Writer: Ed Brisson

Artists: Aaron Kuder & Juan Frigeri

Colorist: Jason Keith

Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna

The King of Hell: Conclusion??

Last issue of Ghost Rider really threw me for a loop. It wasn’t the story or art that did it oddly enough. It was the addition of Caretaker. I knew and recognized her from somewhere but just couldn’t put my finger on it and that issue really gave me no clues. She was just kind of thrown at us out of nowhere. We have been given more of an introduction to the damn bartender it felt like. Instead of being a person of the tech age I was instead a moron and went thumbing through back issues of mine and got lost. I never found the answers I had been searching for in the first place (or even wrote the review for the book). Then this issue comes around and I finally look it up and quickly smack myself for forgetting it was Jason Aaron’s run on Ghost Rider. (I am sure glad I didn’t write that review I would have sounded like I didn’t know what I was talking about.) The simple fact remains though so far, at least to this point, this series has not been very new user friendly and there can be, at times, big gaps in time between volumes. The reader shouldn’t have to spend more time researching a story than they spend reading it. So I am praying we get some Answers in this Conclusion. Let’s see…

We open this issue at Caretaker’s pad. Danny Ketch, last issue agreed to do everything he can to help with the turning evil (possibly) Johnny Blaze and his reign of terror.

“Helping” to Caretaker seems to mean you go through this portal to Limbo and ask an equal of Mephisto to borrow his best warrior, Necrosis. Necrosis all we are told is a being powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with a Spirit of Vengeance (which we saw at the beginning of last issue). Aparently Necrosis is imbued with the Total Power of Hell whatever that means.

I applaud Danny’s heroism but he has no powers right now Johnny took them away. This is a stupid idea. Caretaker is still green at her job she can’t come with to help. He is basing everything on the word of someone new to the job. Plus he doesn’t even get directions. I mean come on man. Caretaker tells him, Belasco (another person on the list you have to look up because you get nothing and that list is getting long) will find him which turns out to be a lie. Danny goes on a walk about for awhile till he has to scale a mountain where Belasco’s castle is. The guy never was looking for Danny he just sat a waited.

Meanwhile, back in Las Vegas Johnny has made it to The Inferno Hotel where they imprisoned Mephisto. Wong and him fight off some demons and then they fight off each other, because Johnny has come for Mephisto and Wong is there to keep him in prison so naturally fighting in-sues. Johnny easily enough over powers Wong. Makes his way to Mephisto’s cell and demands his help at controlling Hell. (That should go well. We really need to get a Ghost Rider that has at least half a brain.)

I still don’t know what to make of this whole Mephisto situation. He has been imprisoned in Las Vegas and his powers are supposed to diminish the longer he is away from Hell, but he has been in so many different titles since that time. Well he is out now so what are you to do.

Back at Mount Belasco, Danny makes his request for help after being man handled by the King’s guards. Belasco laughs and makes what he deems a fair payment for his help. If Danny can defeat Necrosis in battle he can have his help. Well Necrosis is a six armed Centaur Knight, good luck buddy.

Danny is about to loose his life, when death comes. Though it is not for him but he might have been better off dead. Sorry Danny Ketch Ghost Rider fans but your favorite character is about to embark on a whole new journey and his head gear is definitely not as cool.

Final Thoughts:

I really want to say I love this series. The art is fantastic. Colors are blazing off the page. The story is interesting, but at times it feels a bit like work to read because I haven’t read everything Ghost Rider. Lilith I don’t know, Belasco I don’t know, Caretaker I barely know, I’m more of a Johnny Blaze guy so Danny and his cast of characters I’m just starting to get familiar with but I have a feeling we won’t be seeing them again for awhile and this didn’t feel like a conclusion to anything.

7/10