Fear Itself: Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider (2011) #0.1, 1-5

by Rob Williams, Matthew Clark (Illustrator), Brian Ching (Illustrator)

The hottest, most rocking thing on two wheels returns! Start pumping your fists and banging your head for GHOST RIDER, by writer ROB WILLIAMS and featuring the long-awaited return of superstar artist MATT CLARK. Witness the violent birth of the all-new Ghose Rider...come to cleanse the earth in a firestorm of Blood, Oil, and Vengeance! Johnny Blaze has been chained to Hell long enough. With the world thrown into chaos in the events of FEAR ITSELF he is given a chance to rid himself of the Spirit of Vengeance forever...and he takes it. The curse is passed onto a new host but Blaze has no idea what nightmares his action has wrought upon the world. Will the new Spirit of Vengeance bring us salvation...or send this world of sinners to a flaming death?

COLLECTING: GHOST RIDER (2011) 0.1, 1-5

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Marvel, Superheroes, Horror, Supernatural, Fantasy

189 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tie-in to the Fear Itself crossover.

The Ghost Rider combines elements of Evel Knievel (remember Snake River Canyon?), the Exorcist, and a flaming skull from a Grateful Dead poster (stuff that was popular back in the early ‘70s, kids). In this collection, Johnny Blaze is so, so tired of being the Ghost Rider (and having himself portrayed by Nicholas Cage in the movies). Adam (he, of the Original Sin) tells Johnny that he can rid him of the whole Ghost Rider business.

It seems that Adam feels guilty for the aforementioned Original Sin and if he can get his own handpicked Ghost Rider (a female), Adam, through the new Ghost Rider, can rid the world of all sin. Wow! This is not good because sin is part of humankind’s makeup and without it we would be a bunch of drooling, lobotomized vegetables.

This collection kind of ties into the Fear Itself crossover. The new Ghost Rider does tangle with Lady Red Skull and the Serpent does mention that they do have an ally in destroying the Earth, in a vague, off-hand, I'm-not-sure-what-the-left-hand-is-doing, villiany kind of way.

And there’s a zombie with a pseudo-Cockney accent and Mephisto, who, besides his other unique devilish skill set, is a hoot.

Recommended for the humor and trying to breathe some life into the moribund Ghost Rider franchise.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the introduction of the new female Ghost Rider. Basically it's a female who was raised by Adam (as in and EVE) to battle sin in the world. Adam convinces Johnny Blaze to give up the power of the Ghost Rider which he then bestowed upon his female protege. Blaze had always seen the Ghost Rider as a curse anyway, so he was more than happy to give up the Ghost, so to speak.

However, Adam wishes to rid the world of ALL sin, which would leave everyone soulless husks. So Blaze, with the aid of Mephisto, must convince the new GR that Adam's plan is wrong. The story also ties into the Fear Itself storyline from Marvel, but that's more just a background to the story here.

I enjoyed this one. The new GR is showing some new powers, such as a horde of locusts, that are pretty cool. I still like Blaze and Ketch better as Ghost Riders, but this new one isn't bad. I think most GR fans should check this out just to form their own opinion about the character.

[Can Şarman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one fell way below my expectations. Why? Let’s start with the title — “Fear Itself: Ghost Rider.” Naturally, you’d expect it to have some meaningful connection to the main Fear Itself storyline… but nope. It feels like the title was slapped on just for marketing purposes.

And honestly, buying a Ghost Rider comic expecting to see Johnny Blaze in full flaming-skull mode, only to realize he barely shows up as Ghost Rider at all? Huge disappointment.

I didn’t enjoy this one at all.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, but a bit large-scale for my taste.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fear Itself Ghost Rider ist ein weiteres Kapitel im FE Crossover. In diesem vorliegenden Band hat es Johnny Blaze sowas von satt, der Ghost Rider zu sein (und wohl auch von Nicholas Cage im Film dargestellt zu werden).

Adam (ja, DER Adam – die Erbsünde) verspricht Johnny, dass er ihn von dem ganzen Ghost Rider Leben befreien kann, denn Adam fühlt sich schuldig für besagte Ursünde und wenn er seine eigens ausgebildete weibliche Ghost Rider bekommen kann, kann er dadurch die Welt von aller Sünde bereinigen. Hui! Ob das eine gute Idee ist? Gehört Sünde nicht zum Menschsein dazu und ohne wären wir nur ein Haufen sabbernder, hirnloser Debilen.

Die neue Ghost Rider Alejandra legt sich mit Lady Red Skull an und die Schlange lässt verlautbaren, dass sie einen Verbündeten haben, um die Erde zu zerstören und folglich auch die Menschheit.
Dann gibt’s noch einen Zombie mit Cockney-Akzent und Mephisto ist einfach der Brüller, mal abgesehen von seinen üblichen teuflischen Fähigkeiten.

Sehr empfehlenswert, wenn man was zum Lachen braucht – nette Abwechslung im ansonsten nicht sehr innovativen Ghost-Rider-Universum.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fear Itself and Ghost Rider seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. Sadly, Rob Williams takes everything cool about the Ghost Rider mythos and turns into a campy, quippy nightmare. Johnny Blaze acted totally out of character and Ghost Rider in space is terrible. Just say it out loud, "Ghost Rider in space!" See. The art wasn't great and the book is incredibly forgettable.

[Nicholas Why · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unengaging storyline & waste of a concept of a female Ghost Rider, with a convenient ending. Graphically also fell short with big action visuals that don't really do GR justice.

[Silas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a rather overblown Ghost Rider tale that tangentially tied into the Fear Itself event and introduced a new female Ghost Rider character. It was reasonably enjoyable, because generally, the art was decent, with some exceptions. I did appreciate the realization that Johnny Blaze came to during this volume, but overall, I was not much interested in the new Ghost Rider, who lacks personality as a defining personality trait. I gather that she has since faded into obscurity, and am mildly curious how that happened, but not quite enough to seek out the issues in which it happens.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first exposure to reading Ghost Rider. It was a little strange and only slightly connected to the Fear Itself event. I do like all the smart-assery going on here, and really a flaming skeleton riding a flaming motorcycle is a pretty sweet idea. Defining the Ghost Rider got a little repetitious and "Ghost Rider in space" didn't really seem to fit but I am curious about Johnny Blaze's future and this new female Ghost Rider.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Johnny Blaze is no longer the Ghost Rider. That means that an inexperienced girl under the control of Adam has it. Adam intends to cleanse humanity, not a good thing. Johnny is the only one who can convince the girl to be a proper ghost rider, without his powers. It's an intriguing take on the idea, especially with the the threat of the God of Fear. A good read.

[Dubzor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Johnny Blaze is the best part of this run. the rest is...well, not terrible, but not super great either. The premise sounds absurd and terrible, but it is handled in a way that makes it paletable. Sadly, Alejandra isn't fleshed out at all, and becomes a bland, 2 - dimensional character.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it better than I thought I would.

[Paul Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

'sokay...except for the space bike. That part's crap.