Issue(s): Ghost Rider #33
Cover Date: Jan 93
Title: "What does it matter?"
Credits:
Howard Mackie - Writer
Bret Blevins - Penciler
Al Williamson - Inker
Matthew Morra - Assistant Editor
Bobbie Chase - Editor

Review/plot:
I first encountered Madcap in an issue of Power Pack and based on that appearance i tend to put Madcap in the same category as Impossible Man and other such comedy characters. But despite the character's zany nature, he's much more of a villain than the others, and it's that aspect Howard Mackie to use him for an issue of Ghost Rider (ironically, the Power Pack issue was also written by Mackie). Superficially, as the cover states, both characters have stares that drive people insane, but even at a more basic level Madcap is the kind of super-powerful but totally psycho character that fits well alongside Ghost Rider's regular villains.

Madcap had been starring in a local access television show, but he's decided that he's not reaching an audience that way, and he wants to go back to making appearances in person.

I kind of worry that the murdered body of Dollar Bill is just off camera.

Meanwhile, Danny Ketch learns from his mother that he's adopted. He goes out for a motorcycle ride to clear his head. And he comes across Madcap, who is doing his usual schtick in Grand Central Station. Madcap causes someone to die with his antics, so Ghost Rider needs to avenge the spilling of innocent blood. Madcap is unimpressed.

Ghost Rider uses his penance stare on Madcap, and it seems to work...

...but we later see that Madcap actually likes the effect of the stare, since it allows him to feel something for the first time since his origin. Madcap says that he'll return.

The other major event in this issue is that the Firm goes after the HEART mercenaries. All except Tyler Meagher are killed, and Meagher is captured.

We barely got to know HEART, so having them all wiped out doesn't have much emotional impact. It feels more like Mackie shuffling off some characters that he didn't know what to do with. In general the fact that Mackie doesn't have a long term plan for this book feels more apparent. The revelation that Danny is adopted adds to that impression as well.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Ghost Rider re-unites with Johnny Blaze for the first time after the Rise of the Midnight Sons crossover (which concludes in Ghost Rider #32) in Spirits of Vengeance #4. And Ghost Rider remains with Blaze through Spirits of Vengeance #10. Ghost Rider #39 begins after Spirits of Vengeance #10. So all of Ghost Rider #33-38 take place before Spirits of Vengeance #4 (which begins the Spirits of Venom crossover that takes place soon after Infinity War), and therefore need to get pushed back in publication time.

References:

• A low level criminal that Ghost Rider is dealing with at the beginning of this issue says that he thought Ghost Rider was chased out of town, which did happen in Ghost Rider #28, but as Ghost Rider says, he's back now.
  
• Danny Ketch has not been sleeping since his encounter with Nightmare in Ghost Rider #30.
  
• Danny's mother has been worried about losing him since the encounter with Blackout in Ghost Rider #25.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A