Cover Date: March 1976
On Sale Date: December 1975
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: George Tuska
Inker: Vince Colletta
Letterer: Irving Watanabe
Colorist: Phil Rache
Editor: Marv Wolfman
It didn't help, of course, that series creator and writer Tony Isabella was unable to write the series (I believe, if I remember correctly, due to him moving to a new home) this month. After the protracted first arc, which itself was a re-tooled Giant-Size Annual broken down into parts, it can perhaps be forgiven that it took this long for the series to have any sort of point. The real status quo of the series, the "heroes for the common man" angle, won't get set up until the next issue, so what was the point of this story exactly? The heroes had already been hanging out together for lack of anything better to do, but no real reason had been given as to why they would be. They'd served their initial purpose, namely stopping Pluto and saving Hercules, so why is Johnny Blaze coming back to hang out with this crew of people who would rather yell at one another than do anything productive?
Claremont does his best to answer that question with the introduction of Lansing and his mutates, though even that plot falls apart mid-issue. If Lansing had been operating in secret out of the hospital for all those years, why would he chance everything on killing the Champions? It's a stock Claremont trope that X-Men readers are all too familiar with, the "heroes are brainwashed into being evil" with a lot of mental manipulation and dominance overtones. It's frankly a bit trite and not very exciting, since any repercussions are obviously going to be resolved by the issue's end. Ghost Rider barely has a presence in this one and it's obvious his inclusion was an afterthought.
George Tuska and Vince Colletta do a solid job on the artwork, much better than their collaboration in the previous issue. Their Hercules and Black Widow look the best, with one strong and the other slender and agile during their action sequences, and it helps that those two characters get the most panel time. Ghost Rider by Tuska is always a delight, it's just too bad he only had such little attention paid to him.
This issue is easily forgettable and most likely a rush job to fill the pages until Isabella's return. It's not a bad comic, there's just not much of consequence happening.
Writer: Chris Claremont
Artist: George Tuska
Inker: Vince Colletta
Letterer: Irving Watanabe
Colorist: Phil Rache
Editor: Marv Wolfman
Cover Artist: Rich Buckler
During a walk on the beach, Black Widow and Hercules are attacked by an immensely strong opponent, who they quickly realize is actually an elderly mentally ill man. A group of guards approach to apprehend the old man, Billy, and when the two heroes attempt to stop them they too are captured. Hercules and Black Widow are brought to the San Marino State Hospital, where they are outfitted with restraints and brought before Dr. Edward Lansing, who has experimented on the patients of the hospital to create the beginnings of a race of "invincible warriors".
That night, Angel, Iceman, and Ivan Petrovitch are at the beach house worrying about their teammates. They are attacked by a brainwashed Hercules and Black Widow who, along with Lansing's men, mean to kill the Champions. Lansing himself is there, using a remote device to control the super soldiers and the two murderous heroes. Johnny Blaze arrives and transforms into the Ghost Rider, quickly joining the battle, but even he is unable to stop Hercules. Black Widow attempts to kill Ivan, but is able to free herself from the mental control in time to stop herself. She then takes down Lansing and destroys his control device, which frees the mutates who quickly turn against and kill Lansing. Hercules is enraged by the state of the mutates, but Angel calms him down by proposing they use their power to help innocent victims like the mutates.
During a walk on the beach, Black Widow and Hercules are attacked by an immensely strong opponent, who they quickly realize is actually an elderly mentally ill man. A group of guards approach to apprehend the old man, Billy, and when the two heroes attempt to stop them they too are captured. Hercules and Black Widow are brought to the San Marino State Hospital, where they are outfitted with restraints and brought before Dr. Edward Lansing, who has experimented on the patients of the hospital to create the beginnings of a race of "invincible warriors".
That night, Angel, Iceman, and Ivan Petrovitch are at the beach house worrying about their teammates. They are attacked by a brainwashed Hercules and Black Widow who, along with Lansing's men, mean to kill the Champions. Lansing himself is there, using a remote device to control the super soldiers and the two murderous heroes. Johnny Blaze arrives and transforms into the Ghost Rider, quickly joining the battle, but even he is unable to stop Hercules. Black Widow attempts to kill Ivan, but is able to free herself from the mental control in time to stop herself. She then takes down Lansing and destroys his control device, which frees the mutates who quickly turn against and kill Lansing. Hercules is enraged by the state of the mutates, but Angel calms him down by proposing they use their power to help innocent victims like the mutates.
 |
| Pretty much the extent of GR's appearance this issue. |
THE ROADMAP
Ghost Rider appeared last in Marvel Premiere (1972) # 28 and makes his next appearance in Ghost Rider (1973) # 17.
CHAIN REACTION
Chris Claremont steps in as guest-writer for this issue of the Champions, which by the end finally gets around to formally declaring the name of the team and their purpose together. How it took four issues to get to that point is beyond my understanding.
It didn't help, of course, that series creator and writer Tony Isabella was unable to write the series (I believe, if I remember correctly, due to him moving to a new home) this month. After the protracted first arc, which itself was a re-tooled Giant-Size Annual broken down into parts, it can perhaps be forgiven that it took this long for the series to have any sort of point. The real status quo of the series, the "heroes for the common man" angle, won't get set up until the next issue, so what was the point of this story exactly? The heroes had already been hanging out together for lack of anything better to do, but no real reason had been given as to why they would be. They'd served their initial purpose, namely stopping Pluto and saving Hercules, so why is Johnny Blaze coming back to hang out with this crew of people who would rather yell at one another than do anything productive?
Claremont does his best to answer that question with the introduction of Lansing and his mutates, though even that plot falls apart mid-issue. If Lansing had been operating in secret out of the hospital for all those years, why would he chance everything on killing the Champions? It's a stock Claremont trope that X-Men readers are all too familiar with, the "heroes are brainwashed into being evil" with a lot of mental manipulation and dominance overtones. It's frankly a bit trite and not very exciting, since any repercussions are obviously going to be resolved by the issue's end. Ghost Rider barely has a presence in this one and it's obvious his inclusion was an afterthought.
George Tuska and Vince Colletta do a solid job on the artwork, much better than their collaboration in the previous issue. Their Hercules and Black Widow look the best, with one strong and the other slender and agile during their action sequences, and it helps that those two characters get the most panel time. Ghost Rider by Tuska is always a delight, it's just too bad he only had such little attention paid to him.
This issue is easily forgettable and most likely a rush job to fill the pages until Isabella's return. It's not a bad comic, there's just not much of consequence happening.
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