We mentioned this issue
almost two years ago, with some confusion over whether or not the footnote referring to it was correct or not. Luckily, I had a damaged copy in the garage, so let's see! From 1975,
Ghost Rider #15, "Vengeance on the Ventura Freeway!" Written by Tony Isabella, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Don Heck.
This issue opens mid-jump, with the Ghost Rider trying to land Stunt-Master's cycle, with an unconscious woman,
and as the hypnotized Karen Page shoots at him! The Rider barely manages to stick the landing before crashing into a rack of costumes being moved at a bad time, but the costumes cushion their fall. With the bullet having just "creased her skull," the woman Katy is going to be all right, according to Doctor Ghost Rider anyway. But Karen is still controlled by the Orb, who says she's worth a million to him, with a bounty on her head, and he escapes with her. Oddly, everywhere there, from the Orb to Stunt-Master and the crew, seem to know the Ghost Rider is Johnny Blaze: the boss, Coot Collier, is pissed at him for showboating and blames him for their star getting kidnapped, which Johnny does not have a lot of patience for, and slugs him as he storms off. Somewhat more unusually, as he picks his ass up, Collier does admit he had that coming; and rallies Stunt-Master and the crew to help Johnny out. They give chase, and get a nice double-page view of the Orb taking a potshot at Ghost Rider on the Ventura Freeway...which may or may not have been drawn with any reference; it looks like a nightmare of entangled overpasses, speeding and indifferent cars, and smog.
Having faced the Rider before, the Orb has prepared for his flames with "an
asbestos-fibered costume!" Uh, I'm not positive that would work against
hellfire, but there are other problems with that...Karen snaps out of the hypnosis to struggle with the Orb for his laser gun, and he's forced to toss her: Johnny makes the catch pretty easily, but is shaken as it reminds him of his old girlfriend, Roxanne; because I'm not sure he could eat a sandwich without some horrible flashback or painful reminiscence. For good measure, he was also steamed that he messed up and Hercules was kidnapped over in
the Champions. (I'm guessing on the issue, but think I'm right.) The Orb causes a multi-car pile-up, forcing Ghost Rider to make a jump that would make him an easy target, but Collier shoots the gun out of Orb's hand! (Collier had mentioned doing his own shooting, when he was an actor!)
Catching up to the Orb, Ghost Rider gives him an extended thrashing, even reverting back to Johnny before the end of it; he only stops when Karen and everyone arrive and suggest he's had enough. The Orb had been pretty wrecked to begin with, honestly; but Johnny thinks he's only going to come back if he doesn't take care of him, and is only stopped by the appearance of Jesus! Maybe for real this time, this was after
'Satan' claimed he was 'the Messenger' in GR #8! Jesus advises, Johnny would have other chances to save Herc and fight Satan, his real foe; don't just take it out on the Orb.
Meanwhile, Wendy and Richard Pini (of
Elfquest fame!) visit the shot Katy in the hospital, in time to find her possessed by the Possessors; a problem for Johnny to face with the Son of Satan in the next issue.
The Trapster did not appear here, so I think the footnote from
Marvel Team-Up #58 was in error. And now we know!
No comments:
Post a Comment