Match-up or versus comics are nothing new and the premise can feel a bit stale. It can often feel like the pairings were made with sales in mind more so than content. It was a pleasant surprise then to read Ghost Rider Vs. Galactus, which has to be one of Marvel’s most beautiful issues of the year, with a sprinkling of philosophy.
J. Michael Straczynski (The Amazing Spider-Man, Rising Stars) asks what would happen if the Devourer of Worlds met the Spirit of Vengeance? This is a question perhaps not many have asked. After reading this issue, you might be left asking why this match-up has not been explored in comics before.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
The Thing plants an idea
Set in the 1970s, the story starts off with Ghost Rider interrupting Ben Grimm’s shakedown of a wanted murderer. Johnny looks incredible on his motorbike with wheels of pure hell-fire. The playful Italian-American dialogue is immediately juxtaposed with the violence of Penance Stare used on the murderer, reducing him to a pile of ash. These first few pages really showcase Juan Ferreyra’s (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Colder) skill, with intricate pencilling enhanced by his restrained colouring.
Shut up! I’m working here!
Ghost Rider
From here, Johnny Blaze and the Thing get talking. Again, Straczynski uses a lot of humour in the conversation which adds a lot of charm to the issue. It is the Thing who puts the idea of going after Galactus into Ghost Rider’s head. Ben reasons that the Fantastic Four have never been able to stop Galactus, with Reed’s science never working. Perhaps though, Ghost Rider’s supernatural powers will work.
Johnny meets Galactus
The showdown between Galactus and Ghost Rider looks beautiful through Ferrerya’s artwork, giving us a giant, horned Ghost Rider. Having grown to match Galactus in scale, Johnny battles the Devourer of Worlds and finds that they are both even matched, but that is not why he is here. Johnny puts Galactus under the Penance Stare! To his shock though nothing happens and Galactus walks away.
Uatu, the Watcher, turns up to explain to Ghost Rider that his powers will never work against Galactus. Galactus has committed no sin and feels no guilt over what he does. Uatu elaborates that Galactus is a key part of the universe’s lifecycle. His feeding on countless worlds ensures the birth of the next one.
Straczynski here posits that killing Galactus in vengeance, for the trillions of lives lost, will doom more to never live in the future. To which Johnny replies ‘I don’t care’, with two words left to our imagination, and promises to keep fighting Galactus until one of them is slain. At this point Uatu, who never interferes, interferes and returns Johnny to Earth, ending the issue.
A force of nature
Straczynski explores the idea that Galactus is a force of nature, rather than an evil being. It is not a new idea, but he examines it brilliantly in just the one issue. He has already written a couple of ‘vs’ series this year (Doctor Doom Vs. Rocket Raccoon & Nick Fury Vs. Fin Fang Foom), but the next one, Spider-man Vs. The Sinister Six, will be hard-pressed to beat this issue. The real star of the issue though lies with Ferreyra who is as accomplished at recreating ’70s New York, as he is at depicting cosmic battles. Ghost Rider never looked so good!
Buy Ghost Rider: Epic Collection: Deathrace – Forbidden Planet UK
Buy Ghost Rider: Epic Collection: Deathrace – Bookshop.org UK
Buy Ghost Rider: Epic Collection: Deathrace – Bookshop.org US
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