Issue(s): Defenders #96
Cover Date: Jun 81
Title: "The rock and roll conspiracy!"
Credits:
J.M. DeMatteis - Writer
Don Perlin - Penciler
Joe Sinnott - Inker

Review/plot:
Part three of the Six Fingered Hand storyline. This involves the Satanic influence on rock n roll music.

Johnny Blaze has seen better times; he's currently working as a roadie for the rock band, and as the Ghost Rider he's much more demonic than he was the last time Hellstorm met him.

I should mention that in every issue of this Six Fingered Hand story, Dr. Strange uses a teleportation spell, usually accompanied by Gargoyle asking "How does he do that?".

It's Dr. Strange and he's a powerful wizard, so you might not think much of it, but it will turn out that the whole Six Fingered plot hinges on Strange over-using teleportation.

The demon involved in this issue is Fashima.

The twist is that it's not the rock singer who sold his soul to the devil, but his manager, who turns out to also be his brother, who is taken away to hell at the end of the issue, something the Defenders don't seem too interested in stopping or undoing.

Before all of that, Patsy visits her housekeeper Dolly in the hospital along with Daimon and the Gargoyle, but Patsy freaks out and starts yelling at Gargoyle because he's the one who's responsible for injuring her. It's clear that something's wrong with Patsy; she doesn't mean the things she's saying.

Hellstorm is able to aid Dolly's recovery.

Later, after the issue's twist is revealed, Hellcat is again seen acting inappropriately.

DeMatteis doesn't really seem to have anything to say about the "rock and roll is the devil's music" controversy that he uses in this story. It's just the background for a fight that is pretty lame and over quickly. Judging from the lettercols, i'm in the minority here, but i don't think much of DeMatteis' flat straightforward writing style or the Six Fingered Hand plot.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Pushed back in publication time to allow Defenders #98 to take place before Avengers #211. The MCP has Ghost Rider here between Ghost Rider #57-58, which is basically just how things work out by publication date.

References:

• Gargoyle injured Dolly in Defenders #94.
  
• Ghost Rider and the Son of Satan first met in Marvel Spotlight #12. The footnote pointing to that issue comes from the Ghost Rider referencing "the last time we met", but as Brian notes in the comments, the two met after that in Ghost Rider #17-18.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

FNORD - when you said - "from the lettercols, i'm in the minority here, but i don't think much of DeMatteis' flat straightforward writing style or the Six Fingered Hand plot." I would have to say it was popular considering how much these issues cost for "the Six Fingered Hand plot."

It didn't just cost me six fingers, it cost me an arm and a leg ;)

@Fnord- Ghost Rider and the Son of Satan fought side-by-side in GR #17-#18, which falls in between the Marvel Spotlight issue you cited and this issue of Defenders, in case you wished to site the last time they saw each other.

Thanks Brian. Ghost Rider says "the last time we met" with the footnote pointing to Marvel Spotlight #12, but as you note, that's not correct.

As I have noted on previous posts here, I've practically shat on Don Perlin's art from WEREWOLF BY NIGHT, mainly because Mike Ploog was such a part of the character's development. However, I've come to appreciate his run with Marvel's resident "non-team" over time. It kinda fits the quirkiness one associates with the Defenders in general.