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| Cover Artist: Ron Garney |
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Title: "Darkness Within"
Writer: Howard Mackie
Artist: Ron Garney
Inkers: Tom Palmer & Al Williamson
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Editor In Chief: Tom DeFalco
SYNOPSIS
At a deli in Manhattan, two men who attempted a robbery are now involved in a police hostage situation. After a two-hour stand-off, Vengeance walks through the police barricade and enters the deli. He makes short work of the two criminals, but doesn't fail to notice the fear in the eyes of the police as he leaves. A short while later, a mysterious jet flies over New York, the occupant on his way to Cypress Hills Cemetery. Meanwhile, at the Cemetery, the Ghost Rider's skull begins to faintly glow.
In the 75th police precinct, Michael Badilino is cleaning out his locker, despite the protests of his partner, John "Ski" Sokolowski. Michael tells Ski that he's taking time off and the strike team is now his to run. As Badilino leaves the precinct, he's stopped by Stacy Dolan, who confronts him about the possibility of Vengeance getting out of control. Badilino blows her warnings off and leaves. Elsewhere, on a luxury boat off the coast of Hong Kong, Hellgate receives reports that his men are investigating all aspects of the Ghost Rider and Vengeance.
Badilino arrives at Cypress Hills Cemetery, making his way to the mausoleum that houses the Ghost Rider's remains. As he takes a moment to collect his thoughts, he becomes aware that he's being watched from individuals in the shadows. He pulls his gun and turns around, only to find himself face to face with the Hulk, who has come to Cypress Hills for the Pantheon to investigate the anomalous energy readings that are emanating from the cemetery. Badilino runs into the mausoleum and transforms into the Vengeance, believing that the Hulk is working for Hellgate. Vengeance steps out of the crypt and blasts the Hulk with hellfire. The Hulk, who doesn't want to be late nor bruised for the bachelor party he's attending later, decides to take Vengeance out quickly. As the two heroes fight across the cemetery, two of Hellgate's minions - the armored duo Cerber and Erus - come out of the shadows and following them, their mission: to capture Vengeance for Hellgate.
Vengeance and the Hulk continue their battle until Cerber and Erus attack them, prompting the two heroes to realize that they've had a misunderstanding. Cerber and Erus come close to capturing Vengeance, but the Hulk swats them both away with a light post he's ripped from the ground. The two villains return quickly, but are easily defeated by Vengeance and the Hulk. After the battle ends, Vengeance tells the Hulk about what happened to the Ghost Rider, and Banner tries to give Badilino advice on what to do to keep from losing control. Hulk invites Vengeance to the bachelor party, but Michael declines. Meanwhile, the Ghost Rider's skull - still on display in the mausoleum, bursts into flame.
ANNOTATIONS
The Hulk last saw the Ghost Rider in Fantastic Four (1961) # 375. The bachelor party that the Hulk is attending is for Rick Jones.
Vengeance last appeared in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) # 163 and appears next in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (1992) # 22.
The villains Cerber and Erus actually weren't named anywhere in this issue, their only appearance. Their names were finally revealed in the Marvel Knights Encyclopedia about 10 years later.
REVIEW
We're on the fourth and final issue to feature Vengeance in the starring Ghost Rider role, and another famous Marvel hero is brought along to act as a guest-star - last issue it was Spider-Man, this time the Hulk.
This issue is the first of the loose storyarc that finally caves in and brings the Ghost Rider back to life following his death four months prior during the "Siege of Darkness". We're given some very ominous teases in this issue, as the Ghost Rider's skull continues to glow bright and brighter in solitary panels throughout...until we get to the end, where the skull finally comes to life and ignites with hellfire. This is certainly a great way to build suspense throughout the issue, because while no one was surprised that the Ghost Rider was coming back in the 50th issue, this story really plays up the mystery of just what could have happened to bring him back to life. Points to Mackie for using the technique of the glowing skull to build suspense.
The Hulk's role in this story, while ideally is probably meant to illustrate the struggle between Badilino and Vengeance, is really unimportant to the ongoing story. He's trotted out to give even more unfavorable comparisons between Ghost Rider and the "more violent, unstable" Vengeance - same as Spider-Man in the issue before. Plus, this takes place in the time when the Hulk is possessed of Bruce Banner's personality and works for the Pantheon - easily not one of my favorite periods for the character. He comes off as even more of a wise-ass than Spider-Man, and his constant snappy remarks are irritating rather than humorous.
Ron Garney continues as the series artist, and while I'm starting to get tired of his work here he does draw pretty much the definitive version of Vengeance at this point. I like his designs for the two cybernetic villains, who are like S&M versions of Iron Man with the spikes and straps, and Garney draws an absolutely hilarious panel of Vengeance kicking the Hulk square in the testicles that still cracks me up every time I see it. Hey, if you're looking for a weak spot on the Hulk, it's either the eyes or the balls, so props to Vengeance for being the only person brave enough to make the attempt.
The Vengeance era essentially comes to a close with this issue, though he does linger on as the headliner in Marvel Comics Presents for a few more months. I don't think the book's "new direction" with Badilino as the title character could be viewed as anything more than a colossal failure, but it did provide an interesting change of pace for a few issues.
Grade: C+
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