Marvel Comics Presents (1988) # 108

"Return of the Braineaters, Part 2: Claw and Bone"

Cover Date: June 1992; Publication Date: April 1992

Writer: Chris Cooper; Artist: John Stanisci; Inker: Jimmy Palmiotti & Ken Branch; Letterer: Steve Dutro; Colorist: Freddy Mendez; Editor: Terry Kavanagh; Editor in Chief: Tom DeFalco; Cover Artist: Sam Keith

A young boy named Billy Baldwin just watched a pack of werewolves kill a couple in the park and is now witnessing Ghost Rider and the Werewolf by Night, each thinking the other to be the killer, fight.  The battle is brief as they quickly uncover Billy, who says that neither of them killed the couple.  Billy runs away and Ghost Rider departs, leaving the Werewolf to decide which one to follow.  At the Baldwin home, the werewolf gang the Braineaters have come looking for Billy, torturing and killing his family while their human concubine Lupe watches.  Finally, at Cypress Hills Cemetery, Ghost Rider transforms back into Danny Ketch, who then sees the Werewolf by Night looming over him.

THE ROADMAP

This issue of Marvel Comics Presents also contained stories featuring Wolverine/Nightcrawler, Thanos, and the Young Gods.

Werewolf by Night encountered another group of Braineaters in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) # 54-59, which ended with all members of the gang dead.

While this is his first encounter with this incarnation of Ghost Rider, Jack Russell did meet Johnny Blaze twice, in Marvel Premiere # 28 and Ghost Rider (1973) # 55.

CHAIN REACTION

The Werewolf by Night team-up arc has its obligatory 2nd chapter fight between the stars in an issue that's saved by the artwork.

There's nothing much of note to the story in this chapter, since it's taken up by a pretty formulaic fight sequence that lasts for most of the page count.  I like Jack Russell, he's probably one of my favorite Marvel horror characters, but I find it dubious that he'd be able to toss Ghost Rider around like he does in this issue.  I guess he has to have a good showing, given his co-star role, but seriously?  He's a werewolf, not the Hulk.  Still, the fight scene is entertaining and is ended with a pretty hilarious panel of Ghost Rider telling the Werewolf that he's too scary and has frightened the little kid.

There's actually more life to this script that one would think, the interactions between Ghost Rider and the Werewolf liven up once the macho posturing is over.  The ending scene with Russell coming across Danny is legitimately scary, even though there's not much concern that Jack is going eat Danny in the next issue or anything.  The comic's best couple of pages feature the Braineaters, who are so grossly evil in a 70's exploitation kind of way, and the introduction of Lupe as their muse/ingenue/slave.

That brings me to the artwork by John Stanisci, whose rough around the edges art made me feel dirty after reading the comic.  He has this fantastic style that compliments the grindhouse era vibe perfectly.  His werewolves are grotesque, Lupe is alluring in a way that makes you a little uneasy, and his Ghost Rider is top notch.  His action sequences are a little choppy and could use some work, but he makes up for it in atmosphere.

I'm genuinely surprised by how this arc improved over the first chapter, looking forward to the rest.