Danny Ketch: Ghost Rider #1
- Writer:
- Howard Mackie
- Artist:
- Daniel Picciotto
- Letterer:
- Travis Lanham
- Cover Artist:
- Ben Harvey
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- $4.99
- Release Date:
- 2023-05-17
- Colorist:
- Guru-eFX
A twist of fate and a chance encounter with a mysterious medallion led Danny Ketch to become the Ghost Rider -- and he has yet to get used to his new life as the Spirit of Vengeance. However, Danny has to put his own feelings aside when two dangerous threats arise. A mysterious figure known as the Broker is granting horrible powers to the vengeful and hungry citizens of New York City, and inner city gangs are starting to take notice.
Written by Howard Mackie, with artwork by Daniel Picciotto, colors by Guru-eFX and letters by VC's Travis Lanham, Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch #1 has the newly inducted Ghost Rider balancing between the supernatural monsters and the very real and very dangerous gangs in New York. Thankfully, help may be on the way.
Writer Howard Mackie demonstrates his mastery and knowledge of the Ghost Rider mythos, with Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch #1 having an almost film noir narrative style and cold open fight scene that establishes the characters of both the Ghost Rider and Danny Ketch himself, making this issue a decent introduction to Ghost Rider despite being very deep into the continuity. Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch #1 is quite user-friendly, tonally consistent with the franchise but having enough restraint to keep it from being overwhelming. There are brutal, hellish fight scenes, moody scenery from the graveyard to the dirty inner-city streets, and even the humble home of Danny and his family. Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch #1 has a pleasant, somewhat insular sense of scale, presenting a world and an overarching plot and fittingly intimidating villain through Broker and his master.
Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch #1 and Danny Ketch's character illustrate the inherent tragedy of the Ghost Rider persona. While Johnny Blaze had a resigned and accepting attitude towards his time as the Ghost Rider, as demonstrated by his presence in this issue, Danny is still grappling with his newfound duty as the Spirit of Vengeance. Beyond questioning whether he's a hero, Danny demonstrates a level of vulnerability that contrasts with his second as the Ghost Rider. His emphasis on avenging the innocent is front and center, even more so than usual, and his penance stare acts less like mind control and more as a painful ritual by fire. Danny's more introverted and insecure character pairs nicely with the mature resignation, grim confidence and brotherly warmth of Ghost Rider veteran Johnny, resulting in surprisingly tender and quieter moments. Human drama, supernatural horror and gang violence aside, it's a treat to see two Ghost Riders in one issue.
Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch #1 captures the grit, grime, and grindhouse nature of the dark and urban New York City setting, thanks to artist Daniel Picciotto's elegant line art. Bones, graves, headstones, hellfire, bloodshed and supernaturally mutated bodies are gruesomely rendered. Picciotto's art has a classic, mature quality that tones down what would otherwise be overly graphic and violent art. In fact, Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch #1 is downright gorgeous in spite of -- or because of -- its detailed horror imagery. Adding to this restrained and grim elegance is colorist Guru-eFX's palette of classic horror film colors; earth tones warmed by the vivid oranges, reds and golds of blood, magic and fire, and cooled down by a starry midnight backdrop and the occasional flash of unnatural, smoky purple. While predominantly dark, the palette is still high contrast enough to allow the black placements and silhouettes stand out, creating a nicely composed and realized world.
Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch #1 is an excellent balance of vengeance, violence, hellfire and tender human interaction with a respectable introduction to a formidable new enemy and a solid storyline.