Hello, Unspokenites and welcome back to my look back at the “Spirits of Venom” epic! Why is it an epic? Because this storyline literally made me drool as a kid at how amazingly badass it was! So I’m a little biased, sue me. (It’s true about the drool unfortunately. I’ve gone through more copies of these comics from slobber stains than a rent-a-Santa goes through pants due to pee puddles during the holiday season!) Well then, shall we return to our little tale? Let’s! I now bring you the second part of our story as it was originally presented in “Spirits of Vengeance” #5!

Blackness everywhere. Surrounding him. Forcing to pull him under. Johnny Blaze’s head throbs in pain. Must’ve hit it as he dove into the tunnel. As his vision clears, he’s met with a sight that can only be described as a war! Combatants on both sides are tearing into one another as the deadly Deathspawn surround them all! That’s when Blaze notices the priest from earlier! He’s down here too, caught in this chaos! But before the former Ghost Rider can react, the Deathspawn threaten to once again drown him in inky blackness! Only this time, he comes out firing! Hellfire blasts hit in all directions, causing the creatures to flee in fear! Unfortunately, they take the priest, Spider-Man, and others with them as captives! (Johnny Blaze is soooo cool! Long hair, sunglasses, trench coat, and a cigarette hanging lazily from his lips. Add to that the fact that he rides a motorcycle, and I’ve got a total man-crush!)

Ghost Rider demands that they pursue Spider-Man as he has been their ally in the past. Blaze begrudgingly agrees and fires once again into the crowd of Deathspawn! Unfortunately, Venom hears the sound of his web-slinging enemy’s name and rushes after Spidey at the same time! The result is winging the Venom symbiote with a hellfire blast! (Gulp! Venom’s gonna be a bit miffed. Maybe a gift basket with exotic soaps and a Hallmark apology card?) Venom screeches in anguish as it’s alien tendrils flail everywhere! A moment passes and the symbiote once again slithers to re-cover it’s human host. And then, with no warning, he grabs Blaze by the throat and pins him to a tunnel wall! The antihero’s boots dangle while he struggles to breathe! Blaze merely smiles as he presses the hellfire shotgun barrel closer into his attacker’s throat!

After harsh words are said, Venom turns away from Blaze and splashes after the creatures that abducted his arachnid arch-foe! His symbiote uses it’s camouflage ability to turn invisible as Venom presses on through the sewers. That’s when Ghost Rider looks down. The body of his own arch-nemesis, Deathwatch, lies at his feet! The Deathspawn must’ve been planning on resurrecting the villain down here! He places the corpse over his shoulder and listens to the nearest wall. Johnny Blaze questions his skull-faced partner. Suddenly, the Rider punches through the wall, stating that he can hear the cries of the innocent within the hidden chamber beyond! (Anyone else feeling slightly claustrophobic reading this? Yeah. Me neither. I think I’m gonna go pass out for an unrelated reason…..)

Ghost Rider and Blaze continue for a short while into the secret tunnel before the floor opens up into yet another chamber. As the two dark heroes examine this, Deathspawn suddenly spring from the large hole and lunge for Deathwatch’s body! They succeed in dragging it down into the darkness with them! Before the Rider and Blaze have time to think, Venom suddenly becomes visible nearby, knocking both anti-heroes into the dark abyss! Ghost Rider catches Johnny Blaze before he hits bottom and Venom lands next to them. But before the trio can fight further, Venom senses someone beyond this room and swings off to investigate! (Geez! Venom needs to chill out. He’s acting like my equally evil two year old great-niece, Eden! Someone needs to put him over their knee! Okay. Maybe that’s a dangerous idea.)

Thinking that the evil Deathspawn lie in wait within, Venom begins attacking the first solid bodies he finds! Ghost Rider quickly stops him though, forcing him to look at their surroundings. Terrified humans huddle amongst the decaying corpses of their fallen! They are meant to feed the very creatures they seek! That’s when Ghost Rider hears a familiar voice ask for help in the shadows. The three peer into the veil of blackness and see Spider-Man, the priest, and the others pinned to the wall with a sticky substance! As Ghost Rider works on freeing them, the minions of Deathwatch fill the chamber in mass! (Uh-oh! Looks like our heroes could really use a hand here! Where’s Spider-Ham when you need him?)

As Blaze fires into the horde of Deathspawn, opening a path for the humans to escape, Spider-Man swings off to get the priest to safety! That’s when things go from bad to worse as Deathwatch’s body is taken by his servants and drug away! Ghost Rider must now make a hasty decision. Will he follow his enemy’s corpse to stop his impending resurrection, or will he help the rest of the people escape? No contest. Innocent life must be protected. Venom, Johnny Blaze, and Ghost Rider run off to do just that!

To be continued…..

Dedicated to the “evil” great-niece I mentioned earlier, Eden Love Miller. You are truly the light in a sadly dwindling family line. I love you, sweetheart.