Ghost Rider (1990) # 59

"Betrayals, Part 2: There’s No Place Like Home."

Cover Date: March 1995; On Sale Date: January 1995

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

After losing the Ghost Rider in the New York sewers, the Team is told by the police commissioner that they will use the regular police department as their back-up whether they like it or not. Meanwhile, Dan Ketch is hiding out amongst the homeless population on a subway platform when he is accosted by a deranged man that claims everyone on the platform must pay him for the privilege. Dan transforms into Ghost Rider against his will and defeats the homeless attacker before going further into the subway tunnels. There he’s confronted by the Abomination, who thinks that Ghost Rider is the one terrorizing the people on the platform. A homeless boy named Max tells Abomination that Ghost Rider stopped the real perpetrator, and when he transforms back into a weakened Danny the Abomination decides to take him to his homeless community for help. Stacy, elsewhere, pays a visit to Dan’s mother.

Back in the sewer, Dan and Ghost Rider continue to fight for control, with Dan winning for the moment. The Abomination tells Dan to use his friends and family for help and to get out of his tunnels before something bad happens. The Team are alerted that the commissioner has sent the SWAT team into the sewers to hunt for Ghost Rider and scramble to head them off, including Stacy who gets a message to join them while she’s visiting Dan’s current girlfriend, Paula. The police enter the sewers and find both Dan and Abomination, their gunfire triggering Dan’s transformation into Ghost Rider as he runs into the tunnels carrying Max to safety. Ghost Rider returns Max to the Abomination and attempts to climb out of the tunnels but transforms into Dan just as the police arrive. They shoot him in the leg before he can escape, and when he makes it to the street, he’s approached by the mysterious Shriker, who says he’s there to help him. When Dan refuses his help, Shriker knocks him unconscious and carries him away. 

THE ROADMAP

Stacy Dolan learned that Dan and Ghost Rider are the same person in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (1992) # 18. She was offered a position in the Ghost Rider Task Force (called "The Team" starting in this issue) in Ghost Rider (1990) # 56 and she accepted in Ghost Rider (1990) # 57.

The Ghost Rider Task Force first appeared under the leadership of Michael Badilino in Ghost Rider (1990) # 21. Badilino quit the police force in Ghost Rider (1990) # 49 and passed the Team over to his second in command, Jim "Ski" Sokolowski.

The Shriker first appeared in Ghost Rider (1990) # 52. His identity, and the identity of the man he's working for, will be revealed in Ghost Rider (1990) # 60.

CHAIN REACTION

“Betrayals” continues with Dan on the run and desperately fighting for control against the fugitive Ghost Rider, while Stacy pays a visit to the other women in Dan’s life.

The Abomination makes for an interesting inclusion in this story, as this is during the time that the character was almost a hero, certainly an antihero, who was protecting homeless people in the New York sewers (which are particularly crowded in the Marvel Universe, with all the Moloids and Morlocks running around). Abomination doesn’t have the “fighting for control” aspect that comes with using the Hulk, he’s just a big monster, but he also is a good representation of an outcast character for Dan to bounce off while he’s on the run from the Team. Ghost Rider, and consequently Dan as well, is in hiding from being hunted, though it’s obvious from the comic that those two characters have very different ideas on what to do. While Danny is hiding amongst the homeless Ghost Rider is determined to keep running, only taking things head on when he absolutely must. 

The last several months of stories have built up to this fight for dominance between Dan and Ghost Rider, and it continues to turn the screws to them both. Their antagonistic relationship may be the driving plot mechanic, but Stacy Dolan is the real star of “Betrayals”. She flags up quickly how ridiculous it is that she’s “hunting” Ghost Rider while knowing exactly where he is always: inside Danny. Seeing her make the rounds to Francis Ketch and Paula Harris in her search for him helps to cement her as the anchor for this story, narratively and emotionally. Stacy continues to fascinate me and she’s easily the best part of the comic.

Salvador Larroca is equally fascinating as his artwork is quickly defining this era of the character. I honestly don’t understand why Larroca isn’t talked about more amongst Ghost Rider fans; his tenure was lengthy and stretched between the two writers responsible for the character during an entire decade. The only downside to the artwork here is Kevin Somers, the ongoing colorist after Gregory Wright’s departure, and he makes things a bit too dark. I mean, it’s appropriate for the comic and the story being told, but the dark tones don’t mesh well with Larroca’s line work at all. Somers is having growing pains, as he will soon become an integral part of the Larroca/Melia art team.

“Betrayals” continues to be a solid storyline that is delivering on the plot promises of the last year of comics.