Ghost Rider (1990) # 45

 “Siege of Darkness, Part 10: Blood" 

Cover Date: January 1994; On Sale Date: November 1993 

Writer: Howard Mackie; Artist: Ron Garney; Letterer: Janice Chiang; Colorist: Gregory Wright; Editor: Bobbie Chase; Editor In Chief: Tom DeFalco; Cover Artist: Ron Garney 

Ghost Rider shares a moment with Stacy Dolan on a rooftop. When he goes to leave he pauses, allowing her to join him on his motorcycle. Later, at the Nightclub of the Blood, Hannibal King arrives with a psychic message from the Caretaker. Upon receiving it, Seer realizes that the Fallen are corrupted members of the Blood, and their goal is to turn other members of the Blood to the side of Zarathos. Seer takes Ghost Rider and Vengeance with her to see Patriarch, the oldest member of the Blood. Stacy stays behind with Blaze, questioning her feelings about Ghost Rider. 

Arriving at Patriarch’s castle, they find him in battle with Ranter of the Fallen. Though he rejects the idea that he needs to be rescued, Patriarch stands aside while Ghost Rider and Vengeance defeat Ranter. Patriarch refuses to join them and after they leave he opens a portal to Zarathos, saying that he chose his side long ago. Back at the Nightclub, Ghost Rider tells Stacy to forget about him and focus on her love for Dan.

THE ROADMAP

This is the tenth chapter of the "Siege of Darkness" crossover; continuing from Nighstalkers (1992) # 15 and continuing into Marvel Comics Presents (1988) # 145.

Stacy Dolan will learn the secret connection between Ghost Rider and Dan Ketch in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (1992) # 18.

CHAIN REACTION 

“Siege of Darkness” gets into its second act and introduces the fetch quest that will take up the next several chapters. 

So, just to get it out of the way, the relationship between Ghost Rider and Stacy in this issue is unnervingly creepy. I get Mackie’s intention, that he’s flagging their relationship to contrast her feelings for Danny Ketch. It almost works if you squint hard enough, Stacy is projecting her longing for Dan onto the Ghost Rider and not really understanding why she’s doing it. The creative team just takes it way too far, giving us multiple panels of the two holding hands and staring longingly at one another. It wouldn’t be so weird if one of them wasn’t a skeleton that is also on fire. 

Unfortunately, that bizarre relationship choice is the only genuinely engaging part of the issue. As a concept the Blood are not inherently interesting, Caretaker gets a pass because he does have sort of a personality but as a group they are just an amorphous blob of magic powers. Much like the Fallen, they’re nothing but names bolted on to boring character designs. The crossover’s decision to hang the plot on a hunt for these guys isn’t the most thrilling concept. 

Ron Garney continues his run as artist, and his Ghost Rider gets beefier every issue. Shaping him like a body builder is a strange decision, and like much of this comic is kind of bewildering. The colors are at least helping instead of hindering the art this time, with some panels popping off the page nicely. He’s only been on the title for six issues but it feels like ages, like what was once a comforting familiarity is now a stagnant rut. 

This isn’t a very good comic, yet it’s also one of the strongest chapters of the crossover’s second half. Take that as you will.