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Bagged And Boarded Bullet Reviews #48
GHOST RIDER #61 (May 1995)
Betrayals Concludes! Having killed an innocent man, Ghost Rider has decided enough is enough and he’s going to allow Dan to turn themselves in and end the whole thing. The whole city is on alert, in the meanwhile, as a city-wide manhunt is on for the Spirit of Vengeance who is hold up in a church.
A fight then a conversation with The Punisher and Daredevil leads to the Rider being captured by The Team only to have him get taken by Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.!
This is an issue that begins to drop hints that we might be getting more of Ghost Rider’s origin very soon. It’s also fairly obvious that, once again, Marvel wasn’t sure what direction to take this character in although in the new few issues he will be joining another ‘family’ of titles.
HOWARD THE DUCK #20 (Jan. 1978)
So, Howard is a Duck once again, and, after escaping Doctor Bong, realizes he needs to put his life as together as he can while staying on Earth. This involves needing a form of cash flow. This leads to him getting a job as a dish washer in an eatery where the current washer is on his way out.
Sudd, the man in question, if a follower of someone called Soofi who is on a crusade to stomp out anything deemed ‘vulgar’ which doesn’t put Howard in his good graces.
This also leads to the creation of the Sudd featured on the cover here. All you need is a can of cleaner in an industrial microwave oven and you have a villain with the power to scrub anything clean.
This is one of those characters that does represent some people in society. Those who feel that anything that offends them must be done away with. Closed minded fools. This is one of my favorite covers.
SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN #12 (May 1996)
Finally all in one peace, Scud ends up crash landing in the middle some some strange competition to prove who’s the maniliest in the universe or some such nonsense. This is just an insane issue, showcasing how much fun this series can really be! -
Bagged And Boarded Bullet Reviews #47
GHOST RIDER #60 (April 1995)
Betrayals, Part 3: Well, after his run-in with The Team, Ghost Rider and Dan Ketch are not doing very well. Fortunately, Shriker saves him and takes him back to his hideout/apartment only to finally reveal himself as being Jack, Dan’s best friend! All this and somehow Caretaker is involved!
But Dan has had enough. Constantly running from the police and fighting for control of his body with Ghost Rider have taken their toll and he’s decided to go to Stacy and turn himself in. What a great time for Ghost Rider to come out and get into a fight with Stacy’s friend. A fight that doesn’t end well for her friend and makes Stacy hate Ghost Rider even more for apparently breaking his vow to never kill anyone! Now she’s out for blood and Dan is also in her sights!
HOWARD THE DUCK #19 (Dec. 1977)
Howard The Human continues to try to get a grasp on his current situation and ends up meeting a woman and stays the night with her. No indicator of anything happened, I doubt it, but the next morning Howard is feeling better…and looking much better and his transformation was very temporary: He’s a duck again! And just when things are looking up…Doctor Bong shows up again. Killjoy.
SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN #11 (Feb. 1996)
It’s Scud with his werewolf arm Vs. A werewolf with his arm. In space. Long story short the werewolf turns into a blackhole by de-evolving. Scud gets his arm back. Want details? I would suggest actually reading this one. It’s certainly one of the more entertaining issues of this series so far. But wait, #12 is pretty entertaining as well! -
Bagged And Boarded Bullet Reviews #46
GHOST RIDER #59 (March 1995)
Betrayal, Part 2: Ghost Rider is on the run from the S.H.I.E.L.D. trained Team, who count Dan’s former girlfriend Stacy as a member, and to make the situation even more complicate, Ghost Rider can’t really fight because Dan is determined to get his life back and is fighting the Rider for control of their body.
While on the run, the duo end up in the sewers and come face-to-face with the Hulk’s longtime enemy and, at this specific time, a beast trying to better himself: The Abomination!
In the end, the fight for control, the running and getting shot take their toll and it’s up to the mysterious Shriker to take them someplace safe.
Besides having yet another of my all time favorite covers, this issue had a lot of stuff going for it. The action was well paced, Ghost Rider/Dan obviously don’t understand that they have to work as one in order to be able to survive long enough to figure things out. Stacy has apparently had enough and wants to have it out with Dan. Overall, a solid issue, especially for the 90’s!
HOWARD THE DUCK #18 (Nov. 1977)
After being placed in Doctor Bong’s ‘Evolvo-Chamber’ Howard it partially saved by Beverly who must now marry Bong! The French humanoid duck Fifi takes Howard to her room to nurse him back to health in hopes that he will return her feelings but is shocked when the effects of the chamber take effect and Howard The Duck becomes Howard The Human!
Now that he’s the one thing he’s hated since his first appearance: a hairless ape, Howard just wants to get out and run away. Fifi helps him escape to New York at the cost of her own life and human Howard is now haunted by mental visions of Duck Howard who wants to be himself again!
This certainly is one of the more interesting chapters in Howard’s life!
SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN #10 (Dec. 1995)
Scud has decided having a werewolf arm that he has to feed isn’t worth it and begins his search for his own arm which has ended up in a space station. He gets some ‘help’ from a ghost and Drywall is yelled at by his boss: a moose with four eyes.
This series is still exploring new areas of insanity that keep it entertaining in a way fans of Invader Zim might enjoy. -
Note on Format and Style
You’ve probably noticed some changes in the look and format of this blog recently. I’m trying to find the look that I like so I’m trying different styles. I’m hoping to find the one that I like very soon and stick with it.
Format-wise, I’ve moved all the text to the area below the cover shots. I think it looks better and helps the flow of these Bullet Reviews.
Thank you.
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Bagged And Boarded Bullet Reviews #45
GHOST RIDER #58 (Feb. 1995)
Betrayals, Part 1: Lots of things going on here. First, in this highly hyped story, we have Dan saving a girl from being mugged and falling for her. They begin to date as Dan struggles to control the Ghost Rider and regain something of a normal life. This is not going to be easy as Stacy, his now former girlfriend, and her squad of Ghost Rider Hunters are now being trained by S.H.I.E.L.D. and being provided some high tech weaponry by the mysterious Spook.
Basically, what we have here is a train wreck waiting to happen.
HOWARD THE DUCK #17 (Oct. 1977):
It’s the origin of Doctor Bong and it isn’t the type of origin we’re used to. He was a loser who became a villain with a bell for a head. Not exactly fear inspiring. Leave it to Steve Gerber to come up with a boring origin and still make it interesting reading!
We also learn that Doctor Bong is able to mutate animals into things. This doesn’t bode well for Howard as Bong plans to use his tech to change Howard into something truly horrific!
SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN #9 (Oct, 1995):
While Drywall tries to defend himself from the insane townsfolk that hired Scud to take out local thugs, our hero finds himself in a very odd place: Inside Drywall! It’s like a Sam’s Club pocket dimension inside the…guy? But before Scud can begin to figure out what his new friend is and how to escape, he finds he’s not alone: Jeff has found her way to the same place as Scud and is hellbent on killing him! Only thing is, Scud doesn’t want to fight her for fear of killing her thus killing himself! It’s all out action that ends with Scud riding an A-Bomb! -
Bagged And Boarded Bullet Reviews #44
GHOST RIDER #57 (Jan. 1995):
Another filler issue featuring the rather worthless group Next Wave. Also, Ghost Rider survives being blown up and teams up with Wolverine (this means the book was hurting at this time and needed something to get some attention) and Stacy and her group of Ghost Rider hunting cops get offered some training and backing from S.H.I.E.L.D. who, for some strange reason, are interested in Ghost Rider all of a sudden.
Filler issues are rarely very good.
HOWARD THE DUCK #16 (Sept. 1977):
This is the issue that set this series apart from everything else at the time. When the story that was originally scheduled wasn’t completed on time, writer Steve Gerber came up with a better and more interesting solution that the normal ‘reprint a previous issue in place the the scheduled story’ by offering an essay issue wherein he mused about comics and pretty much poked fun at his career. This issue was illustrated by some of the most talented artists in the Marvel Offices at the time. If you’re looking for something different to read, you would do well to look for this issue!
SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN #8 (July 1995):
Scud tries to carry out a contract with his new friend Drywall, a living bag of zippers (or something) that can pull almost anything from inside any of the zippers on his body.
Things get really bad when Jeff shows up hellbent on killing Scud and while things spiral out of control, Scud ends up inside Drywall and learns there is more to this thing than meets the eye! -
Bagged And Boarded Bullet Reviews #43
This installment will be short and sweet…mostly:
GHOST RIDER #56 (Dec. 1994):
This one had The Next Wave in it. The less said, the better.
Beyond that, Stacey decides to join the Ghost Rider Task Force just as S.H.I.E.L.D. gets involved.
Ghost Rider also gets blown up.
Overall, not the strongest issue.HOWARD THE DUCK #15 (Aug. 1977):
First appearance of Doctor Bong!
That’s all you need to know, really. Doctor Bong becomes a long running enemy for Howard and eventually goes on to the larger Marvel Universe, even becoming Deadpool’s therapist!SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN #7 (May 1995):
By the way, Scud, that arm belonged to a werewolf! -
Bagged And Boarded Bullet Reviews #42
GHOST RIDER #55 (Nov. 1994):
Guest Starring Werewolf By Night!
Dan Ketch, working as a bartender, lands a gig at a place called Alphabet City that pays more than his regular wage so, needing the money, he takes the job.
Things are not what they seem, however, as a group of well dressed men begin to arrive in the exclusive upper section of the club. Calvin Zabo is introduced as a founding member of this group as a homeless man is brought out on stage and they prepare to cut and slice and torture him.
Dan isn’t the only witness to this: Jack Russell is as well and while Jack changes into the Werewolf to save a man’s life, he’s quickly outnumbered but the odds are evened when Ghost Rider arrives!
Zabo changes into My. Hyde and all hell breaks loose as the exclusive upper deck comes crashing down on the rest of the club during the fight!HOWARD THE DUCK ANNUAL #1 (1977):
Magic carpet, magic lamp with an attitude, and Howard and Paul Same going to far off Bagmom to save Beverly and Winda from a king with the help of a thief prince.
Yeah, this one has pretty much everything you’d never expect in a comic and it all ends with a daring air battle between the villain in a plane and Howard on a flying, jewel encrusted merry-go-round horse.
The long and short of it: Oil is involved!
SCUD THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN #6 (March 1995):
Hmmm…where to begin… After being badly injured last issue, Scud ends up with a loaner arm while his is being repaired and takes a job cleaning a small town of its corrupt elements.
One of those elements is a man with a dog for a head. No, not a dog head, a whole dog for a head!
Also, the loaner are is a human arm that eats sandwiches and one belonged to a soldier so it like jumping head first into battle.
While all this is going on, Jeff continues her violent trek to…someplace… Is she hunting down Scud? -
