Avengers (2018) # 58

"History's Mightiest Heroes, Part 2: The Way of the Ghost"

Cover Date: September 2022; Publication Date: July 2022

Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: Javier Garron; Colorist: David Curiel; Letterer: VC's Cory Petit; Assistant Editor: Martin Biro; Associate Editor: Analisse Bissa; Editor: Tom Brevoort; Editor in Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Javier Garron

The Avengers have time-traveled to ancient Japan, the Edo Era, in search of the malevolent Mephisto, who is attempting to eliminate heroes of the past. Captain America and Nighthawk encounter the Ghost Ronin, that era's incarnation of the Ghost Rider, and assist him in fighting off some of Mephisto's time-displaced minions. The Ronin tells the two heroes that he knows about the Avengers and he is there to assist them with their task, then disappears.

The Ghost Ronin reappears in the presence of Namor and Echo, dispatching a boat filled with Mephisto's Viking warriors. Finally, the Ghost Ronin kills a squad of future-spawned assassins before the Avengers finally catch up to him. The Ghost Ronin tells them that they must make their way to the Genesis Point of Earth's heroes, millions of years in the past. The Avengers find Mephisto and go off in chase of him, leaving only Nighthawk to say farewell to the Ronin. 

Avengers Forever (2021) # 3

"The Lords of Earthly Vengeance, Part 3: We Who Are About to Avenge"

Cover Date: April 2022; On Sale Date: February 2022

Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: Aaron Kuder; Inker: Scott Hanna and Cam Smith; Colorist: Guru-EFX; Letterer: VC's Cory Petit; Assistant Editor: Martin Biro; Associate Editor: Analisse Bissa; Editor: Tom Brevoort; Editor in Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Aaron Kuder

Tony Stark, the Ant-Man of Earth 818, has arrived at the prison cell to rescue Ghost Rider and Deathlok, only to learn that Robbie refuses to leave until the Black Skull is stopped. Reluctantly, Stark agrees to help, but the Black Skull realizes what is going on and floods the prison cell with his symbiote. Meanwhile, outside the castle, Stark's fellow team of Avengers take on the War Machines standing guard. Moon Knight and the Vision infiltrate the castle and discover a room filled with portals to other Earths.

While the Black Skull attacks the prisoners, Ant-Man shrinks down to microscopic size. While the Skull fights with Ghost Rider, Stark rapidly grows to giant size and punches the Black Skull through the wall of the castle. Ghost Rider, realizing that the symbiote is just another vehicle, takes control of it and purges it from the Black Skull's body. Robbie summons his Hell Charger and drags the defeated Black Skull behind him, taking out the remaining War Machines as he drives. However, inside the castle more variants of the Black Skull emerge from the mutliversal portals to avenge their fallen brother. 

Avengers Forever (2021) # 2

"The Lords of Earthly Vengeance, Part 2: The All-Rider"

Cover Date: March 2022; On Sale Date: January 2022

Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: Aaron Kuder and Carlos Magno; Inker: Scott Hanna, Roberto Poggi, and Cam Smith; Colorist: Guru-EFX; Letterer: VC's Cory Petit; Assistant Editor: Martin Biro; Associate Editor: Analisse Bissa; Editor: Tom Brevoort; Editor in Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Aaron Kuder

Ghost Rider Robbie Reyes is a prisoner of Earth 818's Black Skull, who is an expert in torture. After days of sawing, the Black Skull is finally able to remove Robbie's right foot from his leg. Ghost Rider attempts to escape but is easily subdued by the Skull, who throws him back into his cell alongside the captive Deathlok that transported them to this alternate Earth. 

The Black Skull continues his torturous interrogations of Robbie, who keeps attempting to escape. On one occasion he is brought down by Norman Osborn, the Ghost Goblin, who is the Skull's teammate on the Multiversal Masters of Evil. Osborn tells the Skull that Robbie is an anomaly among Ghost Rider and warns that they should just kill him and add his head to the Goblin's collection of Ghost Rider skulls. Deathlok attempts to keep Robbie going by reminding him of his life on Earth 616 with his brother, Gabe, unaware that the Skull is listening through his symbiote infected cockroaches inside the cell with them. Robbie is led to a large room that contains as many alternate earth variants of himself that could be found, who have all been driven insane through torture. The alternate Robbies all kill one another, leaving Ghost Rider the last one standing. This breaks Robbie's will, and when he's thrown back into his cell Deathlok recognizes that the Skull will soon learn all he needs to learn from them. Deathlok attempts to smash the cockroaches in the cell and discovers that Tony Stark, the Ant-Man, has come to rescue them.

Marvel Legacy (2017) # 1

Cover Date: November 2017; On Sale Date: September 2017

Writer: Jason Aaron; Artists: Esad Ribic, Steve McNiven, Chris Samnee, Russell Dauterman, Alex Maleev, Ed McGuinness, Stuart Immonen, Pepe Larraz, Jim Cheung, Daniel Acuña, Greg Land, Mike Deodato, Jr., and David Marquez; Letterer: Cory Petit; Colorists: Matthew Wilson and Daniel Acuña; Assistant Editor: Alanna Smith; Editor: Tom Brevoort; Editor-in-Chief: Axel Alonso; Cover Artist: Joe Quesada

One million years ago, during the Stone Age of the Marvel Universe, a group of heroes assembled by Odin (including the original incarnations of the Black Panther, Phoenix, Starbrad, Iron Fist, and the Sorcerer Supreme) have been in battle with a giant alien Celestial.  The last of the "Prehistoric Avengers" is the Ghost Rider, who swears vengeance upon the Celestial for the death of his mammoth.  When the Celestial stirs, Odin and the others charge forward to attack.

In the present day, Robbie Reyes is asleep in his car before being awakened by a police officer demanding to see his identification.  Robbie speeds away, confused when he realizes he drove in his sleep to Cape Town, South Africa.  He's attacked by the current wielder of the Starbrand, Earth's "energy defense system", who claims that they have been drawn to the area to find something.  While Robbie has no idea what Starbrand is referring to, the attacking hero states that no one can be allowed to find and claim it.  Robbie transforms into the Ghost Rider and fights back, with their fierce battle taking them to an archaeological excavation site overseen by SHIELD.  Starbrand dismissively murders the SHIELD agents and the battle moves on, allowing the surviving archaeologists to descend into the excavated cave.  Inside, deep in the earth, they find the Celestial buried by Odin, which kills them with its giant hand.  Back on the surface, Ghost Rider is able to finally defeat Starbrand by giving him the Penance Stare.  Consumed by the pain he has caused others, Starband dies in a massive explosion.  Robbie transforms back to his human form and is extremely confused that he was able to utilize the Penance Stare.  As he gets in his car and drives back toward Los Angeles, the Asgardian trickster god Loki arrives in the cave as the "inheritor" of the Celestial.

Avengers (2018) # 27-30

"Starbrand Reborn"

Cover Date: December 2019 through February 2020; On Sale Date: October through December 2019

Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: Ed McGuiness, Paco Medina, & Francesco Manna; Letterer: VC's Cory Petit; Colorist: Justin Ponsor; Editor: Tom Brevoort; Associate Editor: Alanna Smith; Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Ed McGuiness & Mico Suayan

The Avengers travel to the Ravenstarr Prison Galaxy after Gladiator of the Shi'ar sends them a distress signal related to the emergence of a new Starbrand. The team is split up after entering the prison galaxy, with Thor being infected by the Brood. Split off from the rest of the team, Ghost Rider races through space with Black Widow and the dying Blade (affected by the proximity of numerous red suns) against the Silver Surfer.

The Silver Surfer, along with his fellow former Heralds of Galactus Firelord and Terrax the Tamer, have come to kill the Starbrand host before it can destroy the galaxy. Ghost Rider confronts the Silver Surfer in space and blasts him with hellfire before stealing his surfboard. The Surfer recovers and retrieves his board, sending Ghost Rider back into his car in defeat before they crashland on a nearby planet. With Ghost Rider and Blade out of commission, Black Widow unpacks a suit of advanced War Machine armor to fight a gathering of inmates looking for a way out of the prison.

The War Widow takes out the inmates but is attacked by the Silver Surfer, who tells her that the Avengers will not claim the Starbrand. While Ghost Rider is wired into his car to facilitate his healing, Blade is covered in his own suit of organic armor by the Boy-Thing, saving Blade's life and allowing him to join in the fight against the Surfer. While the other Avengers do battle with Firelord and Terrax, Gladiator discovers the Starbrand's host on a nearby planet: a pregnant woman who will destroy the galaxy to save her unborn child.

The Avengers fight the Heralds and Gladiator to save the life of Suzanne Selby and her unborn baby, with Selby dying during childbirth and the infant gaining the power of the Starbrand. The Silver Surfer had a change of heart and helps the Avengers fight off his fellow Heralds, and the Avengers bring the baby back to Earth to raise themselves.

Avengers (2018) # 8-10

"Inside Avengers Mountain" / "Defenders of the Deep" / "The Battle For the Right to Be Called...Earth's Mightiest"

Cover Date: October 2018, November 2018, & December 2018; On Sale Date: August 2018, September 2018, & October 2018

Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: David Marquez, Ed McGuiness, Frazer Irving, Adam Kubert, & Andrea Sorrentino; Letterer: VC's Cory Petit; Colorist: Justin Ponsor; Editor: Tom Brevoort; Associate Editor: Alanna Smith; Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Ed McGuiness

Robbie Reyes has a phone conversation with his little brother Gabe as he drives the Hell Charger across the Arctic Ocean. He arrives at Avengers Mountain, the hero team's new headquarters made out of the body of the dead Celestial Progenitor. Robbie is met inside by Captain America, who welcomes him to the team. Robbie is then forced to transform into the Ghost Rider to train with the Captain.

Days earlier, following the defeat of the Final Host, the Avengers face the captive Loki, who claims to have set everything in motion so the Avengers would reform. The Celestials depart with Loki, but Ghost Rider explains that they are leaving the body of the Progenitor for the heroes as a warning to the next threats that come to Earth. Back in the present, a whaling ship is attacked by Atlantean warriors, who are killed by the ship's guards. When Black Panther holds the first meeting of the new Avengers team it is interrupted by a crisis alert. The Roxxon whaling ship is now under attack by an enraged Manor the Sub-Mariner.

An underwater fight between Stingray and Tiger Shark is interrupted by Namor the Sub-Mariner, who tells them they can either join him or stay out of the ocean. He savagely beats Stingray nearly to death, causing Tiger Shark to agree to joining his war against the surface.

Days earlier, the Avengers are in the ruins of Atlantis fighting Namor's Atlantean army tobrwcuse a crew of Roxxon soldiers thst have been taken captive. The Atlanteans summon a massive sea beast that swallows Ghost Rider's He'll Charger, but Robbie is able to drive his way back out of its mouth. The Avengers confront Manor, who holds his own against all of them until Captain America attempts to talk him down. Namor accuses the Roxxon ship of poisoning his people and murdering his soldiers, and even Captain America's promise to have them face justice isn't enough to sway Namor's anger. He reluctantly lets the Avengers leave with the Roxxon soldiers.

Later, spurred on by the deaths Atlantean child refugees on the surface, Namor has declared war on all air breathers. He has had the Roxxon guards murdered in their prison cells amd has assembled his own team of superhuman Atlantean he has dubbed the Defenders of the Deep.

While Russia reforms its superpowered team the Winter Guard, Namor and his Defenders of the Deep attack the underwater facility Hydropolis. When the attack sets off the alarms at Avengers Mountain the heroes are all alerted. Ghost Rider is racing Tony Stark, Hell Charger against a repulsar powered car, with Robbie promising to help Tony contact his dead father even if he loses the race.  The call to assemble interrupts their race and both take off across the ocean to Avengers Mountain. The Avengers quickly confront Namor and engage his Defenders in battle, but the fight is interrupted by the Winter Guard, who have come to take Namor into custody for crimes against Russia. This turns into a fight between all three teams that only end a after Namor and the Defenders retreat. After a tense standoff the Winter Guard leave the Avengers to go about saving Hydropolis. Following this event, General Thunderbolt Ross meets with Agent Phil Coulson, who introduces the general to the. Squadron Supreme of America.

Later, in East Los Angeles, Robbie Reyes goes outside his home to check on his car. He's suddenly attacked by a very drunk and enraged Odin, who stabs Robbie through the chest as revenge for the death of Starbrand. Robbie turns into Ghost Rider and explains that Starbrand attacked him and was acting crazy, that his death was accidental. Odin realizes his mistake and apologizes, then proceeds to tell Robbie about the first Ghost Rider. The visit ends with Odin riding with Robbie in the Hell Charger across mountains.

Ghost Rider (2006) # 35

"Trials & Tribulations, Part 3: Of Flesh and Fire"

Cover Date: July 2009; On Sale Date: May 2009

Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: Tony Moore; Letterer: Joe Caramagna; Colorist: Dave McCaig; Assistant Editor: Sebastian Girner; Editor: Axel Alonso; Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada; Cover Artist: Arthur Suydam

In a tiny costal town, Johnny Blaze stands in front of a monastery, where he's been staying for the last two weeks. An elderly monk talks with "Brother Blaze" and tells Johnny that he is looking for something to believe in, a sign that not all is lost. The monk tells him to keep waiting, the sign will eventually come. Johnny's response is cut short by the sight of another monk with a giant snake slithering from his mouth. Blaze tells his monk friend to get everyone inside and lock the doors. He says that this isn't a sign from God, "this is your sign that God is dead".

In the town, the people are being twisted and transformed into horrible creatures while a group of monstrous demons ride through on motorcycles. Blaze picks up a shovel and knocks one of them off their bike. The demon tells Blaze that his mistress will take his flesh like she did the others and it will do him no good to fight back, as his mistress has taken away his pain centers. In reply, Blaze breaks the demon's leg at the knee. Johnny starts stomping on the demon, but is stopped when he's caught by a chain and dragged behind a bike to the feet of the demons' "mistress". She is called the Skin-Bender, who can reshape flesh with a touch, and she wants Blaze's skin to wear as pantyhose. When she touches Johnny's face, though, her fingers catches fire and burns down to the bone. For the first time someone's skin has rejected her, because he has a fire inside him. While Blaze fights off the demon bikers, the Skin-Bender demands to know who changed him, going so far as to threaten an infant taken from a mother's arms. She demands him to show her his true face, she wants to see the fire that burns inside him. Blaze finally gives in and triggers the transformation into the Ghost Rider, and as his skin melts off the Skin-Bender falls to her knees and begins to cry. She's fallen in love with the Ghost Rider and begs him to stay with her and reshape the world at her side. The Ghost Rider says one word, "burn", and the sky immediately begins to rain balls of hellfire onto the town. The demons are destroyed, and the Skin-Bender laughs as she too burns, embraced by his fire.

A few moments later, Sister Sara arrives at the burning town and rides through until she finds the Ghost Rider, who has crushed the Skin-Bender into a ball of bone and flesh and then tosses her into the ocean. Sara tries to talk to Blaze, but quickly realizes that the Spirit of Vengeance is in control. She begs Blaze to listen to her, asking him to remember his family. When she asks him where his family is, the Ghost Rider answers "Heaven. They're in Heaven". He pauses, then turns to Sara and says "Let's go."

Blaze, human once more, and Sara ride their bikes out of town while the elder monk watches, pleased that Johnny has found the sign he was looking for. Later, a fisherman on a boat has been telling the story of what happened to his town and shows off his twisted arm. The fishermen pull up their nets and are attacked by freakishly mutated sea creatures while the town survivor is confronted by a gruesomely reformed Skin-Bender, who orders him to come give his mistress a hug.

Ghost Rider (2006) # 34

"Trials & Tribulations, Part 2: On the Road Again"

Cover Date: June 2009; On Sale Date: April 2009

Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: Tony Moore; Letterer: Joe Caramagna; Colorist: Dave McCaig; Assistant Editor: Sebastian Girner; Editor: Axel Alonso; Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada; Cover Artist: Arthur Suydam

At a small roadside diner, a truck driver tells his fellow truckers about the legend of the Highwayman, a trucker who sold his soul to Satan to be the greatest truck driver on the road; but the more he drove the less human he became, eventually turning him into a demon who drives the Black Rig, hauling the Devil's loads and harvesting souls for his dark master. The other truckers are quick to dismiss the story until a gasoline tanker truck driven by a headless driver crashes into the diner and explodes, killing everyone inside. The Highwayman watches from his rig, with the head of the tanker truck's driver mounted on the hood of his truck.

Meanwhile, Danny Ketch is in his sixth day on the road, still riding toward nowhere in particular. Lost and alone, he's waiting for the world to end now that Zadkiel has taken control of Heaven. He stops at the site of the burned-down diner and tries to ignore it, but his bike refuses to start. When he gets off to walk away, the transformation into the Ghost Rider is triggered against his will. Since falling back to Earth from Heaven, Danny is more cursed than ever before; now he's a slave to vengeance. That's the price he has to pay, every day of his life, for laying waste to Heaven. The Ghost Rider mounts his bike and rides off in search of whoever destroyed the diner.

Elsewhere, the Highwayman has crashed his Black Rig into a bus filled with "alien abductees", all of whom are now dead. The Highwayman stands at the back of his trailer, tossing in human heads to feed the demons contained within. After he closes the trailer doors, he barely dodges the hook on the end of Ghost Rider's chain. Ghost Rider roars past him, but when he stops to turn around, the Black Rig has disappeared. The Rider looks around, but doesn't see that the Rig has backed straight up the cliff wall behind him. The Highwayman guns his engine and runs the Rider over, leaving him a smashed pile of bones on the road. Ghost Rider reforms himself and gets back on his bike, ready to play a game of demonic "chicken" with the Black Rig. Ghost Rider zips past the truck and slices open the side of the trailer with his hook, causing the Rig to bleed. The enraged Highwayman takes after the Ghost Rider, eventually catching him as they jump over a broken bridge. The Rider climbs up the hood of the truck and throws his hooked chain through the windshield, which the Highwayman ducks and gloats that the he missed him. The Rider pulls back on the chain, and the hook catches the Highwayman by the neck and decapitates him. After the Black Rig has wrecked onto its side, the demons within calling out curses to Ketch, the Rider finds the Highwayman's severed head. He picks up the head and blows hellfire from his mouth, incinerating it, then tosses it over his shoulder to catch the Rig on fire as well. Later, after turning back to normal, Danny watches the Rig burn, thinking about how he's right back where he started as a Spirit of Vengeance. He rides off, thinking that if there's a bright side to any of it, it's that the world's going to end soon enough due to Zadkiel.

A few days later, a trucker at a diner gets out of his rig and is grabbed by his throat by an even more demonic looking Highwayman, who asks if the guy's truck comes with an 8-track player.

Ghost Rider (2006) # 33

"Trials & Tribulations, Part 1: Once Were Ghost Riders"

Cover Date: May 2009; On Sale Date: March 2009

Writer: Jason Aaron; Artist: Tony Moore; Letterer: Joe Caramagna; Colorist: Dave McCaig; Assistant Editor: Sebastian Girner; Editor: Axel Alonso; Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada; Cover Artist: Arthur Suydam

Thousands of years ago, God created the Spirits of Vengeance to keep in check humanity's capacity for evil. Bonded to human hosts the Spirits were the charge of the angel Zadkiel, whose job it was to oversee the Spirits and keep their true origins shrouded in mystery. For thousands of years the Spirits of Vengeance fought to avenge the innocent, but today they are no more and Heaven itself is lost.

Sister Sara looks over the dead body of her grandfather, the Caretaker, who passed his mantle onto her when he died. Now that Zadkiel has won his siege of Heaven, though, she can only ask "what now?". Once upon a time, the Spirits of Vengeance were a force for good on Earth with the country having its own protector before it came to be called America. In the 17th century a Puritan named Noble Kale destroyed witches; in the time after the Civil War, a former slave named Caleb became the Ghost Rider to avenge his slain family; wherever there was a need for vengeance on American soil you'd find a Ghost Rider. During wars overseas, Spirits such as the Ghost Flier of World War I and the Hellfire Tank Squad of World War II avenged slain Americans while the Undead G-Man and Knuckles O'Shaugnessy protected the home country.

But in the present, there are no protectors left. Sister Sara arrives at the only home she's ever known, the Sacred Heart Convent for the Sisters of the Holy Sepulcher, hoping that the Mother Superior will give her guidance. Sara enters to find all of her fellow nuns slaughtered with the Mother Superior barely clinging to life. She tells Sara that the stranger that called himself the Deacon came and killed them all. Before she dies, the Mother Superior tells Sara that its her responsibility to not let the fire go out now.

Whenever good people suffered and cried out for vengeance, the Ghost Rider would be there. Devil Rig and the Hell-Driver fought against a vampire infestation, the Hellbilly stopped a zombie horde, and others all the way through Johnny Blaze and his brother Danny Ketch fought to keep the world from going to Hell. But it wasn't enough, and now Zadkiel has claimed the throne of Heaven while the Spirits of Vengeance are finished. Sara finishes burying her sisters and is approached by two Ghost Riders of Tomorrow who were sent to deliver Sara a message by Sara herself in the future. They tell her that while Zadkiel may have taken Heaven that doesn't make him God, that there's still time to stop him before he becomes too powerful. Before they disappear back into the time stream they tell her to find Blaze and Ketch for the final battle. Sister Sara, the Caretaker, picks up her swords and rides off on her bike, determined to claim vengeance.

Elsewhere, the Deacon and Blackout discuss their new mission for Zadkiel. Looking through a large collection of photographs, the two murderers are looking for bastards that will help them kill the Ghost Rider.

Ghost Rider (2006) # 32

"Last Stand of the Spirits of Vengeance, Part 5"

Cover Date: April 2009
On Sale Date: February 2009

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Tan Eng Huat
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Jose Villarubia
Assistant Editor: Sebastian Girner
Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada

Cover Artist: Arthur Suydam

In the middle of the Arabian Desert, Kowalski sits with his hellfire shotgun and waits for his chance to get revenge on the Ghost Rider. Meanwhile, in the African Congo, Zadkiel's Black Host, led by Dan Ketch, wages war on the last remaining Spirits of Vengeance and their Phantom Riders. Baron Skullfire is killed, but the Spirit inside him simply moves to a new host. Ketch creates avatars of himself out of hellfire to absorb the power of the Spirits, then challenges his brother Johnny Blaze to a race that will settle the outcome of their battle. Blaze accepts and rides away, giving himself a head start. Johnny and Danny race their bikes across the entire planet, fighting with one another while debating the consequences of Ketch's actions. Blaze tries to convince his brother that he's been duped by Zadkiel, but Danny still believes that he's doing the right thing. While they race, Danny's avatars in the Congo have killed and absorbed the power of the last of the Spirits of Vengeance, leaving only the two of them. Their race reaches the Arabian Desert, and Blaze is suddenly blown off his bike by Kowalski's hellfire shotgun. Ketch blasts Kowalski away with hellfire and approaches his wounded brother and absorbs his power, consolidating all the power of the Spirits of Vengeance inside Danny. Zadkiel smiles as Ketch ascends to Heaven on angelic wings.

Back in Africa, Sister Sara staggers through the battlefield in disbelief that they lost the fight. Blaze arrives, having used the last of the supernatural energy in his bike to make it back to Africa, and he tells her that Danny won and took his power. She gives him a look of horror right before the sky splits open and rains fire, spitting a screaming Ketch back to Earth. Danny lands on the battlefield while a blast of fire strikes Johnny, repowering him. In the Arabian Desert, Kowalski wakes up to find himself transformed into a Spirit of Vengeance as well. Johnny and Sara press Danny for information, and he tells them that they were right about Zadkiel, he used the power of the Ghost Riders to destroy the gates of Heaven. When Blaze asks how they can stop Zadkiel, Ketch tells him that it's too late. Heaven has fallen and Zadkiel has won.

Ghost Rider (2006) # 31

"Last Stand of the Spirits of Vengeance, Part 4"

Cover Date: March 2009
On Sale Date: January 2009

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Tan Eng Huat
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Jose Villarubia
Assistant Editor: Sebastian Girner
Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada

Cover Artist: Arthur Suydam

Several Days Ago: Former deputy Kowalski has become obsessed with the Ghost Rider since he was given the Penance Stare. He's lost his job, had his severed hand replaced with a hook, and has been collecting newspaper clippings about the Rider. At a liquor store, a servant of Zadkiel gives Kowalski the name and phone number of Michael Badilino as a way to get revenge on Blaze. Now: Kowalski has been transported via bus by another of Zadkiel's minions to the middle of the Arabian Desert, where he is told to sit and wait. Kowalski, now in possession of the hellfire shotgun, unfolds a chair and sits in the sun, waiting for his chance.

In Africa, along the Congo River, Blaze and his companions (Sister Sara, the new Character, and Molek and Bai Gu Jing, two Spirits of Vengeance) have arrived at the City of Skulls. Surrounded by white-garbed Phantom Riders, the group is welcomed by the final two remaining Ghost Riders, the Baron Skullfire and Marinette Bwa Chech. Blaze, still disillusioned by his encounter with his brother Danny Ketch, meets two young boys who ask for a ride on his motorcycle. He tells the kids "maybe some other time". Later, Sister Sara has a conversation with Molek, who explains to her that while the Spirits of Vengeance all come from Heaven, each Ghost Rider sees their own personal deities as the source of their power. While each of the Spirits of Vengeance prepare themselves for the coming battle, Danny and the Black Host arrive in the surrounding forest. Meanwhile, in Heaven, Zadkiel and his army continue their siege, waiting on the power of the Spirits of Vengeance.

Inside the City of Skulls, Blaze is approached in his room by the two young boys from before. He yells at them, telling them that he won't give them a ride on his bike, but the youths are instead there to tell him goodbye before they go off to fight in the battle. Outside, Baron Skullfire has gathered his Phantom Riders along with the other Spirits of Vengeance to make their final stand. Blaze, as the Ghost Rider, arrives on his motorcycle, having finally found the will to fight. They look out to see Ketch and the Black Host quickly approaching.

Avengers Forever (2021) # 1

"The Lords of Earthly Vengeance, Part 1: Where 'Hope' is a Four-Letter Word"

Cover Date: February 2022

On Sale Date: December 2021

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Aaron Kuder

Inker: Cam Smith

Colorist: Jason Keith & Triona Farrell

Letterer: VC's Cory Petit

Assistant Editor: Martin Biro

Associate Editor: Analisse Bissa

Editor: Tom Brevoort

Editor in Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Cover Artist: Aaron Kuder

On Earth 818, Tony Stark is the Astonishing Ant-Man and is searching underground and through the Black Skull's Venom-Ants to find the abandoned hammer Mjolnir, once wielded by Odin in prehistoric times. The Black Skull's War Machine soldiers give up their search for Stark when they are attacked by Robbie Reyes, the Ghost Rider of Earth 616 who was transported to this alternate reality by a Deathlok. Ghost Rider and Deathlok manage to stop the Crematrain, which is shuttling hundreds of people to the Black Skull's death camps. Refusing to leave them behind, Robbie pulls the train across the desert with his Hell-Charger, but is forced to stop when he reaches a roadblock commanded by the Black Skull himself. Stark watches all of this and departs with Mjolnir to his secret base, where he has gathered his own team of Avengers to fight back against the Black Skull.

Avengers (2018) # 7

"Fire and Bone"

Cover Date: October 2018
On Sale Date: August 2018

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Sara Pichelli
Inker: Sara Pichelli & Elisabetta D'Amico
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Colorist: Justin Ponsor
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Associate Editor: Alanna Smith
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Cover Artist: Geoff Shaw

In the year One Million B.C., a young boy living among a tribe of cavemen thinks to himself about how he is different, how he has developed language and intelligence.  One day a stranger arrives at their cave and talks with the boy, recognizing one like himself who has evolved past the rest of humanity.  The stranger transforms into a monster and slaughters the tribe, leaving only the boy alive.  Before the stranger leaves he gives the boy a name, "Ghost".  Ghost travels out into the snow and eventually collapses, where he is found by a white serpent that promises him the power to get revenge on the stranger and, most importantly, warmth.  Ghost agrees and says the serpent's name, "Mephisto", and catches on fire as the snake is stomped on by a passing wholly mammoth.

Five years later, the stranger is walking through the snow and is approached by the Spirit of Vengeance riding atop the back of a flaming mammoth.  The stranger recognizes Ghost and transforms into his own monstrous form, becoming the Wendigo.  The fight carries them to the Wendigo's den, which is covered in the scattered bones of his kills.  Ghost uses his power to form a chain out of the bones, but he is still unable to defeat the Wendigo.  Only at the cost of his mammoth's life does the Wendigo fall into a chasm, leaving Ghost alone once again.  Then, he is confronted by Odin and the Phoenix, who tell him that they have a world to save.

Avengers (2018) # 6

"Planet of Pathogens"

Cover Date: October 2018
On Sale Date: August 2018

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Paco Medina & Ed McGuiness
Inker: Mark Morales & Juan Vlasco
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Colorist: David Curiel
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Associate Editor: Alanna Smith
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Cover Artist: Ed McGuiness

In Russia the Avengers are making their final stand against the Final Host, the Horde, and Loki.  While the "giant sized" Avengers find themselves outmatched by the Final Host, Doctor Strange battles Loki, and Captain America joins Black Panther and Captain Marvel to fight back against the Horde.  The heroes are eventually overwhelmed, with Ghost Rider piloting the fallen Celestial and succumbing to an overload of information.  Iron Man attempts to fly the Final Host to space and then blow up his giant armor, but is stopped by the First Celestial Host, who have been reanimated as "zombies".  The Avengers listen to Ghost Rider's rants about "god's vomit" and make the leap that they were left by the First Host as the living virus vaccine against the Horde.  Using the knowledge planted in his mind by the Eternals, Iron Man instructs the Avengers to combine their power as the Uni-Mind inside the Ghost Rider Celestial, who burns out the Horde infection of the planet.  Realizing that the Final Host are still a threat, the Avengers team up with the First Celestial Host to defeat the Final Host while the captive Loki watches and laughs, welcoming back the Avengers.

Avengers (2018) # 5

"The Secret Origin of the Marvel Universe"

Cover Date: September 2018
On Sale Date: July 2018

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Paco Medina & Ed McGuiness
Inker: Juan Vlasco w/ Mark Morales & Karl Story
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Colorist: David Curiel
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Associate Editor: Alanna Smith
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Cover Artist: Ed McGuiness

Beneath the Arctic Circle, Loki tells Captain America about the Progenitor, the first Celestial who came to Earth to die from the Horde infection billions of years ago and whose body remains buried in the ice.  Loki explains to Captain America, and to the listening Ghost Rider who is sneaking up in his Hellcharger, that humanity was borne of that infection of "God's vomit".  Another Celestial came to Earth in one million B.C. and was beaten by Odin and his band of heroes, a group that were unable to defeat the entirety of the First Host when they arrived to check on their brother.  However, instead of destroying the Earth the First Host left, quarantining the planet's infection.  The Horde infected many of the Celestials, transforming them into the Final Host that Loki has brought to Earth.  Ghost Rider rescues Captain America and captures Loki with his chains, interrupting the history lesson.

Meanwhile, Iron Man and Doctor Strange are attempting to save a crashing airliner when Stark receives a call from Ghost Rider, who claims to have been given Stark's number by his deceased father via the Hellcharger.  Ghost Rider and Captain America are in Russia when the Final Host catches up, causing them to crash.  The rest of the Avengers arrive, including the Horde-powered Captain Marvel and Black Panther.  She-Hulk and Thor consume the egg of Frost Giant blood, which transforms them into giants, and Iron Man's giant Godkiller armor arrives.  Ghost Rider is given a pep talk by Captain America, which gives Robbie the idea to power up a nearby dead Celestial with hellfire, transforming him into demonic giant. The four giant-sized Avengers then prepare to do battle with the Final Host for the fate of the planet.

Avengers (2018) # 4

"A Battle That Was Lost a Million Years Ago"

Cover Date: September 2018
On Sale Date: July 2018

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Paco Medina & Ed McGuiness
Inker: Juan Vlasco w/ Mark Morales & Jay Leisten
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Colorist: David Curiel
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Associate Editor: Alanna Smith
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Cover Artist: Ed McGuiness

In the ruins of Old Asgard, Odin tells Thor and She-Hulk about the Prehistoric Avengers and their battles against the Celestials a million years ago.  Odin takes them to a room that may contain a weapon to aid them, but the item is protected by layers of ice that the two Avengers must smash their way through.  Meanwhile, in Olympia, Iron Man and Doctor Strange discover that the Eternals have all killed themselves, driven mad by the dying Celestials.  They find one of the Eternals, Ikaris, barely clinging to life, and before he dies he implants knowledge of the Uni-Mind in Iron Man's brain.  On the Alpha Flight space station, Captain Marvel and Black Panther study one of the alien insects, identifying it as part of the Horde, a race of cosmic locusts that devour solar systems and are longtime enemies of the Celestials.  They've started emerging on Earth, burrowing out of the bodies of the fallen Celestials.

At the North Pole, Loki continues telling Captain America about the Progenitor, the first Celestial who fell to Earth 4 billion years ago and was buried in ice.  The Final Host have come to Earth to stop the cycle of disease billions of years in the making.  Ghost Rider, having driven his Hell-Charger across the ocean, comes up on the Final Host and breaks his way through the ice to travel underwater.  Back in Asgard, Thor and She-Hulk make their way through the cold to find an egg containing the blood of Ymir, fist of the Frost Giants.  Thor succumbs to the cold and She-Hulk gives him warmth with a kiss, which revives him.  As they emerge from the chamber, Odin reminisces about his battle with the First Host alongside his allies, and how it ended with all of them defeated and at the space giants' mercy. 

Avengers (2018) # 3

"Where Space Gods Go to Die"

Cover Date: August 2018
On Sale Date: June 2018

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Paco Medina & Ed McGuiness
Inker: Juan Vlasco w/ Mark Morales & Jay Leisten
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Colorist: David Curiel
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Associate Editor: Alanna Smith
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Cover Artist: Ed McGuiness

Ghost Rider and She-Hulk have destroyed the alien insects that had attacked them, and in response to the voice in her head She-Hulk smashes a path through the ground down toward the center of the Earth.  Ghost Rider reluctantly follows her in his Hell-Charger.  Meanwhile, In New York City, Loki had incapacitated Thor, Iron Man, and Captain Marvel while explaining that the Final Host have arrived to exterminate all human life on the planet.  Captain America, held in stasis by the Host, manages to throw his shield at the warp grenades held by Loki.  Loki, the Final Host, and Captain America are all teleported into the sun.

At the Earth's core, Black Panther and Doctor Strange are being overwhelmed by the insect horde and are rescued by Ghost Rider and She-Hulk.  Captain America wakes up in a bubble created by Loki inside the sun, where he finds that all of the Final Host survived.  Back in New York, Ghost Rider arrives with the other heroes inside his car, and they confer notes with Iron Man, Thor, and Captain Marvel.  The Final Host have arrived at the North Pole and Loki explains to Captain America that he's actually the hero, that he found one of the Final Host inside a crater where he'd been left to die by Odin a million years ago.  Back in New York, the heroes start making plans, and Thor teleports himself and She-Hulk to the ruins of Old Asgard to get answers from Odin.  Captain Marvel and Black Panther go to the Alpha Flight space station to come up with a way to combat the insects, and Iron Man goes with Doctor Strange to find the Eternals.  Left alone, Ghost Rider uses a piece of the Celestial technology as a homing beacon and drives off across the ocean to find the Final Host.  At the North Pole, beneath the ice, Loki shows Captain America the corpse of another Celestial that he calls the Progenitor, the cause of the planet's infection.

Avengers (2018) # 2

"Still Avenging After All These Years"

Cover Date: August 2018
On Sale Date: June 2018

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Ed McGuiness
Inker: Mark Morales & Jay Leisten
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Colorist: David Curiel
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Associate Editor: Alanna Smith
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Cover Artist: Ed McGuiness

While the Avengers (Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, and Captain Marvel) are contending with the Final Host of Celestials that have appeared above Manhattan, they are being observed by an unknown person who narrates to himself about the events.  Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Robbie Reyes - the Ghost Rider - finishes his battle with the subterranean insect creatures that attacked him.  He drives off, wondering why his demon-possessed car has suddenly stopped talking to him.  Back in New York, Jennifer Walters approaches one of the fallen Celestials and is attacked by more of the insects hiding inside its body.  She transforms into the Hulk and destroys the bugs.  She's then contacted by the still living Celestial, named Eson, who teleports her to Los Angeles directly into the Ghost Rider's path.  Hulk attacks and, after a brief battle, the two are again attacked and surrounded by the bugs.  In New York, Captain Marvel's plan to teleport the Final Host into the sun using warp grenades is foiled when the Avengers are stopped by the mysterious narrator, revealed to be Loki.  The Asgardian tells the heroes that the First Host are there to correct the mistake they made one million years ago by ushering in global extinction.

Avengers (2018) # 1

"The Final Host"

Cover Date: July 2018
On Sale Date: May 2018

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Ed McGuiness
Inker: Mark Morales
Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
Colorist: David Curiel
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Associate Editor: Alanna Smith
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Cover Artist: Ed McGuiness

During the year 1,000,000 B.C., the "Prehistoric Avengers" are led by Odin to confront the First Host of Celestials as they descend onto the planet.  The collection of "Avengers", including the first Spirit of Vengeance, had previously killed a weakened Celestial and are now faced with more of them in a battle they cannot hope to win.

In the present day, three heroes meet in a bar to discuss the future of the Avengers.  Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man have a conversation about all the events that have happened to them in recent times, and how what they need to is to reform the Avengers.  Tony Stark is unwilling to commit to the idea until an emergency beacon alerts them to a threat coming from outer space.  Meanwhile, Black Panther and Doctor Strange investigate an archaeological dig site in South Africa, finding the archaeologists dead and evidence of a magic spell that had held something prisoner for millions of years.  They find tunnels bored into the cave and decide to follow them down into the center of the earth.  In Hillrock Heights, Los Angeles, Robbie Reyes talks to his younger brother Gabe about problems he's been having with his car, neglecting to mention that it's actually possessed by a demon.  In Manhattan, Jennifer Walters is able to fend off a would-be mugger without losing control and transforming into the Hulk.  Finally, at the orbital Alpha Flight station, Captain Marvel goes out to investigate the energy anomaly in space, only to see a giant hand reaching through the portal.

Black Panther and Doctor Strange find thousands of eggs in the earth's core, noting that some of them have already hatched.  Robbie Reyes talks to his demonic car, afraid of what's been happening to him, such as when he woke up in South Africa and fought the Starbrand.  Suddenly, the ground opens up beneath him to reveal several large insect creatures.  Robbie transforms into the Ghost Rider and starts fighting the insects, while the eggs at the planet core start to hatch around Doctor Strange and Black Panther.

In Manhattan, a giant alien Celestial has fallen into the East River, where Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America find Captain Marvel, who kept the dead giant from landing on the city.  She flies back up into the sky, telling the others that there are 100 more dead Celestials falling around the world. When a different group of Celestials, the Final Host, arrive in New York the Avengers don their uniforms and Captain America lets forth the familiar cry of "Avengers Assemble!".

Ghost Rider (2006) # 29

"Last Stand of the Spirits of Vengeance, Part 2"

Cover Date: January 2009
On Sale Date: November 2008

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Tan Eng Huat
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Jose Villarubia
Assistant Editor: Sebastian Girner
Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada

Cover Artist: Marko Djurdjevic

In the snowy mountains of Tibet, Johnny Blaze has come face to face with his brother, Danny Ketch, who has become a Ghost Rider once again. Johnny transforms into his Ghost Rider form and attempts to talk Danny out of what he's doing for Zadkiel, but Dan insists that his mission is sanctioned by Heaven. When Johnny challenges him, Danny punches him across the mountains, then proceeds to throw his brother around the landscape. Ketch lifts Blaze into the air, which allows Johnny to grab the younger man by the throat - and a bomb blast of hellfire explodes from Johnny's skull. With Danny stunned by the assault, Johnny grabs his brother's skull and gives him the Penance Stare, which allows Blaze to see a vision of all the other Ghost Riders that Danny has killed for Zadkiel. Danny insists that he is not a murderer, that he is setting the hosts free from the curse of the Spirits of Vengeance. Dan grabs Johnny and gives him the Penance Stare in return, which causes Blaze to relive the deaths of his wife and children. His spirit broken, Blaze begs Ketch to take the power, the curse, away from him to relieve him of the burden. Danny begins to suck the Ghost Rider power out of Blaze, but is interrupted by Sister Sara hitting him with her motorcycle. She picks Johnny up and rides away, with Blaze yelling back for Danny to take his power away.

Three days later, Sara and Johnny are holed up in a Nepal flophouse. Johnny refuses to get out of bed, unwilling to fight Zadkiel any longer despite Sara's attempts to convince him otherwise. Suddenly, the room's door blows open, revealing two more Ghost Riders who have come to enlist Blaze and Sara's help.