The Original Ghost Rider (1992) # 13

"...And Vegas Writhes In Flame!"

Cover Date: July 1993; On Sale Date: May 1993

Writers: Marv Wolfman & Doug Moench; Artist: Jim Mooney; Inker: Sal Trapani; Letterer: Tom Orzechowski; Colorist: P. Goldberg; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Kris Renkewitz

Roxanne Simpson is held at gunpoint by crooked stock-car promoter Dude Jensen, who had caught her eavesdropping on his plan to assassinate one of his drivers. Before he can shoot her, Jensen's lackey Slifer bursts into the trailer and tells him not to fire, because the area is swarming with police. Jensen laughs, and is then consumed by hellfire, transforming him into the demonic Roulette. He then transforms Slifer into his demonic form and sets the trailer on fire with a point of his finger. The two then teleport away, leaving Roxanne to burn to death in the trailer.

Elsewhere in Las Vegas, the Ghost Rider rides through the city in search of Rocky, but is surprised by the appearance of Roulette in the sky above him. The demon pelts Blaze with blasts of hellfire, but during his bid for escape, Johnny sees a vision of Roxanne trapped in the burning room. Roulette appears again, telling Johnny that he has to make a choice: save Roxanne, or stop him from burning down Vegas. Though he struggles with the choice momentarily, the derogatory remarks thrown out by the Vegas citizens quickly makes his choice for him. Blaze races off to rescue Roxanne, leaving Roulette to begin his assault on the city. The demon sets a large casino on fire, destroying it and killing many of the people inside. Johnny, meanwhile, makes it to the burning trailer and rides right through the wall, scooping up Rocky before plowing through the opposite wall and to safety. Before she can say anything, Johnny sets her down and races back into the city, determined to save it whether it deserves it or not.

Meanwhile, a group of casino owners talk about a note they each received, which says all of them will die and their casinos will be destroyed, signed by Roulette. They realize that Roulette and Dude Jensen are one and the same, recalling how the race promoter had lost twenty thousand dollars at one of the casinos. When he couldn't pay back what he'd lost, they took him into the desert and shot him, leaving his body dumped in a quarry. The Ghost Rider, elsewhere in the city, is then attacked again by Roulette, daring the biker to follow his trail. Blaze tracks the demon down to the desert, where he finds a huge castle floating on a platform of hellfire. Johnny jumps through the castle's doors, quickly finding Roulette in his throne room. Jensen tells his story to Blaze, revealing that after his body was dumped in the quarry he was brought back to life by none-other than Satan himself. He made a deal with the demon-lord, his return to life in exchange for destroying the Ghost Rider. Roulette then downs Johnny with a hellfire blast, then calls upon Satan for the power to destroy their enemy for all eternity. Satan appears and grants Jensen's request, pouring more power into his body. Johnny sees his opportunity, blasting Roulette with his own hellfire, essentially overloading the demon's body. Jensen explodes, leaving only a tattered robe and the victorious Ghost Rider.

"Chasing Phantoms"

Writer: Dan Slott; Artist: Dick Ayers; Letterer: Dave Sharpe; Colorist: Mike Worley; Editor: Evan Skolnick 

Sheriff Brown chases the Phantom Rider through Bison Bend, not realizing that Jamie and William are tricking them to cover for Carter Slade having left town. William leaves the phantom projector when he and Jamie go to the sheriff's office, where Hollis tells them the reward for Angus has been cancelled since Floyd and Red escaped. Meanwhile, Floyd and Red see the Phantom Rider projection and accidentally shoot each other.

Of course he's a demon, why wouldn't he be?

THE ROADMAP

This issue is a reprint of Ghost Rider (1973) # 5.

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.

CHAIN REACTION

The Phantom Rider is with us in spirit only (no pun intended) as Slott and Ayers check in with the supporting cast.

For reasons unknown, Carter Slade has left town and flagged up a logical question: what do the authorities think when Slade leaves and the Phantom Rider suddenly stops appearing?  I mean, the sheriff of Bison Bend was pretty firmly convinced a few issues back that the Phantom Rider actually is a ghost, but it still bears asking the question of just how Slade protects his identity.  The solution, it seems, is that he just has two kids take turns pretending to be a spectral vigilante to fool the law. 

The idea that the Phantom Rider has terrorized the town so thoroughly that a mere image of him is enough to trick two criminals into shooting one another is brilliant. Keep in mind, this is the old West and holograms don't exist yet.  The bad guys would of course see a ghostly image of a person and assume the supernatural, right? Could the Phantom Rider shrink down to the size of a badger and stick to the back of a criminal's shirt?  As far as they know he could, he's a ghost after all!  Slott's plotting doesn't get enough credit for the amount of good ideas he was able to cram into these short installments.  

Dick Ayers, of course, does another fantastic job, proving again that he's deservedly the creator most associated with the character. He just feels at home with the old West, and his presence was always welcome on these short stories.  

This serial doesn't deserve to win any awards, but it's solidly entertaining and helps to liven up the reprint material.

I'd kill for a shirt like that!