Ghost Rider (1973) # 25

"Menace Is a Man Called Malice!"

Cover Date: August 1977

On Sale Date: May 1977

Writer: Jim Shooter
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: Tony DeZuniga
Letterer: Denise Wohl
Colorist: Dan Warfield
Editor: Archie Goodwin

Cover Artist: Gil Kane

Johnny Blaze, in his form of the Ghost Rider, conjures his motorcycle from pure hellfire in a darkened alleyway in Los Angeles. Despite the dizzying effect the effort of forming his bike causes him, Blaze knows that if he wastes any time than several lives may possibly be at stake. He rides out of the alley, startling the people on the street, and races toward the Hollywood Wax Museum, which is engulfed with an inferno of flames. Realizing that the fire department are fighting a losing battle with the blaze, the Ghost Rider races up the side of the building across the street and then jumps from its roof straight into the burning museum. Finding a woman trapped inside, the sight of the demon biker causes her to faint. When the fire fighters have given up all hope of any survivors, Blaze blasts through the wall and sets the woman down in front of them. He then jumps on his bike and races through the crowd, away from the building. As he leaves the scene, he spots a modified sports car racing away as well. Johnny doesn't give much thought to the car other than a hope that the cops will chase it instead of him.

Back in the same alley where he formed his cycle, Johnny returns to his human form and returns to his normal bike. Later, at Delazny Studios, Johnny notices that things are unusually quiet. When he enters the studio, he finds Karen Page, who leads him to a dressing room that contains the rest of the crew. On the television is a live news report from a local power plant that is surrounded by the police. The police spotlights land on a costumed figure atop the plant, a figure that identifies himself as Malice. When the cops begin to move closer to the building, the villain fires at the ground with a gun that causes an earthquake below their feet. Before they can regain their footing, he employs another device that causes their guns to fall to pieces and their cars to explode. As the cops run away, Malice tells the cameras to remember his name and to tell the newspapers that he was the one who burned down the wax museum as well. As everyone flees, Malice turns and fires his weapon at the power plant, causing it to explode and subsequently throws much of the city into darkness.

Later, after the Delazny crew have parted ways for the evening, Johnny rides home on his bike, lost in thoughts of Karen Page and Roxanne Simpson. Suddenly, a car runs a stop sign and barrels at him, not slowing down an inch. Only with the use of his skills as a stunt-rider does Blaze manage to keep from being hit. He gives chase to the car, but then suddenly realizes that its the same one he saw after the wax museum fire. Naturally, when he catches up to the car, he sees that the driver is none other than Malice, who is using his weaponry to rob a bank. The criminal robs the bank while Johnny stares, awestruck. Only after Malice has again sped off in his car does Blaze realize that he should have stopped him. Transforming into the Ghost Rider and hopping upon his flame cycle easily catches up to Malice's car. Blaze goes into his spook act, saying that the villain will "feel the aching horror of Hell", but then realizes that there's no possible way Malice could hear him. Pushing aside the thoughts of why he lapsed so easily into his hellspawn act, Blaze finds himself assailed by a barrage of missiles from the back of the villain's car. When all miss, Malice drives across a bridge and then blows it in two, with the Ghost Rider stuck on the opposite side. Thinking himself home free, Malice drives on.

Some time later, Malice finds that the Ghost Rider is somehow now standing in the road in front of him. With the car going at a speed of 80 MPH, Blaze stands stock-still and allows the vehicle to hit him head on, not fazing him in the slightest. When Malice crawls from the wreckage, the Ghost Rider tells him that his thirst for vengeance will not be denied and then fries him with a blast of hellfire. The flame burns deep into the villain's soul. The Ghost Rider then rides away, leaving the broken Malice stuck to the road in a pool of molten tar. 

Ghost Rider's actually starting to scare people!

THE ROADMAP

Ghost Rider last appeared in Marvel Team-Up (1972) # 58 and makes his next appearance in The Human Fly (1977) # 2.

This is the first issue in which the personality of the demon Zarathos begins to assert itself, though not through full control of the Ghost Rider. The name Zarathos is revealed in Ghost Rider (1973) # 76 and his origin is told in Ghost Rider (1973) # 77.

CHAIN REACTION

To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 25 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Shooter defines the effect of hellfire on the soul.

Ghost Rider (1973) # 24

"I, the Enforcer...!"

Cover Date: June 1977

On Sale Date: March 1977

Writer: Jim Shooter
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: Dan Green
Letterer: Denise Wohl
Colorist: Karen Klaczak
Editor: Archie Goodwin

Cover Artist: Gil Kane

Movie producer Charles L. Delazny stands in front of his home looking over the unconscious body of Johnny Blaze.  Delazny is confronted by the Enforcer, who threatens Delazny's family to get the man to cooperate.  Taking a motorcycle belonging to Delazny's son, the Enforcer and his hired man Jim Galton tie Blaze to the bike and send it off edge of a cliff, hoping to make his death look like an accident.  Blaze wakes up and manages to transform into the Ghost Rider before he hits the ground, but the explosion convinces the Enforcer that Blaze has died.  He and Galton leave, not seeing the Ghost Rider emerge from the flames below the cliff.  Blaze creates his flame cycle and silently follows the Enforcer to his hidden lair.  Meanwhile, Roxanne Simpson is afraid for her life when she notices someone following her, only to discover that it's Roger Cross from the Stuntmaster show's special effects department.  Frustrated with Johnny, Roxanne agrees to go out with Roger and the two depart.

At his headquarters, the Enforcer talks with the Water Wizard about his plan to use Delazny in a money laundering scheme.  The Enforcer then turns on the elderly scientist that created the villain's disintegration ring, deciding to kill the man for knowing too much.  Ghost Rider arrives in time to save him and engages the Enforcer in battle.  The Water Wizard creates a giant water creature and commands it to attack, but it dissolves when Ghost Rider knocks the Water Wizard unconscious.  Ghost Rider defeats and unmasks the Enforcer, but does not recognize the college-aged young man under the mask.  When Galton attempts to hit Blaze from behind, the scientist in turn knocks out Galton, but then runs screaming from the Ghost Rider.  When Blaze makes his way back to Delazny Studios he fails to notice Roxanne and Roger walking in an embrace on a nearby beach.

Skeletal Ghost Rider for the win!

THE ROADMAP

Ghost Rider appears next in Marvel Team-Up (1972) # 58.

Ghost Rider will again encounter the Enforcer in Ghost Rider (1973) # 58 and Water Wizard in Ghost Rider (1973) # 59.

It is revealed in passing in Ghost Rider (1973) # 26 that the Enforcer is actually the son of Charles Delazny, but later writers will confuse matters by having the Enforcer take on the identity of Carson Collier, Jr., who appeared in Ghost Rider (1973) # 22.

CHAIN REACTION

To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 24 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

The mystery is...solved?

Ghost Rider (1973) # 23

"Wrath of the Water Wizard!"

Cover Date: April 1977

On Sale Date: January 1977

Writers: Gerry Conway & Jim Shooter
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: Don Newton
Letterer: Irv Watanabe
Colorist: Don Warfield
Editor: Archie Goodwin

Cover Artist: Jack Kirby

The Ghost Rider departs the company of his teammates in the Champions, but as he rides away the other heroes talk amongst themselves about how unsettled they are by him.  After a brief ride through Los Angeles, Ghost Rider stops in an alley and transforms back into Johnny Blaze, who is near exhaustion from the effort.  As he makes his way home, a nearby bank is attacked by a giant water monster, which is under the control of a rookie super-criminal called the Water Wizard.  The villain robs the bank and makes a safe getaway from the police, who watch the water monster melt into a puddle.

At his apartment, Blaze is confronted by Roxanne Simpson and the Stuntmaster, who are concerned about the odd behavior of their director Coot Collier.  Blaze dismisses their concerns, leaving Stuntmaster to storm off and Roxanne to openly ask if Johnny still has feelings for her.  At his hideout, the Water Wizard counts his stolen money with his helper, Mole, and recounts his origin story.  He was a Vietnam veteran who had to undergo an emergency laser operation on a boat during a lightning storm, and when lighting struck the ship it gave him the ability to control water.  The Enforcer addresses the two men and offers the Water Wizard one million dollars to kill the Ghost Rider, which the Wizard happily agrees to do.

During a taping of the Stuntmaster television show, Blaze is attacked by hands of water while performing a motorcycle stunt through a waterfall.  He is able to transform into the Ghost Rider to free himself, and sees the Water Wizard on a nearby scaffold, but the villain disappears.  Suspecting the involvement of the Enforcer, Blaze acts on his suspicions of studio owner Charles Delazny being involved and goes to the man's home in Hollywood.  He finds the Water Wizard waiting for him, who attacks with the water from a fountain and a pool.  Blaze manages to blast the Water Wizard with hellfire, then loses consciousness himself.  Delazny appears and stands over the unconscious Blaze, saying that coming there would cost him his life.

That show has killer special effects!

THE ROADMAP

Ghost Rider last appeared in The Champions (1975) # 15.

This issue has the first instance of Ghost Rider's hellfire being able to burn someone's soul without scalding their flesh, which will become the character's main power for the remainder of the series.

CHAIN REACTION

To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 23 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

Attacked by a swimming pool?

Ghost Rider (1973) # 22

"Nobody Beats the Enforcer!"

Cover Date: February 1977

On Sale Date: November 1976

Story: Gerry Conway
Script: Don Glut
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: Keith Pollard
Letterer: Irv Watanabe
Colorist: Don Warfield
Editor: Archie Goodwin

Cover Artist: Jack Kirby

Johnny Blaze, the Ghost Rider, is being pursued by the police through Los Angeles, and after a harrowing chase he is finally able to lose them in an alley.  With the danger over, he transforms back into Blaze and returns to his parked motorcycle, thinking about his recent run-in with the Eel and the Gladiator. He goes to visit Karen Page, and despite proclaiming his love for her gets the cold shoulder, with her asking him to give her more time.

Meanwhile, the Enforcer meets with the scientist responsible for his technology, who provides him with a miniaturized medallion version of the device stolen from the Eel.  The Enforcer goes to a meeting of West Coast mob bosses and declares himself to be their new leader, and when one protests he uses the medallion to disintegrate him.  The other criminals quickly fall in line.  Meanwhile, Coot Collier gets a surprise visit from his son, Carson Collier Jr., who seems to be up to something sinister.  The next morning, while filming a scene for the Stunt-Master television show, Blaze is called up to the office Charles Delazny, head of the television studio.  Waiting in Delazny's office is a detective from the Los Angeles Police Department named Flannigan; Johnny's identity as the Ghost Rider is public knowledge from his cycle show days, and they want to question him down at the precinct about his antics endangering the city.  Blaze puts up a fight and escapes the police, turning himself into a fugitive.

Later that evening, Johnny calls Roxanne Simpson, who has dug up information on who hired the Eel as a consultant for the Stunt-Master show.  The hire was made from Delazny's office, but that doesn't mean that Delazny himself is involved.  Johnny laments that he can only transform into Ghost Rider when he's in danger, but after concentrating harder than ever before is able to force the change into his supernatural form for the first time.  Johnny goes to Delazny's mansion estate just in time to see the Enforcer and his men leaving in a car, which he follows all the way to the San Diego Naval Yards.  While Ghost Rider takes out the gangsters, the Enforcer turns his disintegration ray (now contained in a ring on his finger) on one of the parked battleship, declaring it proof that "no man can stop the Enforcer!"  Ghost Rider confronts him and chases him on and off of the battleship, with Enforcer making numerous comments about movies and the film industry while under duress, and eventually the fight takes both men into the water.  Enforcer loses his ring but is able to escape unharmed while Ghost Rider makes his way back to shore.

The next morning, Johnny wanders into the police station to confront Flannigan, saying "if I'm Ghost Rider then who is that?" and pointing to an image of the Rider driving by outside.  The police are forced to drop their charges, with a smiling Blaze thinking to himself that he can create hellfire images of the Ghost Rider whenever he needs to protect his identity.  Still, though, he can't help but feel that disaster is right around the corner.

Who cares indeed, Johnny?

THE ROADMAP

Ghost Rider appears next in The Champions (1975) # 14.

This issue is the first occurrence of Johnny being able to transform into the Ghost Rider at will.  Starting in Marvel Spotlight (1972) # 5 he would transform against his will every night.  That changed in Ghost Rider (1973) # 13, when his transformations began to occur whenever he sensed danger, in daytime or night.

CHAIN REACTION

To read my review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 22 see my book Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider: 1972-1983!

Wheels On Fire: An Unofficial Guide to Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider From 1972-1983: Munn, Chris, Ishizaki, James, DeMatteis, J.M.: 9798702991832: Amazon.com: Books

"Take that, decommissioned battleship!"

The Champions (1975) # 2

"Whom the Gods Would Join..."

Cover Date: December 1975
On Sale Date: September 1975

Writer: Tony Isabella
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: John Tartag
Letterer: Irv Watanabe
Colorist: Phil Rache
Editor: Marv Wolfman

Cover Artist: Dave Cockrum

On the UCLA campus, six assembled heroes (Iceman, Venus, Ghost Rider, Angel, Hercules, and Black Widow) have been confronted by the Greek gods Pluto, Ares, and Hippolyta. The evil gods have come for Hercules and Venus, demanding that they are to wed Ares and Hippolyta against their wills. Hercules rushes through the portal to fight them, but Pluto easily defeats him. To save their ally, Ghost Rider and Angel are able to distract Pluto long enough for the others to pull Hercules to safety while Iceman blocks the portal with a mountain of ice.

Instead of breaking through the ice to follow the heroes, Pluto transports himself and his allies to Olympus to confer with Zeus, who has unwillingly betrayed his son, Hercules. Pluto reminds Zeus that he has forged an alliance with other Lords of Hell, and the only way to keep them from attacking Olympus is to force the two marriages. Zeus complies, unaware of Pluto's true plan: due to godly law, no husband or wife may oppose their spouse, meaning that Hercules and Venus would be unable to stop them from overthrowing Zeus.

Back on Earth, the heroes are attacked by the Huntsman, who has the power of both Zeus and Pluto. Huntsman strikes the group with his fire spear, which Ghost Rider is able to withstand. Blaze strikes Huntsman out of the sky with a blast of hellfire, while the others realize that the villain's attack has knocked both Hercules and Venus unconscious. Ghost Rider stays behind to protect the fallen heroes, while the others go out in search of the Huntsman. Using his magic staff, Huntsman calls upon a giant named Menoetius to fight the heroes, but the monster is quickly defeated by their teamwork. On the verge of defeat, Huntsman teleports Angel, Iceman, and Black Widow; while Ghost Rider sees Pluto, Ares, and Hippolyta appearing in front of him. Ghost Rider blasts all three of them with hellfire, then realizes that they were actually his friends with an illusion cast over them. Huntsman knocks Black out from behind, them teleports himself and the unconscious Hercules and Venus back to Olympus. When the other heroes recover, they all part in defeat when they realize that there's no way four mortals could track someone to Olympus.

The Champions (1975) # 1

"The World Still Needs...the Champions!"

Cover Date: October 1975
 On Sale Date: July 1975

Writers: Tony Isabella
Artist: Don Heck
Inker: Mike Esposito
Letterer: Dave Hunt
Colorist: Petra G.
Editor: Marv Wolfman

Cover Artist: Gil Kane

On the campus of UCLA, Bobby Drake and Warren Worthington III - two former X-Men named Iceman and the Angel - walk amongst the students and talk about what they could do with their lives now that they're no longer part of the X-Men. They talk briefly about their old friend Beast and his membership in the Avengers, but their discussion is cut off by a shimmering hole that opens in mid-air and the group of demonic Harpies that emerge. The Harpies attack the students, demanding them to hand over Venus, but Iceman and Angel intervene. Angel debuts a new costume that doesn't cover his face with a mask, prompting Bobby to ask about it. Warren tells him that he's tired of hiding his identity, and from this moment on the Angel is going public.

In a nearby building, the Black Widow and her partner Ivan wait for a job interview, hoping to be hired on by the college to teach Russian to the students. Without warning, another hole in space opens, and a group of Amazons come through also demanding the whereabouts of Venus. Ivan tries to fight the women but is knocked unconscious, leaving the Widow to fight alone. A moment later, Dr. Victoria Starr arrives at the room to interview the Widow, and the Amazons finger her as Venus. The Widow rescues Starr and the two escape out a window, with the Amazons in hot pursuit.

Elsewhere on campus, Johnny Blaze - the Ghost Rider - rides to pick up a package for a friend when he is suddenly attacked by Cerberus, the guardian of Hades. His power triggered by danger, Blaze transforms into the Ghost Rider and attacks Cerebus, causing the demon to retaliate by transforming into a giant dog. Blaze turns and flees with Cerebus chasing behind. Also on campus, preparing to give a lecture on mythology, the legendary Hercules is attacked by an army of mutates that have sworn to conquer him. The battle quickly takes Hercules and his enemies outside, where he is seen by the Ghost Rider. Blaze rides up to Hercules and offers him a ride so they can talk about what's going on. They quickly approach Iceman, Angel, the Black Widow, and Dr. Starr, who are being chased by the Amazons and Harpies. The assembled heroes change opponents: Hercules bests Cerebus, the Ghost Rider causes the Harpies to flee from his hellfire, and Iceman traps the Amazons in blocks of ice. The mutates are defeated by Dr. Starr, who reveals her true form of Venus, goddess of love. Hercules, Venus, and the other heroes talk briefly about the confusion of the attacks, but are suddenly struck by a powerful, unseen force that drives them to the ground. Hercules and Venus are the first to recover, and the heroes are approached by three godly figures: Pluto, Ares, and Hippolyta. Pluto tells them that he is a messenger for Zeus: Hercules shall marry Hippolyta while Venus is to marry Ares. Should either of them refuse, the universe shall die!