GHOST RIDER: THE END
WICKLINE & TEMPLESMITH'S UNPUBLISHED PROPOSAL!
Back in 2003/2004, before Garth Ennis signed on to revamp Ghost Rider for Marvel, writer Dan Wickline (Savage, Grimm Fairy Tales) and artist Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night and Fell) put together a pitch for a mini-series and submitted it to Marvel. It was pitched as part of Marvel's "The End" series, which told the "last tales" of the company's heroes. Unfortunately, Marvel passed on the project and later signed on Ennis and Clayton Crain. So Wickline and Templesmith posted the pitch and a bunch of artwork.
I've long been a fan of Templesmith's work, and I was supremely disappointed when I learned that Marvel had passed on his Ghost Rider project. I've had all the information saved for years now, and in an effort to keep it from fading away into Internet Limbo, I decided to do a special article feature about it. This is simply a way to preserve the information and artwork, and when I contacted Dan Wickline about the article he had this to say:
"I enjoyed doing the research into the character, catching up on where he was and plotting out a possible future for him. My main focus was to give the Ghost Rider more of a purpose than he had previously. I was as much disappointed by not getting to work with Ben on a monthly book as anything else though. Ben is an amazing artist and truly one of the best people in comics."
THE PLOT:
"The date of April 30, 1871 will go down as one of the bloodiest days in American history as over one hundred Apache men, women and children were slaughtered in their sleep just outside of the protection of Camp Grant. Now the small area of Arizona is under siege again by a series of gruesome murders; are they tied to the century old massacre, a recently escaped prisoner or a mysterious drifter named Johnny Blaze? As the evidence and the bodies start to mount, Blaze fears that he has lost control of the Ghost Rider. With the help of a Native American college student, Blaze must try to uncover the reason the Spirit of Vengeance is on a bloody rampage."
THE SCRIPT CONFUSION:
When doing research for this article, I came across a writer who had posted a full script for a first issue of Ghost Rider from a failed pitch he had put together with Ben Templesmith. It wasn't Dan Wickline, but a writer named Noble Larimer. I contacted Dan about this, wondering what Larimer's contribution to the pitch would have been, and he explained that - as far as he was aware - Larimer was a writer who had contacted Templesmith about putting together a Ghost Rider pitch. When he saw the pages for Wickline's project, he assumed they were done for his proposal. The following script is NOT from the Wickline/Templesmith pitch, but from Larimer's separate proposal. I am posting it here for posterity and a sense of completeness (and its not a bad script in its own right, either).
GHOST RIDER THE END
ISSUE ONE
Page 1
1st panel
Text. Run it down the right hand side of the page alongside the panels; "The past is a funny thing. When viewed through the rose colored tint of memory it can almost seem like a magical place. A time and place where things were simpler. Better. Which, if you couldn't tell by the state of me is something I regret every waking moment of every day. I'm the guy passed out in his own vomit, trying hard to forget pretty much everything. It's hard to reminisce when every thing good and pure you've set out to do has turned to shit in your hands. I used to be a motorcyclist. Stunt driver extraordinaire, that was me. Johnny Blaze, heir apparent to Evel Kneivel. I was even crowned greatest cyclist in the world, not once, but twice. Then a man who took me in, a man who was the father I never had, was stricken with cancer. I would have done anything to take it away. So I did. Doctors, specialists, radical therapy...nothing worked.
Nothing.
So I did the one thing I never should have. Made a deal with that silver-tongued son of a bitch, Mephisto. I gave myself over to him body and soul in exchange for the simple request that Crash Simpson be spared from the sickness that was eating him alive. Crash was better, all was right in the world.
Then Mephisto went and changed the rules. Killed Crash in a cycling accident, and just for laughs bonded me with a curse called Zarathos. Real mean motor scooter of a demon, who got his kicks by flash frying the souls right outta people. I deluded myself into thinking I could harness the power for good. Ghost Rider I called myself, the spirit of vengeance.
The arrogance of youth.
Zarathos turned on me, and damn near destroyed the world in the process. With the help of Crash's daughter Roxanne, we exiled him to the farthest pits of hell.
With the curse broken, and a chance at a normal life in my grasp, I married Roxanne and we settled down.
That's been over twenty years ago.
There's a new Ghost Rider in town. Young man name a Danny Ketch. Rode with him for a while, even found out he's my long lost brother, but that's behind me now.
I have two kids that can't stand the sight of me.
Roxanne, the love of my life is dead.
My name is Johnny Blaze.
This is how the world ends."
1st panel
layout Show Johnny older and grizzled passed out at the end of the bar. Empties spread out in front of him.
Rest of page 1 Use various panels to show bits and pieces of what Blaze is describing. Mephisto, Zarathos, Roxanne, maybe even a shot of the Dan Ketch Ghost rider.
Page 2
1st panel
There is a group of four guys at the opposite end of the bar
eyeballing Blaze who is still passed out.
Tyler; "Yo, that ever happens to me, I want y'all ta put me out my
Misery... for real."
Guy 2; "What, the glamorous life of an alcoholic not for you, Tyler?"
2nd panel
The guys are walking towards Blaze who is still unmoving with his head
on the bar.
Tyler; "Check this out."
3rd panel
Tyler is poking Blaze in the side.
Tyler; "Yo son... my man here thinks you're about the sorriest slice of
White-bread up in this piece."
Blaze without moving his head; "G'way."
4th panel
Tyler; "Awe man, don't be like that. We Jus wanna ask ya a little
sumpin'. Don't gotta be all playa hatin', cracka - jack."
5th panel
Blaze turns and looks at the boys. He is drunk beyond belief. His
eyelids are half shut, and he has a drink coaster stuck to his
forehead.
Blaze; "Did?did I in any way sssshape or f-form do anything to sugess
tha I wanna talk to you *pfeeww* scuze me."
6th panel
One of the older guys is getting a real good look at Johnny; "Is
that? Holy shit it is! You're him! Ahhh god? what's your
name? fire? Blaze! Johnny Blaze! The world's greatest stunt rider! You
were my idol when I was three man?I had your action play set and
everything! The things? the things this guy used to do with a bike was
un frickin' believable! What happened to you man?"
Page 3
1st panel
Blaze; "Life, kid. Happenss ta the bess of us."
2nd panel
Tyler; "Yo, WHUT?! I'm having a real hard time believing this crusty
ol bitch was
the world's greatest anything, yo. You so great do a trick Cracka,
show me a handstand or some shit!"
3rd panel
Blaze lookin up at him; "Well I'm about ta try and get to the bafroom
without pissin all over my shoes. How's that grab ya, sunshine."
4th panel
Tyler gets pissed; "I'll show you what you can grab you pasty-assed
faggot! I'm done wit'choo, should jus buy you another fuckin' drink so
your liver shrivels, fo' shizzle!"
5th panel
Blaze squints at Tyler; "Are you even speakin englisssh?"
Page 4
1st panel
Tyler punches Blaze in the stomach doubling him over.
2nd panel
Blaze has his hand on Tyler's shoulder while he is kneeled over.
Tyler; "Shit...if my boy wasn't all star struck over your has been ass
I'd stomp your raggedy fuckin' head in, just remember that shit,
remember that it was my non-english-speakin'-African-Zulu ass that let
you keep yo pathetic life bitch <ptew> ."
3rd panel
Blaze looks up at Tyler with a glint of anger in his eyes.
4th panel
Tyler; "oh ...You got sumpin' to say gramps?"
5th panel
Blaze bends over and pukes all over Tyler's pants and shoes.
Page 5
1st panel
Tyler; "Oh no you didn't."
Tyler's hands are out to the side as he stares down at his now puke
covered shoes and pants.
2nd panel
Blaze is wiping off his chin with the back of his sleeve.
Blaze; "Nah, that 'bout coversssh it."
3rd panel
Tyler is taking off his jacket; "I am going to fuck your shit up for
real ol' man."
4th panel
Blaze is getting in a fighting stance, putting up his dukes etc.
Blaze; "You know wha yer messin wit boy? I've went toe ta toe wif tha Hulk. Wass a liddle punk like you gonna do ta me?"
5th panel
Tyler smashes Blaze in the face with a lightning fast right.
Page 6
1st panel
Blaze crashes into the bar, and is sliding down it backwards.
2nd panel
Tyler hits Blaze again, knocking him to the ground.
3rd panel
This shot is of Blaze on the ground curled into a ball as Tyler and his friends stamp the living hell out of Blaze.
Kicking and punching him.
Caption; "ugh...ribs won't take much more of this."
4th panel
They are still kicking and beating him as Blaze lies on the floor and tries to protect himself. There is a snap sound effect.
Caption; "Ghhhh... there goes two of them."
5th panel
This is a shot of Tyler. He has his boot raised getting ready to bring it straight down and out at the reader.
Caption; "I think my cheek just gave out, and I have fragments of my teeth swimming around the pool of blood in my mouth..."
6th panel
This is a dark panel.
Caption; "Then the warm embrace of oblivion envelops me."
Page 7
1st panel
Blaze is getting into a sitting position. His face is bruised and swollen. Blood caked on the front of his shirt.
Caption; "Ghhhh...H..how long was I out?"
2nd panel
Blaze reaches in his mouth with his right hand. He has his left hand back behind him for support.
3rd panel
He pulls out a bloody busted tooth.
4th panel
He spits blood on the floor.
5th panel
He wipes his left hand across his left eye and face, trying to clear away some of the cobwebs in his head.
Caption; "Where'd those little bastards get off to?"
6th panel
There is a very wet, bloody smear on his face where Blaze had rubbed his left hand.
Page 8
1st panel
Blaze has a confused/concerned look on his face as he looks at his left hand, which is dripping with blood.
Blaze; "The hell?"
2nd panel
He looks behind him and there is a significantly large pool of blood. There is a handprint in the puddle where Blaze had his hand set in it.
3rd panel
Blaze gets to his feet, quickly, grabbing his ribs in pain.
Blaze; "Oh my God."
Rest of page 8 and page 9
This is a page and a half spread. This is a wide shot of the bar. Blaze is standing in the middle of a scene from a slaughterhouse. Bloody handprints smeared on the floor and walls. Pools of blood on the floor. Blood splattered on the walls, tables, ceiling. The place is covered in blood. There are dead bodies lying all over the room. Some have been torn to pieces, others missing limbs. There is also evidence of fire. Some bodies are scorched. There are scorch marks on the wall here and there.
Page 10
1st panel
Blaze is horrified, stumbling backwards trying to reach the door. He has his arm covering his mouth trying to hold back the urge to retch.
2nd panel
By the door Tyler is pinned to the wall. Two pool cue sticks jammed into his eyes holding him off his feet. A trail of blood has run down his eye sockets.
3rd panel
Blaze stumbles backwards outside of the door. He is still looking back inside the bar as he backs out. There is the reflection of police cherry lights behind him, but he doesn't notice as he's still horrified by the scene inside.
4th panel
Above the door smeared across the front of the bar, and painted in human blood are the words "Vengeance is mine."
Blaze is staring up at them with an inquisitive look on his face as his brow furrows.
Page 11
1st panel
This shot is over Blaze's shoulder and looking out at the five squad cars. There are dozens of armed deputies pointing pistols, rifles, and shotguns in Blaze's general direction. The sheriff, a woman in her late 30's, is pointing a pump shotgun at Blaze
Sheriff; "Freeze, asshole!"
2nd panel
Blaze puts his hands up in a hold on a second gesture; "W...wait! Don't shoot! It wasn't me!"
Blaze still has blood smeared across his face, dripping off his hand, and splattered across the front of his clothes.
3rd panel
Sheriff; "Says the only survivor covered in blood. Now get 'em up before I put you down!"
Page 12
1st panel
Caption box; "2 hours later."
Blaze is inside a jail cell. This is a smaller town so it's just a single iron cell against the back wall of an office. There are a couple desks around the room, and a door that leads to the rest of the station. Blaze is sitting on the uncomfortable looking cot, staring at the blood on his hands.
2nd panel
A towel hits him in the chest.
Voice off panel; "Why don't you get yourself cleaned up, and tell me what the hell happened in there?"
3rd panel
Blaze is shaking as he is trying to wipe the dried blood off his hands.
Blaze; "I...I don't remember."
4th panel
The sheriff is standing outside the bars scowling down at him; "You damn well better start remembering, John. I've got 46 dead, and you, my friend, are my only witness...and lead suspect I might add. There hasn't been a murder in these parts for damn near twenty years. Now I've got what can only be described as a slaughter, you covered in at least five of the vics blood, and judging by the contusions and bruises, you were obviously in a scuffle. Add a M.E. who is baffled at the extent of damage and scorch patterns at the scene, and things..."
Page 13
1st panel
Blaze stands up; "Did you say scorch pattern?"
2nd panel
Sheriff; "Yeah scorched. Some of the bodies were burned beyond recognition, and there were blast marks around the scene that defy logic. You've got a vic so badly burned that the fire responsible would have reached temperatures that have never been recorded, yet a few feet away the surrounding area is untouched. Mighty damned peculiar."
3rd panel
Blaze; "I'm telling you I don't remember! I had a lot to drink..."
Sheriff; "There's a shocker."
4th panel
Blaze looks defensive; "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
Sheriff; "Oh c'mon, Blaze! It's common knowledge after your wife died, you crawled inside a bottle, and have yet to crawl back out. It's no wonder your kids can't stand the sight of you."
5th panel
Blaze is getting angry; "Shut your damned mouth! You have no idea what it's been like! The things I've had to endure in my life just to survive...yet you sit there and look down your nose at me like I'm no better than a piece of crap you'd scrape off your boot! Now I am honestly sorry over what's happened, but I'm telling you I had nothing to do with it, and if you don't get off my back..."
Page 14
1st panel
Sheriff looking at him with a dead serious expression on her face; "Or what? You'll kill me?"
2nd panel
Blaze just sits down.
3rd panel
The sheriff is picking up a poster from her desk.
Sheriff; "What can you tell me about this? Some of the boys think it was just special effects and make up. Others, like old Joe who actually had a run in with you back then, say it was real. The fire burned too hot, and the details were too real to just be a fancy mask, or so he tells me."
4th panel
The sheriff is holding up a tattered poster. It says "Quentin Carnival! One night only! Johnny Blaze aka The Ghost Rider! World's greatest stunt rider!"
This is a poster of Blaze transformed into GR in his old leathers, riding his motorcycle through some flaming hoops. He is of course on the old GR bike.
Page 15
1st panel
Blaze takes the tattered poster in his hands.
Blaze is looking down with a mixture of awe and memory on his face; "Wh...where did you get this. I thought they were all gone."
Sheriff off panel; "Doesn't matter where I found it, you never answered my question. That thing on the poster for real?"
2nd panel
Blaze is lightly running his finger over the image as he has a faraway look in his eye.
Blaze; "Not that I expect you to believe me, but yeah...it was real. As real as it gets. I made some stupid mistakes when I was younger. Mistakes I'm still paying for today. Every man has their demons they have to deal with. Mine were just a little more real than most is all."
3rd panel
Blaze is handing back the poster to the sheriff; "Doesn't much matter anymore. Whether you believe it or not, that thing is long since gone."
4th panel
Sheriff as she looks Blaze in the eye; "Is it? You sure? Or has it just been hiding, waiting to claw its way back to the surface? I think..."
5th panel
The sheriff is cut off as a loud crash of splintering wood and breaking glass comes from the other room.
Page 16
1st panel
The sheriff is pulling out her gun as she rushes across the office. She is pointing back at Blaze with her free hand; "Don't. Move."
2nd panel
The sheriff has her gun out, held up against her chest, pointed towards the ceiling. She is backed up against the wall on the other side of the doorway. She is getting ready to enter the room. There are sounds of gunfire and screaming coming from the other room.
3rd panel
She pivots and points her gun into the doorway. She is in a stance getting ready to fire.
4th panel
The lights go out in the station. There is still screams and gunfire coming from the other room.
5th panel
The sheriff enters the doorway.
Page 17
1st panel
The shot is looking over the shoulder of the sheriff and into the room. There is a motorcycle that has crashed through the front plate glass window. There is a trail of glass, and the bike is smashed into a desk, and crushed an officer against the wall. There is sparks emanating from a broken light hanging from the ceiling, bullet casings all over the floor. Across the way, an officer's head has been shoved into the concrete wall. Blood running down from the hole he's resting in. There is a man, clad in black racing leathers, and a black bike helmet that is covering his features. He has a shotgun in his right hand and has impaled another officer. He is holding the officer in the air and off his feet by the shotgun. He is holding him up with one arm. The officer is dangling limply as blood runs down the barrel and stock of the gun. There are various dead officers laying around the room.
Page 18
1st panel
A shot slams into the leather biker's shoulder.
2nd panel
He slowly turns his head towards the source of the bullet. Looking straight out towards the reader. Blood is splattered on his leathers and helmet.
3rd panel
Sheriff; "You take one more god damned step, and I'll put you down son."
4th panel
The guy drops the shotgun, and advances on the sheriff.
5th panel
The sheriff is firing off rounds from her gun.
Page 19
1st panel
Blaze is up against the bars of his cell; "Sheriff! What the hell is going on out there!?"
2nd panel
The sheriff comes flying through the plaster wall beside the door. She is flying through the air limply, and plaster and debris is being flung every which way.
3rd panel
She slides backwards along the floor and comes to rest against John's cell.
4th panel
The leather figure strides through the hole in the wall he has created. Stalking towards the sheriff.
Page 20
1st panel
The sheriff is pulling herself up weakly, using the bars of Blaze's cell.
Sheriff is looking at Blaze with pleading eyes.
Sheriff; "Help...me."
2nd panel
The man grabs the back of the sheriff's head, and is jamming her head against the bars.
3rd panel
Blaze has a hold of his arm trying to pry him off her. The sheriff's face is being jammed against the bars. The
Sheriff is screaming.
Blaze; "Too...st..strong.." as he strains.
4th panel
Blaze's face is splattered with blood as the sheriff's head crushes between the bars with a sickening crunch. Blaze is flinching back in this shot.
5th panel
The leather man is raising his visor on his helmet. He is only raising it enough to expose his mouth and nose, but not the rest of his face. There is blood dripping off his fingers. He's wearing fingerless leather riding gloves.
6th panel
The man is sucking the blood off his fingers.
Man; "Blood of the innocent."
Page 21
1st panel
The man's helmet explodes outwards in a blinding flash of light and fire.
2nd panel
Ghost rider's blazing skull stands revealed as the man has transformed into GR. The skull looks like evil personified as it glares out towards the reader.
Page 22
1st panel
Blaze is holding his hand over his eyes trying to block out some of the light and heat.
Blaze; "D...Dan? Is that you?"
2nd panel
Caption; "In a voice that sounded like razor blades scraping across bone, it spoke." GR in an evil rasping voice as he advances towards Blaze's cell; "Guess again."
3rd panel
Blaze gets a look of horror on his face as he manages to stammer out; "Zarathos."
TO BE CONTINIUED
Information, script pages, and artwork came from the following links:
Dan Wickline's Personal Website
Ben Templesmith's Personal Website
Ghost Rider: The End
Unpublished Series Proposal
Story: Dan Wickline
Artwork: Ben Templesmith
First Issue Script: Noble Larimer
