In Detroit, Asmodeus Jones, “King of
Devil-Rock” excites a stadium full of youthful fans by ending a song with the
appearance of the demon Fashima, hypnotizing them along with his manager Felix
Palmer. Roadie Johnny Blaze is concerned….
In Manhattan, Kyle Richmond tries to explain to
his lawyer
Milton Rosenblum why he is paralyzed but nothing he says makes sense to the older man;
Valkyrie tells Rosenbaum that Kyle is fighting self-pity….
Wong
brings tea to Doctor Strange who has been trying to locate the Six-Fingered
Hand but has only picked up images of Detroit, Ghost Rider, Fashima, and a guitar (which every reader should
recognize from the first three pages of this issue)….
Patsy Walker, Daimon Hellstrom, and a poorly
disguised Gargoyle visit the injured Dolly Donahue. She is still under
sedation; when Gargoyle tries to touch her, Patsy yells at him. When Daimon
defends him, Patsy screams at him. Daimon uses his healing powers to
ensure Dolly will recover. They are then summoned by Dr. Strange….
Strange tells the Defenders that their next
visit must be to Detroit. Kyle begs off, citing his health and the rest
teleport to the Motor City…
…where Son of Satan contacts Johnny Blaze, who
transforms into Ghost Rider. He is angry and attacks the Defenders but they
subdue him; Strange teleports them all to a junkyard where Hellstrom suppresses
the Ghost Rider causing Johnny Blaze to emerge. They ask him about the current
situation and Blaze is able to report on the deeds of Asmodeus Jones. Strange
decides to check it out by sending his astral form to Jones’ mansion where he
detects great evil. Inside, Jones and Palmer are shooing out his groupies after
they complete a ritual prescribed by Fashima. Palmer reveals that at that
evening’s concert, Asmodeus will merge with the demon Fashima and all sixteen
thousand teenage fans will become agents of the Six-Fingered Hand; Plamer also
reveals that he is jealous of Jones’ fame because he (Palmer) was the one who
first contacted the demons….
At that evening’s concert, the Defenders stand
by, hidden by a psychic shield, while Ghost Rider drives up on stage to battle
Asmodeus Jones. Then the Defenders attack and Asmodeus draws on extreme power
from Fashima and burns out, burning out the demon with him. Felix Palmer
cradles Jones’ head and points out that as he (Palmer) was the one who made the
deal with the demons, he is the one who is taken away in payment. And Ozzie
“Asmodeus Jones” Palmer is distraught, revealing that Felix Palmer was his
brother. The Defenders and Johnny Blaze are shocked into silence, except for
Hellcat who laughs, scaring everyone….