Ultimate Avengers 2 (2010) # 5

"Crime & Punishment, Part 5"

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

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

While the Avengers set up a defensive perimeter around the White House to protect the Ghost Rider's last victim, Vice-President Robert Blackthorne, the VP is having a secret meeting inside with his master, Mephisto.  Blackthorne makes another deal with Mephisto, selling his soul for the power to defeat the Ghost Rider.  Atop the White House, Hawkeye and the Punisher have a conversation about whether the Ghost Rider is a mutant or a demon, as they've been told.  When Hawkeye asks Castle about the "message" passed along to him by the Rider, Frank merely replies that it was "something that warmed my heart".  Hawkeye tells Punisher that he used to have a tracking implant inside him until he was trained to submit to SHIELD.  

While Mephisto transforms Blackthorne, Johnny Blaze approaches the White House fence and starts his own transformation.  Outside the White House, Tyrone Cash arrives to join Black Widow and War Machine.  Suddenly, a second Ghost Rider with flaming horns, a transformed Blackthorne, comes crashing out of the building behind them, with Black Widow hitching a ride on the back of his motorcycle as he rides away.  Blackthorne easily defeats Widow, Cash, and War Machine, but is stopped from killing them by the newly-arrived Johnny Blaze.  Punisher and the rest of the SHIELD force arrive to find two Ghost Riders fighting it out.  Blaze gets the upper hand and tells Blackthorne that he's been waiting 20 years for revenge, and he hasn't got a prayer.

Nightstalkers (1992) # 1

"Rise of the Midnight Sons, Part 5"

Cover Date: November 1992; On Sale Date: September 1992

Writer: D.G. Chichester; Artist: Ron Garney; Inker: Tom Palmer; Letterer: John Costanza; Colorist: Tom Palmer; Editor: Bobbie Chase; Editor in Chief: Tom DeFalco; Cover Artist: Ron Garney

Ghost Rider and Blaze interrogate Nakota, one of Lilith’s demonic children with the ability to project visions through her eyes. She shows them an image of Frank Drake, Hannibal King, and Blade, three former vampire hunters that Blaze recognizes. Ghost Rider fears they could have joined with Lilith and the two head toward Boston to find them. 

Meanwhile, Frank Drake and his wife Marlene spend time at a Boston aquarium, where Drake sees a horrific vision of Lilith just before his wife falls into a catatonic state. He fails to notice Dr. Strange in the back of the crowd, watching them. Later, at a nearby mental hospital, Dr. Strange is given an update on Blade, whose obsession with vampires has been changed via therapy to a hatred of anything supernatural. Strange facilitates Blade’s release from the hospital and secretly watches the man leave. Finally, at the closed office of Borderline Investigate Services, Dr. Strange examines Hannibal King, whose vampire abilities and thirst for blood have started to resurface years after he was cured. Strange tells King that he is no longer human, but also not a true vampire, then teleports away. Elsewhere, Lilith locates another of her children in Boston, a monstrous creature named Meatmarket, and states her intention to use the vampire hunters against the Ghost Rider. 

The next day, Blade and Drake both reunite with King at the Borderline office, with Drake seeing help with his wife’s mysterious condition. They are interrupted by Lilith, who is posing as a client whose husband has fallen to the same catatonia as Marlene Drake. She tells them that the ailment was caused by “demons” and shows them photos of Ghost Rider and John Blaze. That night, the three members of Borderline decide that even though they originally focused on vampires, there are worse things in the night. They all prepare in their own ways, with Frank Drake acquiring a gun that fires nanotech machines attuned to affect the occult. 

When they arrive at the Borderline offices, Ghost Rider and Blaze find a note waiting for them that reads “Old North Church”. The newly christened Nightstalkers are waiting for them, having led the duo into an ambush, and the fight is being observed in secret by Meatmarket. Ghost Rider and Blaze are quickly overwhelmed by the Nightstalkers, but before killing them they realize that they are being watched. They discover and kill Meatmarket, who carelessly informs them that they were being manipulated by Lilith. Meanwhile, on the deck of the USS Constitution, Lilith is confronted by Dr. Strange, who refuses to do battle with her out of concern for the dimensional walls being weakened. The Lilin Pilgrim opens a teleportation portal and  the severed head of Meatmarket falls through, followed by his body. Later, their battle ended, and Ghost Rider having already departed, Blaze is told by the three men that anyone connected to the supernatural is on their hit list. “The night,” they say, “is no longer safe for your kind”.

Ultimate Avengers 2 (2010) # 4

"Crime & Punishment, Part 4"

On Sale Date: September 2010; Cover Date: November 2010

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

Having halted the Ghost Rider's escape with billionaire Bill Warren from Chicago's O'Hare Airport, Hawkeye sends the Punisher in to finish the job. Using his new Stark Industries suit, Castle quickly catches up to the Rider and attacks, hitting him several times before firing his weapon point blank. The attack does nothing to the Ghost Rider, who incapacitates Punisher with a chain strike that splits open his suit. However, when he sees the cross hanging from Castle's neck, the Ghost Rider throws him to the ground and delivers Castle a message from "the other side". Later, Castle returns badly injured to the rest of the team, having failed to stop the Rider from crucifying Warren on a tree. Castle tells him that while he has no idea who the Ghost Rider is, he doesn't think he's a mutant. Meanwhile, back at the airport a mysterious man with white and red hair finishes a crossword puzzle with the word "crucified".

Much later, at the New York headquarters of the Ultimates, the Triskelion, Nick Fury and Gregory Stark inform Ultimates director Carol Danvers that they will be using the base until the Ghost Rider situation has been resolved. While they're there, they plan on using the Spider (a psychic prisoner dressed in a Spider-Man costume) for information. The Spider's interrogation is being handled by the "Nerd Hulk", a clone of Bruce Banner, and Monica Chang, the newest Black Widow and Nick Fury's ex-wife. In order to gain the Spider's help, Chang tells him about her relationship with Fury and how he slept with every female friend and family she had, and how despite all of that she's still in love with him. Satisfied, the Spider tells Black Widow the story of a biker named Johnny Blaze and his fiance Roxanne Simpson. Twenty years ago, Blaze and Roxanne were murdered by a group of bikers as a sacrifice to Satan, led by a man named Bobby Blackthorne. The rich men that have been the Ghost Rider's victims were these bikers, granted power and wealth by their deal with the Devil. The Spider explains that Satan offered Blaze a deal as well, a chance for revenge, and spent twenty years turning him into the Ghost Rider. In return for Blaze's servitude, Satan resurrected Roxanne, who now lives a normal life in Illinois. Only two of the bikers remain, one of which has just slit his wrists in a bathtub moments before James Rhodes and Tyrone Case could get to him. The last, Robert Blackthorne, is now the Vice-President of the United States, the man who gave the Presidential kill order for the Ghost Rider to the Avengers.

Marvel Team-Up (1972) # 15

"If An Eye Offend Thee..."

Cover Date: November 1973; On Sale Date: August 1973

Writer: Len Wein; Artist: Ross Andru; Inker: Don Perlin; Letterer: John Costanza; Colorist: Glynis Wein; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Gil Kane

At Madison Square Garden in New York City, Peter Parker (also known as the amazing Spider-Man) and Mary Jane Watson attend a show called "The Ghost Rider's Motorcycle Extravaganza." The show begins just as the couple take their seats, and Johnny Blaze, the flaming skulled Ghost Rider, roars into the open floor on his motorcycle, causing the crowd to go wild with excitement. The cyclist performs an amazing stunt with four other riders, one of which is Roxanne Simpson, Blaze's girlfriend and the daughter of Crash Simpson, former owner of the cycle show. Suddenly, a group of bikers bust into the arena and ride past the security guards. The leader of the group has a helmet shaped like a giant eyeball and calls himself the Orb. The gang rides in circles around the arena, the Orb's eye hypnotizing the crowd. Only Parker evades being mesmerized, his spider-sense warning him to look away at the last moment. Peter shoots his web onto the rafters, where he climbs up and changes into his Spider-Man costume. On the arena floor, the Orb grabs Roxanne by the waist and rides off with her, leaving the Ghost Rider to be dealt with by his men. Spider-Man swings down and assists in defeating a few of the gang, but their pursuit of the Orb is stopped when he commands the hypnotized crowd to form a barrier between him and the heroes. The mesmerized crowd then deliver Blaze a message in one unified voice, saying that the Orb will return Roxanne to him in exchange for ownership of the cycle show.

Meanwhile, the Orb and his gang arrive at his lair, where he awakens the hypnotized Roxanne. he tells her that his name is Drake Shannon, and that he used to be her father's partner in starting the cycle show. Shannon was a reckless person, and when he realized he couldn't get along with Crash, he challenged him to a cross-country race, the winner of which would get sole ownership of the show. During the race, Shannon attempted to run his former partner off the road, but instead caused himself to wreck, his cycle flipping at 95 miles an hour, throwing him into a skid across the tarmac for more than 25 yards...on his face. He's wanted nothing but revenge ever since, and he was approached by an organization called "They", who gave him his hypnotic helmet. He then removes the helmet and shows Roxanne his hideously disfigured face. Blaze then enters the lair with the ownership papers to the cycle show, demanding that he and Roxanne be allowed to leave. The Orb instead commands his men to open fire on the two, but the gang is stopped by the entrance of Spider-Man. The Orb jumps on his cycle and again kidnaps Roxanne, forcing the Ghost Rider and Spider-Man to jump on cycles of their own and give chase. The chase leads them out of the lair, which is the power room to an abandoned subway rail, and into Grand Central Station. Spider-Man shoots a strand of web that grabs hold of Roxanne, freeing the girl from the Orb's grasp. With Spidey making sure the girl is safe, Blaze chases the Orb back onto the subway rails, but the villain fails to see an oncoming train. The subway train crushes the villain, and Blaze narrowly avoids the same fate by grabbing onto a railing attached to the ceiling. He then returns to the platform, the ownership papers in his hand. He sets the papers afire with his hellfire, saying that he's almost glad the Orb didn't live long enough to find that the papers were worthless forgeries. Blaze and Roxanne then part company with Spider-Man, saying that perhaps they will meet again.

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.

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.

Web of Spider-Man (1985) # 95

"Spirits of Venom, Part 1: Storm Shadows"

Cover Date: December 1992; On Sale Date: October 1992

Writer: Howard Mackie; Artist: Alex Saviuk; Inker: Joe Rubinstein; Letterer: Dave Sharpe; Colorist: Bob Sharen; Editor: Danny Fingeroth; Editor in Chief: Tom DeFalco; Cover Artist: Alex Saviuk

Spider-Man swings through a stormy Manhattan with the captured Hobgoblin in tow. They are unaware that they’re being hunted by the Demogoblin, and an alien Spider-Man clone called Doppelganger. When they confront Spider-Man, Demogoblin states that he comes from a race of demons dedicated to killing all other demonic creatures and wants to kill Hobgoblin for once sharing a body with him. Spider-Man escapes with Hobgoblin into the city, fleeing into a large church for sanctuary.

Meanwhile, Ghost Rider and John Blaze are in the sewer system beneath the city, hunting for the Deathspawn and the innocent homeless people they have captive. They’re approached by Venom, who is hunting the same villains, Hag and Troll, for their murder of a Guardsman. Hag and Troll arrive with the Deathspawn, and a large battle commences.

At the church, Father Martin hides Spider-Man in the church’s basement, but is captured by Demogoblin, who offers Spider-Man the priest’s life in exchange for Hobgoblin. The battle in the sewer rages on and Blaze blasts a hole through the roof of the tunnel with his shotgun. Venom takes advantage of the situation and swings up through the hole with Hag and Troll, leaving Blaze and Ghost Rider behind to fight the Deathspawn. At that moment, Blaze’s hellfire blast creates a hole in the basement of the church, allowing Venom to climb directly into Spider-Man’s fight with Demogoblin. 

Ghost Rider and Blaze follow, with most of the combatants being dragged back into the tunnels by the Deathspawn. Blaze jumps back into the tunnel willingly to rescue Ghost Rider, leaving Spider-Man to wonder if he should just go home to his wife. However, when the priest is dragged down by one of the Deathspawn, Spider-Man decides that he has to join the fight and jumps down into the tunnel.

Ultimate Avengers 2 (2010) # 1-2

"Crime & Punishment, Parts 1 and 2"

On Sale Date: June & July 2010; Cover Date: August & September 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

Frank Castle, the Punisher, is on a killing spree - murdering criminal after criminal over a span of two months. Most of the criminals he's killed were part of an Eastern European people-trafficking business, which is led by Joseph Petrenko, a.k.a. Russia's "Red Hammer". Unwilling to believe that his men are being killed by a lone vigilante, Petrenko is coming to America to have a sit-down with other mob bosses. Punisher raids another of Petrenko's outfits and takes one of the men to "Baby Guantanamo", his own personal torture chamber. Castle finds out everything he wants to know about the sit-down, including the time and place. Frank visits the graves of his wife and children, praying to the cross around his neck, as preparation for what he plans to do.

That night, Castle has taken the place of Petrenko's limousine driver and is ready to ambush the Russian outside his hotel. When Castle pulls out his pistol, however, Petrenko easily disarms him and slams is face into the car window. Petrenko pulls off his mask and reveals himself as actually being Captain America, who is arresting the Punisher for the murder of over two hundred people. The real Joseph Petrenko was arrested by SHIELD the moment he stepped off his plane.

Later, at SHIELD's hospital one mile beneath the Bronx, Castle is interrogated by Nick Fury and the Black Widow. When Castle asks about Petrenko, Fury tells him that the Red Hammer was sent back to Russia. That, Frank says, is the answer to their question of why the Punisher does what he does. Fury tells Castle that the only way to keep him off death row is to join his Avengers, a secret black-ops unit that handles the job the Ultimates wouldn't touch. Now they're after a Captain America of their own...and later, Castle is outfitted in a mock Captain America costume (one that incorporates his own personal skull image on the chest). Fury and Black Widow then say that War Machine is en route to meet up with the Hulk - but when Castle asks how they expect to put the Hulk on a top-secret wetworks team, Fury explains that they're not recruiting Banner. They're after Banner's mentor, the first Hulk...

In South America, a gangster drug-lord named Tyrone Cash leaves his mansion for a walk on the beach. He thinks back to sixteen years ago, when he was a crippled scientist at Oxford and first met Bruce Banner. Back on the beach, Cash meets with War Machine, who is acting as a representative of Nick Fury's Avengers squad. Rhodes shows Cash a picture of a woman and child who say they miss him very much - SHIELD knows that Cash is really Leonard Williams, Bruce Banners former mentor on the Super Soldier program in England where he first became addicted to murder and destruction, and that he now runs this country since he killed the local gang-lords. Cash attacks Rhodes and the two battle their way up the beach, eventually crashing through Cash's mansion. When he gets War Machine on the ground, Cash leaps into the air and grabs a commuter plane, which he slams into Rhodes. Rhodes tells Cash to stop, to which Tyrone replies that there's nothing they can take away from him that he cares about. Except, Rhodes replies, if he doesn't come back to America with him SHIELD will tell his family that he's still alive. Reluctantly, Cash agrees to hear War Machine's proposition.

Later, at Fury's New Jersey safehouse, the assembled Avengers (Fury, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Punisher, War Machine, and Cash) are debriefed on their next mission. The White House itself has given them a kill-order on a frightening biker called the Ghost Rider!

Venom (2011) # 13.1

"Circle of Four, Part 2"

On Sale Date: February 2012; Cover Date: April 2012

Writer: Rob Williams; Artist: Lee Garbett; Letterer: VC's Clayton Clowes; Colorist: Rob Schwager; Editor: Sebastian Girner; Senior Editor: Stephen Wacker; Editor In Chief: Axel Alonso; Cover Artist: Stefano Caselli

At the city limits of Las Vegas, the mystical amulet placed on the city's welcome sign has placed a barrier around the city, preventing the police from entering and Hell from escaping.  Dr. Strange and Daimon Hellstrom arrive to investigate, and Strange recognizes the amulet as one he gave to Hawkeye to use against the Ghost Rider.

Inside the city limits, Johnny Blaze continues to power Hell's Centrifuge, keeping open the portal to Hell.  Unsure of how long he can keep it up, he hopes that Alejandra hurries up and saves the day.  In Blackheart's tower, the Ghost Rider has been joined by Venom, X-23, and Red Hulk to stop Blackheart.  They're immediately confronted by their Antitheses: Ichor, The Evangelist, X-666, and Encephalon.  Blackheart sends his consort, Gari Oyle, to fly out to the city's border and find out what's stopping Hell from spreading across the world.  Blackheart then orders the Antitheses to attack the heroes, sending all of them crashing out of the tower to the ground below.  Ghost Rider leaves to stop Gari Oyle, followed by her Antithesis Ichor, leaving the other three heroes to fight.  X-23 leaves to kill Blackheart alone, leaving Venom and Red Hulk to be defeated by the Evangelist and Encephalon.

Ghost Rider is outracing Gari Oyle to the amulet, but Blackheart speaks to her telepathically, offering to free the souls she damned in Nicaragua if she joins him.  Ichor attacks, claiming to be "pure retribution" without her human frailties, that his vengeance is holy instead of selfish revenge.  Before Ichor can kill her, Alejandra summons her motorcycle, and when it reaches her she jumps on it and crashes into Ichor, transforming him back into a human.  She speeds off toward the amulet, with Blackheart still whispering in her head about his offer to join him.  At the city's border, Dr. Strange and Hellstrom sense that Hell is coming toward them, and they may not be able to stop it from spreading.

Darkhold: Pages From the Book of Sins (1992) # 1

"Rise of the Midnight Sons, Part 4: Black Letter"

Cover Date: October 1992; On Sale Date: August 1992

Writer: Christian Cooper; Artist: Richard Case; Inker: Mark McKenna; Letterer: Phil Felix; Colorist: Glynis Oliver; Editor: Bobbie Chase; Editor in Chief: Tom DeFalco; Cover Artist: Richard Case

In New York City, a mysterious dwarf delivers a black letter to aging record producer Donald Walsh. Later that night, Walsh goes home and kills his wife by transforming into a swarm of worms. In Rome, nurse Victoria Montesi experiences a vision of Walsh’s transformation while out to lunch with her roommate Nash. When the two go back to their apartment they are caught by an explosion triggered by them opening the door. Montesi wakes up in the hospital and is visited by her father, Vittorio Montesi, and Sam Buchanan, an Interpol agent assigned by the Vatican to protect her. Vittorio explains all about the Darkhold, the so-called “Book of Sins” that their family has sworn to protect through the generations. Vicki refuses to believe the stories of the Darkhold, even when she experiences another vision of the people around her being consumed by worms. Meanwhile, back in New York, Oxford Professor Louise Hastings is approached by John Blaze, who takes her to a back alley to meet Ghost Rider. The two explain that they saw Louise and others in a vision of a world overrun by Lilith and her demonic children.

At the hospital in Rome, a ninja attempts to kill Vicki in her bed, but finds that she has snuck out. She’s attacked on the streets by more ninjas, who she realizes are the Darkholders, a secret cult who worship the Book of Sins. Buchanan rescues her from the ninjas and, against his better judgment, agrees to go with her to New York to discover the source of her visions. At that moment, Lilith meets with the leaders of the Darkholders, who give some of their men for the Lilin Doc to reshape into demonic killers.

Later, Vicki and Sam arrive at the Walsh home, which has been taped off as a crime scene. Inside the empty home they find the black letter and Louise Hastings, who tells them that the police flew her in to consult on the case when the letter was found to contain a missing page from the Darkhold. Louise explains that the Darkhold was written by the Elder God Chthon and would one day summon him home from exile. The recovered page translates into a spell for immortality as a swarm of worms. The trio are attacked by Donald Walsh, who has transformed into a creature comprised of worms. Ghost Rider and Blaze crash through the window and drive Walsh away, but not before they capture some of the worms.

Soon, at a hotel in Manhattan, Walsh is interrogated and reveals that the letter was delivered by a dwarf; when he read the words on the page, a creature called “the Other” appeared and offered him his greatest wish, to live forever. He didn’t know it would be as a rotting pile of worms who has to consume other living beings. Later, Walsh reforms inside the hotel to try and kill Vicki and when she runs Louise tells Blaze and Buchanan to not use their guns. Vicki leads Walsh to Central Park, where she and the others are also confronted by Lilith and the transformed Darkholders. Before Walsh can kill Vicki a swarm of birds appears to devour all of the worms, killing Walsh. While Lilith attempts to teleport away, she is struck by a blast of hellfire from Blaze’s shotgun before she escapes, though she leaves her Lilin daughter Nakota behind. Sam realizes that any gunfire would have scared away the birds, which had been Louise’s plan all along. While Ghost Rider and Blaze continue their fight against Lilith, the other three decided to stay together to search for more missing pages of the Darkhold. Elsewhere, an arsonist at the Library of Congress is approached by the Dwarf.

Venom (2011) # 13

"Circle of Four, Part 1"

Cover Date: April 2012; On Sale Date: February 2012

Writer: Rick Remender; Artist: Tony Moore; Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna; Colorist: Val Staples; Editor: Jeanine Schaeffer; Senior Editor: Stephen Wacker & Mark Paniccia; Editor In Chief: Axel Alonso; Cover Artist: Stefano Caselli

Flash Thompson is currently hiding in a Las Vegas motel after he went AWOL from the army with the Venom symbiote.  He is unaware that the army has sent General Thunderbolt Ross, the Red Hulk, to find and bring both him and the symbiote back.  Elsewhere, at the Devil's Den casino, the owner Mr. Degli is dealing with a gambler unable to pay back his debts.  Degli offers to eliminate the debt and all it will cost is the man's soul, which he eagerly agrees to.

Meanwhile in Vegas, Johnny Blaze attempts to give guidance to the current Ghost Rider, Alejandra, who claims that there's nothing the former host can teach her.  Red Hulk approaches the city, jumping through the desert while thinking about how much he hates deserters.  Finally, X-23 has gone undercover as a waitress at the Devil's Den to find Degli, who she claims stole a vial of her blood for experimentation.  At an empty construction site, Degli and his aide Ms. Oyle prepare to enact their master plan.  Having built a spinning pentagram machine, they introduce their ingredients: 100 human souls signed over willingly, the remains of the Toxin symbiote, and the blood of a mortal who's been to Hell and back.  Now they only have to wait for the final ingredient to come to them, which Degli says "the Devil couldn't keep her away".  At a diner, Blaze and Alejandra are having dinner when she suddenly transforms into the Ghost Rider and says that Zarathos hears the call of hundreds of crying souls.  Blaze tries to talk her into thinking before acting, but Alejandra ignores him and rides into Las Vegas.  Before leaving to follow her, Blaze places a phone call to Daimon Hellstrom for help.

A drunk Flash Thompson is attacked by the Red Hulk at the motel, and a brief fight begins when Venom attempts to run.  X-23, meanwhile, has broken into Degli's office, where she finds clones of herself created from her stolen blood.  Before she can destroy them, the clones break free and reveal that they have also been given alien symbiotes of their own.  Ghost Rider arrives at the construction site and sees the spinning pentagram, which she decides to stop by jumping into it and riding in the opposite direction.  Unfortunately, that was Degli's plan all along, and the Ghost Rider opens up a portal to Hell that spreads all across Las Vegas.  Before leaving, Degli tells the Rider that if she stops the centrifuge then all of Earth will be sucked into Hell.  Venom and Hulk are forced to stop fighting when they see the city overrun with demons, and reluctantly they team up to save the helpless citizens.  When Blaze arrives at the city limits, he places a mystical amulet that blocks magic on the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign.  The amulet halts the spread of Hell from going past the city's border, and Blaze enters the city to find Alejandra.

Degli and Oyle arrive back at the casino and reveal themselves as Blackheart and his gargoyle companion.  Blackheart contacts his father, Mephisto, and attempts to gloat that he has brought Hell to Earth and will soon depose Mephisto as Hell's ruler.  Mephisto mocks and disregards him, which angers Blackheart even more.  Blaze finds Ghost Rider at the centrifuge and rides his own motorcycle into the machine to power it, telling Alejandra to go stop the person causing this while he keeps the portal open.  The top of Blackheart's casino is where all of the heroes converge; X-23, Venom, Red Hulk, and finally Ghost Rider all confront Blackheart, but only the Hulk shows caution as he's read the Avengers file on the demon.   Using his black mirror cauldron, Blackheart calls forth the dark antitheses of each hero: X-666, Ichor, the Evangelist, and Encephalon.

Inhumans: Attilan Rising (2015) # 1

"Attilan Rising, Part 1: The Voice Unheard"

Cover Date: March 2015, On Sale Date: January 2015

Writer: Charles Soule; Artist: John Timms; Inker: Roberto Poggi; Letterer: VC's Clayton Cowles; Colorist: Frank D'Armata; Editor: Nick Lowe; Editor In Chief: Axel Alonso; Cover Artist: Dave Johnson 

In the Hulk-controlled dominion of Battleworld called Greenland, a quartet of freedom fighters called the Voice Unheard arrive, led by the Undead G-Man, a Ghost Rider from the 1950s.  They're attacked by a mindless Hulk, which they are able to give conscious thought back to with a spray mist developed by their benefactor.  Their actions are noticed by a squad of Thors, the police force of Battleworld, and the Undead G-Man tells his teammates to leave while he draws away the Thors' attention.  He leads them on a chase through the desert in his hellfire-powered car, but is eventually captured by the Thors.

Later, in New Attilan, the G-Man is brought before Medusa, ruler of the domain.  A vision of Doctor Doom appears and tells Medusa that she will interrogate the G-Man to find out information on the rebellion and them destroy him.  Elsewhere, the rest of the Voice Unheard meet with Karnak and discuss what's happened to the G-Man, and how eventually he'll tell Medusa everything he knows.  Back in New Attilan questions the bound G-Man, who spits hellfire at her feet.  She brings in a psychic Inhuman named Sterilon, whose telepathic interrogation kills the Undead G-Man.  Sterilon learned only one thing, the name "The Quiet Room".  Recognizing the name, Medusa sends an Inhuman named Auran to infiltrate the nightclub called The Quiet Room.  While there, Auran is met by Black Bolt, who recognizes that Medusa must have sent her to find him.  

Incredible Hulk (2023) # 6-8

"Spirits of Vengeance"

Cover Date: January 2024; On Sale Date: November 2023

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson; Artist: Nic Klein; Letterer: VC's Cory Petit; Colorist: Matthew Wilson w/ Nic Klein; Editor: Will Moss; Editor in Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Nic Klein

A migrant work camp in Texas is attacked by a creature that kills one of the residents, while a young boy named Leo watches as a World War II motorcycle owned his "Uncle Sal" catches on fire. One month later, Bruce Banner and his companion Charlie are hitchhiking across Texas when they are picked up by a passerby who offers them help.  They take Banner and Charlie to the migrant camp and are told that it's not safe to sleep outside the camp at night.  Banner excuses himself from the camp anyway to keep the people safe. While Leo tells Charlie about his Uncle Sal, who he describes as an angel that rides the antique motorcycle to fight the monsters, Banner transforms into the Hulk.  Sal's motorcycle flames to life and the Hulk is attacked by a Ghost Rider wearing World War II combat fatigues and carrying a hellfire machine gun. 

While the Hulk and Ghost Rider fight, the residents of the camp explain to Charlie that Leo's Uncle Sal has been his guardian angel protecting him danger since he was little. The fight stops when the camp is attacked again by the War Devil creature, who is stopped from killing Charlie by the Ghost Rider.  Hulk recognizes the creature as working for the Eldest, who is raising monsters across the country. Hulk kills the War Devil and the Ghost Rider fades away, leaving the empty motorcycle. The night night, the War Devil entity possesses not only a group of retired veterans but also the Hulk himself, who tells everyone to run while the other War Devils arrive on demonic horses.

While Hulk fights the possession, the psyche of Bruce Banner finds itself attacked by the War Devil inside Hulk's mind. Ghost Rider reappears and attacks the Hulk with a hellfire bazooka, which stuns him long enough for him to rescue Banner in the mental plane and regain control of his body.  Ghost Rider and Hulk defeat the creatures in the camp, but their bodies merge and become a giant embodiment of the War Devil entity. Working together, the Hulk is able to use Ghost Rider's hellfire chains to decapitate the War Devil, destroying it.  In the aftermath, Ghost Rider tells Hulk that he's connected to Leo to protect him, and that Hulk needs to watch out for Charlie, as she's his weak point.

Fantastic Four (2022) Annual # 1

"Contest of Chaos, Part 3"

Cover Date: October 2021; Publication Date: August 2021

Writer: Zac Gorman; Artist: Alan Robinson; Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna; Colorist: GURU-eFX; Executive Editor: Tom Brevoort; Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Francesco Manna

In Arizona, Johnny Storm (the Human Torch) accompanies the Thing to a shoe store. When the Torch goes into the back room of the store he finds himself seemingly transported to Hell. There he finds Johnny Blaze, who explains that they're not actually in Hell but instead trapped in some kind of illusion. Blaze suddenly hits Storm in the face and the two begin fighting, until they are interrupted by a group of demons. While Storm realizes the demons are actually innocent humans, Blaze transforms into the Ghost Rider and attacks the Human Torch. Deciding not to fight, the Torch flies away, while Ghost Rider finds a van and transforms it into his hellish ride to give chase.

While flying through "Hell", the Torch finds a train seemingly full of demons, including a ferocious looking cat demon. Ghost Rider catches up and tackles the Torch, crashing both of them into the train. The Torch attempts to flee again but is attacked by the cat demon, which he uses as a distraction against Ghost Rider. The Torch then ties Ghost Rider's chain around a heavy food cat and tosses it off the train, dragging Ghost Rider along with it. Having won the fight, the train and the landscape change back to normal, revealing that they've been in Chicago the whole time. The Human Torch is then teleported and frozen in front of Agatha Harkness, who congratulates him on winning the battle. 

Shadowland (2010) # 5

Cover Date: January 2011; Publication Date: November 2010

Writer: Andy Diggle; Artist: Billy Tan' Inker: Victor Olazaba w/ Billy Tan; Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna; Colorist: Guru EFX; Assistant Editor: Tom Brennan; Editor: Stephen Wacker; Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada; Cover Artist: John Cassaday

Hell's Kitchen is consumed by a riot with the police unable to calm things down. Outside the Shadowland fortress, Matt Murdock's friend Foggy Nelson attempts to scale the castle's wall. He loses his grip and falls, but is caught by the Ghost Rider, who tells him next time take the stairs. Inside the fortress, the demonically possessed Daredevil stands victorious over the heroes he has defeated. He senses the Ghost Rider and leaps toward the wall, which the Rider breaks through on his motorcycle. Daredevil surprises him by kicking him off his bike and back out through the hole in the wall. The Beast, who has taken total control of Daredevil's body, explains that he has caused the people to riot in order to feed him with the destruction he craves. Ghost Rider replies with a blast of hellfire from his mouth, which the Beast easily absorbs. He grabs Blaze and absorbs all of the hellfire from his body, leaving the Ghost Rider an immobile skeleton.

Inside, White Tiger brings Foggy Nelson to Daredevil's throne, ready to kill the man. Daredevil stops her so he can do the kill himself, but Foggy is able to reach Murdock outside of the Beast's control. Using this opportunity, Iron Fist uses his chi to strike Daredevil - but it wasn't meant to harm him, it was meant to heal Matt's spirit. Daredevil begins an internal struggle with the Beast and is losing his fight until Elektra enters the dream world tells him that the only way to defeat the Beast is to kill himself. He takes a sword and stabs it through his chest, which frees him from the Beast's possession but nearly kills him as well. Foggy tries to save his friend, but Elektra tells him to let Murdock go. Meanwhile, outside, the rioters awaken, confused by what's been happening.

Back inside Shadowland, the heroes take stock of everything that's happened, feeling lucky that Bullseye wasn't resurrected. But Daredevil's body has mysteriously vanished, and Elektra finds his discarded mask at the end of a tunnel. Later, the Kingpin arrives at Shadowland and finds Typhoid Mary in charge of the Hand. Fisk reveals a trigger phrase that gives him control over Mary, and in turn control over the Hand as well. Elsewhere, a living Matt Murdock wanders into a church and asks the priest for forgiveness.

Shadowland (2010) # 3

Cover Date: November 2010; Publication Date: September 2010

Writer: Andy Diggle; Artist: Billy Tan; Inker: Victor Olazaba w/ Billy Tan; Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna; Colorist: Christina Strain & Guru EFX w/ Hannin & Dalhouse; Assistant Editor: Tom Brennan; Editor: Stephen WackerEditor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada; Cover Artist: John Cassaday

In the Shadowland dungeon, Jake Lockley - actually the vigilante hero Moon Knight - is fighting the Hand's ninjas. Fighting with him is the Spirit of Vengeance, Ghost Rider, who has been sent by the Kingpin to free Shadowland's prisoners. The ninjas are defeated and the prisoners freed, giving Moon Knight the opportunity to ask Ghost Rider what he's doing there. When Blaze replies that he's been played, Lockley asks the obvious question: "How the hell could someone else make the Spirit of Vengeance dance to his tune?" That's exactly what Blaze aims to find out for himself. Ghost Rider drives back into the underground tunnels, leaving Moon Knight to investigate the Shadowland operation.

Inside the Shadowland throne room, Daredevil, his ninja followers, and his lieutenants (White Tiger and Black Tarantula) are fighting a group of heroes that had come to talk sense into Murdock: Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Colleen Wing, Misty Knight, Shang Chi, and Spider-Man. Daredevil is confronted by both Iron Fist and Shang Chi, and with a surprising increase in strength and skill Daredevil is able to defeat them both. Spider-Man attempts to stop Daredevil, but is set on fire by another of Daredevil's aides, Typhoid Mary. The fight is stopped by the Punisher, who blows through a wall and gives the heroes the opportunity to escape. When they get outside, they see the citizens of Hell's Kitchen rioting in the streets.

Meanwhile, at Fisk Tower, Lady Bullseye tries to tell the Kingpin that he is playing with fire by summoning the Ghost Rider to do his bidding. There is a reason the Hand has not summoned the Zugaikotsu warrior for centuries and the Ghost Rider will be coming for Fisk. The Kingpin tells her that he's planned on Blaze returning; the scroll that summoned him also protects Fisk from the Ghost Rider. If he wants to be free of the spell, he will have to destroy the source of the Hand's magic. He will send the Ghost Rider to destroy the Hand, and when they are gone he will step in to pick up the pieces. At that moment, the Ghost Rider arrives at Fisk Tower and rides his bike up the side of the building.

Back at Shadowland, Daredevil is told that it was the Ghost Rider who freed their prisoners. Murdock knows that the heroes will return, and decides that the Hand needs better fighters. He then has an idea and tells Mary to bring a shovel to find their new champion - unaware that Moon Knight is watching from the rafters. In a nearby cemetery, Daredevil and Mary exhume the grave of Bullseye, who Daredevil killed days before. Using the magic of the Hand, he will resurrect Bullseye to be his greatest warrior. Their grave-robbing is interrupted by Elektra, who has come to join Daredevil's crusade.

The next day, in Harlem, the heroes are recuperating from their fight with the Hand. They now realize that Daredevil should never have been able to defeat either him or Shang Chi in combat. They are then joined by Master Izo, the monk who steered Daredevil toward taking over the Hand. Realizing his mistake, he tells the heroes that Daredevil has now become the vessel of an ancient demon, the Beast of the Hand, who hungers for the complete end of humanity.

Shadowland (2010) # 2

Cover Date: October 2010; Publication Date: August 2010

Writer: Andy Diggle; Artist: Billy Tan; Inker: Victor Olazaba; Letterer: VC's Joe Caramagna; Colorist: Christina Strain; Assistant Editor: Tom Brennan; Editor: Stephen Wacker; Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada; Cover Artist: John Cassaday

 

Outside the temple in Hell's Kitchen, now renamed Shadowland, cabbie Jack Lockley is beginning his investigation into the disappearance of all criminals and cops now that the Hand has taken control. Lockley is secretly the vigilante Moon Knight, and his plan is to be taken captive by the ninjas.

Elsewhere, Iron Fist and Luke Cage are in Fist's soup kitchen discussing Daredevil's murder of Bullseye and whether they should step in and stop their friend from making any more mistakes. Surprisingly, the Kingpin and his bodyguard Lady Bullseye come through the door and suggests an alliance between them to drive the Hand out of Hell's Kitchen. The Kingpin tells them that eventually, they're going to have to take down Daredevil themselves. Meanwhile, inside his Hand temple, Daredevil tells his aide Black Tarantula that they need reinforcements - all costumed heroes are invited to join the Hand.

In the penthouse of Fisk Tower, the Kingpin prepares a magical ritual using an ancient scroll stolen from the Hand. He plans to summon the Zugaikotsu warrior, one of the Hand's most ancient of enemies, and use him as a weapon against Daredevil. Fisk completes the spell, and a moment later the windows of his office are blown out by the demon warrior, who wants to know why he has been summoned. The Kingpin answers "what else...vengeance."

Back in Shadowland, Daredevil gives an audience to his former friends: Cage, Iron Fist, Shang-Chi, Misty Knight, and Colleen Wing. The heroes attempt to talk Daredevil out of what he's doing in Hell's Kitchen, but he refuses to listen even when Spider-Man arrives to join the discussion. Down in the Shadowland dungeon, Moon Knight is in a cell next to several captive SWAT officers. Using a regurgitated lock pick, Lockley escapes his cell - but before he can free the others, he hears a motorcycle engine. The Zugaikotsu has arrived, and it is actually the Ghost Rider. Daredevil is informed that the dungeon is under attack, which causes him to believe that the heroes have plotted against them. He orders his ninjas to take them, dead or alive!

War of the Realms Strikeforce: The Dark Elf Realm # 1

Cover Date: July 2019; Publication Date: May 2019

Writer: Bryan Hill; Artist: Leinil Francis Yu; Inker: Gary Alanguilan; Letterer: VC's Joe Sabino; Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth; Editor: Will Moss; Associate Editor: Sarah Brunstad; Executive Editor: Tom Brevoort; Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Leinil Francis Yu

At Avengers Mountain, Thor's mother Freya meets with the Punisher to discuss a mission and the agents needed to carry it through.  Castle handpicks She-Hulk, Ghost Rider, and Blade and assembles them in a meeting room to listen to Freya.  She tells them that Malekith has his own Black Bifrost Bridge in the Dark Elf realm of Svartalfheim that must be destroyed.  The heroes all agree to join her, but she tells them that first they must be tested.  Using Asgardian magic Freya forces each of them to confront their greatest fear: for She-Hulk it is her cousin the Hulk and for Blade it is himself as a future lord of the vampires.  Robbie Reyes faces Johnny Blaze, who calls him an imposter. The Avengers fight through the magic and attack Freya to prove their worth. She stops the magic challenge and cinsukts with Punisher to plan their attack on the Black Bifrost. Much later in Svartalfeim, Freya decides to make a last stand to defend the Black Bifrost, as it is now the only way to cross between the Nine Realms.

Savage Avengers (2019) # 22

"A Waking Nightmare"

Cover Date: September 2021; Publication Date: July 2021

Writer: Gerry Duggan; Artist: Patch Zircher; Letterer: VC's Travis Lanham; Colorist: Java Tartaglia; Editor: Tom Brevoort; Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Valerio Giangiordano

Conan awakens and finds himself back in the Hyborian Age, in the city of Aquilonia, unaware of how he has been transported back in time. He is attacked by that era's Ghost Rider, who travels atop a giant flaming spider and believes Conan to be working for Kulan Gath.  During the battle, Conan is bit by the flaming spider and passes out.

Conan awakens again, this time in a cave where he and Johnny Blaze are suspended from the ceiling by spider webs. Conan frees himself and Blaze, both of whom have figured out that they are reliving nightmares. Blaze admits that they are now reliving one of his nightmares, and the two men are attacked by a pack of werewolves. During the battle Blaze is overwhelmed and the world fades to black.

Conan and Blaze awaken again to find themselves at the mercy of Nightmare, who admits to having enthralled Ghost Rider to go looking for Conan for him. Nightmare states that Kulan Gath has been attempting to conquer the realm of dreams, and that the wizard has a nightmare of his own: that Conan will come and kill him. Nightmare tells Conan to seek out Dr. Strange, and then both Conan and Blaze awaken a final time in the alley within which they had first fought one another.  The two shake hands and Blaze decides to go get some rest, but tells Conan that he has an ally in him once he finds Kulan Gath. Conan leaves as well and journeys to Dr. Strange's home, where he finds the sorcerer meeting with the giant demon Shuma-Gorath. 

Savage Avengers (2019) # 21

"Dream Warriors"

Cover Date: August 2021; Publication Date: June 2021

Writer: Gerry Duggan; Artist: Patch Zircher; Letterer: VC's Travis Lanham; Colorist: Java Tartaglia; Editor: Tom Brevoort; Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski; Cover Artist: Valerio Giangiordano

While asleep in the Hellfire Club mansion, Conan the Barbarian has nightmares about his death the hands of the wizard Kulan Gath. When he awakens he is confronted by Emma Frost, the White Queen, who gives him permission to continue using the Hellfire Club as his home. Unable to sleep, Conan ventures out into the city, where he witnesses a person jump to their death from an apartment building. Realizing that the people inside are being controlled in their sleep, Conan enters the building and pulls the fire alarm, waking up the residents and telling them to flee their apartments. Conan is unexpectedly chained around the neck and dragged outside the building by Ghost Rider, who has sensed the essence of Kulan Gath on the barbarian. 

During the battle, which takes the two into a nearby alley, Conan recognizes the Ghost Rider, stating he saw his ancestor astride a giant spider in the ancient past. Ghost Rider, confused and distracted by nightmares in his head, refuses to listen to Conan's protestations of innocence and continues the battle. When he attempts to give Conan the Penance Stare, Conan shoves his fingers in Ghost Rider's eye sockets and shatters his skull, the result of which seemingly transports Conan back into the past of ancient Aquilonia.