Editor's Note: Ghost Rider Annual #2 arrives in stores tomorrow, August 27.

"A Town Called Mercy" (3.5 Bullets)
Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Mark A. Robinson, Raul Trevino (color art)

"Deathrace!" (2 Bullets)
Writer: Jim Starlin
Artists: Jim Starlin (layouts), Steve Leialoha and Friends (finished art)

Simon Spurrier is a writer to watch. He's 27, British, and comes straight out of the 2000 A.D. machine. He's the writer of the excellent, if extraordinarily late, Gutsville and recently wrote the four issue miniseries Silver Surfer: In Thy Name. He's also responsible for the latest newuniversal one-shot (also released this week, I believe) and will be writing the upcoming Ghost Rider miniseries focusing on the 1990s Ghost Rider, Danny Ketch.

So, enough kissing his ass and plugging his stuff...er...I mean...ah...let me start that again.

So, Spurrier dips into the pool of Ghost Rider with this done-in-one story that serves as a textbook example of what an Annual is supposed to be. The story ties in to what's going on over in the regular series, providing some insight into the character and letting him do his thing without upsetting the pace of the ongoing story.

What we've got here is a town called Mercy (as if the title didn't clue you in), Idaho, where recently, an angel has been spotted and reported on by the tabloids. In conjunction with that, you have a lot of people getting off the bus, hiking out into the woods, and (apparently) killing themselves. Johnny Blaze has been having strange dreams summoning him to Mercy, so he's here to see what's what, but the local sheriff is having none of it.

There's a nice twist with regards to the motivation of the mysterious angel that I really liked. Spurrier has a good handle on Blaze, especially the ass-kicking, take-no-crap, version that Jason Aaron has reinvented over the past six months or so. And the ending is solid, desperate, sad, and a little tragic all at the same time. Well done, Mr. Spurrier.

The art is by another youngster, Mark A. Robinson, best known at the moment for his work on some Devil's Due titles, but also soon to be seen on the upcoming Ms. Marvel Annual and an X-mini. His style is loose and energetic with exaggerated facial expressions and very well designed pages. The action flows across the page without ever getting confusing, and his Ghost Rider is a thing of beauty. Flaming, skully beauty. I look forward to seeing more work from this guy.

I almost forgot. There's a back-up story in this thing; A reprint of the original Ghost Rider #35 from 1979. The copy says that this is included "by popular demand" and is the "story you've been asking for." I would just like to smack whomever is responsible for demanding and asking for this story.

It's a done-in-one story flashing back to an untold adventure from around twenty issues or so earlier and has "filler" written all over it. Even though it's by Starlin and Leialoha, both of whom are very talented, this story is balls. Johnny Blaze has to race Death (or Death Ryder, as he's named) three times, ultimately with his own life as the prize. It's stupid and pointless and the space would have been better served giving us some background on some of those odd villains who showed up in the latest issue of the regular series.

I'd still like to know if The Orb had an eyeball helmet or had been given an actual giant eyeball for a head by Zadkiel. I kind of need to know that now.

Ultimately, this is a book that you probably don't need to buy, but it's still a good story and worth a read or two. I'm telling you, Spurrier is going to be big and this is a good chance to see him in action before he really explodes all over the American market. Now I just need to see if I can somehow track down some of his 2000 A.D. work for cheap.

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