Issue(s): Ghost Rider #34
Cover Date: Feb 93
Title: "Victims of our past"
Credits:
Howard Mackie - Writer
Bret Blevins - Penciler
Al Williamson - Inker
Matthew Morra - Assistant Editor
Bobbie Chase - Editor

Review/plot:
The art in the early issues of this series seemed to depict Ghost Rider killing people. But despite Ghost Rider beating in non-superpowered mobsters' faces with his fists or dragging them behind his motorcycle on a chain, Howard Mackie insisted in the script that Ghost Rider never actually killed anyone. The one undeniable counter-example to that was the ninja that Ghost Rider ran through with a blade in Ghost Rider #3. So this issue is devoted to explaining to us that the ninja in question, who was clearly just an ordinary goon of Death-Watch in the original story, is actually a special non-human and non-killable entity, and it's suggested that Ghost Rider subconsciously understood that right away, which is why he used seemingly lethal force against him. The ninja's name is "Death Ninja", which sounds like a name that a nine-year old would come up with in the heat of playing with their action figures and not something that a professional writer with several years to think about it should use. Then again, i guess it's just barely a step down from Death-Watch.

Ghost Rider is in the cemetery dishing out vengeance on a low level criminal (and there's an interesting device where we get to experience the penance stare from the point of view of the thug) when the issue begins. He leaves the thug to suffer, but after Ghost Rider leaves, Death Ninja shows up and kills the thug, and then attacks some kids that are vandalizing graves.

Death Ninja leaves a message in blood for Ghost Rider, and continues to kill people to attract Ghost Rider's attention. Danny has some trouble transforming, but he eventually does. As Ghost Rider, he confronts Death Ninja.

Death Ninja serves a master that he says Ghost Rider should know.

Ghost Rider seemingly kills Death Ninja (again).

Ghost Rider then transforms back to Danny Ketch, and winds up back at the cemetery. He encounters the Caretaker, who tells him that Ghost Rider's motivation of avenging the spilling of innocent blood is "all in your head".

Caretaker is too cryptic to provide any actual information. The "everything you know is wrong" revelation that Ghost Rider isn't drawn to avenge the spilling of innocent blood is a pretty core motivation to be overturning. But it comes in the usual drip, drip Mackie method, without further explanation, just like the revelation last issue that Danny is adopted. We're more than three years into this series and the nature of this Ghost Rider has been teased to the point of exhaustion.

Death Ninja could almost be excused if it was just a quick way to address the loose end of Ghost Rider's one (seemingly) confirmed kill, and the use of him here seems to be more about setting up the master that he's working for. But it will turn out that Death Ninja has survived, and he'll return as early as next issue. The fact that his nature is almost identical to Suicide, who also wants to die but can't, doesn't go unnoticed, either, and that character will also be featured in the next arc.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Ghost Rider #33-38 take place before Spirits of Vengeance #4.

References:

• Danny has not slept at all since he was revived by Dr. Strange in Ghost Rider #32.
  
• Danny Ketch is able to transform into Ghost Rider despite not being near his bike, as happened once before in Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness.
  
• Ghost Rider "killed" Death Ninja in Ghost Rider #3.
  
• Ghost Rider met Caretaker when Danny Ketch was "dead", in Ghost Rider #28.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

I'm wondering- Death Ninja's boss was clearly meant to be Centurious but who was the other player he mentions? Mephisto? Lilith? Zarathos?