Fans of Marvel's Ghost Rider might have cause to seek vengeance themselves now that the series' writer, Ed Brisson, announced that the current run has been cancelled with several issues left to go in the story. The premature stoppage seems to be just the latest instance of COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the comics industry.
The series was launched late last year and was originally solicited for nine issues, as well as two one-offs, but it seems like issue #7 is going to be the end of the road for the Spirit of Vengeance. What is now the series' final issue saw Johnny Blaze, currently the King of Hell, fending off an army of demons as an ancient goddess tries to usurp Blaze and claim his throne. The issue edned with more rogues coming out of the wings to seize control, but unfortunately, it seems fans will never get the chance to see how Brisson's story would have concluded.
"As many have assumed, GHOST RIDER #7 was the last issue of the series," the writer tweeted when announcing the cancellation. "I loved writing it; had a hell of a time telling Danny and Johnny's stories; & introducing the Spirit of Corruption." The Spirit of Corruption was Brisson's re-imagining of former Ghost Rider (and Blaze's long-lost brother) Danny Ketch and could have proven to be a decent foil for Blaze in future story lines. Without going into details, Brisson assured fans that the characters' adventures will continue elsewhere in the Marvel Comics universe and also thanked artists Aaron Kuder, Juan Frigeri, and Jason Keith for helping to put the book together.
Besides the two issues solicited for the core story, Brisson's run would also have included the standalone Empyre: Ghost Rider, as well as Ghost Rider Annual #1. However, when the coronavirus pandemic brought the industry to a screeching halt, Marvel was force to cancel a third of its Empyre titles along with several other ongoing stories. Ghost Rider, unfortunately, proved to not be immune to the virus' fallout.
While this is definitely a major blow to any avid readers of Brisson's run on the series, there's at least some solace to be found in the fact that he implied some of the story's characters and plot lines may live on elsewhere in the Marvel world. And even though fans will never get to see how exactly Brisson's take on Ghost Rider would have ended, solicitation synopses are out there for all four books. Although at this point the descriptions are little more than a tease, they at least hint at where the story was headed and are fodder for speculation. Read the plot outlines below.
- Ghost Rider #8: Enter the city of the damned! In a place beyond good and evil, Ghost Rider and Mephisto find a secret society of supernatural beings--and they aren’t fond of visitors!
- Ghost Rider #9: Classic Ghost Rider villains return! Danny Ketch might have punished Scarecrow, Deathwatch and Blackout before as a Spirit of Vengeance, but can he do the same as the Spirit of Corruption?
- Empyre: Ghost Rider #1: An intergalactic war comes crashing into a supernatural showdown between the Spirit of Corruption and the Spirit of Pollution! But who will be left standing?
- Ghost Rider Annual #1: The one you've been waiting for - the return of Vengeance! Michael Badilino was a bad dude in life…and that landed him in hell. But not just any old rung of hell, a layer so deep it’s reserved for those special enemies of hell – one where a former Spirit of Vengeance may suffer for all eternity! As Lilith’s gambit against Johnny Blaze and Mephisto for the throne of hell heats up, you can bet other players will enter the arena… and Badilino will find a way to ride again as Vengeance!
Source: Ed Brisson