Ghost Rider: Vengeance Unbound

MARVEL TEAM-UP # 58

SYNOPSIS
On a night time New York street, a Hollywood production crew sets up to shoot a live stunt for the Stuntmaster television show. Coincidentally, the shoot is taking place directly in front of Peter Parker's apartment building, prompting he and Mary Jane to stop and watch. Johnny Blaze, the resident stunt cyclist for the show, suits up and starts the stunt, unaware that danger lurks from a nearby rooftop. As Blaze's bike touches down on the roof of a car, a sticky substance of some sort is shot onto the wheel, ripping the front half of the bike off. Unable to get the bike under control, Johnny transforms into the Ghost Rider in order to survive. Luckily for him, Parker has climbed a building and donned his trust web-shooters, which pull Blaze away from what could have been a messy wreck. Peter dons his Spider-Man costume and joins Blaze on the street, but before any explanations can come about, a stream of fast-hardening paste wraps around Spidey's body, carrying him into the air. Above them, the terrible Trapster says that after he finishes Spidey off, he'll be back for Blaze!

Suspended from his flying platform by the paste line, Spidey is forced to listen to the Trapster's explanation on how he escaped from prison. Finally, using his web-line to gain leverage, Spidey leaps onto the platform to attack the Trapster. The villain gets the upper hand, however, and hurls Spider-Man from the platform! Riding on the street below on his mystical flame-cycle, the Ghost Rider sees Spidey's fall. Riding in a tight circle, Blaze creates a heat vortex that slows the wall-crawler's fall and allows him to be caught without injury. The Trapster, his sky-sled damaged from the fight, crashes on a nearby aircraft carrier, followed quickly by Spidey and GR. Blaze follows the Trapster into the ship's nuclear weapon loading area, and corners him in front of some volatile chemicals. Spidey tries to stop GR from using his hellfire, for fear of causing a nuclear explosion, but the hero is instead put on the receiving end of Blaze's soul-searing flame. Ghost Rider then turns his attentions to the Trapster, blasting him with a stream of hellfire, which burns not his body, but his soul. The Trapster falls, screaming in agony, while Spidey condemns GR for what he's done. He tells Blaze that they're supposed to be the good guys, and that they should be better than the guys they fight. Blaze merely responds with "I am what I am." before riding off, leaving Spidey to take the Trapster to a hospital.

ANNOTATIONS
This story takes place between Ghost Rider # 24 (vol. 1) and Ghost Rider # 25 (vol. 1).

Ghost Rider first encountered the Trapster in Ghost Rider # 13 (vol. 1), when the villain attempted to kidnap actress Karen Page.

This issue is reprinted in Marvel Tales # 255.

REVIEW
It's Ghost Rider's second encounter with Spider-Man, and with one notable exception this is about as run of the mill as one can get. This story, of course, falls during the period in which Ghost Rider was being written as more of a superhero title than a horror book, which is all well and good if handled correctly. Unfortunately, during the Jim Shooter run in which this story takes place, Ghost Rider was being written quite poorly.

But, thankfully, this issue wasn't written by Shooter, but by Chris Claremont, who is more famous for his legendary run on X-Men than Marvel Team-Up. This series, unfortunately, lends itself to be forgettable by nature...as it's removed from the ongoing titles, nothing that happens in the book can be too important. Also forget any long-reaching arcs, due to the mandate that a new guest-star was needed alongside Spider-Man with each issue. So, for this harmless excursion the Trapster is brought back to avenge his defeat at the Ghost Rider's hands. Obviously nothing ground-breaking, but Claremont still manages to make it a perfectly decent superhero team-up. We're also treated to artwork by Sal Buscema, who - at this time - was still doing standard superhero fare, so it works in the confines of the story.

But we do have that notable exception that I mentioned above, something that was continuously brought up whenever Spider-Man and Ghost Rider met up. Quite literally, Ghost Rider scares the shit out of Spidey, who's just not used to the supernatural. Understandably, Spider-Man has difficulty believing that Blaze is possessed by a real demon, and it works incredibly well at the end of this issue. Spider-Man is shaken and angry at Blaze's treatment of the Trapster and just can't condone the way the Ghost Rider attacks his foes (via the soul-searing hellfire). It's a great contrast for the two heroes.

So, all in all this is a harmless team-up story with decent art and writing. Nothing earth-shattering, but still a decent read.

Grade: C+

VENGEANCE UNBOUND
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MARVEL TEAM-UP # 58 SYNOPSIS On a night time New York street, a Hollywood production crew sets up to shoot a live stunt for the Stuntmaster television show. Coincidentally, the shoot is taking place directly in front of Peter Parker's apartment building, prompting he and Mary Jane to stop and watch. Johnny Blaze, the resident stunt cyclist for the show, suits up and starts the stunt, unaware that danger lurks from a nearby rooftop. As Blaze's bike touches down on the roof of a car, a sticky substance of some sort is shot onto the wheel, ripping the front half of the bike off. Unable to get the bike under control, Johnny transforms into the Ghost Rider in order to survive. Luckily for him, Parker has climbed a building and donned his trust web-shooters, which pull Blaze away from what could have been a messy wreck. Peter dons his Spider-Man costume and joins Blaze on the street, but before any explanations can come about, a stream of fast-hardening paste wraps around Spidey's body, carrying him into the air. Above them, the terrible Trapster says that after he finishes Spidey off, he'll be back for Blaze! Suspended from his flying platform by the paste line, Spidey is forced to listen to the Trapster's explanation on how he escaped from prison. Finally, using his web-line to gain leverage, Spidey leaps onto the platform to attack the Trapster. The villain gets the upper hand, however, and hurls Spider-Man from the platform! Riding on the street below on his mystical flame-cycle, the Ghost Rider sees Spidey's fall. Riding in a tight circle, Blaze creates a heat vortex that slows the wall-crawler's fall and allows him to be caught without injury. The Trapster, his sky-sled damaged from the fight, crashes on a nearby aircraft carrier, followed quickly by Spidey and GR. Blaze follows the Trapster into the ship's nuclear weapon loading area, and corners him in front of some volatile chemicals. Spidey tries to stop GR from using his hellfire, for fear of causing a nuclear explosion, but the hero is instead put on the receiving end of Blaze's soul-searing flame. Ghost Rider then turns his attentions to the Trapster, blasting him with a stream of hellfire, which burns not his body, but his soul. The Trapster falls, screaming in agony, while Spidey condemns GR for what he's done. He tells Blaze that they're supposed to be the good guys, and that they should be better than the guys they fight. Blaze merely responds with "I am what I am." before riding off, leaving Spidey to take the Trapster to a hospital. ANNOTATIONS This story takes place between Ghost Rider # 24 (vol. 1) and Ghost Rider # 25 (vol. 1). Ghost Rider first encountered the Trapster in Ghost Rider # 13 (vol. 1), when the villain attempted to kidnap actress Karen Page. This issue is reprinted in Marvel Tales # 255. REVIEW It's Ghost Rider's second encounter with Spider-Man, and with one notable exception this is about as run of the mill as one can get. This story, of course, falls during the period in which Ghost Rider was being written as more of a superhero title than a horror book, which is all well and good if handled correctly. Unfortunately, during the Jim Shooter run in which this story takes place, Ghost Rider was being written quite poorly. But, thankfully, this issue wasn't written by Shooter, but by Chris Claremont, who is more famous for his legendary run on X-Men than Marvel Team-Up. This series, unfortunately, lends itself to be forgettable by nature...as it's removed from the ongoing titles, nothing that happens in the book can be too important. Also forget any long-reaching arcs, due to the mandate that a new guest-star was needed alongside Spider-Man with each issue. So, for this harmless excursion the Trapster is brought back to avenge his defeat at the Ghost Rider's hands. Obviously nothing ground-breaking, but Claremont still manages to make it a perfectly decent superhero team-up. We're also treated to artwork by Sal Buscema, who - at this time - was still doing standard superhero fare, so it works in the confines of the story. But we do have that notable exception that I mentioned above, something that was continuously brought up whenever Spider-Man and Ghost Rider met up. Quite literally, Ghost Rider scares the shit out of Spidey, who's just not used to the supernatural. Understandably, Spider-Man has difficulty believing that Blaze is possessed by a real demon, and it works incredibly well at the end of this issue. Spider-Man is shaken and angry at Blaze's treatment of the Trapster and just can't condone the way the Ghost Rider attacks his foes (via the soul-searing hellfire). It's a great contrast for the two heroes. So, all in all this is a harmless team-up story with decent art and writing. Nothing earth-shattering, but still a decent read. Grade: C+	Marvel Team-Up # 58 Published: June 1977 Original Price: $0.30 Cover: ??? Title: "Panic On Pier One!" Writer: Chris Claremont Artist: Sal Buscema Inker: Pablo Marcos Letterer: Irv Watanabe Colorist: Jan Cohen Editor: Archie Goodwin Editor In Chief: Jim Shooter