GHOST RIDER #66 (1996)

This issue starts with Dan Ketch breaking the fourth wall…

Having comic book characters talk to the reader is never something that I particularly like. Comic books can use “thought bubbles” and panel captions to establish mood, so talking directly to the reader is unnecessary–and it also breaks us out of the imaginary universe of a comic book. In media that “move” (like movies), it’s distracting enough–but at least there movement and sound give the director more control over the flow of information and how it is interpreted. Comic books ask more of us, and breaking the fourth wall makes it harder to provide the reader’s part of what is necessary to make for a great comic book experience.

It’s especially not useful in a super-serious–overly serious–book like Ghost Rider, which also has very fantastical elements to it.

Anyway, this story has Ghost Rider working well with his Ketch side to hunt Blackout, and then ends with Ghost Rider breaking the fourth wall the same way that Ketch did on page one.

OK.

Along the way, Clark and Lois make an appearance.

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