WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Spirits of Vengeance: Spirit Rider #1, on sale now from Marvel.
Johnny Blaze has been a deeply troubled character even before he made a deal with a literal deal with the devil and became bonded to the Spirit of Vengeance but the longtime Ghost Rider has had an especially rough go of things lately. Going from the pinnacle to the pit and with an even more tenuous grasp on his inner demons -- both figurative and literal -- Johnny gets help from mystical new Ghost Rider to get at the heart of his problems. And while Johnny is successful in confronting the source of his inner turmoil, he quickly is reminded to be careful of what he wishes for as a fiery showdown takes shape.
The one-shot special issue Spirits of Vengeance: Spirit Rider #1 -- by B. Earl, Taboo, Paul Davidson, Jeffrey Veregge, Dan Brown and VC's Joe Caramagna -- introduces Kushala, an indigenous American woman who is originally from the 19th century. Both her time period's Sorcerer Supreme and bonded to the Spirit of Vengeance, Kushala is quietly one of the most powerful figures in the entire Marvel Universe. Bonding to the Spirit of Vengeance after her Apache tribe was betrayed and slaughtered by a contingent of U.S. Cavalry and avenging them, Kushala was eventually discovered by Doctor Strange to join a team of Sorcerer Supremes, only to be stranded in present day.
As Johnny's condition and control over the Spirit of Vengeance worsens, Strange takes him to see Kushala, who has since struck up a new life for herself in Los Angeles. Kushala takes Johnny to the Arizona desert where he first struck up his deal with Mephisto years ago as the two time-traveling heroes examine the origins of the rot taking place in Johnny's soul. This results in the realization that a demonic entity is craving the powers of all the Spirits of Vengeance, turning Johnny against Kushala before it reveals itself as an even larger and more imposing monster that battles Johnny for his power and his soul. It is then that Kushala realizes the monster is linked to her own unresolved issues from her traumatic past as she goes on a quest into her own heart of darkness.
Facing the monstrous entity in its true form as a Leviathan, Kushala realizes she cannot defeat the creature in its usual fiery wrath but rather by finally making peace with her past, weakening Leviathan until it is easily defeated by Kushala. While this restores Johnny's faculties, it also has the surprise side effect of quelling the Spirit of Vengeance that once festered and corrupted Kushala. Now at peace and still very much a Master of the Mystic Arts, Kushala decides to return to her own time for now, comfortable with both her past and future.
After abdicating the throne of Hell, letting it corrupt him enough to confront the Avengers and allowing Mephisto to return to power during the crossover King in Black, Johnny was very nearly consumed by his own darkness and his connection to the Spirit of Vengeance. Thanks to Kushala and Leviathan, this battle was made literal, with Johnny's soul hanging in the balance. But if there's one wager that a Ghost Rider is always comfortable in making its over their soul, channeling that fury into something greater. And in besting her own demons, Kushala has saved Johnny Blaze from his.