Comic Vine Review

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All-New Ghost Rider #5 - Engines of Vengeance, Part 5

4

Robbie takes on Mr Hyde and all the scum in his neighborhood

The Good

The conclusion to the first arc is pretty nuts. It's filled with action and battles and buses flipping over. This issue is high octane, pun very intended. Reading this is like jumping into the final battle scene of any summer blockbuster film.

There is one big revelation here with Robbie and Eli. Mr Hyde recognizes Ghost Rider and makes mention of it. However, Eli doesn't know what he's talking about. This could mean a plethora of things. Maybe Eli is a brand new spirit of vengeance and hasn't been given the vengeance handbook. Maybe he's not a spirit of vengeance of all. As much as this was a cool part of this book, though, it leaves the reader with a ton of questions, which can be frustrating.

It's easy to fall in love with Tradd Moore's art, with Val Staples on colors. This whole issue is just eye candy. It's a delight to look at, and while Moore's style is a bit out there, is eerily fits the book. There's an insane amount of detail within each panel and so much going on within each page, and yet, that chaos never comes of as, well, chaotic. His art is very readable, even in some odd situations where things are supposed to look confusing.

By the end of the issue, there's this great feeling of retribution as Robbie has saved the day and everything is wrapped. Things that happened in the first couple of issues are resolved.

The Bad

The overall story and arc leaves a ton of unanswered questions. We're still not sure what's going on with Robbie and because of a few revelations from this issue, there's even more questions about what's going on with Robbie and Eli (who may or may not be the spirit of vengeance?). Although it's the first arc, it feels like we're missing so many things about this character.

Everything wraps up a little too nice. There isn't any lead in to the next arc. Understandably, issues don't have to give readers a glimpse into what's coming down the road but with something this new, it would be nice to have a small heads up with what we can expect next from this series.

The Verdict

The first arc wraps up in an action-packed finale that is an incredibly fun read. While there is some frustration with knowing where this series is headed and what's going on with Eli, the overall issue provides some beautifully crafted art and a non-stop action thrill ride. I'm really glad that the new Ghost Rider book took this direction. It feels fresh and so different from previous incarnations. This is a series you should check out.