Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (1992) # 6

"Spirits of Venom, Part 4: Last Rites" 

Cover Date: January 1993; On Sale Date: November 1992 

Writer: Howard Mackie; Artist: Adam Kubert; Inker: Bill Reinhold; Letterer: Michael Heisler; Colorist: Gregory Wright; Editor: Bobbie Chase; Editor in Chief: Tom DeFalco; Cover Artist: Adam Kubert 

Venom, furious that Spider-Man was allowed to escape, attacks Ghost Rider in the sewer tunnels under Manhattan. Ghost Rider attempts to use the Penance Stare, but Venom’s alien symbiote causes a violent chain reaction that knocks Ghost Rider unconscious. John Blaze intervenes to save Ghost Rider but is quickly disarmed by Venom. All three are then dragged into the shadows by the Deathspawn. Meanwhile, at the Quentin Carnival, Clara Menninger is being looked after by other members of the carnival as she suffers from visions of death in the future. 

Back in Manhattan, Spider-Man emerges onto the surface with the rescued people and an unconscious Hobgoblin, who he hands off to the just-arriving Guardsmen of the Vault supervillain prison. Spider-Man then goes back down into the tunnels to find Ghost Rider and Blaze. The assembled Deathspawn, led by Hag and Troll, have imprisoned Ghost Rider, Blaze, and Venom in front of the comatose Deathwatch. They reveal that the Deathspawn are humans who gave part of their life force to allow Deathwatch to cross over from his home dimension. The Deathspawn enter Deathwatch’s body, animating it so he can feed on the heroes’ life forces, starting with Blaze. Spider-Man arrives and tries to use Blaze’s hellfire shotgun but discovers that it won’t fire. When he tosses it to Blaze, however, it works just fine as John uses it to free Ghost Rider. While Ghost Rider attempts to contain the Deathspawn within Deathwatch’s body, Blaze frees Venom to assist in helping Spider-Man, realizing that Venom would go through anyone to get his revenge on Spider-Man. Ghost Rider orders Blaze to fire his shotgun at his chain, which is wrapped around Deathwatch, creating a continuous circuit of hellfire to keep the Deathspawn trapped inside. Blaze incapacitates Hag and Troll before confronting Venom, telling him that they’re not going to let him kill Spider-Man. The Guardsmen arrive and use a sonic weapon on Venom, allowing him to be captured. Later, while Spider-Man helps the Guardsmen load up Venom and Demogoblin in their transport to the Vault, Ghost Rider and Blaze depart with Deathwatch, Hag, and Troll in search of Dr. Strange. Blaze, however, wants to get back to the carnival before the snowstorm gets worse.

THE ROADMAP

This issue is the fourth chapter of the four part "Spirits of Venom" crossover, which began in Web of Spider-Man (1985) # 95 and continues from Web of Spider-Man (1985) # 96.

Hag and Troll were believed to have died during Ghost Rider's final confrontation with Deathwatch in Ghost Rider (1990) # 24.  They were shown to be alive and killed the Guardsman in Web of Spider-Man (1985) # 94, which is why Venom is tracking them down.

The meaning behind Clara Menninger's psychic vision is revealed in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (1992) # 7.

CHAIN REACTION

“Spirits of Venom” wraps up with style, making it easily the most successful crossover the franchise has seen to that point. 

It’s quite an achievement that Mackie was able to wrap everything up in this issue so neatly, considering how many plates he had spinning in the air at the start. This issue  finally delivers that Ghost Rider/Venom battle that readers had been expecting and anticipating while giving ample room for resolving the Deathspawn/Deathwatch plot that allowed for most of the conflict. Deathwatch was one of those character concepts that seem to change over time, going from death-worshipping businessman to interdimensional demon during Mackie’s first two years on Ghost Rider, so seeing something like the Deathspawn get a logical explanation is actually refreshing and even a little surprising. Mackie wasn’t always so great at giving resolutions or stable backstories to his villains, see the mess that Zodiak became, but it looks like Deathwatch’s evolution had some forethought. 

What this comic really is, though, is a showcase for Adam Kubert, who just continues to improve with leaps and bounds each issue. The layouts and action composition in this comic are insanely innovative, I mean, the opening splash page is a perspective shot of Ghost Rider from inside Venom’s mouth. Who does that? Adam freaking Kubert, that’s who. He goes on to do some more great work on this series, but I’ve always viewed this as the apex of his Ghost Rider work. Every page has something memorable or just plain cool, such as Venom’s snake-like head after Blaze stabs him in the shoulder and Deathwatch’s body being used as a puppet by the Deathspawn. Also, kudos to the colorist Gregory Wright, who makes Kubert’s art just pop off the page with all the blues and reds. This is one beautiful comic book and may just have the best artwork ever in a Ghost Rider issue. 

I love “Sprits of Venom”, it’s a cash-in sure, but it’s a damn fun one. It crystalizes everything that was good about 1990s Marvel into an entertaining romp that takes itself just serious enough without being pretentious.