Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Review

Ghost Rider came out back in 2007. (Same year as my personal favorite comic book movie, Spider-Man 3.) It went down an infamous road, no one really likes that film. I remember watching it back when it released on DVD, I thought it was pretty good, but I really don't remember my full first impressions. It wasn't until last year that I re-watched it. To this day, as I stated in my review, I think it's a pretty fun film. Too much hate, and this is coming from a big fan of the character now. Finally, after four months since it originally released in theaters, Spirit of Vengeance is out on DVD. I'll be honest, I had never expected the first film to get a sequel. Critics panned it and people still dislike it to this day. This film got some pretty big hype, Cage even went as far to 'bashing' the original film to get people excited for this. It opened up and....didn't exactly go as planned. Currently it holds a 17% on Rotten Tomatoes. I've heard some even say it makes the first film look like The Dark Knight in comparison. I was going in very intrigued, it was going to be interesting to see why everyone dislikes it so much. Well, once again, I'm going to have to go against popular opinion, this film was a blast.

Check out the officical synopsis if you don't know already what it's about:

Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance. Still struggling with his curse as the devil's bounty hunter, Johnny is hiding out in a remote part of Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy from the devil. At first Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.

This film is one fun ride. It was released in February strangely, probably not to compete with the three big ones in the summer, The Avengers, The Amazing Spider-Man, and The Dark Knight Rises. This doesn't bother referencing past events that much or dwell on things, it's completely fast-paced throughout. No, this is not a 'smart' or 'great' movie like The Dark Knight, but it's fun, perfect for a sunny Saturday afternoon. This film improves on a number of things the original had trouble with. The action is more satisfying, (the 'fights' in Ghost Rider were practically non-existent) the CGI (well, some of it anyway) is much better, and the characters are generally better. (Save Ciaran Hinds as the Devil, he was good, but no Peter Fonda.) There are of course some negative aspects about the film, just like with the first Ghost Rider. But Spirit of Vengeance is just a fun watch even with those negative things.

Nicolas Cage should have never been put in the role of Johnny Blaze. He was a primary reason holding back the first film from being really good. He does a rather mixed job here, it's definitely an improvement for sure. As the film goes on, he becomes a likable character with an admittedly funny script. Though he still comes off as rather corny for the most part. He's too old for the part of Johnny Blaze. Still, he was a fun focus, surprisingly. (A highlight is the 'interrogation' between him and one of Carrigan's men at a fighting club, really good stuff there.) Ciaran Hinds replaces Peter Fonda as the Devil. Fonda was one of the best parts in Ghost Rider, so I was disappointed that he would not return in the role. With that said, the new guy as the Devil was a pretty solid antagonist, portraying a sense of fear that Fonda had brought. It's a good thing too, cause the other antagonist, Johnny (coincidence?) Whitworth as Blackout wasn't quite up to standard. His origin should have been deepened, and his relationship with the Rider. In the comics, they share a great hatred toward one another, none of that is really displayed here. There's no romance or female love interest here. (Surprisingly enough.) The main female lead is Nadya. Another pretty surprising thing was that she was actually a well-scripted and all around good character. Eva Mendes in the original film had by far the worst acting performance, she was just awful, almost the definition of bad acting. Wow, her character was really badly played and her script was lousy. At least here Nadya brings some coolness and ends up being not a negative reason holding the film back. Speaking of bad characters, let's talk about one of the main focus, Danny. (Heh heh, Danny. Only Ghost Rider fans will get the reference.) Wow, this kid was just awful. Corny, annoying, I've seen some good kids in films....he is not one of them. Idris Elba (Heimdall from Thor) was definitely a high-point in the film, as many other other reviewers agree.

The CGI as I stated before is an improvement. However, sometimes it's borderline laughable. The scene with Blaze attempting to stop the Rider from coming out while driving his motorcycle was laughably bad. Now this is a high-octane movie, it's constantly on the move. Ghost Rider's first appearance taking out a bunch of Carrigan's men was just awesome. (Though two grenades knocking him out? I mean really?) The final battle between him and Blackout was a very satisfying fight. It could have been a little longer, but is definitely good enough. The soundtrack is similar to the first one, it fits the tone well. (It's pretty hardcore, good stuff.) This being high-octane, the film's focus is getting the story to move, but in the process, some of the logic in the writing is lost. When Moreau came by asking to make a deal with Blaze, the latter didn't bother asking what was so important about Danny. I know I would ask for the details. The ending is pretty unsatisfying and felt rushed, it doesn't feel like a closure. You know, I wish the film had more of a demonic scare factor. The first film did a pretty good job with that, but this film isn't really all that supernatural. A personal favorite scene however was in the ritual with the Devil 'leaving' his body to go into the boy's body, you can see the shadow with the horns and is just pretty awesomely creepy to see on the screen. 

Overall, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance will continue to be disliked by just about everyone. I on the other hand will tell you that it's one 'fiery' blast of a film. It's nothing great really, just a fun, what's that term they use? 'Popcorn' film. However, unlike all the Transformers films, this one has class. So yes, Spirit of Vengeance isn't The Dark Knight or Iron Man, but not every film has to be like those. Some films could just be a fun 'ride,' and that's exactly what Spirit of Vengeance is.

7/10

RETRO REVIEW: Ghost Rider: Vicious Cycle

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance was released into theaters this past Friday. Ghost Rider is the type of concept that when you look at it, the word 'cool' comes to mind. Prior to this series, the Rider hadn't had a comic book in awhile. He had a miniseries prequel called Road to Damnation a year before, but the last ongoing was the famous Danny Ketch series, which ran from the 90's to the early 2000s. Sadly, the book was canceled due to low sales. So the Ghost Rier character was in limbo for a few years. Then a year before the 2007 film came out, Daniel Way and Mark Texeira unleashed a new ongoing series with Johnny Blaze. So at that time, Ghost Rider was re-sparked. In the coming paragraphs I talk about the first arc, Vicious Cycle.

Hope.

It's the Devil's favorite poison.

Those are the first words of this arc, while Ghost Rider is zooming toward the 'exit' of Hell. Then it turns out to be a fake gateway. Issue #1 is one of the single best starts to a Marvel comic series I've ever read, and the second best Ghost Rider comic. (Only behind the legendary Tony Isabella #9 one.) It's Johnny blaze in Hell, literally. This is how you start a Ghost Rider series, this is where the films should take cue on how to do the character. The villain is Lucifer, the Devil. No, none of that Mephisto nonsense, this is the ACTUAL Devil. Yes, I never really liked that plot twist of Johnny making a deal with Mephisto who 'pretends' to be the Devil. This brings the Ghost Rider series to its very early roots. Daniel Way's portrayl of Lucifer is jusr spot-on. Evil of course, but a hint of sarcasm. It's a great portrayal.

Many prefer Jason Aaron to Daniel Way on the title. Not me, I prefer the latter a lot more. In my opinion, the book fell flat when Jason Aaron took over at Issue #20. So here we have Johnny, who is stuck in Hell looking for a way out. Meanwhile, the Devil is in his castle, watching, manipulating him. I find it really interesting how Way portrays Hell and how it works. The Devil is the king, and then there's the Lake of Fire section for the souls that don't make it to Heaven. So he just watches them burn, it's a really interesting perspective. Ghost Rider eventually runs into this little demonic thing who claims he can help him get out of Hell. It turns out, however, that the demon was Lucifer in disguise. In today's media world, it's hard to surprise a reader/viewer, cause everything has been done before. Like, in a lot today's horror movies, the 'scares' are so cliche, it's hard to be surprised by them. But that scene was truly unexpected. What follows at the end of the issue is Johnny making it back to earth, but he brought the Devil along with him.

Issue #2 is a real highlight. We get a great confrontation between the two near the middle with great splash page of Ghost Rider standing in front of Lucifer. The most dramatic scene in the whole arc was when Ghost Rider was inches apart from Lucifer, and the latter had a bunch of matches to blow up a van full with people. Meanwhile if Ghost Rider takes another step, he will inadvertently blow up the van. It's a lose lose situation. And then one person in the van decides to take matters into her own hands and hits the ignition key. That in turn blows up the van. Ghost Rider falls to the ground in sorrow and having failed to be a 'protector of innocents' while the Devil rides away in a car smiling and laughing, it's a truly dramatic and emotional moment. Then at the end of issue #2, Doctor Strange decides to make an appearance.

Now this is my only real complaint. The writing and battle is very good, (let's just say that if anyone said Doctor Strange could beat Ghost Rider, this issue would set you straight) but the problem is that they don't seem to know each other. Doctor Strange says his name, but Johnny Blaze doesn't give recognition to him at all. Why are they fighting you ask? Well, he thinks the Doc is Lucifer in disguise. It's a valid thing to think, but in the end after he does the Penance Stare, he says, "This man is innocent." It's like he never met or heard of Doctor Strange. Look at that fantastic cover to Issue #2. I mean, I think that is one of the best comic book covers of all time. Texeira is a monster with these covers, not to mention the art inside is great. Especially in Issue #1, it gives Hell  a 'cool' yet terrifying look. It looks like how we all picture it, but at the same time, giving it a new edge never before seen in any type pf media.

Overall, Vicious Cycle is a definitive Ghost Rider story. If you've ever been curious about the character and looking for an entry-point, this story is the way to go. If you just came back from watching Spirit of Vengeance and looking to read about the character, this is the way to do it. Or maybe if you left the film disappointed, thinking the character and his universe is nothing but mindless action and corny writing with no plot, read this story, it will change your mind. The story features Johnny Blaze, the true Ghost Rider. It features a great story, Hell, and the Devil, the actual Devil. The writing is solid and the art is great. Vicious Cycle is a great story for old and new fans alike.

10/10

My Interview With Tony Isabella

Before reading this, be sure to check out my retro review of Ghost Rider #9. After I had finished the comic, I wanted to dig deeper into the story and retcon. The way to do that was to get a few words from the writer of the story of course. I managed to get in touch with the writer, Tony Isabella, where I asked a few questions regarding the issue. (And one about the 2007 Ghost Rider film.) 

1. You took over Ghost Rider at issue #6, did you have a set plan for 

the series forward at that point?

Not really.  Gary Friedrich had left the series somewhat abruptly. 

Marv Wolfman and Doug Moench did a quick fill-in for issue #5.  I was 

given an issue already pencilled by Jim Mooney from Gary's last 

plot.  That was issue #6.  As I recall, I switched around some of the 

pages.  I never received a copy of Gary's plot so I made up my own 

story around the pages and Jim's border notes. My getting the gig was 

a typical-for-Marvel scenario: "Congratulations, you're the new 

writer and you're already late on your next script and plot." My 

immediate "plan" was to come up with an exciting finish to the story 

for issue #7.

For issue #8, I wanted to get the book back to its core concept of 

Satan trying to claim Johnny Blaze's soul.  Since it was girlfriend 

Roxanne Simpson's "protection" of Johnny that was holding Satan at 

bay, I decided to put that protection in jeopardy.  By the time I was 

plotting issue #9, I decided that protection kept Johnny from the 

consequences of his deal with the devil and that particular bit was 

wearing thin.  So what could be more game-changing and shocking than 

Roxanne being tricked into renouncing that protection?

This was when I realized I'd written myself into a hellish corner. 

How could Johnny Blaze be saved?  I was thinking out loud about it in 

the Marvel Bullpen when the great Steve Gerber suggested, half in 

jest, that maybe God could save Johnny.  I loved the idea and, with 

the blessing of editor-in-chief Roy Thomas, made "the Friend" a 

recurring character in the series.  It should be noted that Roy and 

his successors Len Wein and Marv Wolfman supported what I was 

doing.  There was no controversy about the addition of Jesus Christ 

to the book until, as Marv was ending his stint at editor-in-chief, 

Jim Shooter took offense to it and took it upon himself to rewrite my 

last issue and destroy the finale I had been working towards for two years.

2. To this day, are you still proud of how issue #9 came out? Do you 

think it has aged well?

Yes.  At a time when Marvel had several demonic entries operating in 

its universe, I was determined to let have Heaven have a voice in 

these stories.  When I reread the issue a few months back, I saw 

flaws here and there, but I do think it has aged well.  A number of 

readers have remarked that my old stories hold up better than many of 

those written by my contemporaries.

3. December 1st marks the 37th anniversary of issue #9. Looking 

back, would you consider it your single greatest issue or something else?

That's a tough call to make.  I think the best single issue of any 

comic book I've written is Black Lightning #5 from the second run of 

that series.  When it comes to Ghost Rider, while issue #9 was an 

important issue, I like issues #11 (with the Hulk) and #12 (with the 

Phantom Eagle) better.  I was really pleased with the scene in my 

original version of issue #19 wherein Johnny Blaze accepted "the 

Friend" as his savior and defeated Satan, but, sadly, readers never 

got to see that scene as written.

When I became the regular writer of Ghost Rider, I knew I couldn't 

write the kind of stories Gary Friedrich had been writing so well. So 

I decided to put a somewhat greater emphasis on the "superhero" part 

of "The Most Supernatural Superhero of All."  I'm told sales went up 

with this approach and the title went monthly shortly after my 

departure, based on the sales of my run.

4. Of course, the big thing fans remember is the retcon of your 

story. You've talked about it a bunch of times in the past, I would 

like to know a few things. So it wasn't until after issue #19 that 

your editor decided he didn't approve your story? Was it a last- 

minute change? Why didn't he approve the concept of Heavenly forces 

to counter Hellish forces?

It wasn't my editor per se.  Jim Shooter, who was just an assistant 

editor at that point, stated he was offended by the story and took 

advantage of the chaos during the end of Marv Wolfman's time as the 

editor-in-chief and the start of Gerry Conway's to rewrite and have 

partially redrawn the already-completed and ready to go off to the 

printer issue.  So, yes, it was a last-minute change.  At the time, 

Shooter told me he was offended by the story and that statement was 

backed up by others who heard it.  I asked for my name to be taken 

off the issue, but he refused to honor that request.

5. After you left the book, did you follow Ghost Rider at all? The 

90's series, or the mid-2000's Daniel Way series?

I read the book sporadically.  I remember liking some of the issues 

written by Michael Fleisher and Roger Stern in the original run of 

the title.  The 1990s series didn't do anything for me, I 

haven't  read more than an issue or so of the Daniel Way run and only 

those issues that crossed over with whatever Marvel Universe event 

was going on at the time.

6. What did you think of the 2007 Ghost Rider movie?

I enjoyed it and even recognized something of the Johnny Blaze who I 

wrote in Nicholas Cage's performance.  It wasn't a great movie, but 

it wasn't as awful as some would have it.

7. The retcon came ten issues later in #19. Some fans believe the 

Arch-Demon was lying about "The Friend" being an illusion. After all, 

he is the Prince of Lies. Would you tell those fans to give up that 

claim and just accept that he was just an illusion, or since "The 

Friend" technically never appeared again, it's alright to claim that?

I would tell fans to interpret the story however they like.  On my 

long "bucket list" of things I'd like to write before I kick that 

bucket is a Ghost Rider Forever series wherein I would proceed as if 

my story had been left intact and cover the next several years of 

Johnny Blaze's life.  I doubt Marvel would be interested in my doing 

this, but, who knows, I might describe what I would have done in some 

future blog.

8. And finally, would you change anything about issue #9?

Not really.  Maybe tweak a line here and there, correct any typos I 

spot, but not really.  It was a good comic book that addressed an 

interesting facet of the Marvel Universe.  My only regret is that, 

ten issues later, Shooter pissed on another writer's story.

Retro Review: Ghost Rider #9

I've always known about the classic 70s Ghost Rider series. I really had no interest, (not to mention how expensive the issues are) to start collecting them, I was busy with the 90's series. That changed when I read a very interesting article about this infamous retcon as they call it. The most important thing about this issue, Johnny Blaze getting saved by a "Friend" from Satan was completely thrown out the window. In fact, there was another big retcon saying that wasn't really the Prince of Evil, it was Mephisto. (If a longtime fan could tell me the details about that retcon, it would be greatly appreciated, I've only recently begun to delve into the Ghost Rider lore.) Ignoring all of that, I want to talk about this issue, because it wasn't until after it was published that the editor decided to completely change the writer's story so that the "Friend" was just one of Satan's tricks, which was against the writer's wishes. The paragraphs following will my review/thoughts on the issue and the retcon itself.

I didn't buy any of the previous issues beforehand, and this issue was continuing over from the previous one. It starts with a battle from Issue 8, Ghost Rider against the demon Inferno. Meanwhile, the demon lord Satan is attempting to make Roxanne, (Blaze's girlfriend) give up her "protection" over Johnny, so the Demon Lord could have his soul. She's reluctant, but Satan convinces her with the image of her father burning in Hell. After she mutters the words, "I renounce my protection of the Ghost Rider," the Demon Lord laughs saying that her father is not in Hell, for his soul cannot be reached. What follows is Ghost Rider losing his powers, thus making him an easy target for Inferno and the possessed citizens of San Francisco. However, thanks to his ingenuity, Blaze is able to beat Inferno. But then Satan himself appears, about to claim his soul. Blaze says he'll keep fighting, but it's no use, his soul is the Demon Lord's. However, someone yells "You are wrong, Satan!" A man steps forward, helping up the defeated Johnny Blaze. He says "No man lives his life without contending with you several times, Satan. For now, remember that he is free--that you have no claim over his soul." Satan flees the scenes, saying that he's eternal as sin itself and will remember this day. The man is about to leave, when Ghost Rider asks who he is. The man simply replies, "I am a friend."

Well, that's the overall story. I've read a lot of Marvel stories from the 60's/70's, some good, some really awful and cheesy. This story, as you could tell from my synopsis, doesn't fall into either category.....it falls under "excellence." Indeed, this story packs a punch and a certain deepness not seen all that much in comics at the the time. I admire the writer of the issue, for going into deep boundaries as such.

This was before Mephisto, this was the actual Devil. He is portrayed as certainly evil, with some amazing quotes. "I'm the Devil, everything I say is a lie, including that." I really like how the Demon Lord was portrayed. (Though a rather generic look.) I like how Hell plays a role and how the Devil resides in it making plans, it makes the stories very interesting. However, the real deal about this issue, and its selling point, was the "Friend." He comes out of nowhere in the comic, having some amazing quotes, such as the one I listed in the synopsis. The dialogue between Him and Satan is just priceless, the ladder is just completely scared off by the first, it's just amazing stuff. The "Friend" if you didn't figure it out, is supposed to be Jesus, which makes this whole thing interesting. I love how they mixed in theology and comics, it works supremely well with Ghost Rider. So sad that an editor felt the need to do a little retcon.

I don't know the details, but apparently the public was too sensitive to read about anything Bible-based in comics, even though it's a positive thing in this case. So what happened, is that ten issues later, in issue 19, it was said that the whole "Friend" thing was nothing but an illusion by Satan. I bought that issue, mainly cause I was curious on how they would pull it off with the retcon. They did it so it made a bit of sense, but looking back at Issue 9, it doesn't go. The Devil's dialogue in the epilogue of Issue 9 completely contradicts it, therefore I'm saying that this retcon is invalid. I'd say that the Arch-Demon in Issue 19 was just saying it was an illusion just to mess with Ghost Rider, he is the Prince of Lies after all. It doesn't really matter, since apparently everything is Mephisto, so in that the 70's Ghost Rider series is pretty confusing. But the intent of the writer was this issue, he didn't intend for everything to get a retcon, that was the editor's decision. Some people think it was a right move, I support the writer in that "it was the worst editorial decision by an editor in the history of comics." It won't be undone at this point, but I still enjoyed this issue regardless.

What I'm saying here is that Ghost Rider #9 is one of the greatest comics I've ever read. It combines theology with a superhero-based tale supremely well. I proudly own it in very fine condition, it was worth every penny. I don't care about the retcons that came after, this story stands above them. It's a high quality issue with some amazing writing. If it's one back-issue you need to read, it's Ghost Rider #9.

An easy 10/10.

The Top 15 Greatest Comic Book Covers

The cover of anything is the most important selling factor. Like, when you go to the comic book store and search those back-issue bins, you look for the most visually-appealing covers. The cover entices the buyer, so you'll find that the cover is usually better than the interior art. Here I present what I consider to be the most visually-appealing, iconic, and just cool covers from my knowledge. You've probably read thousands of lists like this, but you'll find mine to be a bit more diverse. (Heh, I'm betting no one will agree with me.) So let's get started on what I consider to be the top 15 greatest comic book covers of all time. (I am not counting variants, cause then all the variant Godzilla covers would take up the space. Speaking of Godzilla.....)

15. Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters #1

Heh, what better way to start off? This cover is iconic in many ways. First, look at the way it's shown, it's as if the camera guy is looking up at Godzilla, making him look supremely imposing. Not to mention how great Godzilla himself is drawn, when compared to the later covers of this series. The way it was drawn, it's as if the artist is saying, "The King is back, baby!"

14. Spirits of Vengeance #10

 Wow. The main focus of this cover is on Vengeance, the spiky Ghost Rider on the cycle. You can tell that this guy is no Ghost Rider wannabe, just look at those fangs, it gives off the crazy vibe that this is going to be one heck of comic with this guy. (And it's true.) And the way everyone's getting slapped to the side by this guy adds to the cool factor. It's one awesome cover, it really stood out when I found it, that's when you know a cover is good, when it stands out.

13. Superman #87

It's not Bizarro himself that makes this cover special, it's the backwards lettering and the backwards DC insignia. That in itself is unique and really grabs the attention of a looker. (It did to me, when I found this back in the library years ago.)

12. JLA/Avengers #2

If the fact of Superman and Thor wrestling or Captain America and Batman battling it out doesn't make your jaw drop, I don't know what will.

11. The Invincible Iron Man #29

The Sentient Armor storyline is my personal favorite Iron Man story, (yes, I've also read Demon in a Bottle) and this cover describes it perfectly. You can tell that's the Iron Man armor, and the fact that it's crushing its helmet is symbolism. The looker can attempt to deduce what the symbolism is, but you won't guess until you read the story. Truly a great cover.

10. Avengers #22

The Avengers have had a lot of great villains over the years. From Kang the Conqueror to the Masters of Evil, the team have had a lot of great encounters over the years. However, one name stands above them all: Ultron. The evil robot is by far the greatest villain, and one of Marvel's greatest. (Indeed, he was the one that destroyed the team and took over the world.) This cover is truly a standout, featuring the Avengers dead on the floor and Ultron standing in triumph. What I like is the background is red with all of the Avengers blending in, which makes Ultron look all the more menacing.

9. Batman #497

All you Batman fans know this one supremely well. The actual story is one of the best, the Bat gets broken. The cover's main focus is the hulking Bane, and how he's breaking Batman's back. As you could see in the backround, that's the Batcave. So that means that Bane is in the Batcave, which is part of why this cover is iconic, because not many villains break in there.

8. The Mighty Thor #385

Ah, these two Marvel titans. A battle between these two is always something the Marvel fans anticipates. There have been a bunch of covers where these two are trading blows, but this stands out the most. It's one of the earliest, and the poses are one of the most iconic in the comic industry.

7. JLA/Avengers #4

I'm sure some fans will debate this, Superman is the most iconic superhero of them all. (And this is coming from a Marvel fan.) Apparently both Marvel and DC realized this, cause on the cover of Issue Four from the JLA/Avengers mini-series, showcases the Big Red S holding both Thor's hammer and Captain America's shield. It's truly iconic for that reason, and the fact he's battled ravaged makes it even more so.

6. The Invincible Iron Man #48

Wow, just wow. This cover when I saw it immediately grabbed my eye. Ultron has been on a bunch of different covers, but none has grasped his evil tyrant look as this one. The lightning in the background really helps this cover, truly an outstanding one.

5. Spirits of Vengeance #6

Our friend Venom here has appeared on plenty of covers, this one stands out among the rest. First of all, the art is taken up a notch when compared to the other Spirits of Vengeance covers before this, it's as if the budget went higher for this cover. Venom looks amazing, especially with Ghost Rider's beaten up skull.

4. Ghost Riders: Heaven's on Fire #6

Everything about this cover screams spectacular. You have to admire the painted background and the angle of everything, it really gives off the "This is the end" feeling. The renegade angel, Zadkiel, is drawn with such precise detail, especially those wings. I like the closeup of both Ghost Riders, this is one amazing cover.

3. The Amazing Spider-Man #375

That cover is just mesmerizing. The two battling, and look at that gold foil background. The words there, "Spidey vs. Venom: The Final Confrontation!" gets you thinking, "Oh man, this is it, only one of them will walk away from this." They had made many more encounters after of course, but the point is, this cover was the endgame. It was the end of an era between these mortal rivals, and this cover is perfect in delivering that message. Ah, how I miss the glory days of Spidey.

2. Ghost Rider #2

This cover is just amazing. Here we have Ghost Rider, (which is one of the best representations of him I've ever seen) and Lucifer, the actual Devil. (Not Mephisto, the REAL Devil.) I just love everything about it, Ghost Rider standing over the Prince of Darkness, it's just truly an epic cover. It was hard not to put this for number one, but that honor belongs to something else....

1. Amazing Spider-Man #339

Surprised? This cover has always been such a favorite of mine, let me explain. First of all, it's been years since he put on the black costume, it's symbolism. You can see as he looks down at the Venom insignia, that there's no going back, he's no longer your "friendly neighborhood" Spidey, he's out to kill. It's truly an amazing cover. It's Spidey as we've never seen him before, it captures the dark feel, and that is why I consider it to be the greatest comic book cover of all time. Not a battle sequence, just a stance.

Honorable mentions

So, do you agree with me on any of these? What's your favorite cover? Thanks for reading.

Ghost Rider PS2 Review

Recently, I really started to get into the Ghost Rider franchise. Ever since re-watching the film, (my review here: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Destroyer14/news/?a=44337 ) I started to buy some of the 90's comics, and watched some of the 90's shows with him guest starring. He's now my second favorite Marvel character. Now, to able to play as this guy would be awesome, right? So, I found out that there was a video game related to the movie. Despite the negative reviews, I picked this bad boy up. Why don't we hear my take on this old game?

The plot follows Ghost Rider, who is thrown into Hell by the demon lord Mephisto, who says the Rider's work is not done. The demons are attempting to ressurect Blackheart, and Ghost Rider has to stop that from happening.

As you can see, rather than adapting the plot of the film, it's meant to be a SEQUEL to it. I think that's always a sound way of doing it. Rather than "playing" the film, you get new material. The plot here is great, it's a direct sequel. It kind of makes me disappointed to think what could have been done as a direct film sequel, so many great great possibilities. The plot is good, but has a few problems I will address soon.

Ghost Rider at its core is a beat-em-up. There's no puzzle at all, so get ready for some mindless whipping. (If you're into hardcore puzzle games like Zelda, you'll find this game heart-breaking.) If you're into button-mashing and combos after combos, you'll find this game extremely enjoyable.

The gameplay is reminiscent of the famous God of War series. I only knew that cause all the reviews say it, for I've never played that series. So, you have your chain, punches, and a shotgun. Combos are the rage here, you will be using them a lot. I'll give a hand to the game, the gameplay is pretty fun. The different combos are truly devastating and awesome to behold. Sadly, the game gets really repetitive with the missions feeling the same, and the same annoying enemies over and over.

The other part, and one of the games's main selling points, is riding Ghost Rider's cycle. For the most part, it's fun. You get some nice ramps, some ducking for good measure, it's good stuff and shakes up the formula. (You're going to need that after battling the same enemies endlessly.) Still, it would have been nice to have a little free-roam with the cycle.

The plot of this game is really good, but doesn't have enough cutscenes. You go whole levels without any real update on what's happening. With some more cutscenes, the narrative could have been better. For fans, there's some awesome appearances by characters from the comics. Seeing Vengeance alongside Mephisto, and Blackout and Deathwatch making an alliance is truly cool. Since this game is in the movie world, they could play around with the characters. It was such fun fan service, but for non-fans, it won't seem like much. (We also get Blade!)

Graphic wise, it's decent. It isn't bad, of course nothing great. But it's doable. The environments look bland, and just boring. Ghost Rider looks fine enough, with the final boss having some great detail.

The game's sound effects are decent, a little generic. The soundtrack is similar to the film's, it has some really cool little tunes. The voice acting is mixed. Ghost Rider sounds awesome, but the other characters, Mephisto and Blackheart, don't match their movie counterpart's voice. Would it have been really hard to hire the actors for voice-work? C'mon people. The Caretaker sounds good, along with the rest of the villains.

Presentation: The menu is too simple and arcade-like. Extras wise, it one of the game's biggest ups. There's some nice artwork and interviews. And for fans, actual pages from the comics. Nice little touch. The upgrade system is good, but upgrading is severely easy. On the second level, I had already maxed out my health. Three levels before the final one I had upgraded all my moves and combos, it goes by too fast. After you beat the game, you unlock other characters, Ghost Rider 2099, Vengeance, and Blade. But really, who would want to play through the story mode again? Some stage select would have been nice.

The plot as I've said is very good. But due to some pretty cheesy writing and stuff that doesn't make too much sense, it could annoy some people. Like, Blade appears, but then disappears after his third cutscene. He wasn't there for the final battle, he just vanished. (C'mon, even if he appeared in the final cutscene riding away would have been fine, I like closure.) Mephisto's plan at the end feels forced and just put in. The final boss has the scope of epicness, seeing Blackheart in his REAL form from the comics was very cool. But if you have maxed health, the battle is pretty easy.

Overall, Ghost Rider is a step above the average tie-in. Awesome combos, fun little story, and some great appearances makes this a fun comic book game. Sadly, it gets repetitive with no variety, and the same annoying enemies over and over again. (The shielded ones will drive you insane and make you feel like throwing the controller out the window.) This game is not worth the $30 when it first came out, for you could beat this game in under four hours. (No joke, according to the screen, it took me three hours and forty-five minutes to finish it.) You can find the game at Gamestop for $7, so if you're into beat-em-ups and like Ghost Rider, it's worth $7.

6/10.

Future Ghost Rider Movie Ideas: Heaven's on Fire

So I was at Comic Book Jones a few days ago. They had sent me their yearly 30% birthday coupon, so I headed there. My main comic place had sold out of Detective Comics, so I was hoping this place would have it. Thankfully, I found a copy. (My review here: http://destroyers-editorialsandreviews.blogspot.com/2011/09/detective-comics-1-review.html) Since I had such a great coupon, I headed to the back issue bins. But time had ran out, it was 6:11 and I had to be back in New Jersey by 6:45. I quickly zoomed in to the Spidey ones, where they had NOTHING, just newer issues I already have. With the time against me, I quickly dove into the Ghost Rider section. (Ever since my revisit to the film, I have been eager to check out some of his series.) They didn't have much, (this place needs to really re-invent their bins) but I saw this thing called "Heaven's on Fire." It was a six issue issue limited series according to the front. I wanted to buy all of them, but 4.50$ was the price for every single one, so I ended up just buying number six. (For those wondering, I made it back in time.)

The cover of this issue was what really grabbed me. As seen above, it shows two Ghost Riders, and this awesome looking black-winged angel. I've always liked how Ghost Rider meshed with theology, so I love this cover. (Definitely in top ten best, maybe even top five.) I honestly had no clue what it was about, or what year was it from. I found out the ladder when I opened it, seeing an advertisement for Siege, which meant this mini-series came out just last year. Of course, before I read the issue, I looked up what had happened before. Here's the plot in my words.

So it turns out that the being responsible for the Ghost Riders is NOT who they thought it was. It turns out that a renegade angel, Zadkiel, is responsible. This rebel wants to take over the the throne of Heaven itself, claiming that he himself is God. Meanwhile, the actual Anti-Christ, calling himself Kid Blackheart, leads an assault on Heaven. Zadkiel wants to erase this being from existence, so Revelation could go out the window and he could write the future. In the midst of all of this, the two Ghost Riders, Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch, journey into Heaven to send Zadkiel to Hell.

Tell me that doesn't sound awesome. I wish I would have delved in sooner to this franchise. Hey, I'm not here to give a review, I'm here to talk about these great ideas I had for future movies.

Alright, Spirit of Vengeance opens next year. I don't see it succeeding in the box office. Sure, with Nicolas Cage being in it, it will attract some viewers, but I honestly don't see it becoming a hit. The first one came out five years back, and no one seemed to like it. (Save for a few, such as myself.) So I can see Sony giving up, for Ghost Rider isn't mainstream. Like with Punisher, I can see the rights reverting back to Marvel, and then the fun begins.

Now, I greatly enjoyed the first Ghost Rider film, but the movie I want to see is with him on his motorcycle slaying monstrous creatures from Hell. I think Sony is too shy, for already Spirit of Vengeance looks to have non-demonic villains. The first film made Blackheart a Twilight-esque looking character! Marvel Studios wouldn't be shy to unleash some Hellish creatures in the film. Now, for my idea.

Heaven's on Fire I think is the perfect story to adapt. Of course, here are my two ways of doing it. Now, if they were to go the long route, (most likely fans would prefer it) this would be the way to do it in my humble opinion.

At the start of the film, Blaze realizes that the Ghost Rider needs to move on to a new host, and it has picked one: Danny Ketch. What follows is Blaze showing Ketch the ropes, and for the villain, I would like for them to bring back Blackheart in his REAL demonic form. Then in the next film, it is revealed that Zadkiel was the one responsible for the Ghost Rider, so Blaze becomes the Ghost Rider again, (he would still have some of the spirit within) and they both go after Zadkiel. Thus Heaven's on Fire. I doubt they could adapt it completely, too many characters to introduce, but the general idea would work soundly.

The other idea is more likely. Instead of introducing the Ketch dynamic, cut him out completely. I think the story would work, keep the general idea with Heaven's on Fire, but make the necessary changes. A real Ghost Rider film with a battle in Heaven with angels and demons would be something else, wouldn't it? I think Heaven's on Fire, or elements of it, would make the perfect Ghost Rider film for after Spirit of Vengeance.

What do you think?