Vengeance Unbound hits 700 reviews!

The review I posted today for Midnight Sons: Blood Hunt # 2 marks the 700th comic book review I've posted on this blog!  I've been working on this project for so many years off and on now that reaching a number that high shouldn't surprise me, but it still totally does. Thank you to every person who has supported VU by visiting, reading, and sending me feedback, I appreciate it so much! 

700 reviews, that's a lot of Ghost Rider, right Johnny?

You said it, man, you said it. 

I also want to thank all of the writers, artists, colorists, letterers, and editors who have created these comic books. They breathe life into the characters that I love and their stories have inspired me and countless other fans around the world. Ghost Rider has been my favorite fictional character since I was a kid reading about Danny Ketch in the early 1990s; hell, I named my son Johnny after the world's greatest stunt biker! Here's to many more years of amazing comic adventures for these awesome characters and I hope to be right here talking about them for a long time coming.

Midnight Sons: Blood Hunt (2024) # 2

Cover Date: August 2024; Publication Date: June 2024

Writer: Bryan Hill; Artist: German Peralta; Letterer: VC's Cory Petit; Colorist: Arthur Hesli; Editor: Will Moss; Editor in Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Ken Lashley

Victoria Montesi has a nightmare vision of a hospital in Chicago being engulfed in a wave of blood.  She wakes up in her cot at an airbase in Iraq, where she she and the other Midnight Sons have been making their plans to fight back against Blade. Vicki talks with Johnny Blaze and tells him that they need to go to Chicago before they deal with Blade, and Blaze admits that he had a similar nightmare about the hospital. Danny Ketch and Tulip then say that they each also had nightmares about the hospital, which forces them to conclude that they need to investigate. 

Later, at the hospital in Chicago, a nurse is attacked by a vampire. Ghost Rider arrives and intervenes, dragging the vampire out of the building behind his motorcycle. The nurse is comforted by the rest of the Midnight Sons while Ghost Rider destroys the vampire with his Penance Stare. The nurse tells them that strange things have been happening at the hospital for some time, but before she can explain they are attacked by Blade, who crashes through a window. Blaze uses his hellfire shotgun, which forces Blade to transform into a group of bats that fly out of the hospital. Vicki deduces that what they just witnessed wasn't actually Blade, but instead was a distraction to get them to leave the hospital. Using a knife, Vicki cuts her hand and bleeds onto the floor, revealing a large pentagram that she says is a doorway to Hell that they have to close.

Ghost Rider (1973) # 5

"And Vegas Writhes In Flame!"

Cover Date: April 1974

On Sale Date: January 1974

Writers: Marv Wolfman & Doug Moench
Artist: Jim Mooney
Inker: Sal Trapani
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: P. Goldberg
Editor: Roy Thomas

Cover Artist: Gil Kane

Roxanne Simpson is held at gunpoint by crooked stock-car promoter Dude Jensen, who had caught her eavesdropping on his plan to assassinate one of his drivers. Before he can shoot her, Jensen's lackey Slifer bursts into the trailer and tells him not to fire, because the area is swarming with police. Jensen laughs, and is then consumed by hellfire, transforming him into the demonic Roulette. He then transforms Slifer into his demonic form and sets the trailer on fire with a point of his finger. The two then teleport away, leaving Roxanne to burn to death in the trailer.

Elsewhere in Las Vegas, the Ghost Rider rides through the city in search of Rocky, but is surprised by the appearance of Roulette in the sky above him. The demon pelts Blaze with blasts of hellfire, but during his bid for escape, Johnny sees a vision of Roxanne trapped in the burning room. Roulette appears again, telling Johnny that he has to make a choice: save Roxanne, or stop him from burning down Vegas. Though he struggles with the choice momentarily, the derogatory remarks thrown out by the Vegas citizens quickly makes his choice for him. Blaze races off to rescue Roxanne, leaving Roulette to begin his assault on the city. The demon sets a large casino on fire, destroying it and killing many of the people inside. Johnny, meanwhile, makes it to the burning trailer and rides right through the wall, scooping up Rocky before plowing through the opposite wall and to safety. Before she can say anything, Johnny sets her down and races back into the city, determined to save it whether it deserves it or not.

Meanwhile, a group of casino owners talk about a note they each received, which says all of them will die and their casinos will be destroyed, signed by Roulette. They realize that Roulette and Dude Jensen are one and the same, recalling how the race promoter had lost twenty thousand dollars at one of the casinos. When he couldn't pay back what he'd lost, they took him into the desert and shot him, leaving his body dumped in a quarry. The Ghost Rider, elsewhere in the city, is then attacked again by Roulette, daring the biker to follow his trail. Blaze tracks the demon down to the desert, where he finds a huge castle floating on a platform of hellfire. Johnny jumps through the castle's doors, quickly finding Roulette in his throne room. Jensen tells his story to Blaze, revealing that after his body was dumped in the quarry he was brought back to life by none-other than Satan himself. He made a deal with the demon-lord, his return to life in exchange for destroying the Ghost Rider. Roulette then downs Johnny with a hellfire blast, then calls upon Satan for the power to destroy their enemy for all eternity. Satan appears and grants Jensen's request, pouring more power into his body. Johnny sees his opportunity, blasting Roulette with his own hellfire, essentially overloading the demon's body. Jensen explodes, leaving only a tattered robe and the victorious Ghost Rider.

Ghost Rider (1973) # 4

"Death Stalks the Demolition Derby"

Cover Date: February 1974

On Sale Date: November 1973

Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: Jim Mooney
Inker: Vince Colletta
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: P. Goldberg
Editor: Roy Thomas

Cover Artist: John Romita

On a deserted stretch of Nevada highway, the Ghost Rider is pursued by a fleet of police officers. Thinking he can lose the patrol cars, Johnny takes his hell-cycle off road, into the desert, but the police are one step ahead of him as they follow in a modified dune buggy. Riding onto a dead end at the top of a plateau, Blaze is forced to give himself up when the sun rises and he returns to his injured, human form. Meanwhile in Carson City, the Attorney General of the state talks to the sheriff that captured Blaze, telling him to make sure he gets the best of care. Roxanne Simpson is in the office with the A.G., and he offers to pardon Johnny for his crimes, as long as he accepts the deal he's laid out. Roxanne tells him that they'll do anything to make sure Blaze's name is cleared.

In Vegas, the bed-ridden Johnny is physically abused by the sheriff that arrested him, but is stopped by the famous stock car promoter, Dude Jensen. Dude offers Blaze a job for when he regains his help, promising to take care of his troubles with the law. The next day, Roxanne visits Johnny in the hospital, where he tells her that Dude Jensen got the charges against him dropped, and that he's going to go to work for him once he's better. Though she says nothing, Roxanne thinks to herself that Jensen is the man the Attorney General is after, but decides to remain silent until she talks to the A.G. first. As the two lovers talk, however, a jealous Linda Littletrees watches from the hallway, wishing she had Blaze for herself.

Two months later, a recovered Blaze is set to debut as the star of the Dude Jensen Demolition Derby in Las Vegas. Roxanne talks with the Attorney General, who tells her that they can't do anything against Jensen until they have evidence. Roxanne goes to Johnny's dressing room, where she finds him talking closely with Linda. Roxanne storms out, slapping Johnny for his effort. Linda then tries to move in, but Johnny tells her to get lost. As she leaves, he notices the sun setting, and undergoes the painful transformation into the Ghost Rider. Blaze creates his hellcycle and rides into the arena, joining the cars, and the demolition derby immediately begins.

Meanwhile, outside, a distraught Roxanne overhears Jensen telling a lackey to shoot the driver Red Thompson, due to the fact that Thompson is an independent driver that's costing his show a fortune. Before she can get to a phone to tell the Attorney General what she's learned, Roxanne is caught by the lackey. Back in the arena, Johnny has managed to survive the derby, but he soon finds himself in the sights of a car that's prepared to run him over. Before the car can hit him, however, Jensen's lackey fires a bullet into the driver's brain, causing him to swerve away and crash. The Ghost Rider chases down the sniper, and promptly fries him with hellfire. In his trailer, however, Jensen has Roxanne tied to a chair. She tells him that she's working for the Attorney General, to which Jensen replies by shoving a pistol in her face.

Ghost Rider Chronology: Part Four

Going into 2020, the character of Johnny Blaze was nearing his 50th anniversary since his creation back in 1972! So there were a good number of Ghost Rider projects around the start of the decade and there were lots of new and divergent iterations of the Spirits of Vengeance concept introduced, for better or for worse.  For the most part these characters were kept separate from each other, and we'll be following several threads that can for all intents and purposes be read independently until things start to merge together a few years later.

This is the section of the chronology that, for the time being, will see changes as new comics are released.  We've essentially caught up to the present day and as new material gets added this chronology will get updated.

Ultimate Avengers 2 (2010) # 3

"Crime & Punishment, Part 3"

On Sale Date: August 2010; Cover Date: October 2010

Writer: Mark Millar; Artist: Leinil Francis Yu; Inker: Gerry Alanguilan; Letterer: VC's Cory Petit; Colorist: Laura Martin; Assistant Editor: Sana Amanat; Editor: Mark Paniccia' Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada; Cover Artist: Leinil Francis Yu

Nick Fury has assembled his team of Avengers, including the "first Hulk" Tyrone Cash and the Punisher, and is going over the details of their target: a flaming-skulled biker who has graphically murdered a philanthropist, a software billionaire, and an oil magnate. Fury has no idea who the killer is working for but they believe he is a genetically altered mutant, and the White House has issued an execution order. When Frank Castle refuses to participate, Black Widow electrocutes him by triggering a neural implant hidden inside his head. This convinces Castle to stay in line as part of the team.

Later, at the estate of the deceased oil magnate, James Rhodes and Tyrone Cash are investigating the corpse, which has been petrified by the Ghost Rider's Penance Stare. They learn that the only connection between the victims is that all of them were in the White House Biker Corps, an exclusive club where rich guys meet up for a charity bike ride. They also find one survivor at the magnate's house, a personal assistant wearing a holy cross around his neck.

At Chicago O'Hare Airport, a white-haired man is working a crossword puzzle with the descriptions of the murdered victims written in the puzzle spaces. Outside on the airfield, Hawkeye leads a SHIELD squad with the Punisher, waiting for another member of the Biker Corps to arrive, a property tycoon named Mr. Warren. As the plane begins the land, the Ghost Rider drives up the field and jumps his bike through the plane itself, grabbing Warren as he blasts through. The plane explodes while the Rider lands on the ground and speeds off with Warren. Hawkeye pulls out a rocket launcher and fires it at the escaping Ghost Rider, blasting the creature off of his bike. Hawkeye, Punisher, and SHIELD then move in to capture their target.

Ghost Rider (1973) # 3

"Wheels On Fire"

Cover Date: December 1973

On Sale Date: September 1973

Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: Jim Mooney
Inker: John Tartag
Letterer: Tom Orzechowski
Colorist: George Roussos
Editor: Roy Thomas

Cover Artist: John Romita

Following their rescue from Satan, the Ghost Rider and the unconscious Witch Woman are dropped off in the desert by Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan. Johnny protests that Hellstrom is leaving them to die a hundred miles from civilization, but the Son of Satan leaves them stranded regardless. Linda Littletrees awakens, her soul now free from Satan's influence, and Blaze tells her that they're stranded in the desert. Linda attempts to use her powers to save them, but finds them gone now that her soul has been freed. Johnny tells her that he'll die once the sun comes up, due to the injuries he endured in his human form. Linda tells him that he still has his powers, and with her help he can learn to harness them. Under Linda's guidance, Johnny concentrates and creates a flaming motorcycle from a stream of hellfire. Linda tells him that he must hurry, for the cycle will only exist until he reverts back to Blaze's form, and that she can't ride the bike because she no longer has her Satanic powers - to her, the bike wouldn't exist. So Blaze rides off into the desert, promising to make it to a town and find help for her.

Johnny rides for hours through the desert, desperately looking for signs of civilization. Finally he sees a freeway, with a city just beyond, and he increases his speed to reach it in time. As Blaze rides onto the freeway, however, dawn rises behind him - triggering his transformation back into his injured normal body. As he transforms, the hellfire cycle disappears beneath him, causing him to tumble viciously onto the highway, causing a massive wreck of cars in his wake. As police approach the scene of the accident, Johnny lays unconscious on the concrete. A few miles distant, Roxanne Simpson runs for her life after she, too, had been abandoned in the desert. She sees a light coming down the road, and her heart jumps with hope that she's been rescued - but instead she finds Big Daddy Dawson, her pursuer, bearing down on her. Roxanne attempts to run again, but her legs are caught by Dawson's chain. He captures her again and takes her back to his hideout.

The next evening, Johnny awakens from a nightmare and finds himself in a hospital, watched over by doctors and the police. Dawson reads about Johnny's hospitalization in the newspaper and decides to ransom off the kidnapped Roxanne to him. As night falls, Johnny finds himself transforming once again into the Ghost Rider, and he easily escapes the hospital. He leaves the entrance to the building just as Dawson pulls up with Roxanne, catching the biker by surprise. When Dawson realizes that his bullets are ineffectual against the demonic Ghost Rider, he leaves Roxanne behind and flees on his motorcycle. Blaze again creates his flaming cycle and takes chase, following Dawson onto a crowded highway. Johnny blasts Dawson with hellfire, but accidentally sends his enemy crashing into a truck, killing Dawson and causing another massive wreck that injures countless innocent drivers. In shock, Johnny hears the approaching police sirens and decides to run - to where, he doesn't know.

Marvel Spotlight (1972) # 12

"The Son of Satan!"

Cover Date: October 1973; On Sale Date: July 1973

Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artist: Herb Trimpe; Inker: Frank Chiaremonte; Letterer: John Costanza; Colorist: John Severin; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Herb Trimpe

 

Locked in a cabin at the Indian reservation, a manic Daimon Hellstrom pounds on the door to his prison, promising that he can save the life of Linda Littletrees. Despite the fact that Hellstrom had told them not to release him until morning, no matter how much he pleaded, Sam Silvercloud and Snake Dance open the door and free the man, only to Daimon transformed into the Son of Satan! Garbed in a red cape, golden trident in hand and a pentagram tattooed on his chest, the demon spawn tells the Indians that while by day he is the meek Hellstrom, by night he becomes his father's son, whose elemental trident can produce blasts of searing hellfire. Hellstrom demands to know Linda's whereabouts, sure that she has been possessed by his father. When the two men refuse to tell him, the Son of Satan raises his trident in the air, causing a ferocious thunderstorm. From the clouds, a mystical chariot descends, drawn by two demonic horses. Daimon jumps aboard the chariot and leaves the Indians, determined to find Linda Littletrees.

Meanwhile, in the remote desert, Roxanne Simpson finds herself at the mercy of Big Daddy Dawson and his biker gang after the disappearance of Linda and the Ghost Rider. Before the men can injure the young girl, the Son of Satan appears, demanding to know where Linda and Blaze have gone. Hellstrom quickly defeats the bikers, causing them to run away without Dawson, whom the devil scion has blasted with his trident. Daimon then attacks Roxanne, demanding to know where his father has gone. She tells him that the Witch Woman disappeared with the Ghost Rider, though she doesn't know where they went. Hellstrom knows, however, and departs, abandoning Roxanne once again to the desert.

The Son of Satan makes his way to a desert plateau in the desert, in which is a cavern that doubles as a gateway to Hell itself. He descends into the netherrealm, and when he reaches his father's throne room, finds Satan and his two captives, Linda Littletrees and Johnny Blaze. Not pleased at seeing his son, Satan commands his demon hordes to destroy him, but Hellstrom fights on, destroying the demons with his power. He makes his way to a bridge high above the floor, a bridge that supports the weight of the entire roof of Hell. Daimon threatens to destroy the bridge, thus destroying Hell, unless Satan allows him, Linda, and Blaze safe passage back to Earth. Satan agrees, realizing he has no choice, and Daimon takes the two captives back to Earth. Realizing that the sun is about to come up, and with it a reversion back to his normal self, Daimon sets down his chariot in the desert and leaves Blaze and the unconscious Linda, despite the fact that the two would most likely die. Daimon flies away, stating that their lives are of little consequence to him.

Ghost Rider (1973) # 2

"Shake Hands With Satan!"

Cover Date: October 1973; On Sale Date: July 1973

Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artist: Jim Mooney; Inker: Syd Shores; Letterer: C. Jetter; Colorist: L. Lessmann; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Gil Kane

Still on the road after fleeing from Copperhead Canyon, Johnny keeps experiencing visions of Slade's fiery crash. Roxanne attempts to help him, but Blaze instead loses all hope in their situation. Stopping the truck, Johnny gets out and screams for Satan to come claim his soul, that he's tired of running. As if on command, Linda Littletrees, the Witch Woman, appears in the sky.

Back at the Apache reservation, Daimon Hellstrom has arrived to try and help Linda. Realizing that night would soon be upon them, Daimon asks Sam to bind him and lock him in a room. They are not to release him until morning, no matter how he may plead later on.

In the desert, Linda agrees to take Johnny to Satan, but also decides to take Roxanne as well. Before anything can happen, the scene is interrupted by the roar of motorcycle engines. A biker gang, led by Big Daddy Dawson, surround the three. Linda snaps her fingers and teleports herself and Johnny away, leaving Roxanne in the hands of Dawson.

At the reservation, a hysterical Hellstrom demands that they unlock his door, for if they don't then Linda shall surely die. When Sam opens the door, he sees that Daimon has changed into something horrific. Linda and Johnny, meanwhile, arrive in Hell, where the woman reveals herself to actually be Satan in disguise. His demons hold Johnny down, but the Hell lord is interrupted by some unseen person before he can take Blaze's soul.

Ghost Rider (1973) # 1

"A Woman Possessed!"

Cover Date: September 1973; On Sale Date: June 1973

Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artist: Tom Sutton; Inker: Syd Shores; Letterer: John Costanza; Colorist: George Roussos; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Gil Kane

Following his encounter with Linda Littletrees, the Witch Woman, Blaze races back toward the hospital where he left Roxanne. He encounters a police barricade, which he breaks through easily. Immediately afterwards, however, one of the officers shoots him in the shoulder, causing him to wipe out on his bike.

Meanwhile, Linda has fallen into a strange coma. Her fiancé, Sam Silvercloud, and father, the man once called Snake Dance, are unable to wake her up, realizing that her soul has been stolen by Satan. Sam, unwilling to let his loved one die, dials a number out of a newspaper. The number is for an occult exorcist named Daimon Hellstrom, who agrees to fly to Arizona immediately to help Linda. Back at the hospital, Johnny's road manager, Bart Slade, tells Roxanne that he plans to make the jump over the canyon in Blaze's stead. Elsewhere, Linda is approached by Satan, who takes possession of her body and flees toward the city in search of Blaze.

Night falls, prompting the hospitalized Johnny to transform into the Ghost Rider. With his injuries surprisingly healed in his demon form, Blaze escapes from the hospital and heads for the canyon. He arrives just in time to see Slade attempt the jump, unable to do nothing but watch as his friend crashes into the canyon wall. Blaze hurriedly scoops up the fainted Roxanne, and the two escape in a pickup truck. Back at the reservation, Hellstrom arrives to help Linda.