Ghost Rider 2099 #1 Review

Written by: Ed Brisson
Art by: Damian Coucerio
Colors by: Dono Sánchez-Almara
Lettered by: Joe Caramanga
Published by: Marvel Comics

The Spirit of Vengeance finds its way into the future. When biker/hacker/all-around cool guy Zero (cool name) loses his life, he is given the chance to get payback on those who caused this.

This story had a B-movie vibe to it. Which, for me, was a great aspect. The future slang was funny and seemed to be self-aware in its cheesiness. The storyline of how he became Ghost Rider is one of the clearest reinterpretations of a character in this new 2099 series. It built the seedy urban environment in contrast with the pristine future. And Zero’s character is left in a place that makes you want to see how he’d use his powers to bring others to justice. Writer Ed Brisson not only made the story fun but seemed to be having fun writing it. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and by doing that it allows the narrative to go more places than some of the other 2099 books. Something about this comic felt genuinely “comic booky”. I was able to open it and go for a ride without asking too many questions. The gangland warfare, cybercrime, and evil corporations have a nice familiarity to them while feeling original and not derivative of one specific source. With great action scenes, fun characters, and a coherent story start to finish, I’m not sure what more you could want from this comic.

Damian Coucerio provides a cyberpunk infused art style. The deep, inky lines mixed with Dono Sánchez-Almara’s moody palette reminds me of films like The Matrix and Johnny Mnemonic. The cool way of illustrating the cyber Zero hacking the mainframe felt like it should have been scored with synth music. And that liquid metal look and his eventual metallic skeleton are sure to remind readers of another movie. The best part of the art is the action scenes. The movement illustrated has weight behind it. And there are some nicely done landscapes including the "hell" Zero goes to, the urban city, the wireframe digital world, and D/Monix's sterile headquarters.

If you’re looking for a Marvel comic to entertain you without needing background, I suggest this comic. It’s a good new take on the Ghost Rider origin story with flairs of cyberpunk and retro action flicks. It’s one of the best of the new 2099 books and may have built the coolest new character.