Ugh. I hate it when I need to write a critical review of a series written by a writer I really admire! It is probably the hardest thing about writing comic reviews, to be honest. Sabir Pirzada has written some excellent things, like his Ms. Marvel comics alongside Iman Vellani, but I have to admit how disappointed I was with Spirits of Violence. This five-issue mini, acting as a sequel to Pirzada’s Spirits of Vengeance, struggled with the same issues as its predecessor: rushed plot, bloated lore, and inaccessibility to new readers.
Spirits of Violence follows the entire Ghost Rider crew (Danny, Johnny, Kushala, Robbie, Fantasma, Vengeance, Hellverine) as they battle against the coming “Age of Violence,” which the villainous Corruption is attempting to bring about. Plot-wise, it is… a full-on mess. It is way too reliant on niche Ghost Rider lore and relationships, the villains come out of nowhere and are way too powerful, and the ending is so rushed that there is not an ounce of satisfaction. I was really hoping I would enjoy Violence more than Vengeance, after Vengeance was also so lore-heavy, but unfortunately, that trend continued, and it was unable to break free of the trappings of its own weighted history.
Marvel
Okay, I don’t want to just be a straight-up hater, so I want to acknowledge some things I enjoyed about this series. I really, really loved Paul Davidson’s art throughout the series. It is so vibrant, energetic, and most of all clear. There is a lot of action and intensity in this series, but the level of detail and precision Davidson brings to the art means that nothing is lost in the brawls. I read this entire trade sitting outside on my patio in an hour, and I got through it so quickly because the art was simply a joy to look at! I also think the cover for the trade (and the first issue) by Kendrick “Kunkka” Lim is absolutely beautiful, and sets the tone for the series well (that is to say, it is incredibly crowded).
More and more as I review trade paperbacks, I am realizing how important it is to name and appreciate the book designers for the trade. The Spirits of Violence trade was designed by Youssif Bayor, who designed many trades and Epic Collections for Marvel. I really appreciate Bayor’s design of this trade, especially his use of variant covers throughout. Many traders feature a small collection of variants at the end of the collection, but Spirits of Violence highlights various gorgeous trades in between each issue, which I really love, as well as a few extra full-page variants at the end. I want more trades from Marvel like this one!
Marvel
Taken as a whole, I did enjoy reading the Violence trade one issue after another, as opposed to when I read each issue individually as they came out. There is a flow that Pirzada establishes between various plots that I appreciate. However, the reliance on historical lore and relationships just made it truly hard to get into the groove of the story. There are also some random things that I didn’t love, like the death of Kushala’s flaming horse mount (WHY!?!?!). Also, in a flashback scene, Danny Ketch’s sister Barbara uses concealer to cover lipstick marks on Danny’s face, which makes absolutely no sense. Why would you not just wipe the lipstick off???
Speaking of Barbara, I thought it made no sense that she was able to easily defeat Danny and other Ghost Riders, who have been Spirits of Vengeance for years and years, after having her powers for like five days. That was really hard for me to get over for some reason! On top of these complaints, I really struggle when a major villain debuts and then is defeated in the next issue. Corruption was just incredibly underwhelming, and I didn’t feel a single feeling when she came to Earth. After Danny’s untimely sacrifice, ending his life in a way he simply did NOT need to do, and the decision to trap the iconic Kushala in a hell dimension with Corruption, I can’t imagine myself wanting to read another follow-up to this series.
I wish this comic had lived up to my expectations for it, and I am still excited to see what Pirzada writes next, regardless of my thoughts on this trade. Davidson’s gorgeous art and Bayor’s impressive book design are a saving grace for Spirits of Violence, as it is visually a lovely collection of art and design. If you absolutely love Ghost Rider and already have the Spirits of Vengeance trade, then I totally think getting this to add to your collection is worth it, but if not, then this might be one to skip.
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