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.
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| 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!
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