Cover Date: April 1983
On Sale Date: January 1983
Plot: Jim Shooter
Script: Tom DeFalco
Artist; Dave Simons
Inker: David Weiss
Letterer: Rick Parker
Colorist: Christie Scheele
Editor: Jim Shooter
Editor in Chief: Jim Shooter
Cover Artist: Dave Simons
During a race at an Oklahoma motorway, the members of Team America – Honcho, El Lobo, Cowboy, and R.U. Reddy – finish with El Lobo winning the race. They’re soon joined by Wrench and Georgianna, but the tensions within the team quickly drive them apart, with El Lobo striking out on his own. While on his solo ride, El Lobo sees a billboard advertising the Quentin Carnival and recognizes Johnny Blaze as once being a champion stunt rider. Later, El Lobo pulls up beside an elderly couple and their daughter, Mary-Michelle, who jumps out of their car and onto the back of El Lobo’s motorcycle before he rides away.
Later, El Lobo and Mary-Michelle are joined at the Quentin Carnival by the rest of Team America just in time to watch the cycle stunt show featuring Johnny Blaze and Red Fowler. They are unaware that they’re being surveilled by Mary-Michelle’s parents, the Winderfields, who are secretly Hydra sleeper agents. They report back to their director, Elsie, who tells her subordinate Halstan about Team America, specifically the mysterious Black Marauder who appears whenever the team is around. Elsie then receives a communication from the Supreme Hydra, who orders that Team America is to be eliminated “visibly and spectacularly”. Back at the carnival, Team America meet Blaze and Fowler and afterward Johnny feels the Ghost Rider straining to emerge. Later that night, the Black Marauder emerges with his motorcycle from Team America’s trailer and rides out into the desert, where he’s confronted by the Ghost Rider. Before Zarathos can attack the Marauder, Johnny Blaze is able to regain control and tells the silent biker to leave while he can. Meanwhile, Mary-Michelle packs her things and leaves her parents, despite their angry protests.
The next morning at the Lakebed Speedway, Team America prepare for the race. Hydra’s forces are there in disguise and both Johnny and Red are attending as spectators. Once the race starts, Johnny loses control and becomes the Ghost Rider, who roars onto the track demanding the Black Marauder to appear. The Marauder arrives, surprising all of Team America, and the racetrack descends into chaos. Hydra attacks as well, signaled by the Winderfields, while Ghost Rider and Black Marauder continue their battle. When the Marauder turns away from the Ghost Rider to rescue El Lobo, Zarathos realizes that it is not his duty to punish the innocent, only the guilty. He turns his attentions toward Hydra, melting their tanks with hellfire and causing their forces to flee. Ghost Rider departs, followed by Red Fowler, leaving Team America to find the unmasked Black Marauder amongst the wreckage.
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| Don't feel bad Johnny, no one likes Team America. |
THE ROADMAP
The appearance of Ghost Rider and the Quentin Carnival takes place between Ghost Rider (1973) # 75 and Ghost Rider (1973) # 76.
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| How the "Secret Empire" crossover should have ended. |
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