Say what you will, but Javier Saltares and Mark Texeira are probably among the best (if not THE best) artists who bring out the best in the Spirit of Vengeance – probably second only to Clayton Crain.
Artistic duties aside, this volume is probably the last truly and genuinely decent run the Spirit of Vengeance truly had. A demonic road trip and hunt across the American Nation, it best depicted the character of Johnny Blaze as the self-pitying drunk being dragged along by a single-minded effort to get rid of a curse which turns him alternately into an unwilling vigilante/bounty hunter or a puppet to those who promise him getting rid of what he has ironically grown addicted to.
What followed by Jason Aaron was not bad, but the run was clearly building up to a showdown that was clearly cut short in favor of mindless fun. It however remains an enjoyable read rife with dark humor and character moments which the Rider has been missing for years now. Not to mention that the Ghost Rider hasn’t looked this gorgeous in as much time too….
