Ghost Rider (1990) # 51

Cover Artist: Salvador Larroca

Published: July 1994
Original Price: $1.95

Title: "The Spirit is Willing..."
Writer: Howard Mackie
Artist: Salvador Larroca

Inkers: Sellers, Sanders, & McCarthy
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: John Kalisz
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Editor In Chief: Tom DeFalco

SYNOPSIS

In Cypress Hills Cemetery, the newly resurrected Ghost Rider thinks back to his first rebirth, contemplating all that has happened to him and Dan in the short time they have been bound together. He thinks back to Barbara, Dan's sister, and her innocent blood that called him into being. On the spot where her blood was spilled, he thinks that no amount of vengeance nor hellfire can burn away the burden of her death on his hands. Meanwhile, in Manhattan, two foreign tourists wander into an alley, where they come across a large, superhumanly strong man named Slaughter Boy, who attacks and kills them.

Back in the cemetery, the Ghost Rider reminisces over his origin and the evil he's encountered since returning to life. He was victorious against them all, but he realizes that to Dan the triumphs were hallow compared to the loss of his sister. The Rider realizes that though the supernatural had distracted him from his mission, it would do so no longer. He has been reborn twice now, and he will not look for the supernatural to combat evil as there is too much of it lurking in humanity itself. He will no longer wait until someone is hurt or dead to react, promising Barbara that it will never happen again. He then transforms back into Dan.

Dan arrives at his mother's house, but finds a surprise visitor when he enters. His best friend, Jack D'Auria, tells him that he's been out of town for a while and had just stopped by to see how he and his mother were doing. Jack then leaves, while Dan enters the kitchen to check on his mother, who is thinking about her lost daughter. Dan tells her that, adopted or not, she'll always be his mother. Back in Manhattan, Slaughter Boy has engaged the police and is causing chaos in the streets.

A few blocks away, Dan pulls up to the local police precinct to pick up Stacy Dolan, who is happy that she and Dan have time to get reacquainted now that she knows about his involvement with the Ghost Rider. "Ski" Sokowalski then yells for her, telling her that Slaughter Boy is on a rampage and half the precinct is trying to bring him in. Stacy agrees to go with Ski, but before she leaves she asks Dan not to get involved. Dan apologizes, and after she's gone he transforms into the Ghost Rider.

The Ghost Rider then arrives at the scene, and engages Slaughter Boy despite Stacy's plea that he stay out of the situation. Despite saving Ski's life, the Rider is still met with fear and distrust by the policeman, who attempts to shoot him. Slaughter Boy comes back and attacks the Ghost Rider, yelling that all he wants is a good fight after being kicked out of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation. During the battle, Ghost Rider asks why his enemy killed so many innocent people if all he desired was a fight. Slaughter Boy tells him that he killed the tourists because foreign investors where responsible for getting him thrown out of pro wrestling. Angered by the villain's attempt to rationalize his actions, the Ghost Rider gives Slaughter Boy his penance stare, leaving him defeated on the ground. Before the Rider leaves, he stops to tell Stacy that what was done this night was done by him, not Daniel. But after the Rider leaves, Stacy wonders if Dan knows that himself.

ANNOTATIONS 

Ghost Rider was killed by Zarathos in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (1992) # 18. He recently returned to life in Ghost Rider (1990) # 50.

Dan learned he was adopted in Ghost Rider (1990) # 33.

Stacy Dolan discovered that Dan was the Ghost Rider in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (1992) # 18.

Jack D'Auria last appeared in Ghost Rider (1990) # 30.

REVIEW

With this issue, Howard Mackie makes an attempt to disassociate Ghost Rider with the supernatural/horror overtones that had taken over the book for the past two years, and if anything the writer is TOO blatant with the back-to-basics approach.

I honestly can't blame Mackie and the editors desire to get back to what made Ghost Rider work at the beginning of the series, because at the time this issue came out sales were in the toilet and lots of loyal fans had been driven away by the endless crossovers and meandering plotlines that were dropped and changed seemingly at random. From what Mackie himself said in an interview I did a few years back, editorial fingerprints were all over the Midnight Sons era of Ghost Rider, and this issue was the first to try and recapture what made the book so great to begin with. But, while it was certainly a good move to change direction, this issue itself was just as poor - if not more so - than any issue from the supernatural stories that came before it.

"The supernatural descended on me like a dark cloud, but that time is past! It is time to look to the future. The supernatural holds no interest for me. No more will I search for answers to meaningless questions. No more seeking out the supernatural to find evil." So speaketh the Ghost Rider, and if there was ever an example of a writer speaking to the audience directly through a character, this is it. Spelling out so blatantly what had buried the book, to me, smacked of real pretentiousness. Of course, we're given a lengthy recap of the series-so-far in the preceding pages, so as to catch potential new readers up to what had gone before...stories that everyone would seem happier if they were forgotten.

So, with the new/old direction for the book, we're given one of the absolute worst villains to be introduced in the series: Slaughter Boy. Ridiculous name, ridiculous design, and a completely ridiculous reason for being a villain. He hates foreigners, so one fine day he decides to kill everyone he sees...riiiiiight. Stupid, stupid character on every single level imaginable.

We're also given the first issue by artist Salvador Larroca, who had previously done work for Marvel's UK imprint (on such titles as Death's Head II and Dark Angel). Larroca will later go on to mature into an incredible artist, one who will leave a remarkable visual stamp on the series, but his debut is quite shaky. At this early point in his career, Larroca is obviously aping the style of Jim Lee, and it comes off as very stiff, forced, and amateurish. Honestly, it's too clean and superhero for a book like Ghost Rider, but it's forgivable when you look at Salvador's future career and the amazing work he produces once he settles into his own distinct style.

Ultimately, this issue is a failure...but even with that, it's a welcome breath of fresh air compared to the go-nowhere horror stories of the previous twenty issues.

Grade: D+