-
Ghost Rider: Vengeance Forever #1
- Writer:
- Benjamin Percy
- Artist:
- Juan José Ryp
- Letterer:
- VC's Travis Lanham
- Cover Artist:
- Björn Barends
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- $4.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-08-10
- Colorist:
- Bryan Valenza
For the Spirit of Vengeance's 50th birthday, Marvel put writer Benjamin Percy, artist Juan José Ryp, colorist Bryan Valenza, and letterer Travis Lanham together for Ghost Rider: Vengeance Forever #1. It's a special issue that revs up the engine and takes the reader back through the character's rich history.
The issue takes place in the present, as Johnny Blaze heads off to see Necro the Tattooist. However, this tattoo artist isn't ordinary by any stretch of the imagination. Necro's needle has the ability to bring darkness to the surface. Putting it on Blaze, the tattooist uncovers the secrets of the Spirit of Vengeance and its dark history.
Sometimes it's important to take stock of everything before moving forward. That's what Percy does in Ghost Rider: Vengeance Forever #1, as it acts as both a celebration and retrospective of the Spirit of Vengeance's 50-year history. It would have been easy for Percy to hit all the main beats that fans are familiar with, but he digs a little deeper and uncovers the pivotal and untold stories in Ghost Rider's history. To make the issue even better, Morbius makes an appearance, riding around on a slick motorcycle alongside Vengeance and Blade.
Artist Ryp explores a gamut of settings and characters in Ghost Rider: Vengeance Forever #1. Considering all the different eras covered, Ryp gets to show off an impressive range of styles and genres. From western to horror and futuristic sci-fi, it's all here in this action-packed and sprawling issue. More importantly, Ryp nails the designs of iconic characters such as Danny Ketch, Robbie Reyes, and even Cosmic Ghost Rider. Björn Barends also deserves credit for a nightmarish cover that looks like it belongs on the front of a Metallica shirt -- it's sizzling, electric, and cooler than the main stage at Ozzfest.
Valenza brings out all the colors here. While the colorist understands the importance of the tone and atmosphere for Ghost Rider, there's more room for him to play due to the changing eras and their respective color palettes. It's clear that Valenza had all the fun with the 2099 story, as it explodes with more variety and panache than the other tales. Lanham gets to flex his lettering muscles, too, especially with the speech bubbles for the different iterations of Ghost Rider and the other supernatural characters.
On the surface, Ghost Rider: Vengeance Forever #1 might seem like a filler issue or a commemorative book to celebrate the flaming one's 50-year anniversary -- but it's not. It's jam-packed with so many blazing moments from Ghost Rider's past, and the art alone makes this a must-buy issue. This is the type of book that makes the reader sit back and recognize how important and legendary this character has become to Marvel Comics. Here's to the next 50 years!