Wishing my head was on fire...

Well folks, if you thought that the return of this blog meant a move away from its comic book roots, then think again suckahs! Before my four hour sojourn in the Minneapolis airport yesterday (which was far more grueling than anticipated), I stopped at Mind's Eye Comics to pick up some reading material, all of which was delightful!I have to say though, that Jason Aaron's Ghost Rider continues to be one of my favorite reads each month. Though this issue was sadly missing artist Tan Eng Huat's talent, but hopefully he'll be back, and if not, Tony Moore's work fit the bill quite nicely.
Ghost Rider works if, and only if, he is treated as something other than the Superheroes of Marvel's other offerings. Originally conceived as a horror comic to capitalize on the current media trends of 1972, that is where the 'ol flame-skull really shines. Ghost Rider lives in the world of the supernatural that lurks right behind the corner, that you always suspect is there, but are too afraid to look for. Where Angels and Demons vie for your very soul, so is the Ghost Rider, spirit of vengeance. I mean, within the first 20 issues, he'd fought Satan countless times, and even met Jesus, who handily pardoned him of his sins. As soon as he starts palling around with jokers in tights, things start going downhill.
Enter Jason Aaron, who, even after the 2007 Nicolas Cage fiasco, managed to put some life back in the flagging franchise. How did he do it? Simple. He pruned the Ghost Rider mythos until it became recognizable once more. Accompanied by Huat's subtly distorted visuals, we have a book firmly embedded in the Ghost Rider mythos, with our sometimes hero beset by Rogue Angels and demons, fighting his battles, not participating in any superheroic shenanigans. The best part, is that it never takes itself to seriously. It's the kind of world the Bruce Campbell inhabits. Some of it is as campy as the nearest KOA, but instead of being a mindless parody, it remains engaging and exciting. This is reason that The Mummy and The Pirates of the Caribbean work in my mind, and why their sequels fail. Simple, ridiculous, but ultimately fantastic.
Take Ghost Rider #33 for example. Basically just setting the groundwork for the series now that Heaven has fallen (you heard me), we are treated to a short history of the Ghost Riders, and are treated to appearances from no less than 19 new Ghost Riders, scattered throughout history, all of which are completely awesome! I have to say that while the Ghost Rider tank and crew from World War II and the semi-truck Devil Rig were pretty fantastic, the cyber-punk Riders of Tomorrow definitely take the cake.
What does this all boil down to? For years, I have firmly believed that our media takes itself too seriously. We don't have to have logical reasoning for everything. We don't always need deep character development. Sometimes, we just need good solid fun. When you over think it, it falls apart. The Ghost Rider is a man who becomes a flaming skeleton and rides around on a flaming motorcycle. He smites the wicked as a weapon of God's vengeance. Oh, and sometimes he fights monsters. Do we need more than that? Jason Aaron has proved that with those simple tools, a continually engaging story can be created. It isn't about a lack of complexity, it's about focus, and using what you have to the fullest. So make what you want to make. Don't worry if it's Pride and Prejudice or The Sound and the Fury. If all you have is the next Army of Darkness, odds are you've succeeded.