What If...? (1989) # 45

"What If...Barbara Ketch Became Ghost Rider?"

Cover Date: January 1993; On Sale Date: November 1992
Original Price: $1.25

Writer: Ron Marz; Artist: Dale Eaglesham; Inker: Brian Garvey; Letterer: Janice Chiang; Colorist: Tom Vincent; Editor: Craig Anderson; Editor-In-Chief: Tom DeFalco; Cover Artist; Dale Eaglesham

In a junkyard near Cypress Hills Cemetery, Daniel Ketch hides with his wounded sister Barbara from men that are looking to kill them. Dan sees a motorcycle glowing amongst the wrecked cars, but he is discovered by the assassins before he can touch it. Daniel is shot and left for dead, while the gravely injured Barbara reaches out for the motorcycle. The assassins return to their master, Deathwatch, just before the female Ghost Rider arrives carrying the dying Danny. She makes short work of the ninjas, but when she attempts to kill Deathwatch she is struck with intense pain, allowing the villain to escape. The police arrive, but are unable to capture Ghost Rider, who escapes and transforms back into Barbara.

 

Later, Barbara attends her brother's funeral, wishing that she could have done something to save him. That night, she had a dream where she is confronted by the Spirit of Vengeance. The Spirit tells her that she attempted to use his power to take a life, which goes against his purpose. To the Spirit's surprise, Barbara turns the tables and imposes her will over him, taking his power for herself. She wakes up and goes outside, transforming into the Ghost Rider. She rides into the city, finds a gang of attempted rapists, and murders them. She later seeks revenge on Deathwatch for his role in Danny's death, murdering him and his partner Blackout. Over the next few weeks, Barbara kills the villains she encounters, such as Zodiak, Hag, Troll, Scarecrow, and Mr. Hyde. With each murder, Barbara becomes more and more insane, further dominating the Spirit of Vengeance inside her.

 

She and Spider-Man are fighting the demonic Hobgoblin, and when she attempts to kill the villain Spider-Man intervenes, only to be knocked unconscious. As he passes out, he sees the Ghost Rider whipping Hobgoblin to death with her chain. When he awakens and sees Hobgoblin's body, Spider-Man seeks help in stopping the murderous Ghost Rider. He visits the home of Dr. Strange, where he meets John Blaze, former host of the Ghost Rider that has come to kill the demon. Together, the three men formulate a plan of attack.

 

At a construction site, Deathwatch and Blackout stand waiting for Ghost Rider to arrive, calling out her name until she comes. Though she does not understand how the two villains are alive once again, she immediately attempts to kill them. It is obvious that the villains are not who they say they are, using a shotgun and webbing to attack, and it is revealed that they are actually Spider-Man and Blaze hidden beneath a spell. Dr. Strange arrives and traps the Ghost Rider in a mystic circle, then exorcises the Spirit of Vengeance from Barbara's body. Blaze accidentally breaks the circle when he sees Barbara, allowing the Spirit to be set free to find its next host. Barbara dies, realizing what she had become in her desire for vengeance, and the mystical motorcycle soon finds a new host.

Unholy Union # 1

Published: July 2007

Original Price: $3.99

Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Michael Broussard
Inkers: Rob Hunter, Rick Basaldua, & Joe Weems
Letterer: Troy Feter
Colorist: Larry Molinar
Editor: Rob Levin
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada

Cover Artist: Marc Silvestri

Witnessing the vision of a mysterious, fiery woman in his Orb of Agamotto, Doctor Strange confers with his manservant Wong about a threat coming to this realm. Great forces are work, taking care to hide their tracks from detection, and Strange admits that, as ever, mortals will be caught in between.

Meanwhile, in a seedy bar in New York City, mobster Jackie Estacado - also known as the demonically-powered being the Darkness - talks with his friend Butcher about his recent criminal charges being dropped in court. Their table is approached by Sara Pezzini and Danielle Baptiste, the former and current wielders of the Witchblade. Pezzini claims that their encounter is coincidence and ends their tense conversation by telling Dani that Estacado is "a bad guy but not a bad man". At that moment, the Ghost Rider crashes through the wall of the bar, declaring that vengeance will be his against Estacado. Jackie orders Butcher to get the two women out of the bar and then transforms into the Darkness. Ghost Rider says that while he escaped the law, Estacado will not escape him. While the two start to fight, one of the bar patrons collapse in pain - this patron is Bruce Banner, and the stress of the battle causes him to transform into the monstrous Hulk, who throws both the Rider and the Darkness into the street outside. Danielle then enters the fight, powered by the Witchblade, and saves Estacado from the Hulk. The two go back-to-back while the Hulk and the Ghost Rider charge from each side - the Rider pulls the Darkness away with his chains while the Hulk throws a car at Witchblade. As the battle progresses into more and more violence, Estacado and Baptiste are surprised when their attackers suddenly freeze in mid-air. Doctor Strange appears, and it was he who suspended the Hulk and Ghost Rider. The two monsters disappear, teleported away with erased memories by Strange. The Doctor tells Estacado and Baptiste that a war involving them both is coming and then fades away, leaving the two with more questions than answers.

Elsewhere, the headquarters of Cyberforce, a team of cybernetic heroes, is visited by the fiery woman in Strange's vision...