Ghost Rider (1973) 34-A

"The Boy Who Lived Forever!"

Hanging helpless in chains before an ardent adversary is nothing new to Johnny Blaze, due to the curse of being the Ghost Rider. Today's antagonist is a boy/genius/Mutant with no apparent conscience or morality.

Not content to frighten his father into a game of Russian Roulette, but also torment him with the decayed corpse of Jonathan Beame's wife and the boy's mother. This final indignity spurs the Ghost Rider free from his bonds. A twisted form of righteousness incites the Spirit of vengeance to incinerate the travesty of maternity. The boy is not happy at all. His displeasure is frightful to behold.

Beame and Blaze are placed in a joint cell. Jonathan begins to recite a story of regret and woe, all caused by his son, Nathan. On the night of his birth, Puritans came rushing to the family cottage, bearing torches and pitchforks, one and all. Jonathan Beame, the bemused father and husband was beaten to the ground by his neighbors. His poor wife, Anna also fell prey to the mob, fatally succumbing to their numbers. The newborn infant manifested a survival instinct both deadly and potent.

Over the years, Nathan's Mutant mental powers grew stronger as his corporeal body began to falter and weaken. For decades to come though, Nathan would construct his technological empire off the backs of mindless cyber-slaves.

With Jonathan's tale's end bringing us to the present, it's for Ghost Rider to write the epilogue. Johnny seems confused as to how to accomplish anything affecting the child despot. Beame realizes that his son has somehow repressed Johnny's memory of his flame-skulled alter ego. The only way to lift the veil of forgetfulness is unrestrained violence.

Hellfire burns brightly, but coldly in the cell. Ghost Rider conjures his means of conveyance, and is away. Wall after wall sunders before him, until met by a heart-wrenching sight. Woody, the harmless old hermit has been transmogrified into a tree-like creature by the smirking changeling. No mercy is lavished upon the wretch.