You really ought to take a look at what's inside. You're gonna love it. Aw, c'mon. You know you're dying to open it. Trust me. You're gonna love this stuff. 
Appearing in "Black Letter"
Featured Characters:
- Darkhold Redeemers (First appearance)
- Vicki Montesi (First appearance)
- Sam Buchanan (First appearance)
- Louise Hastings (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Nash (First appearance)
- Modred
- Father Vittorio (First appearance)
Villains:
- Dwarf (First appearance)
- Donald Walsh (First appearance)
- Darkholders
- Lilith
- Lilin
- Morty Thurnton (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Zephyr Walsh (First appearance; dies)
- Fabio
- Dr. DiFinizio
Locations:
- St. Anthony's Hospital
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Black Letter"
In New York, a dwarf with an evil sneer delivers a black envelope to a businessman named Donald J. Walsh. Upon opening the envelope, a tremendous evil overwhelms him and he returns home. He gets into an argument with his wife, Zephyr, then begins producing Chameleon Worms from his body. The worms attack Zephyr, choking her until she dies.
In Rome, Italy, physician Victoria Montesi has lunch with her colleague, Nash. One of her supervisors stops by the table and Montesi and he get into a brief argument. Afterwards, they return home to the apartment they share together. Suddenly, an explosion rips through the room, greatly injuring both women.
When Victoria awakens, she finds her father, the priest Vittorio Montesi at her bedside along with Interpol agent, Sam Buchanan. Vittorio tells the agent that the Montesi family is charged with safekeeping the Book of Sins known as the Darkhold. Several pages from the Darkhold have been lost for ages however. Vittorio suspects that the attack against his daughter may be related to the Darkhold and asks Buchanan to keep an eye on her. Victoria doesn't tell her father that she has been experiencing bizarre nightmares relating to the Darkhold and it's evil works.
Shortly thereafter, Vicki check herself out of the hospital and takes a walk. A group of ninjas in service to the cult known as the Darkholders ambush her, but Buchanan arrives and helps to protect her. She then tells him about her visions and that she must go to the United States.
Back in New York, Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze arrive in town. Ghost Rider had a vision, which foretold the coming of Lilith – the Mother of Demons, and now they seek out potential allies in their crusade to stop her and her evil brood. Along the way, they meet occultist Louise Hastings – an old friend of Vicki's.
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Montesi and Buchanan arrive in the United States and drive to the estate of Donald J. Walsh in Long Island. This is the place from Vicki's dreams. They cut past the crime scene tape and eventually find Louise Hastings. Hastings shows them the empty black envelope and tells Vicki that it contained one of the lost pages of the Darkhold.
Suddenly, Walsh emerges. His body is consumed by the Chameleon Worms and he begins attacking them. Moments later, Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze crash through the window of the mansion on their motorcycles. Johnny fires at Walsh with his Hellfire shotgun, but Walsh manages to reform himself. The group manages to collect several of the worms together and encases them inside of a glass jar. Some of the worms are still free however, and the reform into a humanoid body and attack Vicki. Vicki runs outside and Walsh gives chase. As he races across the street, a bus smashes into him, splattering his worm-encrusted form.
To make matters even more difficult, Lilith and Lilin appear on the scene as well. She is also accompanied by a group of Darkholders. Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze fight the Darkholders, but one of them manages to stab Vicki in the leg with a dagger.
Louise Hasting conducts a simple ritual that summons a massive flock of birds. The birds swoop down and eat all of the Chameleon Worms preventing Walsh from reconstituting himself.
Blaze turns his gun towards Lilith and fires a Hellfire blast into her shoulder. Lilith doesn't wish to risk further injury, so she teleports away, leaving one of her Lilin – Nakota behind. As these Darkhold Redeemers discuss the night's affairs with Johnny and Ghost Rider, a curious individual observes them from a distance – Modred the Mystic.
Elsewhere, the Dwarf approaches a new victim and delivers a black envelope to him.
Notes
- This issue was shipped polybagged and included a "Rise of the Midnight Sons" mini-poster. Each mini-poster represented 1/6th of a larger puzzle that formed a composite illustration when combined with the mini-posters included in the other "Rise of the Midnight Sons" crossover issues.
Trivia
- Although it is not revealed in this issue, Victoria Montesi and Nash are actually lovers.
See Also
- 15 image(s) from Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins Vol 1 1
- 4 reprint(s) of Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins Vol 1 1
Recommended Reading
Links and References
- Darkhold series index at the Grand Comics Database
- Darkhold series index at Comicbookdb.com
- Darkhold Redeemers article at the Marvel Appendix