Galaxy-class vengeance in COSMIC GHOST RIDER #1

Today, we observe Frank Castle on a trek amongst the celebrities in Cosmic Ghost Rider #1! Be forewarned: this primary evaluate comprises SPOILERS. For extra spoiler-lite fare, scroll on down the Rapid Rundown, the place we’ve received blurbs of each I Am Iron Man #1 and Hallow’s Eve #1.

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Cosmic Ghost Rider #1

“Duel Identity”

Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Artist: Juan Cabal
Color Artist: Espen Grundetjern
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Main Cover: Valerio Giangiordano & Morry Hollowell

The primary story in this week’s problem is a flashback wrapped in a flashforward (I believe). While I’m an enormous fan of the Cosmic Corner of Marvel, I haven’t been following lots of the storylines going down on the market very intently, and it looks as if this problem is certainly constructing on some continuity of which I’m unaware.

The continuity I’m extra conversant in are sure extra “grounded” Ghost Rider and Punisher tales (and I imply “grounded” actually, as in “Earth-based,” as a result of neither the adventures of Johnny Blaze et al. nor Frank Castle are all that grounded in the figurative sense).

This isn’t to say a number of the components of the story in this problem weren’t acquainted. In explicit, I used to be reminded at instances of the 2016 Punisher run, and a little bit of the superb 2008 film Punisher: War Zone. And whereas Castle’s futuristic Ghost Rider doesn’t get an excessive amount of play in this problem, the pages the place he does are very arresting… particularly the opening sequence, which sees Frank pursuing his quarry in all his unstoppable, flame-lit glory.

I used to be upset to see that the household who had been landed in scorching water as a consequence of their unknowing affiliation with the Cosmic Ghost Rider suffered some predictable however dire penalties in this problem. However, it’s at the moment unclear whether or not or not this assault befell throughout a sequence that was set in the longer term, and if that’s the case, whether or not or not Frank can save his associates from their horrible destiny.

Wondering about these questions has occupied me greater than I anticipated since concluding my preliminary read-through of this story, and I develop extra in the second problem the extra I ponder.

“Cosmic Ghost Stories”

Writer: Phillips
Artist: Jonas Scharf
Color Artist: Arif Prianto
Letterer: Lanham

In the backup story, one in every of Frank’s former victims makes use of a magic allure to solid a spell that causes the Cosmic Ghost Rider to be haunted by his previous. This provides the chance for a great deal of creepy visuals, like corpse variations of Frank’s late kids and spouse. Even extra attention-grabbing to take a look at is a space-drifting swirl of decapitated corpses, together with a couple of heavies like Thanos.

Ultimately, Frank is ready to break this spell just by crushing an amulet. While the plot is nothing revelatory, that’s advantageous: there’s a lot to get pleasure from in this quick follow-up story, which helps the difficulty really feel extra full than it might need if it had included solely “Duel Identity.”

And shout-out to this story for mentioning Frank’s go to to Hell and a deal he made with Mephisto. Considering how essential a cope with the satan was to the origins of Ghost Rider in Marvel Spotlight #5 by Stan Lee, Gary Friedrich, Mike Ploog, and Jon Costa, I appreciated that this Satanic shout-out received included.

Cosmic Conclusion

Overall, this was an attention-grabbing problem that units up some intriguing questions on what’s in retailer for the Cosmic Ghost Rider. It additionally serves as an sudden remix of two very acquainted Marvel Comics characters, and one which demonstrates how the pair of superficially distinct protagonists really mix fairly effectively collectively.

I Am Iron Man #1
- Writer Murewa Ayodele and artist Dotun Akande‘s new limited series is a celebration of Marvel’s Armored Avenger, Tony Stark aka Iron Man. Billed as a love letter to Iron Man unfold out over completely different eras in Shell Heads publication historical past, Ayodele and Akande’s first problem is a style of what’s to come back in this mini-series as Tony fights a time-hopping bass participant on the lookout for a problem in beating Iron Man. A slick-looking, fast-paced guide that in the tip spotlights what makes Tony who he’s and what makes him a hero. A stable begin to Iron Man’s sixtieth anniversary. — GC3
Hallow’s Eve #1
- If you’ve been following Ben Reilly’s storyline, then you recognize that Janine Godbe, a.ok.a. Hallows’ Eve, was just lately launched from Bedford Falls Correctional Facility to reunite together with her beau. However, Janine was unaware of the truth that her freedom price Ben his. After a while as the company lap-spider of the Beyond Corporation, Ben begins stealing Beyond tech and joins forces with Marelyne Pryor, then ruler of Limbo. Maddie endows Janine with the badass magical capability to create masks with completely different powers and results, together with a werewolf masks, the merchandise that kicks off the occasions of this problem. As a fan of Erica Schultz from her earlier Marvel work (sadly, I haven’t learn her creator-owned titles but), the primary problem is a superb combo of female and livid. I stay up for seeing the place this inventive crew, which additionally consists of veteran Spider-Man creators Michael Dowling, Brian Reber, and Joe Caramagna, will take Janine’s story shifting ahead. However, it could be very remiss of me to not point out how the difficulty begins with informal ableism. It’s not okay to make use of casually ableist language, and as a disabled reader it leaves a bitter style in my mouth. — ROK