Cover Date: August 1976
On Sale Date: May 1976
Writer: Tony Isabella
Artist: George Tuska
Inker: Vince Colletta
Letterer: Karen Mantlo
Colorist: Phil Rache
Editor: Marv Wolfman
Meanwhile, Angel and Johnny Blaze are at the hospital where the recovering villain, Rampage, is being held. Sensing danger, Blaze transforms into the Ghost Rider in time to see Rampage being rescued by two other villains, Darkstar and the Griffin. The escape attempt is successful, with Angel and Ghost Rider both being defeated by Darkstar. Back at their building, Hercules, Iceman, and Fenster are unaware that they are being watched by an intruder. They find a young boy who asks them to help after sneaking inside, and his appearance allows the intruder - actually Ivan's son - to escape unseen. Ivan and Black Widow finish examining the missile and find a black pearl inside, which Widow recognizes immediately. She goes to a nearby rooftop and is confronted by a Russian man named Bruskin, who had been her superior during her time as a Soviet spy. Before he can tell her why he has contacted her, he is attacked from behind by another Russian villain, the Titanium Man.
The Champions first fight with Rampage occurred in The Champions (1973) # 5-6. Johnny Blaze was absent from those two issues due to the events in Ghost Rider (1973) # 17-20.
The events of Gambit and the Champions: From the Marvel Vault # 1 take place during this issue, specifically right before the final scene between Black Widow and Bruskin.
I was actually a little surprised at how decent this issue was. It still wasn't really very good, mind you, but it was certainly a step up from the first handful of issues. This would be the final issue by team of Tony Isabella and George Tuska, who had similarly left the pages of Ghost Rider not long before due to conflicts with the editorial staff. I assume, with him leaving the series one chapter into an extended arc from a series he co-created, that those same editorial difficulties made him depart this book in a similar fashion. This title has been a creative train-wreck since its debut, so another switch mid-storyline is just par for the course.
The story that starts in this issue is definitely a step in the right direction, though, because finally the team is starting to make more sense. Before, the heroes were just sort of hanging around for no real reason, they didn't even seem to really like one another outside of the Angel/Iceman and Hercules/Black Widow pairings. Poor Ghost Rider, nobody likes him. Still, this issue at least centers around two of the three elements that made this book stand out more than "Generic Hero Team". It focused on the back story of one of the characters, namely Black Widow, and the attempt by Angel to make them seem like a legitimate alternative to the Avengers, holding a press conference and everything! The third leg of the narrative hook only gets a mention in passing, the "heroes of the common man" gimmick that never really materialized into anything worthwhile. The Champions didn't ever help ordinary citizens, they were off fighting Nazis made of bees and Godzilla, so I think that was a premise that Isabella created and subsequent writers didn't give a single shining shit about.
George Tuska turns in his final issue as the book's artist, and while he was certainly a big leap in quality over Don Heck, he still didn't really fit title very well. His action feels very posed and stiff, and while certain elements remind me of Jack Kirby he doesn't choreograph the panels anywhere near as effectively. He does draw a really nice Ghost Rider, though, which I've always appreciated here and during his brief time as the regular artist on the Rider's solo book right before this. It's obvious looking at it, though, that Tuska definitely thought the Ghost Rider's flames were just Johnny's hair that was on fire.
This issue kicks off an arc that lasts way too long, but it's still showing signs of improvement for a series that, just a few issues before this, was truly terrible.
Writer: Tony Isabella
Artist: George Tuska
Inker: Vince Colletta
Letterer: Karen Mantlo
Colorist: Phil Rache
Editor: Marv Wolfman
Cover Artist: Rich Buckler
A missile is shot into the headquarters of the Champions, directly into the room with Iceman, Hercules, and their publicist Richard Fenster. Iceman is able to direct the missile via an ice tunnel into Hercules' arms, where it is caught harmlessly. They give the missile to Ivan Petrovitch, who Black Widow claims can take the device apart to find out who sent it. Across the street, a person from the Widow's past is watching and planning a confrontation.
A missile is shot into the headquarters of the Champions, directly into the room with Iceman, Hercules, and their publicist Richard Fenster. Iceman is able to direct the missile via an ice tunnel into Hercules' arms, where it is caught harmlessly. They give the missile to Ivan Petrovitch, who Black Widow claims can take the device apart to find out who sent it. Across the street, a person from the Widow's past is watching and planning a confrontation.
Meanwhile, Angel and Johnny Blaze are at the hospital where the recovering villain, Rampage, is being held. Sensing danger, Blaze transforms into the Ghost Rider in time to see Rampage being rescued by two other villains, Darkstar and the Griffin. The escape attempt is successful, with Angel and Ghost Rider both being defeated by Darkstar. Back at their building, Hercules, Iceman, and Fenster are unaware that they are being watched by an intruder. They find a young boy who asks them to help after sneaking inside, and his appearance allows the intruder - actually Ivan's son - to escape unseen. Ivan and Black Widow finish examining the missile and find a black pearl inside, which Widow recognizes immediately. She goes to a nearby rooftop and is confronted by a Russian man named Bruskin, who had been her superior during her time as a Soviet spy. Before he can tell her why he has contacted her, he is attacked from behind by another Russian villain, the Titanium Man.
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| Johnny's transition face is legit terrifying. |
THE ROADMAP
Johnny Blaze last appeared in Ghost Rider (1973) # 20.
The Champions first fight with Rampage occurred in The Champions (1973) # 5-6. Johnny Blaze was absent from those two issues due to the events in Ghost Rider (1973) # 17-20.
The events of Gambit and the Champions: From the Marvel Vault # 1 take place during this issue, specifically right before the final scene between Black Widow and Bruskin.
CHAIN REACTION
Ghost Rider returns to the Champions after a two-issue absence, though it might have been better if he'd just stayed away.
I was actually a little surprised at how decent this issue was. It still wasn't really very good, mind you, but it was certainly a step up from the first handful of issues. This would be the final issue by team of Tony Isabella and George Tuska, who had similarly left the pages of Ghost Rider not long before due to conflicts with the editorial staff. I assume, with him leaving the series one chapter into an extended arc from a series he co-created, that those same editorial difficulties made him depart this book in a similar fashion. This title has been a creative train-wreck since its debut, so another switch mid-storyline is just par for the course.
The story that starts in this issue is definitely a step in the right direction, though, because finally the team is starting to make more sense. Before, the heroes were just sort of hanging around for no real reason, they didn't even seem to really like one another outside of the Angel/Iceman and Hercules/Black Widow pairings. Poor Ghost Rider, nobody likes him. Still, this issue at least centers around two of the three elements that made this book stand out more than "Generic Hero Team". It focused on the back story of one of the characters, namely Black Widow, and the attempt by Angel to make them seem like a legitimate alternative to the Avengers, holding a press conference and everything! The third leg of the narrative hook only gets a mention in passing, the "heroes of the common man" gimmick that never really materialized into anything worthwhile. The Champions didn't ever help ordinary citizens, they were off fighting Nazis made of bees and Godzilla, so I think that was a premise that Isabella created and subsequent writers didn't give a single shining shit about.
George Tuska turns in his final issue as the book's artist, and while he was certainly a big leap in quality over Don Heck, he still didn't really fit title very well. His action feels very posed and stiff, and while certain elements remind me of Jack Kirby he doesn't choreograph the panels anywhere near as effectively. He does draw a really nice Ghost Rider, though, which I've always appreciated here and during his brief time as the regular artist on the Rider's solo book right before this. It's obvious looking at it, though, that Tuska definitely thought the Ghost Rider's flames were just Johnny's hair that was on fire.
This issue kicks off an arc that lasts way too long, but it's still showing signs of improvement for a series that, just a few issues before this, was truly terrible.
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| Explosivo! |
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