Ghost Rider (1973) # 58

“Evil is the Enforcer!”

Cover Date: July 1981
On Sale Date: April 1981

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Inker: Mike Esposito
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Letterer: Diana Albers
Editor: David Kraft
Editor in Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz

After an encounter with a plane full of thieves in the desert, the Ghost Rider transforms back into Johnny Blaze, who is preparing for his rematch against cyclist Flagg Fargo for the world championship title. At the arena Blaze spies Fargo meeting with the Enforcer, a villain that the Ghost Rider has encountered before. Fargo sees Blaze after the Enforcer departs and takes his rival outside to meet his girlfriend. Gunshots are fired from a passing car, narrowly missing Fargo and his girlfriend, and Johnny gives chase on his motorcycle. The Enforcer reveals himself as the assassin and shoots Johnny with tranquilizer rounds, knocking him unconscious well into the next day.

Johnny wakes up thinking that Fargo must have hired the Enforcer to drug him so he would forfeit the contest. He makes it to the arena in time for the contest and performs magnificently, leading his score over Fargo’s. When Blaze has all but won, Fargo is shot by the Enforcer during a stunt, and Blaze has to drag his rival out of a fire, saving his life. Fargo’s girlfriend tells Johnny that the Enforcer is working for gamblers that had bet on Blaze and had threatened to kill Flagg if he didn’t lose the contest on purpose. Johnny gives chase after the Enforcer as the Ghost Rider and catches up to him on a mountain road, causing the villain to drive his car off the road and into a lake. The Ghost Rider departs, not seeing the Enforcer’s hand rise from the water. The next day, Blaze visits Fargo in the hospital and learns that it will be several months before they can compete against one another again. Fargo then extends his hand toward Johnny and thanks him for saving his life.

Flagg Fargo's an asshole to the bitter end.

THE ROADMAP
Johnny Blaze lost his title as World Champion of Stunt-Cycling to Flagg Fargo in Ghost Rider (1973) # 45-46 and challenged him to a rematch in Ghost Rider (1973) # 56. Flagg Fargo will appear again in Ghost Rider (1973) # 62 but Johnny will never get another chance at a rematch against him.

Ghost Rider fought the Enforcer in Ghost Rider (1973) # 22-24.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 58 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

"Trank you"?  Really, Enforcer?

The Defenders (1972) # 96

"The Rock and Roll Conspiracy!"

Cover Date: June 1981

On Sale Date: April 1981

Writer: J.M. DeMatteis
Artist: Don Perlin
Inker: Joe Sinnot
Letterer: Diana Albers
Colorist: George Roussos
Editor: Al Milgrom
Editor In Chief: Jim Shooter

Cover Artist: Michael Golden

At a Detroit music arena, controversial singer Asmodeus Jones - the so-called "King of Devil-Rock" - is performing his song "Send In the Demons" to a crowd of 16,000 fans. During the song, Jones summons forth the demon Fashima, who appears as an image above the stage to temporarily mesmerize the crowd. Standing on the edge of the stage, recently-hired stage hand Johnny Blaze recognizes the forces as being demonic in nature.

In New York, Dr. Strange is searching for any evidence of the Six-Fingered Hand via his Cauldron of the Cosmos. He is provided only a seemingly random assortment of images - a Detroit welcome sign, a guitar, a demon's face, and a flaming skull. Strange reaches out with his magic and teleports the other Defenders, who had been out taking care of other business, to his home. When Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan, sees the images in the Cauldron he immediately recognizes the Ghost Rider. Deciding that Detroit is where they must go, Strange teleports himself, Hellstrom, Valkyrie, Hellcat, and the Gargoyle across the country.

Meanwhile, in Detroit, Johnny Blaze rides through the city on his way to Jones' mansion to find out what was up with the demon manifestation at the concert. He suddenly crashes his bike into an invisible wall, causing him to wreck but remain unhurt. Blaze looks up to see the Son of Satan and the other Defenders, who say they needed his attention to ask him some questions. Johnny immediately transforms into the Ghost Rider, who recognizes Hellstrom from their first meeting. The demon explains that he has changed since they last met, he is Johnny Blaze no longer. He creates his motorcycle out of hellfire and rides up the building to attack the heroes. Through teamwork, however, the Defenders easily subdue the raging Ghost Rider and Hellstrom is able to force the demon to submerge and allow Blaze control over his body once again. Dr. Strange explains to Johnny what they're looking for, which Blaze recognizes as what he saw at Asmodeus Jones' concert.

At his Detroit mansion, Jones and his manager Felix Palmer finish a sexual ceremony to worship Fashima. Palmer is concerned that things may go wrong at the next concert, when Jones and Fashima are going to merge into one being in order to turn 16,000 music fans into slaves of the Six-Fingered Hand. Jones strikes out at Palmer, which causes the manager to threaten the singer - it was he that made the deal with Fashima, and he can break that deal just easily. Unnoticed by the two men, Dr. Strange has heard all via his astral form.

That night, the Defenders are in attendance at the concert behind an invisibility shield. Jones begins his act, which slowly turns the crowd into zombies who are chanting Fashima's name over and over. Suddenly, the Ghost Rider roars onto the stage and attacks Jones, who interrupts Fashima's materialization in order to fight back. At that moment, the Defenders attack en masse, causing Jones to absorb too much power - power that forces Fashima to retreat back to her own dimension. Once the chaos is over, Palmer cradles a powerless Jones in his arms while Hellstrom explains what happened to Fashima. Felix tells the group that he made the deal with the Hand and it's he who must pay the price for failure - and like that, he's gone, disappeared. Asmodeus breaks down and admits that Felix Palmer was his brother, which brings out shocked reactions from the Defenders...all but Hellcat, who simply laughs maniacally due to her being influenced by the Hand.

Ghost Rider (1973) # 57

“Where Walks…the Apparition!”

Cover Date: June 1981
On Sale Date: March 1981

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Layouts: Jim Shooter
Artist: Don Perlin
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Letterer: Diana Albers
Editor: Dave Kraft
Editor in Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

In preparation for his upcoming rematch with Flagg Fargo, Johnny Blaze has joined the Sonny Tremont Auto Show. He goes out for a dinner meal with Sonny, Nora, and Pete, who all work for the auto show, and Pete reminds them that it’s the night “Shocks” Marley is due to be executed. At the nearby prison, “Shocks” is escorted to the electric chair while wearing his stunt racing costume, which he claims was made for him by a voodoo priestess and will bring him back from death. Right before the executioner’s switch is thrown, he swears to come back as an apparition to exact revenge. When the electric chair comes to life, Marley becomes a ghostly entity and escapes from the prison. 

Back at the diner, Johnny asks to borrow Pete’s car to go check on some engine parts. While en route, Johnny is attacked by the Apparition, who believes that Pete is driving the car. With blasts of mystical energy Marley destroys the car, and only a quick transformation into the Ghost Rider saves Johnny’s life. As Marley departs, believing he’s killed Pete, he claims that “now two must die”. Johnny returns to the Tremont property and tells his three new friends what happened, shocking them all with the knowledge of Marley’s return. Pete flees in terror and Sonny fills Johnny in on their story. “Shocks” Marley was a stunt racer for the auto show and had an unrequited crush on Nora, who was dating another racer. “Shocks” sabotaged the other man’s brakes, causing him to die in an auto crash, and the testimony provided to the courts by Sonny and Pete gave Marley a death sentence. The Apparition appears above them and blasts at Sonny and Nora, with only the quick intervention of the Ghost Rider saving them. Weakened by the Ghost Rider’s hellfire, the Apparition departs, leaving Blaze behind to explain himself. Nora doesn’t care about the Ghost Rider and kisses Johnny passionately while Sonny leaves.

The next day at the Auto Show, Nora announces a stock car stunt being performed by Sonny. However, the car is instead being driven by Johnny in an attempt to flush out the Apparition. Marley indeed appears at the top of the ramp and blasts the car, thinking he’s killed Sonny. Johnny and Nora believe that Marley is no longer a threat now that his two victims are thought dead, and the two go to their trailers to get ready for a date. Blaze realizes that he overheard Marley say “two must die” after Pete was believed to be dead, and that Nora must be on Marley’s revenge list as well. He arrives too late at Nora’s trailer, finding her dead at the Apparition’s hands, and transforms into the Ghost Rider to exact vengeance. Using his hellfire to weaken the ghostly killer, the Ghost Rider finally disperses Marley’s spirit by running through him with his hellcycle. That leaves Johnny Blaze alone with Nora’s body to mourn yet another lost love.

Uncharacteristically self-sacrificing.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 57 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Ghost Rider (1973) # 56

“The Menace of Moondark”

Cover Date: May 1981
On Sale Date: February 1981

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Inkers: Mike Esposito & Crew
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Letterer: Diana Albers
Editor: Dennis O’Neil
Editor in Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

Gina Langtree walks away from Johnny Blaze, driven away by his dual existence as the Ghost Rider. Johnny then discovers that he’s being fired from the Diamond Cowgirl Casino due to Flagg Fargo having booked shows at a competing casino. Outside the casino Johnny runs into Fargo and challenges him to a rematch for the championship title, which they schedule for two months from then. Johnny rides out into the desert and is attacked by glowing green vultures and has to transform into the Ghost Rider to survive. The Ghost Rider destroys one of the vultures and follows the rest to an underground cave.

Meanwhile, an archaeologist named Hamilton Slade has unearthed a mysterious burial urn in a nearby cave. Hamilton is the great-grandson of Lincoln Slade, who along with his brother Carter rode as the Night Rider in the old west. The urn begins to glow, and the Night Rider’s costume emerges, followed by a flash of light. Hamilton finds himself transformed into the Night Rider and summons his ghost horse, Banshee, to take him to find the Ghost Rider, who has fallen into a trap set by his enemy, Moondark. The sorcerer has lost his soul to the demon he worships and can only regain it by offering Blaze’s soul in its stead. Moondark senses an intruder outside the cave and creates several magical beasts to stop them. The Night Rider dispatches the creatures and enters the cave, distracting Moondark long enough for Johnny to transform back into the Ghost Rider. Moondark flees to another dimension, swearing to return, and Ghost Rider finds himself alone in the cave. Hamilton wakes up back at his ancestors’ burial site with no memory of becoming the Night Rider. That morning, Blaze retrieves his motorcycle and ponders how the Night Rider could have returned from the grave to rescue him.

Make a wish!

THE ROADMAP
Johnny Blaze traveled back in time to meet Carter Slade, the first Night Rider, in Ghost Rider (1973) # 50 and during the course of that issue saved Slade's life.

Hamilton Slade appears next as the Night Rider in Incredible Hulk (1968) # 265.

Ghost Rider first fought Moondark the Magician in Marvel Team-Up (1972) # 93. Moondark appears next in Ghost Rider (1973) # 59.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 56 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Legacies upon legacies...

Ghost Rider (1973) # 55

"Touch of Terror!"

Cover Date: April 1981
On Sale Date: January 1981

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Letterer: Diana Albers
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Editor: Denny O'Neil
Editor In Chief: Jim Shooter

Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

While riding through the Nevada desert, the Ghost Rider chances across a formula racing car. Desiring a challenge, the demon races the car, eventually running it off the road. When GR returns to Las Vegas, he relinquishes control back to the exhausted Johnny Blaze. Wanting nothing but sleep, Johnny decides to cut through a casino to reach his hotel room.

At that moment, the casino patrons are attacked by the villain known as Tatterdemalion, whose toxic powers can dissolve cloth and paper. Also in the crowd, however, is one Jack Russell - the Werewolf by Night - who quickly transforms and attacks the criminal. A moment later, Russell begins to scream unexpectedly and then goes into a berserk rampage. Johnny sees this, promptly transforming into the Ghost Rider. The two fight, but eventually both tire and return to their human personas.

Later, Russell tells Blaze that he's been having trouble controlling the werewolf side of his persona, and he can't explain the bouts of frenzy that he's been experiencing. That night, Blaze performs his cycle show with Russell in the crowd. Suddenly, he turns into his wolf form and goes on yet another rampage, which the Ghost Rider is barely able to stop. The next day, John asks Gina if she can lock Jack inside her garage for the night, so he won't hurt anybody. In return, Gina asks Johnny to drive her race car in that day's rest, as the driver injured his arm during the previous encounter with the Ghost Rider. Before the race, Tatterdemalion decides to steal the race car. The Ghost Rider pursues, running the car off the road and leaving the villain for dead. Unseen by the demon, the criminal crawls away from the wreckage. The next day, Jack tells Blaze that he's heading back to LA. Moments later, Gina arrives and tells Blaze that due to her fear of the Ghost Rider, she can't see him anymore.

Hobo powers activate!

THE ROADMAP

Jack Russell's search for the Tatterdemalion began in Marvel Team-Up # 93.

The Ghost Rider and the Werewolf met briefly in Marvel Premiere # 28.

Gina Langtree first appeared in Ghost Rider (1973) # 41-42, and made her reappearance in Ghost Rider (1973) # 54.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 55 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

YAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Ghost Rider (1973) # 54

“Orb of Evil…Eye of Doom!”

Cover Date: March 1981
On Sale Date: December 1980

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Letterer: Diana Albers
Editor: Dennis O’Neil
Editor in Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

Johnny Blaze rides toward Las Vegas, where he has been offered a job stunt-riding at the Diamond Cowgirl Casino for seven nights. He’s ambushed by two gunmen firing at him from an overpass, forcing him to transform into the Ghost Rider to survive. In a fit of anger, the demon picks up Blaze’s motorcycle and hurls it at the men above, then races into the nearby town on his hellcycle to set fire to a street full of abandoned buildings. After the Ghost Rider departs, the Orb emerges from the overpass, having missed his opportunity to attack with his improved laser helmet. In the desert, the Ghost Rider relinquishes control back to Blaze, who is terrified by how out of control the demon has become. No longer having a motorcycle, he chances upon a bus heading into the city.

When he arrives in Las Vegas he goes to the casino and meets the owner, Mr. King, who gives him the money to purchase a new motorcycle. He spends the next day preparing for the week of stunt shows and that evening gives his first spectacular performance. After the show he’s approached by Gina Langtree, who calls him the name “Frank Ryder” and is surprised to see him alive. He realizes that he met Gina when he had amnesia and had completely forgotten about her after his memory returned. The two enjoy their reunion and Gina says that she’s in town with her father’s racing company for an upcoming race. They are watched from a nearby alley by the Orb, who crafts a plan to kill Blaze by using Gina as bait.

The next evening, Gina’s father asks her to take the Formula One racecar into the desert for a test drive, but when she reaches Humbolt’s Canyon the car runs out of fuel due to sabotage. The Orb kidnaps Gina while, back in Las Vegas, Johnny receives a note from Gina asking him to meet her at Humbolt’s Canyon. When he arrives at the canyon, he finds Gina tied up and a landmine in the ground ahead of him. He manages to transform into the Ghost Rider when the mine explodes, destroying his motorcycle. The Orb attacks with his helmet laser but is unable to defeat the Ghost Rider, who grabs him and burns him with hellfire. The demon is stopped from killing him by Gina, who begs him to let the villain go. Ghost Rider pauses and transforms back into Johnny Blaze, who notices the Orb’s unscarred face. The Orb reveals that he had a plastic surgeon repair the damage to his face but as his face melts into disfigurement realizes that the Ghost Rider’s hellfire has scarred him once again. The Orb tells Blaze that the Ghost Rider has won but he will return to destroy them both in time.

No throwing your toys, GR!

THE ROADMAP
The Orb last appeared in Ghost Rider (1973) # 28 and makes his next appearance in Ghost Rider (1973) # 63.

Johnny Blaze spent time in the amnesiac "Frank Ryder" and romanced Gina Langtree in Ghost Rider (1973) # 41-42.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 54 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

The latest in a string of bad decisions by the Orb.

Ghost Rider (1973) # 53

“The She-Witch of Doom!”

Cover Date: February 1981
On Sale Date: November 1980

Writer: Michael Fleisher

Artist: Don Perlin

Letterer: Diana Albers

Colorist: Rob Carosella

Editor: Denny O'Neil

Editor In Chief: Jim Shooter

Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

In Hell, the demon lord Azmodeus shows one of his demons, a lovely female named Tabicantra, a flame-image of Johnny Blaze and the Ghost Rider. Azmodeus wants the Ghost Rider to be his emissary on Earth but realizes that he must first sever the connection between him and Blaze. He sends Tabicantra to Earth so the link between man and demon can be destroyed, but it must be done within a certain frame of time, before the souls in his hourglass run out.

Later, Blaze rides on a stretch of highway, and passes a beautiful woman in a sports car. Unknown to him, the woman is Tabicantra, who comments to herself that Johnny is an extremely handsome man. Using her demonic powers, Tabicantra collapses a bridge just as Johnny crosses over. The stunt rider transforms into his demonic persona, saving himself from the crash. In Hell, Azmodeus watches the Ghost Rider survive the fall. He tells his demon hordes that Tabicantra's power weakens Blaze's control over the Ghost Rider. The more he transforms, the weaker the human persona will become, until finally the Ghost Rider will belong to Azmodeus.

Back on Earth, Blaze collects his motorcycle from the construction site it landed in after the bridge collapse. He rides to a diner, where he runs into Tabicantra. Again, the she-demon thinks about how attractive Blaze is but pushes those thoughts away as she gets back to her mission. Sometime later, Johnny has once again taken to the road, but is blocked by two semi-trucks. Suddenly, both trucks burst into flames, and Blaze doesn't have enough time to stop. He transforms into the Ghost Rider, who rides his mystical hell-cycle between the fiery trucks. On the other side, the Ghost Rider reluctantly gives control back to Blaze, who immediately sees Tabicantra trapped in a burning car. He manages to rescue her, but she faints during the ordeal. She awakens, and Johnny offers to give her a ride back to town on the back of his cycle. The two travel to the next town, stopping at a restaurant for dinner. He drops Tabicantra at the doors, leaving her to go park his bike. Though she hates to do it, the she-witch continues her mission, summoning a demonic creature to attack Blaze in the parking lot. The Ghost Rider quickly emerges and destroys the monster but refuses to relinquish control back to Blaze. Only by force of will does Johnny regain control. He returns to the restaurant, where Tabicantra ponders the situation. She knows that if Blaze becomes the Ghost Rider one more time before the hourglass runs out, he will be trapped as slave of Azmodeus forever. She decides to tell him everything, despite the fact that her master will be enraged beyond all imagining.

Azmodeus, furious that his slave would betray him, commands several demons to finish Tabicantra's job. The creatures attack Johnny, but before he can transform into the Ghost Rider, Tabicantra strikes him from behind and protects him in a force field. Realizing that only a few moments remain before the hourglass runs out, Tabicantra uses her own life-force to destroy Azmodeus' demons, resulting in her own death. Johnny awakens seconds later, confused, and unaware of what has transpired.

A frightening glimpse of things to come...

THE ROADMAP

Azmodeus returns in Ghost Rider (1973) # 64 and again in Ghost Rider (1973) # 76.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 53 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Come on Marvel, where's our Tabicantra spin-off series?

Ghost Rider (1973) # 52

“The Sirens of Kronos!”

Cover Date: January 1981
On Sale Date: October 1980

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Letterer: Diana Albers
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Editor: Denny O'Neil
Editor In Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

On a mountainside road in New Mexico, an armored military convoy transporting the new Kronos missile finds itself in a perverse game of "chicken" with the Ghost Rider. With nowhere to swerve to but open air or a rocky cliff, the demon biker instead jumps the entire hundred-yard length of the convoy, clearing it completely and leaving the startled army men behind. Moments later, the Ghost Rider relinquishes his body back to Johnny Blaze, who returns to his abandoned motorcycle and heads toward the hundred-mile-enduro-race in nearby Shelbyville. While his bike isn't customized for off-road racing, Blaze hopes the race will at least give him the chance to practice for a comeback against Flagg Fargo.

Meanwhile, on a cliff side road outside of town, a demolitions crew blow up a large boulder that had rolled down onto the road. Having used too much dynamite, the two workers fail to realize that they've disturbed a hidden tomb, and the blast has uncovered one of three sarcophaguses. A beautiful young woman emerges from the crypt, thankful that she's finally free from the prison of stone that she and her sisters had been sealed in by Lord Kronos for their evil transgressions. Unable to free her sisters, Leucosia the siren steps onto the road and begins to sing - while the departing workers hear her song and become enchanted, wrecking their truck, and leaving it behind to follow the music.

In Shelbyville, the 100-mile Enduro-Classic kicks off, and Blaze arrives a mere sixty seconds after the race starts, forcing him to ride even faster to catch up to the riders ahead of him. The rest of the pack, now a mile and a half outside the town, approach the cavern of the Sirens, and Leucosia hears the engines. Needing more help to free her two sisters, the Siren sings again, causing the bikers to stop (and some to wreck) in order to follow the music. Moments later, Blaze rounds a corner and discovers a pile of abandoned bikes, causing him to go into a skid to stop from hitting them. Hitting an oil spill, Johnny and his bike fly off the steep cliff - and though he successfully rights the bike to land it, he hits his head on a rock, knocking him unconscious. Back in the cavern, Leucosia uses the mesmerized bikers to free her sisters from their tombs.

Later, Johnny finally wakes up, surprised to find both himself and his bike in decent shape. He rides back up the mountain to find out what happened to the other bikers and is spotted by the three Sirens, Leucosia now joined by Ligea and the younger Parthenope. The Sirens sing once again, intending to seduce Johnny, but before he succumbs to the spell, he triggers the transformation into the Ghost Rider, who is immune to the song. As the demon creates his flame cycle to ride toward them, the Sirens decide that he is a demon sent by Lord Kronos to destroy them, causing them to transform into bird-like harpies and flee. As he watches the women fly away, the Ghost Rider is attacked by the mesmerized bikers, who are easily evaded by the demon's supernatural bike.

A short while later, the Sirens come across the military convoy carrying the Kronos missile, and - believing the missile to be a weapon of Lord Kronos - bring the convoy to a stop with their song. The soldiers tell them that the missile is capable of destroying a target radius of 250 miles, so the Sirens decide to use it to destroy a city with Kronos' own weapon as a fitting act of vengeance for imprisoning them. Later, Johnny finds one of the jeeps attached to the convoy and questions the two men left inside, who tell him that the last thing they remember are three women signing before everything went blank. Blaze gets a bad feeling and heads off toward the San Jethro missile range. When he gets there, he finds all of the soldiers hypnotized while the Sirens launch the Kronos missile - its destination: Albuquerque. Blaze transforms into the Ghost Rider and rides after the Sirens, who again turn into their harpy forms. While the mesmerized soldiers attempt to stop the demon, the Ghost Rider simply ignores them and rides up the side of the launching tower. When he reaches the top, he leaps off his bike into the air, blasting the three Sirens with his hellfire, causing them to fall to the ground. As the Rider falls, he creates his flame cycle beneath him and lands safely. Inside the missile control station, the men awaken and realize that the missile's been fired. In order to save the city, they push the "abort" button, which causes it to explode in the air.

Later, back in the cavern crypt, the Ghost Rider reseals the Sirens within their tomb sarcophaguses. He then places another large sheet of rock in front of the entrance before riding off, vowing that the Sirens will never again be free to use their song against mankind.

How I look when I hear trap rap.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 52 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Ghost Rider (1973) # 51

“The Diesel of Doom!”

Cover Date: December 1980
On Sale Date: September 1980

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Letterer: Diana Albers
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Editor: Denny O'Neil
Editor In Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

"Graveyard of the Plundered Dead!"

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Carmine Infantino
Inker: Mike Esposito
Letterer: Harry Blumfield
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Editor: Denny O'Neil
Editor In Chief: Jim Shooter

On a deserted stretch of mountain highway late at night, Johnny Blaze suddenly finds himself in the path of a diesel truck barreling down on him. When Johnny tries to move over to allow the truck to pass, the large vehicle hits him and knocks him over the guardrail and down the side of the cliff. With only moments to save his life, Blaze transforms into the Ghost Rider, who manages to grab onto a random ledge of rock. The demon then creates his flame cycle and rides back up the mountain, only to find the truck has vanished without a trace. Frustrated and angry, the Ghost Rider allows Blaze to regain control, who then sees a message painted on the side of the cliff in front of him that reads "To all bikers - stay off my road. Or else. - Clement". Johnny looks at his bike and discovers that the fuel tank was ruptured in the crash, so he sets off on foot to find a mechanic that can help him fix it.

Soon, Johnny comes across a young man changing the tire on his expensive sports car. The kid immediately recognizes Johnny and admits that he's a big cycle fanatic. The kid, Frederick William Mathew Mitchell the Third - or just plain "Mitch" - agrees to give Johnny a lift once his tire is changed. Someone had scattered a handful of spikes along the road, giving him a flat tire. At that moment, four armed men on motorcycles pull up, admitting that they put the spikes on the road so they could kidnap Mitch and hold him for ransom. Johnny transforms into the Ghost Rider, who makes short work of the bikers and then returns to Blaze's form, confusing Mitch. Two motorcycle policemen arrive, but Johnny realizes that something is amiss right before he's knocked unconscious. The two cops are with the bikers, and Mitch is kidnapped after all.

Several hours later, Johnny awakens to find all of the men gone and Mitch's car consumed by a fire. A diesel truck then pulls up, and the driver offers Blaze a ride - even though Johnny recognizes the rig as the one that ran him off the road. Johnny tells the trucker, Clem, about Mitch being kidnapped...but Clem tells him that the police won't save him in time and that it's up to the two of them to help. At the biker gang's hideout, the kidnappers speak via radio with Mitch's rich uncle, who refuses to pay the ransom. The gang's leader, Deever, tells his men that if the money isn't theirs by dawn then he'll slit Mitch's throat.

Meanwhile, Johnny rides with Clem, but finds it odd that the truck's radio only plays songs and commercials from several decades ago. The truck also seems able to pass under bridges that are way too low for the vehicle to make it past. When they arrive below the hideout, Clem tells Johnny that he'll have to go the rest of the way alone because he's not able to leave his truck. Johnny agrees, and once out of sight turns into the Ghost Rider, who crashes through the roof of the lodge. Deever is the only one not scared and proceeds to throw a vial of nitroglycerin at the demon. The Ghost Rider catches the vial out of the air and tosses it into his mouth, allowing it to explode with no effect, laughing the entire time. The demon then fries all of the kidnappers with hellfire.

A short while later, Johnny and Mitch herd the men into the back of Clem's truck. Clem then refuses to give the two a ride back to town, and that he has to get going before the sun comes up. Johnny and Mitch then watch as Clem's diesel truck disappears before their eyes as it drives into the sunrise. An hour later at a gas station, Johnny and Mitch are approached by the store owner, who tells them that they must be crazy for riding bike's on "Clem's road". He then tells them a story of a diesel trucker named Clement Barstow, who was clubbed to death by a biker gang 30 years ago and now haunts the highway, killing bikers and helping out good people every now and then. But as the mechanic says he thinks the story is just an urban legend, Johnny and Mitch can only look at each other in disbelief.

Mind = BLOWN!

THE ROADMAP
This issue features a Night Rider back-up story that takes place after the character's appearance in Ghost Rider (1973) # 50 and before The Ghost Rider (1967) # 4.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 51 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Ghost Rider (1973) # 50

“Manitou’s Anger…Tarantula’s Sting!”

Cover Date: November 1980
On Sale Date: August 1980

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Letterer: Diana Albers
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Editor: Denny O'Neil
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

Following the destruction of the Little Thunderbird Dam, Johnny Blaze wakes up in a cave and is confronted by the mysterious Native American woman. The elderly woman transforms into her younger self, telling Blaze that she warned him what would happen if the white man continued to desecrate the land. Emerging from the cave, Johnny finds that he's been transported over a hundred years in the past. The woman disappears just as Blaze is discovered by an Indian hunting party, who wish to kill him for trespassing on their burial ground. They shoot Johnny with arrows, but he is able to steal one of their horses to escape. Unfortunately, he rides into a box canyon. The war party is stopped from killing him by the arrival of the Night Rider, who uses his seemingly supernatural power to scare them away. He takes the gravely wounded Blaze back to the home of his alter-ego, Carter Slade, in the nearby settlement of Bison's Bend.

Three days later, Blaze wakes up in Carter's home, having recovered from his injuries. Slade tells Johnny about the Night Rider, and that he's an urban legend of the area. The next day, Blaze and Carter are in the town cafe when they hear about the bank being robbed by the Tarantula and his gang, who have left the bank building on fire with a young child inside. Blaze rescues the child, afterward telling Slade that he "worked in a circus" as a cover for his heroics, and the two men join the posse to apprehend the Tarantula. However, they find that the trail has been covered by rubble caused by dynamite. Slade and Blaze go their own way, each transforming into their alter-egos to find the villain. Ghost Rider and Night Rider both find the outlaws and attempt to apprehend them, but the Tarantula throws a stick of dynamite at the Night Rider. The Ghost Rider, sensing a kinship between himself and his counterpart, takes the brunt of the explosion, though the Night Rider is still badly injured. Transformed back to his normal self, Blaze recognizes the Night Rider as Carter Slade, who asks to be taken to the Comanche medicine man Flaming Star. Blaze takes Slade to Flaming Star, who says he will keep the hero alive, and Johnny leaves on horseback to find the cavern through which he'd time traveled. However, Flaming Star's daughter, Spotted Doe, is the woman responsible for bringing Blaze to the past, and she tells her father that a great evil has arrived masked as a man. Under her father's orders, Doe goes off to summon the Manitou to fight off this evil.

Once the Manitou is summoned, Blaze finds himself again transformed into the Ghost Rider against his will. He is then attacked by a winged serpent creature called the Hobomokko, called forth by the Manitou. The Ghost Rider destroys the monster, but is attacked by the Manitou, who forces the Rider to transform back into Blaze. Atop the nearby hill, Spotted Doe is found and kidnapped by the Tarantula and his men, which breaks her concentration and causes the Manitou to vanish just before it can kill Blaze. Johnny transforms into the Ghost Rider and rescues Spotted Doe, frying the Tarantula and his gang with hellfire.

Later, Flaming Star and Spotted Doe apologize for thinking Blaze was evil, and the recovered Night Rider thanks Johnny for saving his life. Spotted Doe takes Johnny back to the cave that transported him through time, but when he comes back out, he realizes he's returned ten minutes before the destruction of the Little Thunderbird Dam. Blaze again turns into the Ghost Rider and stops the demolition crew from destroying the dam, throwing away the dynamite before it can explode and destroy the burial ground.

A kinship that runs deeper than either suspects.

THE ROADMAP
Carter Slade, the Ghost Rider of the Old West that was also called the Night Rider and the Phantom Rider, first appeared in The Ghost Rider (1967) # 1. He appears here between The Ghost Rider (1973) #s 3 and 4.

Though his inclusion in the Spirit of Vengeance mythos has been sporadic at best, Carter Slade was seen as one of the Ghost Riders at the conclusion of Ghost Riders: Heaven's On Fire (2009) # 6.

As repayment for saving his life in this issue, the spirit of Carter Slade will possess the body of his ancestor Hamilton Slade to rescue Johnny Blaze from Moondark the Magician in Ghost Rider (1973) # 56.

The Tarantula last appeared in The Ghost Rider (1967) # 2 and appears next in The Ghost Rider (1967) # 5.

This issue also includes three pin-up pages featuring Ghost Rider's team-ups with the Son of Satan by Carmine Infantino (from Ghost Rider (1973) # 17), the Hulk by Gil Kane (from Ghost Rider (1973) # 11), and the Phantom Eagle by Herb Trimpe (from Ghost Rider (1973) # 12).

This issue's "Ghost Writers!" letters page features the article "Reflections On a Blazing Skull" and an index to Ghost Rider's appearances to date.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 50 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Of course it's the Hobomokko, who wouldn't recognize it on sight?

Ghost Rider (1973) # 49

“The Wrath of the Manitou!”

Cover Date: October 1980
On Sale Date: July 1980

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Letterer: Jean Simek
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Editor: Dennis O’Neil
Editor in Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

While riding through the desolate midwestern plains, Johnny Blaze finds himself transforming to Ghost Rider and back again against his will. Before he can figure out what happened he sees a man changing a flat tire about to be crushed by an avalanche. Johnny races down and rescues the man, who introduces himself as Ed Pollard, the chief engineer on the Little Thunderbird Dam project. Ed explains that the dam they have constructed will stop the river’s annual flooding and create artificial lakes but will also inundate some ancient Comanche burial grounds. When Johnny gives Ed a ride back to the trailer headquarters for the damn project, they are met by an old Native American woman, who demands they repent their scheme to destroy the burial caves and the town beyond. When Ed says to ignore her, she warns Johnny that not even he can stand against the wrath of Wisa’Ka the Manitou spirit.

Johnny rides back out to the spot where he was forced to transform and once again becomes the Ghost Rider against his will. The demon forms his fiery motorcycle and rides on until he encounters a Comanche spirit riding toward him on a horse. The Manitou shoots the Ghost Rider with a spirit arrow that forces him to change back into Johnny Blaze, who again is warned by the old woman to not incur the wrath of the Manitou before she disappears. Johnny rides back to the construction site and overhears Ed and his men, who plan to blow up the dam and flood the town, which they then plan to loot with their scuba gear. Johnny transforms into the Ghost Rider and rushes toward the dam, where he finds Ed’s men setting the explosives. He catches the men as they try to escape, ignoring their pleas to let them leave the dam before the explosives go off. The dam explodes and the Ghost Rider attempts to outrun the rushing wall of water to try and warn the town ahead. He’s blocked by the Manitou, who attempts to destroy the demon with a trio of massive thunderbirds. In the time it takes the Ghost Rider to defeat the thunderbirds the water catches up to him and washes him away.

Johnny Blaze wakes up soaking wet inside a cave with the old Comanche woman. She undergoes a transformation, turning into a young woman, as she tells him that the Manitou has instructed her to open Johnny’s eyes to the world that used to be. She leads Johnny outside, where he sees a field of roaming buffalo, signaling that he has traveled back in time.

Ouch!

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 49 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Ghost Rider on Splash Mountain!

Ghost Rider (1973) # 48

“Wind of the Undead!”

Cover Date: September 1980
On Sale Date: June 1980

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Colorist: Rob Carosella
Letterer: Jim Novak
Editor: Dennis O’Neil
Editor in Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

Johnny Blaze rides through a desolate prairie at night, where he’s attacked by a swarm of giant vampire bats. The creatures carry him off into the night sky, but he is able to transform into the Ghost Rider and escape. When he lands, he transforms back into Blaze and makes his way toward a nearby farmhouse, unaware that one of the locals has seen his transformation. The owner of the home, a young woman named Tabitha Arcanne, invites Johnny inside and tells him about the bats that attack and feed upon the residents of the valley every night. Meanwhile, the bats return to their master, a vampire named Dalton Cartwright who has seen the coming of the Ghost Rider in the facets of his mystical crystal and has a plan to destroy him.

The townsfolk storm the Arcanne home and knock Johnny unconscious, thinking him to be a demon that they need to kill. They prepare to hang him but are interrupted by the sheriff, who takes Johnny into custody and locks him in the jail for his own protection. When he overhears the police saying that Tabitha has been taken by the vampire bats, Johnny transforms into the Ghost Rider and escapes the jailhouse. However, when Ghost Rider arrives at Cartwright’s home, he learns that Tabitha is also a vampire and has led him into a trap. Cartwright uses his magic crystal to force the Ghost Rider to transform back into Blaze, then knocks him unconscious with a mystic blast. When he wakes up, Johnny finds himself locked inside a grain silo while the vampire bats circle around its ceiling. Unable to transform due to Cartwright’s magic, Johnny uses a lantern to set the silo on fire as a means of escape. He goes to the house and knocks Cartwright unconscious, smashes the magic crystal, and turns into the Ghost Rider. Racing back to the silo, he destroys the vampire bats, while the fire spreads to the house and kills both Cartwright and Tabitha before they can escape.

Such a weird choice for a vampire bad guy.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 48 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Ghost Rider (1973) # 47

“The Demon Within!”

Cover Date: August 1980
On Sale Date: May 1980

Script: Michael Fleisher
Art: Don Perlin
Letters: Joe Rosen
Colors: Bob Sharen
Editor: Denny O’Neil
Editor-In-Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

Following his defeat by Flagg Fargo and the loss of his stunt-riding championship title, Johnny Blaze decides to never transform into the Ghost Rider again. A few days later he stops at a roadside bar, feeling like a drug addict craving a fix due to keeping the demon from emerging. Inside the bar he is harassed by three bikers, who get kicked out after Blaze punches one of them. Johnny gets drunk in an attempt to keep the Ghost Rider down, but when he goes outside, he finds the bikers waiting for them. They beat on the drunken Blaze until a police officer, prostitute in custody with him, stops the fight and drives the bikers off. The prostitute, Amy, offers to take Johnny home with her to help him recover, and the police officer agrees. On the drive home, Amy tells Johnny that she recognized him and that her brother was a huge fan. That night, Johnny has a dream about the Ghost Rider punishing the bikers, and when he awakens, he frantically searches and begs Amy for alcohol to keep the demon from coming out.

The next day, Johnny and Amy take a bike ride out into the countryside for a picnic, but they are followed by the bikers. They threaten the couple and leave with Johnny’s jacket and motorcycle. However, they return once more and force themselves on Amy, which finally gives Johnny enough of a reason to transform into the Ghost Rider, who brutally exacts vengeance on the three men. Afterward, Johnny regains his form and Amy realizes that the Ghost Rider is the “demon” he was trying to keep from coming out. She begs him to stay with her, but he refuses, realizing that the Ghost Rider can’t be beaten and is inside him to stay.

From himbo to hobo in six easy steps.

THE ROADMAP
Johnny gets his chance for a rematch against Fargo in Ghost Rider (1973) # 58.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 47 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Sure Amy, "loitering", yeah.

Ghost Rider (1973) # 46

"The End of a Champion!"

Cover Date: July 1980

On Sale Date: April 1980

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Letterer: Diana Albers
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Editor: Denny O'Neil
Editor In Chief: Jim Shooter

Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

After being beat during the first night of their competition, Johnny prepares for the second part of his stunt-cycle tournament with Flagg Fargo. The first challenge is the barrel race, which Johnny does perfectly on until the end, when he bumps one of the barrels. Fargo then goes on to win the challenge, and by the end of the second night the score has Johnny behind by over 200 points. Johnny gets riled by Fargo's constant insults and punches him. He then leaves, riding out to an all-night diner. While there, he spots one of the men responsible for the warehouse robbery he had witnessed a few nights before. He transforms into the Ghost Rider, who follows the criminal only to lose him in front of Fargo's trailer. The demon, believing that the criminal is in cahoots with Fargo, busts into the stunt rider's trailer and threatens him. The Rider leaves when Flagg professes his innocence, saying that once he gets the confession from his accomplices he shall return for vengeance.

Hours later, Johnny tries to get some sleep in preparation for the next day's competition, the last chance he has to keep his title. Unable to rest, he takes a ride on his bike, only to run across the van of the same criminals he'd pursued earlier. He transforms, and the Ghost Rider rips into the men's hideout. When he demands to know about Fargo's involvement, the men all say that the biker is honest and would never join with a bunch of crooks.

The next day, Blaze and Fargo meet for the last day of the competition. Though still 200 points behind, Johnny performs with the determination to keep his world championship. At the end of the day, the final scores are 825 to 820, in Fargo's favor. Flagg is named the new world champion stunt rider, but during the ceremony he says that what Blaze had done that day was the greatest riding he's ever seen his life. He offers the title back to Johnny, who refuses it. He says that Flagg won it fair and square, but he will be back to reclaim the title himself. Blaze retires to his room, where he despairs alone.

"Flagg Fargo the douchebag!"

THE ROADMAP

The first half of the contest between Blaze and Flagg Fargo happened in the previous issue, Ghost Rider (1973) # 45.

Johnny gets his chance for a rematch against Fargo in Ghost Rider (1973) # 58.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 46 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Boy, that sure is depressing...

Ghost Rider (1973) # 45

“To Banish a Ghost!”

Cover Date: June 1980
On Sale Date: March 1980
 
Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
Letterer: Diana Albers
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Editor: Dennis O’Neil
Editor-In-Chief: Jim Shooter

Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

The men that had previously assisted the wizard Azaziah in his plot to defeat the Ghost Rider are attempting to escape in a small airplane. The Ghost Rider grounds the plane and fries the men with hellfire before departing to the nearest town, where he transforms back into Johnny Blaze. Johnny goes into a nearby bar and orders a drink, where on the television he sees a stunt-rider named Flagg Fargo perform. Fargo calls out Blaze one live television, challenging him to a contest that will determine which of them is the world’s best stunt-rider. A group of local sports enthusiasts in the bar recognize Johnny and convince him to take Fargo up on the challenge, even offering to buy him a new motorcycle to compete with. When Blaze leaves the bar he sees a group of thieves and transforms into the Ghost Rider, but the demon loses them near the lot where Fargo’s trailers are parked.

A few days later, Blaze and Fargo begin their competition at the local sports arena. Blaze, who is out of practice due to being on the road as the Ghost Rider for many months, finds himself continually bested in challenges by Fargo, with the night’s score ending 325 to 225 and Fargo in the lead. After leaving the arena for the night, Johnny sees the thieves again and tries to stop them without transforming into the Ghost Rider, but fails and nearly wrecks his bike in the process.

Flagg Fargo sucks.

THE ROADMAP

The three men in the plane at the start of the issue assisted the Crimson Mage, Azaziah, in Ghost Rider (1973) # 43.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 45 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Ghost Rider (1973) # 44

"Cloak of Crimson, Soul of Dust!"

Cover Date: May 1980

On Sale Date: February 1980

Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Carmine Infantino
Inker: Tom Sutton
Letterer: Clem Robins
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Editor: Denny O'Neil
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky  

Following the separation of the two in the previous issue, the Ghost Rider prepares to kill Johnny with a large wooden spike. Blaze tries to tell the demon that if one dies, the other shall as well, due to the mystic link they still share. The longer they're apart, the weaker they will become. The police interrupt the two, and while they arrest Johnny the Ghost Rider escapes. Elsewhere, Azaziah (the sorcerer responsible for splitting Blaze and the Rider) peers into his mystic orb in order to watch the demon rider's acts of chaos. He is dying, the fading crystal orb the only thing keeping the mage alive. He plans to use the Ghost Rider as his new source of energy, by allowing himself to become its new host and use the power to establish his tyranny over the world.

Meanwhile, Johnny escapes from the police and steals a bike. Despite being very weak, he rides to the old farmhouse owned by Azaziah, determined to confront the sorcerer. He manages to surprise the old man, and while he dodges mystic energy bolts Blaze shatters the magical orb with a rock. He watches as Azaziah withers away, his life force ended with the destruction of the crystal. Desperate, Johnny looks through the mage's book of spells and finds the one he needs to reunite himself with the Ghost Rider. After tracking down the demon, he leads him on a chase back to the pentagram Azaziah had painted on the ground the night before. Blaze turns around to ride toward the demon, and when the two meet in the center of the pentagram they are once again bound to one another. Johnny is unable to keep control, and changes into the demon yet again to ride off into the desert night.

That is one crusty old wizard.

THE ROADMAP

Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze will be separated again in Ghost Rider (1973) # 81, which again results in them wasting away until being re-merged.

What If...? (1977) # 28 presented an alternate reality diverging from this issue, where Azaziah takes control of the Ghost Rider and attempts to assassinate the Catholic Pope.

CHAIN REACTION
To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 44 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Very specific wording in that spell, huh?