The next-issue box at the end of the story proclaims Mark Texeira was going to be the regular artist next month, which seemed like a weird announcement. Not just because he had been inking the book for the last year, or because his influence was really strong this issue; but I was thinking of those Punisher: War Journal issues he did. Anyway, from 1991, Ghost Rider #12, "Strange Tales" Written by Howard Mackie, pencils by Javier Saltares, inks by Mark Texeira.
The Ghost Rider had been on the trail of "the Zodiak killer," but is interrupted by Doctor Strange! With his apprentice Rintrah (a big green minotaur guy, who was a fixture for some stretch but I think killed off in a bad way) Strange is trying to help old Werewolf By Night supporting character Topaz to rid herself of a spirit within her body; and if he gets rid of Zarathos so much the better. But the Ghost Rider doesn't answer to that name, at least today anyway. Escaping from Strange (but leaving a flaming motorcycle trail that he can follow!) the Ghost Rider finds Zodiak's headquarters, which has some elaborate machinery that seems to be draining children. Zodiak also has some magic guns for his guys, and they at least hold GR, until Strange shows up. There's a demon, and what might be at least the second doppelganger decoy for Zodiak; and in the end Ghost Rider seems willing to help Strange, which is nice of him.
Meanwhile, Johnny Blaze is getting closer to town, although at this point I'm not sure we know why yet.
Blaze definitely and clearly had THE line of that entire issue right there with that one about how the guy's friend rolling around in his own vomit was the lucky one. Funny and hardcore.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to Mark Texeriera anyways?
He's a pretty solid artist who's work was featured very heavily throughout the 90's, but now you might very rarely see any new mainstream stuff by him.
Wonder what happened.