Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 11

"Wild in the Streets"

Cover Date: March 1995; On Sale Date: January 1995

Writer: Len Kaminski; Artist: Kyle Hotz; Letterer: Richard Starkings w/ John Gaushell Colorist: Christie Scheele w/ Heroic Age; Editor: Evan Skolnick; Editor in Chief: Bobbie Chase; Cover Artist: Kyle Hotz 

Ghost Rider begins his battle with the monstrous predator drones of the Pioneer Society. One of the drones, piloted by Ms. Matlin, is severely injured by Ghost Rider's electro-saw and the feedback gives Matlin brain trauma that causes her to go into a psychotic state when she removes her helmet at the Society's headquarters. Meanwhile, D/Monix broadcasts their edited version of Ghost Rider's interview with reporter Willis Adams, which elicits shock and disbelief from the residents of Transverse City. When Anesthesia Jones sees the broadcast, she recognizes it as spin control and calls for a meeting of the Undernet. Adams, enraged by the manipulation of his interview, gets word from his producer that the Ghost Rider is currently engaged in a public battle, and he goes off to cover the story. Finally, the director of Central Security Services watches the broadcast with Coda and sends the mercenary off to destroy the Ghost Rider.

Ghost Rider continues his battle with the Pioneer Society but is surprised when they start dropping dead in the middle of the fight. He is unaware that Matlin, in her psychotic rage, is murdering the Society in their uplink chairs. As she murders the last member, he tells the Ghost Rider where Matlin is located and that she was the one responsible for the deaths in Little Calcutta. Ghost Rider rides off to find Matlin, unaware that he's being followed by Willis Adams and, in turn, Coda.

THE ROADMAP

Anesthesia Jones' meeting with the Undernet will occur in Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 13.

The interview that Willis Adams conducted with Ghost Rider occurred in Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 5.  Dyson Kellerman, the director of D/Monix, introduced his edited version in Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 8.

CHAIN REACTION

Kaminski and Hotz produce an issue-long battle that revels in its brutality while D/Monix makes its opening move against the Ghost Rider and Transverse City.

For a comic that's 80% fight scene this issue packs in a lot of nuanced material that has been the series' hallmark throughout its run. Kaminski never fails to include the world building elements of Transverse City, and this issue takes the necessary time to check in on all of the disparate elements of the city by way of D/Monix's edited Ghost Rider broadcast. It's a pretty great way to show not only how each faction in the city reacts to the Ghost Rider but also the divide on who believes the "spin control" and who doesn't. That it's all done amid Zero's fight with an unrelated threat, making him oblivious to what's happening ostensibly in his name, makes for a striking contrast. While Ghost Rider is all fury and violence, he's up against a corporate entity that attacks through manipulation, setting up a conflict that can't be defeated by punching it away.

The Pioneer Society make for an intriguing set of villains that also serve as action cannon fodder for Zero to essentially carve his way through like a knife through butter. They're just enough of a physical threat to make for some dynamic fight sequences, and the designs for their predator drones are duly horrific. That they're ultimately killed by one of their own while engaged in a pointless fight with Ghost Rider is a nice touch and sets up a resolution in the next issue that promises to be more than just monster fights. Ultimately, the Society are pathetically irredeemable villains and seeing them get their just end on dual levels is particularly satisfying.

What's also satisfying is the artwork by Kyle Hotz, who certainly wears his influences on his sleeve in this issue. The designs for the predators allow him to cut loose with some inspired homages to Giger's Alien and the Predator film creatures among others, and his attention to cybernetic details gives the eye lots of stuff to take in as it goes across each page. It could be said that there's too much fiddling with details, to the point where some things look cluttered or messy, but I think it works well with the chaotic tone of the comic.

This is still such a great series that is working on so many different levels, I highly recommend it as always.