Issue(s): Ghost Rider #54
Cover Date: Oct 94
Title: "A thirst for celebrity"
Credits:
Howard Mackie - Writer
Salvador Larroca - Penciler
Sergio Melia-Borras - Inker
Bobbie Chase - Editor

Review/plot:
The cover of this issue promises "The most shocking ending ever in Ghost Rider history!". That would be pretty sad if it were true. The issue wraps up some minor lingering plot points about a very minor character, reporter Linda Wei. Granted it wraps things up by killing her, but we've had more prominent characters die in this series and we've had what were certainly meant to be more important reveals.

Blackout attacks Linda Wei, killing the media executive that she was sleeping her way to the top with and then telling her that he's working for someone that wants him to kill the assistant attorney general. Blackout forces a rapey kiss on Linda, and leaves for now.

Meanwhile, Caretaker tells Danny Ketch that he's tired of trying to negotiate peaceful transitions between Danny and Ghost Rider, and that they need to work it out between themselves. He says that if they don't figure it out, Danny will destroy his mind, saying that he's "seen it happen before". Throwing that lingering mystery on top of the mound that has accumulated in this series, Caretaker departs.

Danny is then contacted by Linda, who says that she knows his secret. She threatens to broadcast it unless he meets her. When they meet, she reveals that she used to work for Deathwatch (which we knew), and then Deathwatch "used me up and then -- he gave me over to Blackout", who claims to love her. She tells Danny that she wants Ghost Rider to kill Blackout. Danny says that he/they don't kill, but he transforms into Ghost Rider after seeing the patch of blood from the dead executive.

He then heads to the home of the assistant attorney general and fights Blackout. He takes a tack similar to when he fought Scarecrow in Ghost Rider annual #2, breaking his limbs because he can't kill him.

But it doesn't work as well this time. Blackout avoids the penance stare and manages to hurt Ghost Rider.

The fact that Blackout can hurt Ghost Rider is - you guessed it - an unexplained mystery to both of them. But Blackout withdraws.

Then we come to our shock ending. Linda Wei confesses to having engaged in biased reporting against Ghost Rider. She threatens to kill herself on air.

But Blackout shows up. He prevents her from killing herself. Instead, he kills her.

Danny Ketch watches it all at home on the couch, like he's Newspaper Spider-Man. Next issue does not continue directly, and Blackout won't appear again until issue #66.

I guess this really is a shocking ending, although not in the way the cover copy editor meant. It's pretty shocking to see a hero fail to stop a villain, and then instead of going to guard the woman who asked for protection against the villain, he just goes home and watches TV.

Quality Rating: D+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A