Cover Date: April 2009
On Sale Date: February 2009
Title: Addict, Part 5: "Chase the Dragon"
Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Javier Saltares
Inker: Tom Palmer
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Dan Brown
Editor: Daniel Ketchum
Executive Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
On Sale Date: February 2009
Title: Addict, Part 5: "Chase the Dragon"
Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Javier Saltares
Inker: Tom Palmer
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Dan Brown
Editor: Daniel Ketchum
Executive Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Cover Artist: Clint Langly
Back at the nest, Ketch manages to gravely wound Verminous Rex; and while he lays dying, Rex taunts Danny into absorbing the power that Verminous stole from the other Spirits of Vengeance that he murdered. Unable to take the taunts, Dan leeches all of the power from Verminous Rex, which immediately sends him into an overdose. He returns to Earth and rides to Mary's apartment, pleading for her to exorcise him again before the power destroys him. But he finds Mary dead in her home, which pushes Ketch over the edge.
In the spirit realm, the ghosts of Eleven and Mary watch as Danny overdoses. Eleven tells Mary that he'll show her how to find a new body; he may have killed her, but he's not going to make her go to Heaven. Back on Earth, Danny is finally approached by Zadkiel himself, who tells him that the only way to save his soul is to give it up to the angel. He offers to save Dan's soul and keep it pure while, in return, Dan will hunt down the remaining Spirits of Vengeance to take their power and save their souls from destruction.
In the spirit realm, Eleven explains to Mary how he and Zadkiel set Danny up from the very beginning by restricting the amount of power he received with each "dose", stringing him along like a junkie. He tells Mary that Zadkiel is trying to overthrow the throne of Heaven for himself, and the power of the Ghost Riders is the only thing that will end the stalemate. Suddenly, the ghost of Verminous Rex appears in the spirit realm to demand his reward for helping Zadkiel. Eleven answers that the reward has already been given when Rex's race was rebuilt. Verminous refuses to accept this, but when he tries to attack Eleven and Mary the rat-creature is dropped down into Hell. Eleven and Mary depart the spirit realm, with Eleven warning her that people like them need to prepare for the fallout of Danny's actions.
Back on Earth, Danny has accepted Zadkiel's offer. The archangel informs Ketch that he can now "medicate" at will with his full power while he searches for the other Spirits of Vengeance. Zadkiel tells Danny that his ultimate goal is to liberate his brother from his curse. Ketch transforms into the Ghost Rider, now with blue flame, and he rides off to find Johnny Blaze in the name of Zadkiel and the Black Host.
Daniel Ketch was last seen in Peter Parker: Spider-Man (1990) # 93, where he merged with his ancestor Noble Kale to once again become the Ghost Rider. Dan's brother Johnny Blaze subsequently became the Spirit of Vengeance's host in Ghost Rider (2001) # 1 and Danny had seemingly disappeared.
Daniel finally reappeared as an agent of Zadkiel in Ghost Rider (2006) # 23. Though that issue was published several months before, it actually takes place after the Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch mini-series.
Mister Eleven first appeared in Ghost Rider (2006) Annual # 1.
Verminous Rex first appeared in Ghost Rider (1990) # 89 and made his last appearance as one of Blackheart's false “Spirits of Vengeance” in Ghost Rider: Finale.
More of the present day Spirits of Vengeance from around the world are introduced in Ghost Rider (2006) # 30, and the history of the Spirits in America is told in Ghost Rider (2006) # 33.
The idea of the Ghost Riders taking control and driving their hosts insane is not a new one, as this is exactly what happened to Michael Badilino, who as Vengeance went mad and eventually committed suicide in Ghost Rider (1990) # 76.
Zadkiel actually wins the war for Heaven at the end of "Last Stand of the Spirits of Vengeance" in Ghost Rider (2006) # 32 but is defeated by an army of Ghost Riders led by Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch in Ghost Riders: Heaven's On Fire (2009) # 6.
CHAIN REACTION
I admit that I'm a little surprised by how vital this series is to Jason Aaron's run in the ongoing Ghost Rider series, and I wonder if there were fans out there who were enjoying Aaron's stories that didn't bother to pick this book up. If that's the case, then those readers missed out on not only one hell of a story but also a lot of essential information on the new Ghost Rider origin story. Though I know why it wasn't included, I really feel that this series should have been collected in the Ghost Ride Omnibus of Aaron's run.
Simon Spurrier had previously produced a Ghost Rider Annual that was less than good (I'd even call it "bad"), which colored my enthusiasm for this mini-series when it was announced. Thankfully, Spurrier seriously stepped his game up here to turn out a really memorable story. What's most impressive is that while the story's core premise is from a Jason Aaron plot, Spurrier is able to keep the book distinct with its own voice instead of trying for a weak imitation of the other writer. The explanations for the Ghost Rider's origin in this series are truly unique compared to the ongoing series, and this series is where the origin idea really clicked for me. Outside of all the continuity juggling, there's also a good story within these pages; a story that's unrelentingly bleak and depressing, sure, but a good one nonetheless.
There are, of course, some points of contention with this story. Some fans took issue with the way Danny Ketch was portrayed as a hopeless junkie, that the insinuations that Danny was always in control of the Ghost Rider back in the day was erroneous to say the least, and that Ketch had been made into a weaker character to make Blaze look better. I disagree with all of that to be honest, because for Danny to make a believably bad guy in Aaron's series there had to be a logical reason that a good kid became a serial murderer of his own kind. I think Spurrier achieved that goal admirably, because even while we knew Danny would go on to do terrible things I couldn't help but feel empathy and pity for him. Ketch was one of my heroes back in the 1990s (or, well, the Ghost Rider that inhabited him was, since I always thought Dan himself was a bit bland) and to see him fallen so low really hit me where it hurt.
I've talked a lot about the series in general, so let's move on to this issue in specific. Javier Saltares and Tom Palmer finish up their stint as the art team, and as with the last issue the duo turns out a surprisingly great issue. I've said before that Saltares and Palmer were a team that didn't mesh well with one another, but it seems that whatever kinks there were between them were finally worked out by the end of this series. Saltares is, of course, a legendary artist for Ghost Rider fans and while I would have preferred to see Mark Texeira on this series with him I can't rightly complain too much about his collaboration with Palmer. They did turn in the great image of Ghost Rider jumping in Verminous Rex's mouth and punching through the top of his skull, after all.
It's my suggestion that every Ghost Rider fan should pick up this mini-series, especially if you were a fan of Jason Aaron's run on the book. However, if you grew up with Danny as your Ghost Rider of choice...well, this one might be a bitter pill to swallow.
While Danny Ketch, as the newly re-powered Ghost Rider, battles Verminous Rex, the crow named Mister Eleven that has acted as Danny's guide is beheaded by Rex's son, the rat-creature Albinus. Ketch sees Eleven die, which sends him into a murderous rage. Meanwhile, Albinus leaves the nest and arrives on Earth, where he goes to the apartment of Danny's friend Mary LeBow. Albinus attacks Mary, and while fighting him she puts on her spirit-goggles, which reveals that Mister Eleven is possessing Albinus' body. Mister Eleven can jump from body to body, a fact he neglected to tell Dan. Eleven explains that he's a free agent who is working for Zadkiel to spare his own life. But what Zadkiel wants is Dan, and he doesn't want Mary to interfere - so Eleven is there to kill her.
Back at the nest, Ketch manages to gravely wound Verminous Rex; and while he lays dying, Rex taunts Danny into absorbing the power that Verminous stole from the other Spirits of Vengeance that he murdered. Unable to take the taunts, Dan leeches all of the power from Verminous Rex, which immediately sends him into an overdose. He returns to Earth and rides to Mary's apartment, pleading for her to exorcise him again before the power destroys him. But he finds Mary dead in her home, which pushes Ketch over the edge.
In the spirit realm, the ghosts of Eleven and Mary watch as Danny overdoses. Eleven tells Mary that he'll show her how to find a new body; he may have killed her, but he's not going to make her go to Heaven. Back on Earth, Danny is finally approached by Zadkiel himself, who tells him that the only way to save his soul is to give it up to the angel. He offers to save Dan's soul and keep it pure while, in return, Dan will hunt down the remaining Spirits of Vengeance to take their power and save their souls from destruction.
In the spirit realm, Eleven explains to Mary how he and Zadkiel set Danny up from the very beginning by restricting the amount of power he received with each "dose", stringing him along like a junkie. He tells Mary that Zadkiel is trying to overthrow the throne of Heaven for himself, and the power of the Ghost Riders is the only thing that will end the stalemate. Suddenly, the ghost of Verminous Rex appears in the spirit realm to demand his reward for helping Zadkiel. Eleven answers that the reward has already been given when Rex's race was rebuilt. Verminous refuses to accept this, but when he tries to attack Eleven and Mary the rat-creature is dropped down into Hell. Eleven and Mary depart the spirit realm, with Eleven warning her that people like them need to prepare for the fallout of Danny's actions.
Back on Earth, Danny has accepted Zadkiel's offer. The archangel informs Ketch that he can now "medicate" at will with his full power while he searches for the other Spirits of Vengeance. Zadkiel tells Danny that his ultimate goal is to liberate his brother from his curse. Ketch transforms into the Ghost Rider, now with blue flame, and he rides off to find Johnny Blaze in the name of Zadkiel and the Black Host.
 |
| "C'mon, Danny, I mean...c'mon!" |
THE ROADMAP
This mini-series takes place between Ghost Rider (2006) Annual # 1 and Ghost Rider (2006) # 20.
Daniel Ketch was last seen in Peter Parker: Spider-Man (1990) # 93, where he merged with his ancestor Noble Kale to once again become the Ghost Rider. Dan's brother Johnny Blaze subsequently became the Spirit of Vengeance's host in Ghost Rider (2001) # 1 and Danny had seemingly disappeared.
Daniel finally reappeared as an agent of Zadkiel in Ghost Rider (2006) # 23. Though that issue was published several months before, it actually takes place after the Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch mini-series.
Mister Eleven first appeared in Ghost Rider (2006) Annual # 1.
Verminous Rex first appeared in Ghost Rider (1990) # 89 and made his last appearance as one of Blackheart's false “Spirits of Vengeance” in Ghost Rider: Finale.
More of the present day Spirits of Vengeance from around the world are introduced in Ghost Rider (2006) # 30, and the history of the Spirits in America is told in Ghost Rider (2006) # 33.
The idea of the Ghost Riders taking control and driving their hosts insane is not a new one, as this is exactly what happened to Michael Badilino, who as Vengeance went mad and eventually committed suicide in Ghost Rider (1990) # 76.
Zadkiel actually wins the war for Heaven at the end of "Last Stand of the Spirits of Vengeance" in Ghost Rider (2006) # 32 but is defeated by an army of Ghost Riders led by Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch in Ghost Riders: Heaven's On Fire (2009) # 6.
CHAIN REACTION
So here we are at the end of the "Danny Ketch" mini-series, which gives us one of the most depressing and bleak finishes of recent memory.
I admit that I'm a little surprised by how vital this series is to Jason Aaron's run in the ongoing Ghost Rider series, and I wonder if there were fans out there who were enjoying Aaron's stories that didn't bother to pick this book up. If that's the case, then those readers missed out on not only one hell of a story but also a lot of essential information on the new Ghost Rider origin story. Though I know why it wasn't included, I really feel that this series should have been collected in the Ghost Ride Omnibus of Aaron's run.
Simon Spurrier had previously produced a Ghost Rider Annual that was less than good (I'd even call it "bad"), which colored my enthusiasm for this mini-series when it was announced. Thankfully, Spurrier seriously stepped his game up here to turn out a really memorable story. What's most impressive is that while the story's core premise is from a Jason Aaron plot, Spurrier is able to keep the book distinct with its own voice instead of trying for a weak imitation of the other writer. The explanations for the Ghost Rider's origin in this series are truly unique compared to the ongoing series, and this series is where the origin idea really clicked for me. Outside of all the continuity juggling, there's also a good story within these pages; a story that's unrelentingly bleak and depressing, sure, but a good one nonetheless.
There are, of course, some points of contention with this story. Some fans took issue with the way Danny Ketch was portrayed as a hopeless junkie, that the insinuations that Danny was always in control of the Ghost Rider back in the day was erroneous to say the least, and that Ketch had been made into a weaker character to make Blaze look better. I disagree with all of that to be honest, because for Danny to make a believably bad guy in Aaron's series there had to be a logical reason that a good kid became a serial murderer of his own kind. I think Spurrier achieved that goal admirably, because even while we knew Danny would go on to do terrible things I couldn't help but feel empathy and pity for him. Ketch was one of my heroes back in the 1990s (or, well, the Ghost Rider that inhabited him was, since I always thought Dan himself was a bit bland) and to see him fallen so low really hit me where it hurt.
I've talked a lot about the series in general, so let's move on to this issue in specific. Javier Saltares and Tom Palmer finish up their stint as the art team, and as with the last issue the duo turns out a surprisingly great issue. I've said before that Saltares and Palmer were a team that didn't mesh well with one another, but it seems that whatever kinks there were between them were finally worked out by the end of this series. Saltares is, of course, a legendary artist for Ghost Rider fans and while I would have preferred to see Mark Texeira on this series with him I can't rightly complain too much about his collaboration with Palmer. They did turn in the great image of Ghost Rider jumping in Verminous Rex's mouth and punching through the top of his skull, after all.
It's my suggestion that every Ghost Rider fan should pick up this mini-series, especially if you were a fan of Jason Aaron's run on the book. However, if you grew up with Danny as your Ghost Rider of choice...well, this one might be a bitter pill to swallow.
 |
| Don't I totally look trustworthy? |
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