Ghost Rider (1990) # 64

"Ghost Rider in Chains, Part 3: Countdown”

Cover Date: August 1995; On Sale Date: June 1995

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

At the Black Hole containment facility, Nick Fury leads a team of SHIELD agents and the Avengers into the prison to quell the ongoing riot of escaped prisoners. Inside the facility, the Spook attempts to bathe the section containing Ghost Rider and several innocent lab technicians with radiation, but Ghost Rider is able to damage the seals of the room enough to halt the procedure. Inside his office, the Spook is confronted by the Scarecrow but is unaffected by his fear-inducing pheromones. Elsewhere in the prison, the Avengers encounter and defeat Rak and Dread.

Ghost Rider rides through the facility until he comes across Dr. Keene, who is running for her life from Skinner. The Spook initiates a meltdown of the nuclear core powering the Black Hole and leaves the Scarecrow to guard the control room while he makes his escape. Ghost Rider battles Skinner and attempts to give him the Penance Stare, but it backfires and makes Ghost Rider feel all the pain of Skinner's victims as well.  Ghost Rider rides away with Dr. Keene and finds Fury and Black Widow attempting to get past the Scarecrow. Needing to get into the room to stop the explosive countdown, Ghost Rider agrees to help and leaps into battle against the Scarecrow.

THE ROADMAP

Rak and Dread were captured by SHIELD along with Ghost Rider in Ghost Rider (1990) # 61.

Ghost Rider last fought the Scarecrow in Ghost Rider (1990) # 38.

Skinner will return in Over the Edge (1995) # 9.

CHAIN REACTION

"Ghost Rider in Chains" continues with one hell of a prison break as the villains take over the Black Hole.

One of several things that this comic gets right is the sense of chaos going on at the prison facility while the villains break loose and go on their individual murder sprees. Having Ghost Rider be the lone force of good inside the Black Hole while everything and everyone is actively working against him is a good angle for the story to proceed with. With the villains actively stalking the hallways this feels more like a science fiction horror story than anything else, with Ghost Rider going from boss to boss like a video game. I like that approach, just like I am enjoying this arc for the sheer desperation it brings out of the character. Ghost Rider isn’t just fighting for justice or vengeance on this one, he’s fighting for his very survival and Mackie sells that aspect brilliantly.

The confrontation with Skinner is the meat on the bones of this issue, no pun intended. Skinner is such a great villain and it’s nice to see him make a return appearance divorced of Lilith and the rest of her brood. Ditto for the Scarecrow, who so easily falls into the role of the pawn when faced with Spook and his greater machinations. The villains are really the star of this comic, with even poor old Rak and Dread getting to make an appearance before getting beat down.

That brings me to the one part of the comic I wasn’t satisfied with, and that was the writer’s decision to include the Avengers as unnecessary guest-stars. It shows just how low the Avengers’ stock was at this time in publishing history that their appearance didn’t even warrant a cover mention. Their appearance makes sense in the narrative I suppose, with Fury wanting back-up before heading into the Black Hole, but their scenes do nothing but take up space before they’re ultimately shuffled off to the margins of the story.

Salvador Larroca and Sergio Melia continue to knock the art chores out of the park with this issue, and it’s fascinating to see their evolution as an artistic team throughout this run. They really seem to be at home with the sci-fi trappings of this story, with all the technology and metallic hallways they add to the backgrounds. Their action scenes are spot-on as well, with the highlight naturally being the fight with Skinner. That jump kick that Ghost Rider lands on Skinner’s face is awesome.

“…In Chains” continues to be a continuation of the streak the creative team have been on for the last year of comics.