What If...? #45

Issue Details

Synopsis

Daniel and Barbara Ketch were attacked by gangsters and Barbara ended up wounded. Daniel dragged his sister through a junkyard to evade the gangsters before they could finish the job. There, he stumbled across a motorcycle with a glowing gas cap. Upon touching it he became Ghost Rider, spirit of vengeance! That's how it was on your world...PlotIn this world, the gangsters found the siblings before Dan could make contact and was killed. Barbara, delirious from her wounds, touches it accidentally and becomes Ghost Rider instead. The gangsters gather around their leader, Deathwatch, assuring him the job is done when Ghost Rider blazes out on her motorcycle carrying Dan. They attack her, but she makes short work of them. She tries to kill Deathwatch, but something prevents her and he's allowed to escape. The police arrive and try to take her in, but she throws them away and rides off. Some ways off, the Rider stops and transforms back, both entities in the body confused over what's going on.Dan's funeral doesn't make matters any easier, nor does sleep where Barb finds herself face-to-face with Ghost Rider. He explains about his powers and purpose, and tells her he needs to be dominant in the will, but Barb refuses and decides that she herself will judge what vengeance is and how to take it. Barb wakes up, dresses, cuts her finger and becomes Ghost Rider once again.Her first victims are a couple of muggers, which she ruthlessly exacts her vengeance on. More victims fall at her hand, including Deathwatch. But with each act of vengeance, it's followed by searing pain for Ghost Rider. That pain: the tearing away of another piece of Barb's soul with her never- ending thirst for blood and vengeance.Soon, Ghost Rider finds herself watching a fight between Hobgoblin and Spider-Man. Spidey tries to talk Gobby down, but Ghost Rider brings him to her level and beats him mercilessly. Spidey tries to stop her, but she knocks him out and allows Gobby to be killed. When Spidey revives,...