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As Chicago burns, Johnny Blaze battles The Hood, luring him into a trap so that he can reason with Zarathos, The Spirit of Vengeance. Just when everything starts going as planed, Mephisto shows his face to assert his dominance. What kind of crossroad deals will have to be made by Parker Robbins and Johnny Blaze to satisfy the devil himself? What consequences will result in the Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance?
- Written by Benjamin Percy
- Art by Danny Kim
- Colors by Bryan Valenza
- Letters by VC’s Travis Lanham
- Editor Darren Shan
- Publisher MARVEL Entertainment
Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance Wraps Up an Underrated Tale
Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance has been received with mixed reviews. When Johnny lost The Spirit of Vengeance, fans worried about the future of the title character. When we found out that one of Marvel’s lesser known villains, The Hood, would assume the mantle of Ghost Rider, it seemed like a bad idea.
I tried to remain balanced on the idea. Did I like it? No. Was I willing to give it a chance? Yes. I’m really glad I did. The series itself hasn’t been terrible. It continued the strong horror tones from Ghost Riders previous run, and presented a new perspective from Parker Robbins aka The Hood.
This was a man seeking power to provide for his family. A noble cause on the surface, but the methods with which he would use are much less benevolent.
Philosophy and Morality in Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance
This whole journey has had it’s ups and downs, leading to what I think was a well executed finale! Benjamin Percy works to bring the philosophy of the Spirit of Vengeance to the forefront. He moves this issue along at the perfect pace. The fight between The Hood and Johnny Blaze moves along the plot with purpose, bringing us the spiritual showdown between Johnny and Zarathos.
Johnny Decides to Take The Spirit of Vengeance Back!
When everything seems so simple a straightforward, Mephisto arrives to spice up the mix. His inclusion reinforces the Johnny/Zarathos dilemma and makes it way more interesting!
Johnny has to make peace with his role as the host of Zarathos, claiming that “…it’s our fate to do a little bit of good while doing a whole lot of bad.” It’s part of a fantastic monologue to end the issue that really moved me.
The Art of Horror in Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance
The art in this one took a while to heat up (pun intended). Early pages were simple and panels were basic, but one the tension began to rise, that all changed. It really acted as a benefit with the pacing. I’ve though that The Hood’s Spirit of Vengeance design was awesome throughout the book and this issue was no different.
Wolverine Takes The Spirit of Vengeance!
Awesome horror images adorned several panels, from Johnny being stretched out by chains to Mephisto ripping someones skin off of their face to images of Hell and it’s demons. The artwork just kept getting better and better as the issue went on!
Everything Points to 8/10
This was a great finale that helped cement this as a really fun and fascinating Ghost Rider story. Parker Robbins and Johnny Blaze both had an awesome finale to their character arcs and Mephisto was the icing on the cake. I absolutely loved Johnny’s conversation with Zarathos and his inner dialogue made for some engaging storytelling.
