Review by Ian Keogh

A long time after all Jason Aaron’s Ghost Rider run was issued in hardcover as Ghost Rider by Jason Aaron Omnibus it was released over two paperbacks titled The War for Heaven. What this collection supplies not found in earlier paperbacks Hell Bent & Heaven Bound and The Last Stand are the two annuals published at the same time. We’ll get to them.

The core story is Jason Aaron’s broadening of the Ghost Rider mythology. For instance, why is it only the USA that has a spirit of vengeance? Turns out, it isn’t, yet the American Johnny Blaze version of Ghost Rider is the focus, aware angel Zadkiel is manipulative and deceitful. We later learn Danny Ketch, also a Ghost Rider, hasn’t picked up on this and genuinely believes he’s doing people a favour by sucking the supernatural essence from them, even if it leaves them dead.

It’s one of several unconvincing means Aaron uses to keep the plot on course, another being Johnny’s long dark night of the soul leading to despair. By the end things aren’t looking up for the good guys and we head into the finale of Book 2.

Aaron’s at his best over the opening four chapters, which combine for his own sweaty down South grindhouse movie. This is definitely a more trivial Ghost Rider, but the thrills are there. Roland Boschi’s loose art provides great ghostly ghouls and good flaming cycles, but isn’t as memorable on Ghost Rider himself, whose skull is often too small. However, Tan Eng Huat is the primary artist and also not ideal. His Ghost Riders are powerful and intimidating, but his ordinary people all have distorted facial features and strangely formed bodies. It’s not at all attractive, but may fit the world Blaze inhabits.

Although the content of the annuals separates the title story chapters, they barely connect with it. In fact ‘The Eleventh Hour’ is tied to the previous continuity by Daniel Way and was previously seen in the Apocalypse Soon collection. Lucifer walks into a bar and proceeds to slaughter the patrons and once he’s done Ghost Rider turns up. There’s a superficial connection of Blaze being warned not to trust heaven, but Stuart Moore’s emotional bolstering is minimal and there’s no-one to care for here. If the term ‘attractive’ can be applied to the slaughterhouse content Ben Oliver’s art is attractive if viewed as individual illustrations, but movement isn’t his strong point.

Simon Spurrier also begins his tale in a bar, this one in a town called Mercy where there have been an unusual number of suicides and where a winged apparition has been seen in the woods. It’s set when Blaze seeks a way to Heaven, but instead he finds something else. Mark A. Robinson’s art is good at defining people and locations, with the exception of the Deputy Sheriff, who’s drawn as a teenager. However it’s ill-served by a lack of subtlety about Raúl Treviño’s colours.

People acting out of character and unsuitable art afflict a collection that’s far from Aaron at his best.