Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 19

"Hell On Earth"

Cover Date: November 1995; On Sale Date: September 1995

Writer: Len Kaminski; Artist: Ashley Wood; Inker: Jim Daly; Letterer: Richard Starkings and Comicraft; Colorist: Christie Scheele w/ Violent Hues; Editor: Joey Cavalieri; Editor in Chief: Bobbie Chase; Cover Artist: Ashley Wood

L-Cypher has taken control of Thrillsville, a holographic theme park, and has transformed into a literal representation of Hell. While SHIELD watches from a camera feed, Ghost Rider is confronted by the Arch-Fiends, humans corrupted by L-Cypher to be his followers. The five beings - named Reaper, Pyre, Serpentine, Shambler, and Misery - are absolutely devoted to their master and quickly attack the Ghost Rider. L-Cypher watches and muses about how he has used the park's solidigram programs to make himself a solid body, and how the Ghostworks created and then locked him away on the Internet.  While he was imprisoned he came up with the plan he is now implementing, and the transformation of the Arch-Fiends are but the first step.

Meanwhile, Kabal's group of mercenaries are engaged in a firefight at the Vault of Forbidden Sciences.  They grab what items they can and escape, prompting the guardian of the vault to contact Kellerman at D/Monix to report the break-in.  While Kellerman is pleased that his forced compliance to President Doom does not mandate him to relinquish control of the vault, he is unaware that the battle broke the seals on a chamber that houses a collection of severed heads in cryogenic storage that have come back to awareness.

Back in Thrillsville, the Ghost Rider continues his fight against the Arch-Fiends. Elsewhere in Transverse City, Dr. Neon is contacted by the mysterious hacker that is determined to destroy the Ghost Rider and a partnership is forged between the two. Kabal's mercenaries report back to him about the fiasco at the vault, and he assumes that they were betrayed by Anesthesia Jones. Finally, Synergy is visited in SHIELD custody by Heartbreaker, who kills him out of revenge.  Ghost Rider loses his battle against the Arch-Fiends, and his damaged body is brought to L-Cypher.

Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 18

"Chthonic Park"

Cover Date: October 1995; On Sale Date: August 1995

Writer: Len Kaminski; Artist: Ashley Wood; Inker: Jim Daly; Letterer: Richard Starkings and Comicraft; Colorist: Christie Scheele w/ Malibu; Editor: Joey Cavalieri; Editor in Chief: Bobbie Chase; Cover Artist: Ashley Wood

The holographic entertainment complex Thrillsville has been taken over by L-Cypher, a digital entity that had been imprisoned on the internet by the Ghostworks and has now escaped. Thrillsville has been transformed into a simulation of Hell and has repelled all of SHIELD's attempts at entrance to save the hundreds of innocent victims inside. Ghost Rider arrives at SHIELD's request and enters the complex, only to be met by the demonic Cyberus. Ghost Rider easily destroys Cyberus, recognizing the solidogram technology as coming from the Ghostworks, who are watching the events unfold. Meanwhile, the person responsible for releasing L-Cypher intercepts a message on the net from Doctor Neon, who is attempting to tell SHIELD Ghost Rider's true identity of Zero Cochrane. 

At the secret Vault of Forbidden Science, Kabal's infiltration team consisting of Coda, Ice-9, and Warp Angel arrive to loot the facility of 20th century technology. The vault's cybernetic guard wakes up and unleashes a squad of cyborgs to kill the intruders. Kabal, in radio contact, deduces that their detection means they have been betrayed by a member of the Undernet. Back at Thrillsville, in the center control room L-Cypher experiments on people, splicing them with bits of his own source code to create monsters.  Ghost Rider fights his way through various demons until he is confronted by L-Cypher's personal servants, the Archfiends. 

Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 17

"Prodigal Son"

Cover Date: September 1995; On Sale Date: July 1995

Writer: Len Kaminski; Artist: Ashley Wood; Inker: Jim Daly; Letterer: Richard Starkings and Comicraft; Colorist: Christie Scheele w/ Violent Hues Malibu; Editor: Joey Cavalieri; Editor in Chief: Bobbie Chase; Cover Artist: Ashley Wood

Late at night, Harrison Cochrane is visited by his son Zero, as the Ghost Rider and new Federal Marshal of Transverse City. Upon entering the apartment, Zero and his father immediately start arguing. Zero attempts to talk with his mother, who is plugged in to the television set and is unable to communicate back. Meanwhile, in Cyberspace, the digital entity that has been causing trouble on the 'net for Zero finds a file archived by the Ghostworks. When he opens it he unwittingly releases a creature called L-Cypher back into Cyberspace.

When asked why he came to visit, Zero explains to his father that he has messed up as Marshal and now his word on the street is worthless, no one trusts him anymore. Harrison debates his son on the nature of the law and honor, which Zero sees as him becoming just another "blackboot" that stands for everything he's rebelled against throughout his young life. The two are unaware that their conversation is being observed by the Ghostworks, who receive the alert that L-Cypher has escaped imprisonment. Elsewhere, Kabal talks with his handpicked group of thieves and tells them about an archive containing items from the 20th century that have been locked away and he wishes them to steal.

Harrison and Zero continue their conversation, with Harrison admitting that he had trouble with Zero's surrogate mother after his birth, who he attributes Zero's lack of respect for authority to. Harrison tells Zero that he's proud of him, but Zero retorts that he's only proud because of the badge he now wears. Disgusted with the situation, Zero leaves the apartment. Later, at the holographic theme park called Thrillsville, L-Cypher takes over the park's network and rewrites all of the safety protocols, transforming it into a literal Hell on Earth.

Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 16

"Dangerous Curves"

Cover Date: August 1995; On Sale Date: June 1995

Writer: Len Kaminski; Artist: Ashley Wood; Letterer: Richard Starkings and Comicraft; Colorist: Christie Scheele w/ Violent Hues Malibu; Editor: Joey Cavalieri; Editor in Chief: Bobbie Chase; Cover Artist: Ashley Wood

At Max Synergy’s dance club, Ghost Rider is confronted by Heartbreaker, who has a vendetta against Synergy. Ghost Rider, who has his own business to conduct with Synergy, fights Heartbreaker and withstands her lethal “heart punch”. In return, Zero slashes her across the face with his electro-saw. With her face now scarred, revealing cybernetics beneath her skin, Heartbreaker retreats. Meanwhile, at the Bar Code, Anesthesia Jones talks with Kylie about them both knowing that Zero Cochrane is the Ghost Rider, unaware that a group of hackers, including Dr. Neon, have been listening in and now know the Ghost Rider’s true identity.

Back at the nightclub, Zero confronts Synergy over his dealing of the narcotic White Heat, which is turning the streets of Transverse City into a warzone. Synergy states that he cannot stop his dealing of White Heat due to it being part of a social experiment, and that Zero owes him a favor that he is now cashing in, telling him to walk away. Zero refuses and attempts to arrest Synergy, who uses a sonic attack to turn the club dancers into a violent mob. Elsewhere, Kabal of the Undernet assembles his team of operatives, which includes Ice-9, Neurodancer, Warp Angel, and Coda.

At the nightclub, Zero fights his way through the enraged mob and eventually makes his way to Synergy. Taking him into custody, Zero delivers Synergy to SHIELD despite Synergy’s warning that his reputation on the street will now be ruined due to him reneging on the deal they made. When Zero goes to Little Calcutta he is met with a crowd of people who see him as nothing but another “stinking blackboot”, unaware that a mysterious individual had already leaked his dealing with Synergy to the public.

Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 15

"The Law of the Jungle"

Cover Date: July 1995; On Sale Date: May 1995

Writer: Len Kaminski; Artist: Ashley Wood; Letterer: Richard Starkings w/ John Gaushell; Colorist: Christie Scheel w/ Heroic Age; Editor: Joey Cavalieri; Editor in Chief: Bobbie Chase; Cover Artist: Ashley Wood

Two street gangs have gone to war in the streets of Transverse City, with the Toxic Zombies being overwhelmed by the Anarquistadores. Both gangs are addicted to a drug called White Heat, which mutates the user into near-superhuman forms. Ghost Rider, now acting as the Federal Marshal of Transverse City, interrupts the gang war but is buried under rubble after a building is hit with a rocket.

Meanwhile, an assassin named Heartbreaker executes a man in his home by punching through his chest and escapes unseen from the bodyguards. In Cyberspace, Anesthesia Jones organizes the Undernet into a resistance movement against President Doom and promises to take care of the Ghost Rider herself. She logs off and calls Kylie Gagarin, telling the girl that they need to talk.

Ghost Rider digs himself out of the rubble and goes to SHIELD headquarters, where he butts heads with the commander over their approach to the gang war, which is to essentially let the gangs kill each other. Zero storms out and logs himself into Cyberspace to look for answers and finds an encrypted message that has been left for him. When he opens it, a mysterious person yells at him for selling out and kicks him out of the 'net. To his surprise, Zero finds that he's been locked out of Cyberspace and cannot log back in, which should be impossible. Elsewhere, reporter Willis Adams is attempting to write the Ghost Rider propaganda piece ordered by Doom but decides to resign instead.

Ghost Rider visits Sandoz, the doctor who had previously helped him, and threatens to shut him down if he doesn't tell him about White Heat. From the description given to him by Sandoz, Zero realizes that the person creating it must be Max Synergy. At the club where Synergy conducts business, Heartbreaker arrives to kill him. She's stopped by Ghost Rider who points his gun at the back of her head and tells her not to move.