Ghost Rider #38

   
With spare time and spare change, I decided to look through the collection of cheap comics at some Comic store near San Diego, and what do I find, a Ghost Rider vs Scarecrow comic. HEY, you may not be somewhat a fan of Scarecrow like I am, but it was an interesting fight that I felt like seeing, and that the comic was 25 cents ON SALE SPECIAL. 
So, did the Return of Scarecrow give me the exciting fight that I hoped for? or was it actually worth its cheap price? Well lets dig into this nineties forgotten comic and find out what we got. 
 

The Storyline: 

??? ummmmmm, I must have missed something because this issue is showing what happens after a major scene. Some Anti-social group called the Firm is defeated by Ghost Rider I guess, and the local police is investigating the scene, and they find what appears to be a solid and welded metal door. So for some reason, without preperations or more BACK-UP they open it and SHAZAAM, its Scarecrow and a batch of - whatever they call themselves. Will Ghost Rider come and save the day? or would Scarecrow go on a mindless pitchforking marathon on the innocent townsfolk and law enforcement.
So, unless you read the recent issue or issues, you probably gonna be lost in the sauce like I was. 
 

The Good:

 
- I did love how the artwork had a few scenes that were pretty neat, for most of the scenes I liked how Ghost Rider was drawn, even when he's wearing shredded clothes. 
 

The Bad:

 
- Your gonna hear this alot, "Vengeance", " Fear", and "Pain". For some reason I felt that a Gothic kid was writing this storyline and adding a little poetry into it. Come on, I wanna see some Bad to the Bone, chain whipping, Scarecrow ass whoopin skeleton biker who's on fire, not some dark, gothic Edgar Allen Poe crap. 
 

The Ugly: 

   - I wish they would at least give more info on what happened in the last damn issue, I hated that as a kid collecting comics like this one. A great way to buy a comic that looks awesome and as soon as you read it, theres a visible question mark above your head with the most convincing WTF face. I know it was the nineties and they were only focused on what was "cool" back then, because flaming skeletons were "cool" back then. But at least dont leave a comic fan feeling like he missed out on alot of action without having some synopsis to read. 
- The storytelling was, eh,  not really focused on as it should've been, by both artist and writer. I can't help but feel that the whole storyline was staged and the characters were acting, a Cardinal Sin for comics when they take away the realism by trying to focusing on convincing the audience instead of the characters within the issue. This storyline would have little focus on its build up, explaination, and proper attention. Even the artwork is guilty of being displayed horribly and rushed, like every comic artist should know how to draw a skull, but in this issue, why does Ghost Rider have a skull of prehistoric Caveman in some scenes? I can't get over how the artist was too lazy to even drawn proper surroundings in most of the scenes in this issue. Art is art, but when there's so much building up against this issue and what is probably being released constantly, thats a sign of lazy comic art. 

- Then theres the fight, before explaining the fight between Ghost Rider and Scarecrow. Lets talk about how Ghost Rider's movement is displayed within this issue. I cannot get over how Ghost Rider is displayed as a walking lurch, that really had me nodding my head realizing that his chain had more of a convincing movement than the weilder himself. Then the fight scene, I once saw a fight scene between Ghost Rider and this gibberin idiot and man was it awesome. But this fight scene tried way too hard with its posing, uncoordinating movement, and that Scarecrow violently kicking Ghost Riders ass only to end in the most cheapest way, DEATH BY COP. I know that Scarecrow cannot beat Ghost Rider that easily, didn't really make sense, even to see Ghost Rider act like he wanted his ass kicked. I mean the guy just walked right into the pitchfork only to be saved by a Cop, pardon my language, BUT THIS IS BULLS*** 
Ghost Rider is awesome and was awesome back then, but in this comic he's just whiney, gothic, lumbering, lurching idiot who purposely gets his ass handed to him by some C-list villain that made it to " that guy behind Bulldozer, next to Slug" within the Hoods Gang.  
 

Conclucion:

 
Theres a reason why this comic is on Sale and Sold Cheap, and also why we dont know who's responsible for the art and storyline. This cheap comic is a MUST AVOID for Ghost Rider fans. Only awesome or "cool" with this comic are in some posing scenes. Its doubtful that this comic would reach any fame in the future with a raising price or with fans. Unless your a diehard Ghost Rider fan, then you may not see what the big deal is, as long Ghost Rider is in it ( Its okay, Im guilty of that with comics having Bullseye in it )