Thursday, June 24, 2021

So much for the team-up, but I get like that too if I have to do anything on my day off.

It's weird to think of Ghost Rider taking a vacation day, or even promising his host one. Also, I feel like a lot of people GR faces immediately start screaming for God or Jesus or Buddha to save them; and I have to wonder how that makes him feel. Oh, and Daredevil's in this one: from 1998, Daredevil #372, "Devil and the Demon" Written by Joe Kelly, pencils by Ariel Olivetti, inks by Pier Britto. 

ADA Malpher--a baseball fan with rage issues--is investigating a cover-up in the wake of Mr. Fear's prison riot: a cell stained with blood that won't wash off, and a possible escapee; who has already killed again. Meanwhile, Daredevil "commutes" to work with on-again girlfriend Karen Page, who was a new talk DJ for WFSK, the radio station formerly owned by Wilson Fisk and now belonging to Matt's boss, Rosalind Sharpe. WFSK had also been used by Mr. Fear in an attempt to brainwash the city; which seems like a lot of bad press to overcome? Matt isn't sure what Sharpe's game is: she gives him a story about being a fan and wanting to save a "beacon" of NYC radio, but she was far too manipulative for that to be true. And she seemed weirdly invested in Matt and Karen's relationship, as well. (That's a plot point I'm not sure went anywhere;
Elsewhere, Danny Ketch is going to enjoy this fine day...for about thirty seconds, before the Ghost Rider warns him to "prepare." (Was Danny usually blond? Or that thick? Looks like Eddie Brock there.) Matt has a meeting with Malpher in an elevator: she tells him WFSK is part of an ongoing investigation, but is interrupted by a call from Judge Chalmer, which Matt probably could've overheard even if he wasn't DD. The judge warns her off, saying there was no escapee, and no body, no case. DD had been at that riot and didn't notice any murders, but opts to join her investigation. The judge is also being intimidated by the killer, who thinks he's way funnier than he is.
Back at WFSK, Karen is preparing for her radio comeback, and meets her handsome new producer, who is doubtless horrible somehow. DD visits Malpher, and they have a serious conversation: there is a lot of dialog in one panel! DD is going to question the prison warden about the escape/cover-up, but arrives to find somebody else that might have questions: Ghost Rider! Daredevil knows he won't be able to question the warden if the Rider burns out his mind with the penance stare, and stops him, giving the warden the chance to escape, shoving Malpher into the back of her car, and forcing her assistant to drive him in his car. Ghost Rider pauses briefly to tell Malpher not to be afraid of him, she's doing good work, and takes off after the warden.
Daredevil then gives chase, with a conveniently parked motorcycle; realizing about thirty seconds in that was a terrible idea, too noisy to be useful for him. It doesn't stop him from hitting the Rider with it and blowing it up, but he only interrupted the penance stare: Ghost Rider wasn't able to get the information he wanted about the killer, and since that was DD's fault, any more deaths would be on him as well, he was out. I'm not sure if Daredevil hears any of that, since the Rider's "fingers...are in (his) mind!"
Lastly, seemingly bucking the injunction, Karen Page was on the air again as "Paige Angel," and gets her first creeper call, from the killer. Joe Kelly and Ghost Rider both seem like they're working hard to make him seem like a big deal, but he's such an edgelord I don't see it. This was building up to Daredevil #375, which I don't think I loved.

1 comment:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

Ok, so first off no Danny's not blonde or buff. Another example of artistic license that the editor should've caught.

I also don't see GR letting ANY of his hosts a day off when the MCU (and by extention the world in general) is so filled with criminals and evil at any given time, a break would be impossible, but hey, credit to GR for at least offering it?