Review: Ghost Rider #5

Ghost Rider in a motorcycle race with Doctor Doom and a host of other heroes and villains might not have been on your bingo card, but here it is. Benjamin Percy is a consistently original writer, giving us concepts and perspective we have never before seen in superhero comics. All of this is made even more interesting by top notch art by Cory Smith and Oren Junior.

Ghost Rider at a motorcycle rally filled with small towns and fiery stunts, Nic Cage would be proud. Here Johnny Blaze is struggling containing the rage within Ghost Rider. The struggle has become amplified as Ghost Rider now contains yet another entity slowly engulfing them all. Ghost Rider draws Johnny to Hell’s Backbone Rally, said to be a vortex between worlds.

Others have been drawn in as well and we are given the unlikely treat of seeing Doctor Doom, Kraven, Black Widow, Moon Knight and Wolverine among many others riding motorcycles in a massive race. Cory Smith does a great job showing both the scale of the race and the smaller moments as various characters face off. The further they get in the race the more hellish it becomes. Johnny is almost taken down until Logan arrives and ends the race. In spite of this Johnny is swallowed by the darkness revealed to be the return of Blackheart himself.

This book is simple, well focused and compelling in unexpected ways. It has familiar conflicts of rage and battling inner darkness, but uses the tropes of Ghost Rider in completely new ways. Most importantly Percy and Smith have crafted a fun, crazy adventure that stays entertaining even while delving into Johnny Blaze’s soul. Adding just the right mix of Spawn and Mad Max to make for a race worth entering.

Writing: 4.6 of 5 stars
Art: 4.8 of 5 stars
Colors: 4.5 of 5 stars

Overall: 4.6 of 5 stars

Writing: Benjamin Percy
Art: Cory Smith
Inker: Oren Junior
Color: Bryan Valenze
Publisher: Marvel Comics

Author Profile

M.R. Jafri

M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.