Ghost Rider (1990) # 53

"Reunions"

Cover Date: September 1994; On Sale Date: July 1994

Writer: Howard Mackie; Artist: Salvador Larroca; Inker: Sergio Melia; Letterer: Janice Chiang; Colorist: Kevin Somers; Editor: Bobbie Chase; Editor in Chief: Tom DeFalco; Cover Artist: Salvador Larroca

The vampire Blackout, living on the street after the defeat of Lilith, murders a street gang and realizes that he needs to reclaim his life. He returns to his high-rise apartment, rejoices in his healed face, and decides to get back to his job as an assassin. Meanwhile, Dan Ketch is preparing to throw a party in his apartment for his friends, including Stacy Dolan, who he speaks to on the phone prior to the party. He notices two rival street gangs, the Stones and the Marks, having a gunfight in the street below his apartment. He fights the transformation into Ghost Rider, even when the Caretaker appears to remind him of his duties as the Spirit of Vengeance. Blackout speaks on the phone with Dan’s mother and gets his address, pondering on what to do about Ghost Rider now that he is ready to move on with his life.

Dan loses the fight over the transformation and Ghost Rider emerges, questioning Caretaker on what has happened. Ghost Rider crashes down to the street below and interrupts the gang war, but when the lights go out around them and a car explodes nearby, Ghost Rider realizes that Blackout has arrived. Holding a police officer hostage, Blackout lays out his deal to Ghost Rider, that if he leaves Blackout alone then the killer will not threaten Dan’s family. Ghost Rider refuses the deal, but Blackout leaves anyway, telling him to think about his answer. After Blackout’s escape, Caretaker reappears and tells Ghost Rider it’s time for the two of them to have a talk.

THE ROADMAP

Blackout last appeared in Nightstalkers (1992) # 15, part of the "Siege of Darkness" crossover event. He was one of the few Lilin to not be banished to the Shadowside dimension during that story, likely due to him being a half-breed. 

The Caretaker last appeared in Ghost Rider (1990) # 46 and appears next in Ghost Rider (1990) # 60.

CHAIN REACTION

Blackout gets rehabbed while Mackie and Larroca slowly drag this series back from the brink of mediocrity.

For the first two years of this series there was no villain as utterly terrifying as Blackout, the pseudo-vampire responsible for killing Barbara Ketch and ripping out Danny’s throat. Not long after that the Midnight Sons line came along and everything in the book had to be supernatural in origin, which led Mackie to making Blackout a real vampire and the demonic offspring of Lilith. It was not the smartest move for the character and did little but neuter him and make him another face in a crowd of monsters. If I had to guess, I’d say a little of that was editorially driven, because now that Mackie has the Midnight Sons in his rear-view mirror, he’s brought Blackout home in his more traditional “assassin for hire” modality. 

This issue is actually full of some refreshing plot points, from the aforementioned resuscitation of Blackout to Danny Ketch’s newfound backbone when it comes to being a pawn of the Ghost Rider and the Caretaker. The latter’s appearance was a surprise, as I’d assume the Caretaker would be cast off along with the other “Siege of Darkness” trappings that the book seems so eager to move away from. Still, here he is, and he provides a good foil for Danny. The Caretaker is obviously on the side of the Ghost Rider to the detriment of Dan, and he makes a good sounding board and guide. Dan’s role harkens back to the strongest aspect of the Ghost Rider concept, that of the human host fighting the curse he’s saddled with. Dan had been sanguine in his acceptance of living half a life with the Ghost Rider up to this point, but I guess coming back from the dead twice can make you reprioritize things.

Salvador Larroca’s work in this issue doesn’t even look like the same artist as two issues ago, that’s how quickly he’s improving on this title. His work is still very bright and very clean for a title like Ghost Rider, but it works with the superhero back-to-basics approach that Mackie is taking. Larroca does a great Blackout, and his work matches his renewed “pretty” face.

The series is turning around for the better, and it’s about damn time. Mackie and Larroca are slowly transforming into a solid creative team.