All New Ghost Rider #9 Review

writer: Felipe Smith / artist: Damion Scott Well, I’m happy to report that All New Ghost Rider is still delivering on what it promised from Day One. There are few books out there that do cartoonishly violent, ridiculous, over the top action as well as this one. Felipe Smith has been consistently killing it, crafting a slightly younger chapter of the Ghost Rider legacy. This issue picks up with Robbie Reyes not quite in control of things. Eli Morrow, who isn’t quite the friend Robbie thought he was, has taken the wheel and set out to close a few old accounts with the Russian mob. Meanwhile, Johnny Blaze, the original Ghost Rider is out looking for a rematch with Morrow to teach him that there’s no school like the old school. Smith does a pretty good job pacing what is mainly a passing of the torch to the next generation. It’s a nice change to see the Rider’s other side having slightly different, more human aims (even if they’re as douche-y as Morrow’s are), making for a more reluctant team up almost akin to supernatural 48 Hours.

Damion Scott’s pencils are the best suited to follow up Tradd Moore’s anime invoking style. The battles are consistently epic and detailed, the downside being that this can sometimes result in Chris Bachalo Disease (meaning panels can be SO detailed at times, you can get lost in figuring out what’s what). Bottom Line: Rider vs. Rider has been an excellent platform towards the new one proving itself (as a character and a book) with enough tidbits to k…