Spider-Man (1990) # 18

"Revenge of the Sinister Six"

Cover Date: January 1992
On Sale Date: November 1991

Writer: Erik Larsen
Artist: Erik Larsen
Letterer: Rick Parker
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Editor: Danny Fingeroth
Editor in Chief: Tom DeFalco

Cover Artist: Erik Larsen

A delirious cyborg is wreaking havoc in New York City, and both Spider-Man and Ghost Rider are attempting to stop him before more innocent people are killed by his psychotic rampage.  Spider-Man attempts to talk the man out of causing more destruction, but the cyborg instead attempts to flee with his legs transforming into rockets.  Ghost Rider uses his bike to catch up to the flying cyborg and attempts to use the Penance Stare on him.  The cyborg, Ghost Rider, and Spider-Man all fall the buildings below, and Ghost Rider saves Spider-Man from falling off of a building.  The cyborg, however, crashes into a building, which then collapses on him.  The heroes, believing the cyborg to be dead, depart with Spider-Man remarking that he's going to call SHIELD to collect the body.  They are both unaware that the cyborg is still alive as he digs himself free from the rubble and escapes.

Meanwhile the Sandman is about to visit a family that he's been staying with, only to see their house explode, killing them.  He swears revenge on Doctor Octopus, who he believes is responsible.  Meanwhile, Octopus has just received an upgrade in the form of adamantium arms that he states will make him unstoppable.  Later, Sandman joins his former Sinister Six teammates (Electro, Vulture, Hobgoblin, and Mysterio) to form a revenge plan against Doctor Octopus.  Sandman finds Spider-Man and tells him about the group's plans, and the hero follows the villains to a warehouse.  The Sinister Five confront Doctor Octopus while Spider-Man watches from the skylight, where he sees a giant figure looming on the roof behind him.

The Original Ghost Rider Rides Again (1991) # 7

"Stained Glass and Shadows!"/"The End of the Ghost Rider!"

Cover Date: January 1992
On Sale Date: November 1991

Writer: J.M. DeMatteis
Artist: Bob Budiansky
Inker: Kevin Dzubin
Letterer: Diana Albers
Colorist: Bob Sharen
Editor: Tom DeFalco
Editor In Chief: Jim Shooter

Cover Artist: Bob Budiansky

Johnny stands in shock when he sees Roxanne Simpson standing in front of him. The two walk into a tent to talk in private, where she tells him that after he left Los Angeles, she went to live with her mom's sister in a small Midwestern town named Holly. The pastor of the town, Ethan Domblue, unexplainably began calling himself the Sin-Eater, swearing that he could devour all the sins from the human soul. One by one, the people of Holly began to submit to the Sin-Eater for absolution. After this, the people changed into vapid, almost zombie-like husks that followed the pastor blindly. She came to the Quentin Carnival to ask the Ghost Rider for help. Johnny tries to tell her that the demon is uncontrollable now, but agrees to come anyway. Blaze says his goodbyes to his friends in the Carnival, and then he and Roxanne ride off.

During their cross-country trip, Johnny and Roxanne stop to make camp for a night. After Roxanne gives Johnny the cold shoulder and retires to her tent, Blaze notices a strange fog rolling toward them. Out of the fog comes a pack of wolves, who hungrily attack the couple. Afraid that they'll kill Roxanne, Johnny allows the Ghost Rider to emerge and the demon quickly causes the animals to retreat back into the forest. Roxanne recoils in horror as she sees for herself just how much the Ghost Rider has changed since she last encountered him, but offers no words of solace to Johnny as he regains control over his body.

When the two arrive in Holly, Roxanne's family invites Domblue for dinner, in order for him to meet Johnny. While Roxanne's aunt and uncle appear afflicted by the Sin-Eater, her cousin Charlie is not. During the dinner, he calls the pastor out as evil, and that the two need to have a talk. The two leave, and later that night Charlie comes into Johnny's room. His face is devoid of all emotion as he speaks of how wonderful Domblue is.

The next day, Johnny and Roxanne attend the pastor's church service. After his fiery speech, he calls out for those who have yet to receive his touch to come forward. Johnny gets up, deciding to find out if he's truly a fraud or not. Blaze lays upon the alter, not noticing several green tendrils that emerge from the floor beside him. Johnny's soul begins to rise out of him, but instead of submitting, he shrieks and triggers the transformation into the Ghost Rider. The demon smacks the Sin-Eater away, only to have another man step from behind a curtain: Centurious, the Soulless Man. The two battle, but soon the Rider tires, giving Blaze a chance to regain control. Centurious shows him the source of his power, the Soul Crystal, which is where the Sin-Eater has deposited the souls of Holly. He then tells Blaze his story; he was a prince that had been alive during Zarathos reign on Earth, used by Mephisto to lay the demon low. He wandered for centuries, eventually coming across the Soul Crystal. His chance meeting with the Ghost Rider weeks before had stirred his memories and hatred of the demon, and in a search for anything to use against him, came across Roxanne. Centurious then offers Blaze a choice: either submit to the Soul Crystal, or have the same fate bestowed on Roxanne. Blaze rushes forward as the tendrils of the Crystal extend, ripping the soul from his body.

Ghost Rider (1990) # 21

"Bad to the Bone"

Cover Date: January 1992
On Sale Date: November 1991

Writer: Howard Mackie
Artist: Ron Wagner
Inker: Michael Bair, Vince Evans, Ariane Lenshoek, Jimmy Palmiotti, & Mark Texeira
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Gregory Wright
Editor: Bobbie Chase
Editor In Chief: Tom DeFalco

Cover Artist: Joe Quesada

While Ghost Rider takes out a gang of criminals, a similar scenario is being played out by police lieutenant Michael Badilino, who takes down a biker gang on his own with excessive force and violence.  Later that night, at the police shooting range, Captain Gerry Dolan takes Badilino to task for his actions.  Badilino explains that the mayor has assigned Badilino's strike force team to apprehend Ghost Rider, and if Dolan had a problem with his methods he can take it up with City Hall.  Meanwhile, Ghost Rider transforms back into Danny Ketch, who thinks about his mission to bring down Snowblind and Deathwatch.  He drives to the police station to pick up his girlfriend, Stacy Dolan, and two crooks attempts to mug him.  The muggers are stopped by Badilino, who breaks one of the men's arm as he introduces himself to Dan and Stacy.  When the couple leaves, Badilino and his men begin their hunt for the Ghost Rider.  Their strongarm investigations gives them leads on Snowblind, who they know Ghost Rider is also searching for.

Later, Snowblind has a phone call with his boss, Deathwatch.  He asks Deathwatch for help with the task force, but after the call ends Deathwatch tells reporter Linda Wei to assist him in eliminating Snowblind.  That evening, while Danny is watching Wei's news report, a photo of Snowblind in his warehouse is "accidentally" added to the broadcast.  Danny recognizes the warehouse and leaves to confront the villain.  Badilino and his men also see the broadcast and decide to investigate themselves.  At the warehouse, Ghost Rider arrives and is enveloped in Snowblind's white field, which now not even Ghost Rider can see through.  Snowblind attempts to talk his way out of the fight, realizing that Deathwatch set him up, then uses his secretary as a hostage to try and escape.  Ghost Rider hits Snowblind with his chain, dispersing the white field, and Ghost Rider then beats Snowblind viciously.  Badilino arrives and attempts to arrest Ghost Rider, but is easily swatted away before Ghost Rider leaves.  Snowblind requests medical attention, but Badilino just smiles and shoots him several times.