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.

Ghost Rider (2019) # 7

"Hearts of Darkness II, Part 3"

Cover Date: September 2020; On Sale Date: July 2020

Writer: Ed Brisson; Artist: Aaron Kuder; Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna; Colorist: Jason Keith; Editor: Chris Robinson; Senior Editor: Jordan D. White; Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Aaron Kuder

On the street outside of the Sanctum Sanctorum, a fully demonized Johnny Blaze confronts the defeated Dr. Strange. This is witnessed by one of Lilith's children, who allows Lilith to see the events through their eyes. Lilith puts out a call to the demons in Manhattan to join her by killing Blaze and his captive, Mephisto. Blaze, fully corrupted by the demons he's sent back to hell with his Damnation Stare, prepares to kill Dr. Strange, but is stopped by a hail of bullets. Danny Ketch has arrived with Wolverine, the Punisher, and the Caretaker, and Danny transforms into the Spirit of Corruption. While Danny and Johnny fight, the other three are left to defend Mephisto and Dr. Strange from the incoming demon horde. Johnny quickly gets the upper hand in the fight, beating Danny mercilessly; but before he can finish the battle Danny stabs him in the chest with his sword, incapacitating him. This gives Dr. Strange the opportunity to exorcise Johnny of the demonic corruption that is influencing him, returning him to his human form. Johnny hugs Danny and thanks him for saving him from the demonic corruption, but promises that he isn't done with his mission. Johnny transforms back into the Ghost Rider and rides away with Mephisto dragging along behind him, stating that they still have to face Lilith.

Later, at the Fadeaway Bar, Danny and the Caretaker enter to find both Emma and Stacy Dolan held captive by Blackheart. The Son of Mephisto states that Danny will join him against Lilith or everyone he holds dear will die.

Ghost Rider (2019) # 4

"The King of Hell, Part 4"

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

Writer: Ed Brisson; Artist: Aaron Kuder & Juan Frigeri; Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna; Colorist: Jason Keith; Editor: Chris Robinson; Senior Editor: Jordan D. White; Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Aaron Kuder

At the Caretaker's library in Brooklyn, Sister Sara opens up a portal to Limbo. She tells Danny that he must find Belasco and ask for the aid of Necrosis, a being powerful enough to defeat Johnny Blaze as the King of Hell. Danny steps through the portal and emerges in Limbo, told before he goes that Belasco will find him.

Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, Blaze and Wong defend the Hotel Inferno from a horde of attacking demons that are determined to free Mephisto. When the demons are defeated, Blaze goes to get Mephisto himself but is stopped by Wong, who tells him that Mephisto cannot leave his prison. Johnny defeats Wong and gives him the Penance Stare before entering the hotel and finding Mephisto. Desperate for information about Hell and the escaped demons, Blaze frees Mephisto and wraps him chains, dragging him out of the hotel behind his motorcycle.

Back in Limbo, Danny finds Belasco and entreats on him for assistance. Belasco laughs and tells him that if he wants help from Necrosis he must first defeat the creature in battle. Danny fights valiantly but is quickly overwhelmed by Necrosis until Belasco intervenes, beheading Necrosis himself. Belasco then uses Necrosis' blood to infect Danny, transforming him into a new Spirit of Corruption.

Incoming! (2019) # 1

"Incoming!"

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

Writer: Ed Brisson; Artist: Aaron Kuder; Letterer: VC's Travis Lanham; Colorist: Michael Garland; Editor: Tom Brevoort; Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Patrick Gleason

Johnny Blaze arrives in Las Vegas and confronts a group of demons that are preparing to invade the Hotel Inferno and free their master, Mephisto. Blaze kills the demons and is then confronted by Wong, who demands to know why Johnny is there. Blaze tells Wong to stand aside, as he's come to take Mephisto himself.

Ghost Rider (2019) # 2

"The King of Hell, Part 2"

Cover Date: January 2020; On Sale Date: November 2019

Writer: Ed Brisson; Artist: Aaron Kuder w/ Craig Yeung, John Lucas, & Luciano Vecchio; Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna; Colorist: Jason Keith; Editor: Chris Robinson; Senior Editor: Jordan D. White; Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Aaron Kuder

In New York City, Johnny Blaze finds and tortures a demon, demanding to know the whereabouts of the other escapees from Hell. At the Fadeaway Pub, Danny Ketch is awakened by Stacy Dolan, who is investigating the death of one of the bar's regular patrons and the eyewitness reports of a "man with a flaming skull". Danny insists that he wasn't responsible for the patron's death and Stacy asks him to help find out who killed him. In Hell, the demon tortured by Blaze is rescued from his punishment by Lilith, who applauds the demon for leading Blaze right where she wants him to go.

On a boat at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal, Blaze is in the process of killing the Hell escapees, who have taken over the bodies of innocent people. He uses his Damnation Stare to send the demons back to Hell, but to everyone else it appears that he is just killing normal people. Stacy arrives with the police outside and calls Danny, who quickly transforms into the Ghost Rider and races to the cruise ship. He arrives in time to stop Johnny from killing another demon and the fight leads outside, where a demon has possessed the body of the SWAT Team leader. Sensing the demon's presence, Johnny kills the police officer and then rides off, pursued by Danny. Atop the Brooklyn Bridge, Johnny gets the upper hand over Danny and strips him of the Spirit of Vengeance before dumping his body in the river.

Ghost Rider (2006) # 30

"Last Stand of the Spirits of Vengeance, Part 3"

Cover Date: February 2009
On Sale Date: December 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: Arthur Suydam

In Japan, a young man named Yoshio Kannabe races his motorcycle to a cemetery, where he finds his elderly Caretaker dead by his own hand. Danny Ketch is there as well, to steal the power of yet another Ghost Rider. Kannabe transforms into the Yokai-Raida and attacks Ketch, who also transforms into a Spirit of Vengeance. Ketch grabs Yoshio by the throat and sucks away his power, causing the boy to scream in pain. Two hours later, Johnny Blaze and Sister Sara, accompanied by the Islamic Ghost Rider Molek and the Chinese Ghost Rider Bai Gu Jing, arrive at the graveyard too late to catch Danny. They find Yoshio powerless and trembling amongst the stones, another victim of Zadkiel. Blaze thinks that the boy is better off, still shaken by his own confrontation with Danny weeks before. Molek tells Sara that there are still two remaining Ghost Riders that they must find.

Unbeknownst to them, Ketch is watching from above, where he communicates with Zadkiel, who has taken the form of a dove. He appeases Ketch's conscience by telling him that the hosts of the Spirits of Vengeance must be saved before their power consumes them. Zadkiel, in the midst of laying siege to Heaven's gates, pauses his conversation with Danny to slaughter his way through the Asura, angel assassins. He then sends Daniel a legion of his Black Host angels to assist him against the Ghost Riders.

Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, former host to a Spirit of Vengeance Michael Badilino is visited by Kowalski, a disgraced cop that is seeking revenge on the Ghost Rider. Badilino possesses Blaze's old hellfire shotgun, which was recovered from the ruins of the Caretaker's shack in Tennessee. Badilino has been unable to get the gun to work, but when he hands it to Kowalski the gun fires a blast of hellfire through the wall. Kowalski pays Badilino and says that he has a boat to catch and a Ghost Rider to hunt.

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.

Ghost Rider (2006) # 25

"God Don't Live on Cell Block D, Part 2"

Cover Date: September 2008
On Sale Date: July 2008

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Tan Eng Huat
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Jose Villarrubia
Editor: Aubrey Sitterson
Executive Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada

Cover Artist: Marko Djurdevic

Bob, the prison guard who is also a servant of Zadkiel, has released the murderous Deacon from his cell with orders to kill the Ghost Rider. To help him, Bob gives the Deacon a vial containing the Elixir of the Rock of Etam, one sip of which will grant him the strength of Samson, and a pair of giant golden daggers.

On Cell Block D, Blaze speaks with the preacher responsible for gunning down his parish. The preacher tells him he had been recruited by the First Church of the New Dawn, which he later learned was brainwashing people to serve in the army of Zadkiel. When he discovered this, the preacher took out a machine gun during a Sunday sermon and killed everyone inside. Blaze tells him he's there because a group of Satanists he roused in Denver gave him the preacher's name. The preacher admits that he made a deal with the Satanists; the Devil gets his soul and in return he's granted protection from Zadkiel's assassins and when he dies he won't have to go to Heaven. The preacher tells Blaze that Zadkiel is working to consolidate the powers of the Spirits of Vengeance, then realizes that Blaze himself is one of the Spirits. Before the preacher can say anything else, the Deacon comes up from behind and decapitates him. The Deacon makes quick work of the Satanists, then turns his attention to Blaze, who has transformed into the Ghost Rider. The two begin to fight, and Blaze is immediately injured by the Deacon's golden daggers. The Deacon gets the upper hand and throws Blaze through a wall into the prison's chapel; but when he gets close enough, Blaze grabs the Deacon and gives him the Penance Stare. Unbelievably, the Stare has no effect on the man, and he promptly stabs Blaze in the stomach. He explains that the Stare didn't work because he doesn't feel guilty for any of the lives he's taken; sin deserves to be punished and sinners must be made to repent. Blaze, nearly defeated, lays on his back and grabs the object nearest to him as a shield: the chapel's large, hard-bound Bible. The Deacon stops and demands Blaze to drop the book, saying “the Bible is not a weapon”. Johnny then uses the heavy book to hit the Deacon in the face, and continues to beat the madman senseless with the Bible. As he pummels his enemy, Blaze shouts over and over for the Deacon to tell him how to get to Zadkiel, until he finally notices that he's beat the man into unconsciousness. Blaze turns to leave, not noticing Bob the guard looking on, gun placed to his head in order to join his master Zadkiel.

Blaze staggers through the prison, unable to change back to his human form because his massive injuries would kill him. That means the Ghost Rider is calling the shots now, the Spirit of Vengeance crying out for the blood of the innocent to be avenged. At that moment, the Ghost Rider enters into a large group of rioting prisoners.

Eight minutes later, when the guards in riot gear break into the prison block, they find all of the prisoners laying on the floor and a huge hole blown out of the ground. In the cemetery outside, Ghost Rider blasts out from underground on his motorcycle and silently rides away toward the sunrise.

Ghost Rider (2006) # 24

"God Don't Live on Cell Block D, Part 1"

Cover Date: August 2008
On Sale Date: June 2008

Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Tan Eng Huat
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Jose Villarrubia
Editors: Aubrey Sitterson & Daniel Ketchum
Executive Editor: Axel Alonso
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada

Cover Artist: Marko Djurdjevic

Two years ago, police raid the First Church of the New Dawn after getting a report of shots fired. When they enter the church they find the entire congregation slaughtered in the pews. The man responsible is the church's priest, who tells them its not his fault - that the angels made him do it.

In the present, at Waxahachie Maximum Security Prison, a prisoner named Moss is put into a solitary confinement cell by the guards. To the surprise of all, Moss points out that there's someone else in the cell with him: Johnny Blaze. While the guard try to get the door open, Moss threatens Blaze, who Johnny points out is a murderer and rapist. He grabs Moss's face and engulfs him in hellfire, burning the killer's soul. When the startled guard enters the cell, Blaze tells him that its taking every bit of willpower he's got to keep control over the Spirit of Vengeance, which would like nothing more than to send every inmate in the prison to Hell. He tells the guard to go get the warden, otherwise he may just have to let go of the reins on the thing inside him. Meanwhile, elsewhere in the prison, a guard named Bob talks with an unseen spirit and uncovers the mark of Zadkiel on his chest.

Back in the cell, the prison's warden arrives to talk to Blaze. Johnny asks the warden if he's read the Bible much, then asks if he knows how many people God kills in the Bible. Adding up all of the floods and plagues and fires, God kills millions while the big scary Devil's body count comes to a paltry ten. That raises a big question: between Heaven and Hell, which one should they really be afraid of? The warden then says that any man crazy enough to break into his prison ought to be welcome to stay there, and they lock Blaze in the cell. Elsewhere in the hospital, Bob the guard goes into the control room and incapacitates two of his fellow guards, then by order from Zadkiel he opens all the cells in the prison.

Blaze busts down the door of his cell, tapping into as little of the Ghost Rider's power as possible for fear of the Spirit of Vengeance taking control and burning everything around him to the ground. It would be so easy for him to be the Ghost Rider and nothing else, but to do so would kill whatever's left of Johnny Blaze's soul. When he enters the prisoner ward, he sees a full blown riot taking place. After getting directions from an inmate, Blaze makes his way to Cell Block D, where he's confronted by a group of Satanists who want revenge on Blaze for his earlier defeat of their master Lucifer. Before they can do anything, a voice tells them to back off - their leader recognizes Blaze as someone who has had his life destroyed by the angels. The inmate takes down his hood and reveals himself to be the priest responsible for the church massacre two years earlier. He tells Blaze that if he's here seeking his help against Zadkiel then he's a fool who's likely doomed them all to a horrifying death.

In another part of the prison, specifically Cell 17 of Solitary Confinement, Bob the guard comes up on two coworkers who are guarding a very special prisoner. Bob kills his fellow guards and unlocks the door. Inside is a massive brute of a man known only as the Deacon, who asks Bob if he is a disciple of the New Dawn. When Bob replies that he is, the Deacon asks for his rifle and the names of those who need to be killed.

Avengers (2018) # 50

"An Earth Unlike Any Other (Just Like All the Rest)"

Cover Date: February 2022

On Sale Date: December 2021

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Aaron Kuder, Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Fonteriz, Ed McGuiness, & Javier Garron

Colorist: Alex Sinclair, David Curiel, Matt Hollingsworth, & Rachelle Rosenberg

Letterer: VC's Cory Petit

Assistant Editor: Martin Biro

Associate Editor: Alanna Smith

Editor: Tom Brevoort

Editor in Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Cover Artist: Ed McGuiness

1,000,000 years ago, the Prehistoric Avengers are assisted by a time-traveling Ka-Zar in defeating a child version of Thanos, who is driven back into the timestream. The battle is observed by Mephisto and an alternate version of Doctor Doom, who calls himself Doom Supreme. Mephisto talks with Doom about eliminating the root cause of superhumans at the dawn of time across the multiverse, prompting Doom to go about assembling his team.

Following the events of "World War She-Hulk", a severely depleted team of Avengers meet inside Avengers Mountain. During an argument about new recruits, Robbie Reyes interrupts to ask his fellow Avengers for a favor; he's been having nightmares where he wakes up mid-transformation and he is afraid something is going to happen to him and leave his brother Gabe with no one to look after him. Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, and Captain America all swear to look after Gabe like he's one of their family, which causes Robbie to tear up.

Doom Supreme returns to Mephisto after gathering his team, and Mephisto tells him that the Earth of dimension 616 must be saved for last. Doom agrees and begins to systematically slaughter the prehistoric heroes of alternate earths, beginning with Earth 818, alongside his Multiversal Masters of Evil.

Later, Black Panther sits with Robbie in the Hell Charger to discuss the nightmares he's been having of other Ghost Riders being killed. Namor the Sub-Mariner arrives with a Deathlok, a cyborg from the future with a warning for the Avengers. When he gets in his presence, Deathlok registers that Robbie is an Omni-Avenger and the two teleport away. They reappear on Earth 818, which is now ruled by the Black Skull and his army of War Machines. Robbie grabs a chainsaw and transforms into the Ghost Rider to attack a group of the War Machines. Meanwhile, Doom Supreme and his Masters of Evil arrive in the present day of Earth 616, hunting for the Deathloks that have come to warn the Avengers.

Ghost Rider (2019) # 1

"The King of Hell, Part 1"

Cover Date: December 2019
On Sale Date: October 2019

Writer: Ed Brisson
Artist: Aaron Kuder
Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Jason Keith
Editor: Chris Robinson

Senior Editor: Jordan D. White
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Cover Artist: Aaron Kuder

In Hell, a group of demons loyal to Mephisto open a portal to Earth. They are attacked by Johnny Blaze, the King of Hell, and his demon soldiers, but some of the escaping demons make it through the portal to possess new human bodies. Leaving his lieutenant D'Kay behind to guard the portal, Blaze travels to Earth himself to hunt down the escapees.

In Brooklyn, at the Fadeaway Pub, Danny Ketch gets in a fight with two men, which is interrupted by a visit from his ex girlfriend, police detective Stacy Dolan. Danny tells her not to worry about him, and after she leaves he goes out back and transforms into the Ghost Rider. He finds not only a giant rampaging demon but also his brother, Johnny Blaze. Danny kills the demon by riding down its throat and turning it inside out. Meanwhile, back in Hell, D'Kay is killed by Lilith.

At the Fadeaway, Johnny asks Danny to help him round up the escaped demons. Danny refuses, saying he just wants to be left alone. Blaze notices one of the patrons leaving, then chides Danny before leaving the bar himself. While Danny goes to the cemetery to visit his mother's grave and get drunk, Blaze follows the man from the bar back to his apartment. Johnny attacks the man, revealing him to be a demon before sending him to He'll. Danny is visited by his mother's ghost, who tells her son that Johnny has been corrupted by Hell and must be stopped.

"The Caretaker Chronicles"

Writer: Ed Brisson
Artist: Juan Frigeri
Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna
Colorist: Jason Keith
Editor: Chris Robinson
Senior Editor: Jordan D. White
Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Sister Sara, the granddaughter of the Caretaker and inheritor of his mantle, rides through the desert, following a psychic summoning. She arrives at a cave, where she finds a library of books similar to her grandfather's.  She touches one of the books and experiences a vision of things to come involving the Ghost Riders.

Danny is perpetually having "one of those days".

THE ROADMAP

Danny Ketch/Ghost Rider made his last appearance in Absolute Carnage: Symbiote of Vengeance # 1, when Johnny Blaze asked him to help Alejandra Jones.  Danny failed and Alejandra was killed by Carnage during the events of that issue.

Johnny Blaze became the King of Hell in Damnation: Johnny Blaze - Ghost Rider # 1 and last appeared in Avengers (2018) # 25.

Stacy Dolan, Danny's ex-girlfriend, first appeared in Ghost Rider (1990) # 1 and was a regular supporting character throughout that series.  She last appeared in Marvel Comics Presents (2007) # 12.  Danny's mother, Audra Ketch, also first appeared in Ghost Rider (1990) # 1 and she made her last appearance in Ghost Rider (1990) # 90.  She apparently died not long before this issue.

Blaze's lieutenant in Hell, D'Kay, first appeared in Marvel Comics Presents (1988) # 116.  He last appeared in Iron Fist (2017) # 80.  He is killed in this issue by Lilith, who first appeared in Ghost Rider (1990) # 28 and appeared last in Witches (2004) # 4.

Sister Sara first appeared in Ghost Rider (2006) # 26 and became the new Caretaker in Ghost Rider (2006) # 27 when she touched her grandfather's books about the history of the Spirits of Vengeance.  She last appeared in Ghost Riders: Heaven's On Fire (2009) # 6.

This issue also has a "Legacy Numbering" that factors in all previous issues of Ghost Rider through various reboots over the years, with this issue clocking in at # 237.

Those chains look freaking PAINFUL.

CHAIN REACTION

Danny Ketch rides back into his first ongoing series since the 1990s and it is a glorious sight to behold.

To say that this comic was eagerly anticipated by Ghost Rider fans is a bit of an understatement, and it's a rare case of Marvel hedging their bets and actually providing some excitement and buildup for Danny Ketch's return.  With all of the focus on Johnny Blaze over the last 20 years it seemed like Marvel had forgotten that Danny Ketch's 1990s series was the most successful that the Ghost Rider character has EVER been.  Now, I'm sure no one expected this series to sell like its predecessor, which was one of the most popular comics of its time, so allowing the creators to slowly build interest in the series over the previous year was very smart.  With the Avengers series doing a concurrent Ghost Rider story and the previous appearances of Ketch throughout the Marvel Universe (Absolute Carnage, Punisher, etc...), it looked like Marvel was really serious about making this book a success.  It was a huge sea change from when Marvel cancelled the last Ghost Rider series after five issues, with its sixth already solicited and never published.  Marvel was confident about Ghost Rider, and specifically Danny Ketch, as a character again.

They also couldn't have picked a better writer to handle this series than Ed Brisson (other than Howard Mackie coming back, of course), who has guided Danny through his appearances in the prior year and made him a compelling lead character.  Brisson's first issue of this series is brimming with nods to past Ghost Rider continuity, just as his previous stories were, and it's like a nod toward everyone else who grew up with the 1990s Ghost Rider.  He's also writing a Danny Ketch that's spot-on, updating him from his 90s personality by incorporating the slightly dodgy stuff that Jason Aaron and Simon Spurrier did with him in 2008.  Nothing has been disregarded, Brisson's Ketch is a fascinating integration of those two interpretations of the character.  He's put upon and downbeat, and in comparison to his more successful (I say in quotes) brother he's not really much of a Ghost Rider at all.

Which is where this newest look at Johnny Blaze comes into play as the King of Hell.  We've seen Johnny in this role during the previous year, specifically in the "Challenge of the Ghost Riders" arc in Avengers that was eagerly painting him as a villain.  It's a natural consequence to ruling Hell, I'd assume, that he'd go just a little corrupt.  At least here he seems to have pure motives until the end, but his bullying toward Danny is pretty par for the course considering their tumultuous history as brothers.  In fact, it's an interest inversion of their last major encounter, when Danny was the one that had been corrupted and overpowered by Zadkiel.  So having Johnny be the one in power and looking down on Danny is a great role reversal that I'm sure Brisson will likely flag up in coming issues.

The artwork for this comic, oh sweet Jesus the artwork, is by Aaron Kuder.  I'm familiar with Kuder's work in passing for his Guardians of the Galaxy and Action Comics runs, but not because I read those titles, just from cover art alone.  I wasn't prepared for how much I enjoyed his art here, it is absolutely on point for every panel of every page.  His work reminds me a lot of a toned down Frank Quitely, with his lanky and haggard figures and texture of the environments.  His panel compositions and action staging is impeccable, especially the pages with Ghost Rider fighting the giant demon.

Overall, I could not be more satisfied with this comic. It absolutely lived up to my expectations and I cannot wait to see what happens next. Highest possible recommendation.