The Original Ghost Rider Rides Again (1991) # 2

"Freaks!"/"The Tears of Adam Henderson"

Cover Date: August 1991
On Sale Date: June 1991

Writer: Roger Stern/J.M. DeMatteis
Artist: Bob Budiansky/Don Perlin
Inker: Dave Simons/Danny Bulandi
Letterer: Diana Albers
Colorist: Bob Sharen/George Roussos
Editor: Tom DeFalco
Editor In Chief: Jim Shooter

Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

At the Quentin Carnival, a misshapen man named Jeremy who works as the carnival's "monster man" works on a drawing of reporter Cynthia Randolph.  She is less than flattered by the artwork, mistaking his gesture as infatuation when its not.  She and Johnny Blaze are then introduced to Eliot, the son of carnival clown Corky, and Cynthia is again taken off guard when Eliot shuts down her advances after learning that she's a reporter.  The carnival troupe finish packing their trucks and move along to the next town, while during the drive Corky asks Eliot if he's going to actually go straight this time.  Meanwhile, at a mysterious island, an agent named Renaldo is given orders to retrieve Jeremy and bring him to the island by a man with a particular interest in "freaks".

Several days later, Renaldo attempts to strongarm carnival owner Ralph Quentin into "selling" Jeremy to him.  He's interrupted by Johnny Blaze, who forcefully throws Renaldo off the carnival lot.  Renaldo returns that night after the carnival has closed down and unleashes an army of his own freaks to exact his revenge.  While Johnny stuffs his familiar leathers into a bag with the intention of disposing of them, hoping to distance himself from the Ghost Rider, his friends' card game is interrupted by the attacking group of freaks.  Johnny is also attacked and knocked unconscious, and the freaks take both him and the captive Jeremy.  Blaze wakes up in a hotel room, tied and gagged before Renaldo and the freaks.  Realizing that Renaldo plans to beat him to death, Johnny transforms into the Ghost Rider and fights through the freaks, though Renaldo is able to escape.  He follows Renaldo and the remaining freaks, including the captive Jeremy, to the local airport where he halts their escape by melting the tires of their van before they can reach their plane.  He then pulls Renaldo out and fries his soul with hellfire, leaving him a quivering mess, before transforming back into Blaze.  The freaks are too frightened to do anything, and Jeremy tells Johnny that he's going to go to the island to be with his brothers, intending to stand up to Renaldo and his boss.  Johnny watches their plane fly off into the distance, wishing his friend good luck.

Ghost Rider (1990) # 16

"Changes"

Cover Date: August 1991

On Sale Date: June 1991

Writer: Howard Mackie
Artist: Mark Texeira
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Editor In Chief: Tom DeFalco

Cover Artist: Mark Texeira

Ghost Rider is dying from the injuries inflicted on him during his battles with John Blaze and Blackout. He crashes his motorcycle in Cypress Hills Cemetery and transforms back into Danny Ketch, who is also dying from his injuries. Before losing consciousness in front of his sister's headstone, Danny sees a man approaching him. Sometime later, Danny has a nightmare about him and the Ghost Rider being killed by Blaze's hellfire shotgun and awakens in a hospital bed with Blaze at his side. He attacks Blaze, but is restrained by a nurse that enters with Mrs. Ketch and Stacy Dolan. They explain that Blaze found Danny near-death and saved his life by bringing him to the hospital. John whispers to Danny that it was the Ghost Rider he wanted to kill, not him.

A week later, Blaze escorts Danny from the hospital; John is sticking around until he can determine whether or not the Ghost Rider is Zarathos. He also, despite Danny's bad attitude, agrees to show the kid how to handle himself in a fight and how to maintain a motorcycle. After a few weeks of training, Blaze and Dan are outside the Ketch home when a limousine pulls up to escort Mrs. Ketch to church. Suspicious of his mother's behavior, Danny and Blaze follow the limo to a formerly abandoned church that is now active again. Sneaking inside, they see a congregation being addressed by Reverend Styge, who promises to bring Barbara Ketch back to life. Danny and Blaze are discovered and held at gunpoint by Styge's deacons while the Reverend departs, but the gathering is attacked by the Hobgoblin, who is there to kill anyone he sees as "blasphemers". Dan, remembering what the Hobgoblin did to a little boy named Adam, transforms into Ghost Rider and attacks the demonic villain, only to be stopped by the newly-arrived Spider-Man. While Spider-Man attempts to restrain Ghost Rider, the Hobgoblin kidnaps Mrs. Ketch, thinking that it is his holy purpose to rescue the innocent woman from the sinners. Ghost Rider throws Spider-Man off and rides away after Hobgoblin, warning the hero to stay out of his way. Blaze and Spider-Man are left to formulate a plan on how to rescue Mrs. Ketch and keep the Ghost Rider from killing Hobgoblin.