Ghost Rider #62

The cover of this 1995 Marvel issue makes the situation immediately clear — Ghost Rider, his flaming skull blazing orange against an explosive background, is thoroughly bound and ensnared by thick mechanical cables and chains, overwhelmed by a massive armored figure looming over him. Salvador Larroca and Sergio Melia set a genuinely dire tone for this four-part arc, with the subtitle "…In Chains!" living up to every word. If you've been following the Spirit of Vengeance, Part 1 of "The Black Hole" promises the kind of desperate, high-stakes corner that makes serial storytelling so satisfying.