Earlier this month, I released an editorial that explored the connections between the Danny Ketch era of Ghost Rider and the classic shonen manga Yu-Gi-Oh! by Kazuki Takahashi. For anybody that enjoyed that, or was intrigued by the character, this book by the original run’s writer Howard Mackie is a nostalgic return to form that could also serve as a great sample platter of what to expect from Ghost Rider’s most defining era.
This miniseries exemplifies all the strengths and pitfalls of that classic run, giving you something that feels authentically right out of the early ’90s, when Ghost Rider was a misunderstood grim avenger of the innocent with a past yet unknown to him, with secrets and mysteries abound. The concept’s history since that era has been, admittedly, very wishy-washy. The Ghost Rider brand has been re-imagined and retconned close to a dozen times by now, which has had fans calling into question the clashing internal logic of events for almost two whole decades. This book trims all that fat and manages to laser focus in on a simpler time, when Ghostie was mysterious and unknowable, and Danny Ketch his reluctant, power-and-responsibility type partner. We’ve got the classics, like wannabe vampire Blackout and carnival man Johnny Blaze, and even new characters that feel right at home in the era like the Broker. It’s all here, slotting in perfectly with those early ’90s issues.
Marvel Comics
The plot, while perhaps a bit simple by today’s standard of comics, is pretty classic Howard Mackie fare. A mysterious supernatural criminal is stirring up trouble around good ol’ Cypress Hills, and it’s up to Danny and his enigmatic mentor/overseer The Caretaker and reluctant ally Johnny Blaze to take down whoever’s causing it. It also uses another classic Mackie-ism, revealing completely new, previously unknown vital information about the Medallion of Power (the Millennium Puzzle-esque artifact that originally allowed Ketch to turn into the Rider) and using it to tease a potential future storyline…. however the hell that’s gonna work given what this book is, but I will admit, that’s a pretty quintessential ’90s Ghost Rider move. That may sound like a massive negative, but I’ll be honest, that is what a lot of the ’90s run on Ghost Rider was like (it was popular during the speculator boom, after all) and there’s something genuinely really fun and sincere in Mackie further tinkering with this world he helped define going forward. And hell, it’s not like we’re not used to this kinda thing with the character, it’s almost part of the fun at this point.
Marvel Comics
Unfortunately, while the story is a fun, gritty, campy, mystery romp, and Mackie has ABSOLUTELY still got it when it comes to writing these characters, the story feels tragically rushed and cut short. Being only four issues, the first three feel like they’re giving room for the story to naturally grow to its conclusion, only for the final issue to speed-run the entire thing right to the end and leave an “executive meddling” aftertaste. Considering that other, similar nostalgic throwback miniseries Marvel has been putting out have had at least five issues to tell their story, one can’t help but feel Ghost Rider was really given the shaft here by being cut down to only four.
Thankfully, the art is pretty great, too – Daniel Picciotto manages to capture the world of ’90s era Marvel quite well. He delivers on that edgy, cool biker fire and brimstone aesthetic that made the Ketch version of the character the definitive look for all Ghost Riders past and future. It’s also just nice to see the Marvel Universe in a pre-2000s (and most notable, pre-MCU influenced) state, where costumes looked like costumes and nobody was particularly concerned with realism and panel lines over simple iconography or raw over-the-top cool factor. It’s a nostalgic glimpse into a bygone era for sure, and I do always enjoy revisiting other eras of comics and remembering how much stuff can change even a couple years later.
Marvel Comics
Overall, Danny Ketch: Ghost Rider – Blood & Vengeance is a fun, inoffensive and quaint little romp that takes us back to a time where the character was both more and less complicated. A time when the simple appeal of supernatural Skeleton Batman could carry an entire story, and it does that well. It’s a return to a status quo that’s been long abandoned, with versions of the characters when they were perhaps better off than they are now. Johnny Blaze as a loving father and stern mentor, the Caretaker’s enigmatic chess-like maneuvers, the Ghost Rider’s stoic mysteriousness, and Ketch’s sincere desire to try and make some good out of what’s befallen him. It’s Mackie playing around in this world he’s long since left behind, with characters he helped define for generations to come, and it’s nice to see he’s even still got some curve balls left to throw at us along the way. What does that ending mean for the current status quo in 2023? Is Spider-Man #93 actually canon? Maybe we’ll never know.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.