Ghost Rider: Vicious Cycle TPB Vol 1 1

	Published
	January, 2007
"Vicious Cycle (Part I of IV)"
	Writer Daniel Way; Penciler Javier Saltares; Inker Mark Texeira; Colourist Dan Brown; Letterer Joe Caramagna; Editor Michael O'Connor; Axel Alonso;
"Vicious Cycle (Part II of IV)"
	Writer Daniel Way; Penciler Javier Saltares; Inker Mark Texeira; Colourist Dan Brown; Letterer Joe Caramagna; Editor Axel Alonso; Michael O'Connor;
"Vicious Cycle (Part 3)"
	Writer Daniel Way; Penciler Javier Saltares; Inker Mark Texeira; Colourist Dan Brown; Letterer Joe Caramagna; Editor Axel Alonso; Michael O'Connor;
"Vicious Cycle (Part 4)"
	Writer Daniel Way; Penciler Javier Saltares; Inker Mark Texeira; Colourist Dan Brown; Letterer Joe Caramagna; Editor Axel Alonso; Michael O'Connor;

So here I am. Back on Earth. Johnny Blaze rides again.

-- Johnny Blaze

Appearing in "Vicious Cycle (Part I of IV)"

This story is a reprint of the comic
Ghost Rider Vol 6 #1.

Featured Characters:

Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) (See chronology)

Supporting Characters:

Greexix (Only appearance)^[1]

Antagonists:

Lord Satan (Lucifer) (Impersonates Greexix)
Several unidentified Demons

Other Characters:

Spirit of Vengeance (Zarathos) (Behind the scenes) (See chronology)
God (Yahweh) (Mentioned)

Races and Species:

Locations:

Hell
- Lucifer's Palace (First appearance)
- The Pit (First appearance)
Earth
- United States of America

Items:

Ghost Rider's Chain

Vehicles:

Hell Cycle

Synopsis for "Vicious Cycle (Part I of IV)"

This story is a reprint of the comic
Ghost Rider Vol 6 #1.

Ghost Rider is trapped in Hell. He is being tormented by Lucifer, with the hope of escape from Hell. When he finally starts to lose his nerve he starts pounding on the ground and uncovers the demon, Greexix. He believes that Greexix is a spy of Lucifer when a group of Lucifer's soldiers ride towards them, Ghost Rider prepares to battle but they grab Greexix with a whip and flee. As they ride off Greexix yells to Ghost Rider that he knows the way out of Hell. At Lucifer's castle, Greexix is brought before Lucifer and is sentenced to punishment for leaving "the pit" Greexix tells him working in the pi has caused him blindness but Lucifer decides to have him tortured, one of his men informs Lucifer of Greexix's conversation with Ghost Rider. A little later, Ghost Rider bursts in, with no plan, and picks up Greexix with his chain He jumps over the pit on his bike as the army of Lucifer goes around. They run into a cave in a mountain where they discover water, Ghost Rider makes a deal with Greexix saying that they will escape Hell together, but Johnny really plans to leave the demon behind. As they shake hands, Greexix reveals himself to be Lucifer in disguise and Ghost Rider sinks into the water. Back on Earth an army of souls rises from the sea, amongst them is Ghost Rider.

Appearing in "Vicious Cycle (Part II of IV)"

This story is a reprint of the comic
Ghost Rider Vol 6 #2.

Featured Characters:

Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)

Supporting Characters:

Dixie (First appearance)

Antagonists:

Lucifer

Other Characters:

Crash Simpson (Referenced)
Spirit of Vengeance (Zarathos) (Behind the scenes)
Lord (Yahweh) (Invoked)
Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange) (Cameo)

Races and Species:

Locations:

Earth
- United States of America
Hell (Mentioned)

Items:

Vehicles:

Hell Cycle

Synopsis for "Vicious Cycle (Part II of IV)"

This story is a reprint of the comic
Ghost Rider Vol 6 #2.

Johnny Blaze has returned from Hell, not realizing that he has also paved the way for Lucifer's entrance to the Earth-realm. Alone, Johnny wanders the desert highways until a woman named Dixie picks him up, and drives him into town. She gives him sixty dollars and advises him to clean up and get some food.

Lucifer meanwhile, possesses the body of a corpse en route to a funeral and hijacks the funeral home's van. In the back of the van is the surviving family of the decedent. He drives to the same town where Johnny is cleaning himself up.

Upon encountering Lucifer, Johnny Blaze transforms into the Ghost Rider and fights him. Blaze is no match for the Devil's power however, and the demon destroys the van, killing the family inside. He then disappears from the scene leaving the Ghost Rider alone.

Moments later, Doctor Strange appears in the sky above Ghost Rider's head and demands to know who he is.

Appearing in "Vicious Cycle (Part 3)"

This story is a reprint of the comic
Ghost Rider Vol 6 #3.

Featured Characters:

Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)

Supporting Characters:

Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange)

Antagonists:

Lucifer

Other Characters:

Spirit of Vengeance (Zarathos) (Behind the scenes)
Vishanti (Invoked)

Races and Species:

Locations:

Earth
- United States of America
  - Oklahoma
    - Elk City
Hell (Mentioned)

Items:

Vehicles:

Hell Cycle

Synopsis for "Vicious Cycle (Part 3)"

This story is a reprint of the comic
Ghost Rider Vol 6 #3.

Ghost Rider has been summoned to a grave yard by Doctor Strange. Strange tells him to stop but Blaze mistakes him for Lucifer. Strange recognizes him as Johnny Blaze and they fight the battle continues until they finish pulling their punches and prepare to go all out. Meanwhile, two ordinary men find Blaze's bike abandoned on the side of a motor way, they load it onto their truck when it bursts into flames and dries off, leaving them stranded. Back at the scene of the fight, Doctor Strange shoots a beam of energy directly at Blaze from above, Doctor Strange believes he is dead and in realization drops his defenses when chains come out of Blaze's chest and grab Strange, pulling him down. He reveals that he feels like he is burning and makes it so Strange and himself are making eye contact, elsewhere Lucifer, in human form meets up with another version of himself and they talk about what Blaze is probably doing, in the grave yard, Blaze performs the penance stare on Strange.

Appearing in "Vicious Cycle (Part 4)"

This story is a reprint of the comic
Ghost Rider Vol 6 #4.

Featured Characters:

Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) (Appears in flashback) (Possessed by Zarathos)

Supporting Characters:

Spirit of Vengeance (Zarathos) Main story and behind the scenes in flashback (Possesses Ghost Rider)
Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange)
Numecet (Only appearance)^[1]

Antagonists:

Lucifer (Appears in flashback)

Other Characters:

Ghost Rider (Danny Ketch) (Referenced)
God (Yahweh) (Invoked)

Races and Species:

Humans (Main story and flashback)
Demons (Main story and flashback)
Angels (Mentioned)

Locations:

Earth (Main story and flashback)
- United States of America (Main story and flashback)
Moon (Cameo) (Only in flashback)
Hell (Only in flashback)

Items:

Ghost Rider's Chain (Main story and flashback)
Cloak of Levitation
Eye of Agamotto

Vehicles:

Hell Cycle (Main story and flashback)

Synopsis for "Vicious Cycle (Part 4)"

This story is a reprint of the comic
Ghost Rider Vol 6 #4.

Ghost Rider has just performed his penance stare on Doctor Strange after mistaking him for Lucifer. Realising what he has done, he tries to resuscitate Strange, he cries out for help. Suddenly Numecet appears and explains the situation to Johnny, telling him that Lucifer used him to get to Earth. She reveals that Lucifer's soul was split into 666 pieces (the number of the devil) and that every time one dies, the other Lucifer's become that much stronger, she then reveals that Lucifer is still using him to destroy the copies and thus making him stronger. She says that for a time Lucifer will get anyone to kill him until he becomes too powerful, Johnny then tells her that his plan is to take Lucifer back to Hell and that nobody can stop him, after Blaze rides off, Nucecet revives Strange and tells him that the Rider is right.