's.
While riding through the city, Ghost Rider transforms back into Danny Ketch, who continues his search for the Wrecking Crew, while Eric Masterson transforms himself into Thor to search as well. The Wrecking Crew, while searching for Ghost Rider, see Thor flying by and decide to ambush him. Loki sees these events from afar and uses magic to lure Danny Ketch to the same area. The Wrecking Crew attack Thor on a rooftop and the battle is soon joined by Ghost Rider as well. While the battle is going on, Loki and Ulik take the Wrecking Crew out one-by-one, reclaiming the magic that powers them and leaving them near death. When the Wrecker attempts to use his magic power in his crowbar, Loki twists the blast to open up a rift, from which come a horde of Mephisto's demons. While Thor and Ghost Rider defeat the demons, Loki manages to take out the rest of the Wrecking Crew. When Thor finds them, he sees that the Wrecker has vanished but the rest of the Crew need medical attention. Ghost Rider, his work done, rides away jumping from rooftop to rooftop. Meanwhile, in Hell, Mephisto's soul-shroud has been completed, and the face upon it is none other than Thor's.
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| Mephisto, his name is MEPHISTO! |
THE ROADMAP
Ghost Rider last appeared in Ghost Rider (1990) # 9 and makes his next appearance in Ghost Rider (1990) # 10.
Mephisto imprisoned Zarathos and Centurious inside the Soul Crystal in Ghost Rider (1973) # 81. Mephisto temporarily released Zarathos from the Soul Crystal in Amazing Spider-Man (1963) # 274, but imprisoned him again at that story's conclusion.
Mephisto next involves himself in the Ghost Rider's life in Ghost Rider (1990) # 19.
CHAIN REACTION
Tom DeFalco, who doubled as just not the regular writer on Thor but was also Marvel's Editor-in-Chief for the first half of the 1990s, brings Ghost Rider into his series for a guest-appearance that feels strangely appropriate despite all the reasons why it shouldn't.
Of all the books Marvel was publishing in 1991, it could be said without pretty much absolute certainty that The Mighty Thor by DeFalco and Ron Frenz was unabashedly the one series that still read like a Marvel comic from the Lee/Kirby days. The influence of the 1960s is blatantly apparent when reading this comic, from the old school superhero slugfests to the retro-feel of Frenz's artwork. So, in theory, bringing in a character like Ghost Rider, who was very much a product of the 1990s, seems like something that would be shockingly out of place here. Surprisingly, it doesn't come off as weird or forced at all, with Ghost Rider slipping into the creative team's style quite nicely.
While it may seem odd at first glance that one of the new Ghost Rider's first appearances outside his title is in Thor, of all places, it makes more sense when you think about the state of the Blaze series that ended back in 1983. The editor on the previous Ghost Rider series at the time of its cancelation was Tom DeFalco, who in 1991 had not only become the regular writer on Thor but was also Marvel's editor-in-chief. If anyone was able to tie together the loose threads from the Blaze series, it would be him, who would have definitely remembered the details of that final issue. In fact, I think he likely handles it better than Howard Mackie, who at this point had yet to start addressing the Blaze/Zarathos status quo. Mephisto had yet to become involved with Mackie's Ghost Rider and he's seen here with the Soul Crystal, as direct a call-back to the last series as you can get.
DeFalco doesn't just have a solid grasp on the continuity, but he also writes Ghost Rider as a character extremely well, following spot-on from Mackie's established characterization. DeFalco gives us a Ghost Rider who is questioning his own identity and mission, which is what Mackie had only established a few months prior in his own series. Ghost Rider would vary wildly in personality across the many (MANY) guest appearances he would make in other titles of this era, but DeFalco is probably the best at maintaining consistency. He also gives us one of my all-time favorite Ghost Rider moments during the fight with the Wrecking Crew. Piledriver, who is convinced that GR is just a superhero with a gimmick, pulls down the back of the Rider's jacket to expose nothing but a flaming skeleton, and it freaks him the fuck out, causing him to run away in terror when he realizes that he really is fighting a for-real ghost.
Another great thing about this comic is the artwork by Ron Frenz, who also doesn't seem like he would fit well with Ghost Rider but nails the character's look perfectly. I mentioned in the review for the previous issue that Frenz had an old-school Kirby feel to his work, but that's changed for this issue. Perhaps its the change in inkers (from Joe Sinnot to Al Milgrom), or perhaps it's due to the characters involved, but Frenz turns in a perfect homage to John Buscema, particularly with his depiction of Mephisto. Frenz does something very difficult, he makes Ghost Rider visually frightening while maintaining the superhero aesthetic that the Thor series did so well in this period.
I'm not a huge fan of Thor outside of Walt Simonson's run, and my experience with the DeFalco/Frenz era is limited, but this 2-issue arc is remarkably well-executed and stands up as one of the best Ghost Rider appearances of the time. Recommended.
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| That will never not be funny. |
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