Issue(s): Ghost Rider #72, Ghost Rider #73
Cover Date: Sep-Oct 82
Title: "Temptations!" / "Tears of a Clown!"
Credits:
Roger Stern - Writer
Bob Budiansky - Penciler
David Simons - Inker
Linda Grant - Assistant Editor
Tom DeFalco - Editor

Review/plot:
The Ghost Rider helps Johnny Blaze's carnival troupe fight off the Circus of Crime (sans Ringmaster).

The Circus' Clown, son of Corky from Blaze's carnival, apparently was considering reforming...

...and led the Circus to the carnival only so they could be captured, although it's not clear how he thought some regular carnies could defeat the Circus of Crime since he didn't know that the Ghost Rider was hanging out with them (although we all know that carnies are tough).

Ghost Rider nearly assaults the Clown with his hellfire, despite his "innocence"...

...but Red Fowler is able to talk Johnny out of it.

It's becoming more difficult for Blaze to maintain control of the Ghost Rider.

Roger Stern is a good writer, and Bob Budiansky has a somewhat cartoonish style that works well with the subjects, but I'm just not a big fan of carnival stories.

Quality Rating: B-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Contemplating the fact that the Ghost Rider is getting more and more out of control, Johnny Blaze remembers that he almost killed Angel in Avengers #214.
  
• Red Fowler reveals that he's known that Johnny was the Ghost Rider since Ghost Rider #65.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Original Ghost Rider Rides Again! #3

The title to #73 refers to a 1960s Smokey Robinson & the Miracles song.

Continuing the Motown theme and piggybacking off what Mark pointed out, the title to #72 is likely a reference to the legendary singing group the Temptations ("My Girl", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", etc.).