This is Jason Aaron's first issue writing Ghost Rider but it is difficult for me to judge this issue apart from what came before it. I'll admit I hopped on GR back on issue #1 in anticipation of the truely aweful Nick Cage movie and dropped it after about issue 16 because I had gotten tired of reading the 'smalltown hick sherriff kicks the shit out of Johnny Blaze' storyline for the third consecutive arc. Fool that I am though I was sucked back in by the 'Biggest news to hit Ghost Rider since 1973' promos and went back and picked up all the issues I had missed. Yup, just like Johnny, I'm a sucker every time.
Okay, as far as this issue goes I liked the look and attiude of Johnny...it reminded me of that brief period during the 90's when Blaze and Ketch were running together with a longhaired Blaze wearing the trenchcoat (looking a lot like the 90's Nomad now that I come to think of it) and toting a hellfire shotgun (remember that thing?). I like the concept that the demons were the flat out losers of the heavenly war and now GR is going after the winning side...sort of. I also liked the haunted Montana highways that get a little..."tricky". That was good straight up horror comic stuff. I didn't dig the slutty nurse cult of Lord Zadkiel because it felt like I suddenly had four pages of deleted scenes from a Quinten Terrantino movie stuck in the middle of my comic. Some other reader may like that bit for exactly the same reason, I didn't. Oddly enought my favorite part of the whole issue was the letter from Jason Aaron talking about how excited he is to be on the book. At this point he has a 50/50 chance of keeping me on this book. I want him to do well but I'm not convinced yet but I'll give him a couple of issues just on the strength of his enthusiasm. That and just like Johnny, I'm a sucker every time.
Story: 3 - Good
Art: 2 - Average
