The Best Ghost Rider Storylines To Get To Know The Characters Who Took On The Role
- Photo: Marvel Comics124 VOTES
The Curse Of Johnny Blaze
Story Found In: Ghost Rider #68
Details: "The Curse of Johnny Blaze" offers a reintroduction to the character by retelling his origin story, which was previously featured in his introduction in Marvel Spotlight #5. The story offers up new details, which weren't present in the original story, so it works as a bit of a retcon as well as an origin retelling.
The story is told in the form of a confession, which Johnny Blaze is giving while at church. The biggest change was to "clarify" that the devil Blaze made a deal with was none other than Mephisto, one of the biggest bads in the Marvel Universe. Other than that, it's a great refresher of the character's origin, as written by Roger Stern, who is arguably one of the best writers of the Bronze Age of Comics.
- Photo: Marvel Comics229 VOTES
Ghost Rider
Story Found In: Marvel Spotlight #5
Details: You can't have a list of the greatest Ghost Rider stories ever told, and leave off the one that introduced the character to the Marvel Universe. This book introduced Johnny Blaze as the Ghost Rider, and while he wasn't technically the first character to carry that name, he's the one most fans associate with the Spirit of Vengeance.
The issue is an origin story, so it lays out how Johnny Blaze made a deal with the Devil (later retconned to be Mephisto) to save his mentor and father figure, Craig Simpson. The pact he made with the demon led him down a dark path of supernatural horror that saw his flesh burn away to reveal the Spirit of Vengeance lying underneath.
- Photo: Marvel Comics321 VOTES
Trail Of Tears
Story Found In: Ghost Rider: Trail Of Tears #1-6
Details: Garth Ennis' "Road to Damnation" was just the start of the revitalization of Ghost Rider for the Marvel Universe. The brilliant writer returned along side artist Clayton Crain in a follow-up tale called "Trail of Tears," and the two creative masterminds delivered an epic story for the Spirit of Vengeance.
Of course, this time, the Spirit of Vengeance is a Confederate Soldier named Travis Parham. After he's saved by a former slave named Caleb, Parham is transformed to the Ghost Rider following a visit to a cave of skulls. The story spans generations of vengeance and offers up an interesting take on the character, who does exactly what you would expect him to do, only in the setting of the 19th century.
- Photo: Marvel Comics418 VOTES
Spirits Of Vengeance: Rise Of The Midnight Sons
Details: When it comes to identifying the greatest Ghost Rider story ever told, odds are "Rise of the Midnight Sons" will come up sooner or later. It's a story that stands as iconic to the character, but also the brand Marvel was trying to sell at the time it was printed, which was a grittier setting aligned to the supernatural flair of the series.
"Rise of the Midnight Sons" was the beginning of the Midnight Sons imprint, and while not all of the stories were great, the first is one of the best. They are set around the resurrection of Lilith, the mother of all Demons, and the only ones who have a hope in Hell of stopping her are Johnny Blaze, Danny Ketch, and the other, darker heroes of the Marvel Universe, including Hannibal King, Morbius the Living Vampire, and Blade.
- Photo: Marvel Comics524 VOTES
Life's Blood
Story Found In: Ghost Rider #1
Details: The original Spirit of Vengeance, Johnny Blaze, didn't remain the Ghost Rider forever. He was replaced in the 1990s for a younger, flashier version in Danny Ketch. Interestingly, Ketch didn't come to the role of the damned in the same manner as his predecessor, as it was a complete accident.
Ketch didn't make a deal with the devil like Blaze did; he touched a motorcycle he probably should have left well enough alone. Ketch became the new Ghost Rider, and while Blaze would later return to the role. Unlike Blaze, Ketch's Ghost Rider didn't have the Penance Stare, but he did introduce a slew of villains iconic to his rogues' gallery, including Deathwatch, Madcap, Blackout, Lilith, and many more.
- Photo: Marvel Comics617 VOTES
Heaven’s On Fire
Story Found In: Ghost Rider: Heaven's On Fire #1-6
Details: When a renegade angel named Zadkiel takes it upon himself to hold off the apocalypse by killing a baby boy bred by Satanists to rule the world, it's up to Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch to set their heads aflame, and ride into action!
Will the combined might of more than one Ghost Rider be enough to stop an angel intent on killing the Anti-Christ, or will a Biblical prophecy come to pass? This incredible story tests the very nature of what it is to carry the name of Ghost Rider, as heaven is set ablaze, and the fate of the world is on the line.
- Photo: Marvel Comics723 VOTES
Story Found In: Ghost Rider #1-6
Details: Garth Ennis made a career out of remaking characters like Ghost Rider. He did it for the Punisher, and with the first six books of Ghost Rider's "Road to Damnation," he did the same for Johnny Blaze and the Ghost Rider.
The story revolves around the demon Kazaan's attempt to literally bring Hell to Earth. Johnny Blaze has been trapped in damnation for two years, but when he makes a deal with the angel Malachi, he's back as the Spirit of Vengeance, and will ride to stop the demon from destroying life as we know it!
The story is everything you've come to expect from Ennis and stands as one of the greatest Ghost Rider stories of the past few decades
- Photo: Marvel Comics815 VOTES
The End Of Ghost Rider
Story Found In: Ghost Rider #81
Details: Every story has an ending, and for Marvel Comics' Ghost Rider, that ending came in its 81st issue. J.M. DeMatteis hopped on board to close out the series with a truly great Ghost Rider story, which was aptly named, "The End of Ghost Rider."
In the book, Centurious, a former servant of Mephisto traps both Johnny Blaze and Ghost Rider inside a soul crystal. The battle for Blaze's body ends up breaking the jewel, which frees Blaze of Zarathos. This effectively separated Blaze from the contract, which transformed him into Ghost Rider years before, but it won't be the last time Johnny Blaze hops on his bike for some vengeance, though it will be many years before that happens.
- Photo: Marvel Comics917 VOTES
A Woman Possessed!
Story Found In: Ghost Rider #1
Details: Originally, Ghost Rider was limited to Marvel Spotlight, but it was inevitable that such a popular character would get his own solo series. Technically, this book is the second solo series to bear the name "Ghost Rider," but the original Marvel version was a literal ghost rider in a western setting published in 1967.
For the modern Ghost Rider of the Bronze Age of Comics, it was all about Johnny Blaze, and in this initial solo series issue, he rides straight out of Hell to inflict his particular brand of vengeance upon an unsuspecting population of criminals and evildoers.
- Photo: Marvel Comics1014 VOTES
Wish For Pain
Story Found In: Ghost Rider Annual #2
Details: One of the most important aspects of the second Annual from the Ghost Rider solo series is that it features Warren Ellis' first American comic book story. The story follows Ghost Rider in an epic confrontation with the Scarecrow (Marvel has one just like DC, but he's a bit different).
The story is as chilling and enticing as any of Ellis' work, and the primary focus is laid out as a character study of both the Scarecrow and the Spirit of Vengeance. The art by Javier Saltares is horrifically beautiful, making this annual one of the best to come out of the House of Ideas in the 1990s.
- Photo: Marvel Comics1116 VOTES
Hell Bent And Heaven Bound
Story Found In: Ghost Rider #20-25
Details: "Hell Bent and Heaven Bound" is the introductory story for Jason Aaron's take on the character during his 2008-2009 run, and it features a take that speaks to the very nature of who and what Ghost Rider is to the Marvel Universe. While Heaven is in the midst of holy conflict, Johnny Blaze sets out to find the angel Zadkiel.
This take on Ghost Rider offers a return to form for Johnny Blaze, as it's an over-the-top tale featuring some seriously supernatural action.
Expect massive battles, motorcycle stunts that could only be pulled off by a man whose head is normally engulfed in flame, and intense action. This is a great Ghost Rider story to break new fans into the character, and it's also an excellent take on Johnny Blaze, who had taken a break from his role as Ghost Rider for several years.
- Photo: Marvel Comics1213 VOTES
Engines Of Vengeance
Story Found In: Ghost Rider #1-5
Details: Robbie Reyes became the latest hero to bear the name Ghost Rider in All-New Ghost Rider. This version of the Spirit of Vengeance manifested somewhat differently than his predecessors, as he took to his roots as a mechanic, and saw his muscle car transform into his fiery-hot steed, replacing the iconic motorcycle of previous Ghost Riders.
The introduction of the character sees Reyes murdered, but soon after he is killed, his body is possessed by Eli Morrow in an effort to stop a gang war from breaking out. From there, Reyes stood as the newest character to wield the Spirit of Vengeance. If your familiarity with Reyes stems solely from Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., you should take the time to read his origin story in "Engines of Vengeance," as it delves deeper into the character than what was depicted on the television show.
- Photo: Marvel Comics1313 VOTES
Hearts Of Darkness
Story Found In: Ghost Rider: Hearts of Darkness
Details: In "Hearts of Darkness," writer Howard Mackie and artists John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson throw three of the deadliest characters in the Marvel Universe together for an incredible graphic novel. Wolverine, the Punisher, and Ghost Rider find themselves up against the evil demon known as Blackheart.
The demon's plan is to get the three killers to help him take out Mephisto so that he can take his place as the ruler of the Marvel Universe's damned. The story unfolds into what you might expect, as the Punisher, Wolverine, and the Spirit of Vengeance find themselves in the battle to end all battles. The book was followed by a sequel titled "Dark Design," but the first stands as the better tale of the two, and is a must-read for fans of any of these characters.
- Photo: Marvel Comics1412 VOTES
Ghost Rider
Story Found In: Ghost Rider #6
Details: Though it lacks a title of its own, this one-shot story from the 2011 solo run of Ghost Rider written by Rob Williams with art by Dalibor Talajic is an excellent addition to the series. This version of Ghost Rider is Alejandra Jones, the first female version to headline a series.
The tale told within the pages revolves around redemption and, ultimately, forgiveness set around a prison visualized by Talajic is a manner befitting the more horror-themed stories told about the character in the 1970s. This 10-issue maxi-series was somewhat hit or miss, but this single issue stands as the best, so fans should include it in their collection even if they've avoided the run as a whole.
- Photo: Marvel Comics1514 VOTES
Cosmic Ghost Rider: Baby Thanos Must Die
Story Found In: Cosmic Ghost Rider #1-5 & Thanos Legacy #1
Details: The newest character to take on the mantle of the Ghost Rider is none other than Frank Castle, otherwise known as the Punisher. Of course, he isn't simply the Spirit of Vengeance dealing out justice to the wicked on Earth; he's the Cosmic Ghost Rider, and he's on the hunt for the infant Thanos.
Castle came across the Spirit of Vengeance in the usual way, by making a deal with the devil, but it was Galactus who made him cosmic. In his first adventure, he's out to kill Thanos, but his plan is to deal vengeance to the Mad Titan before he has a chance to kill trillions: take him out while he's still a baby, but it's not going to be as easy as he thinks...
- Photo: Marvel Comics1614 VOTES
Carnival Of Death
Story Found In: Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance # 9-10
Details: The story, "Carnival of Death," intertwines the previous plots in the Spirits of Vengeance books revolving around Quentin Carnival. The climax reveals Centurious as the villain behind the previous year of Ghost Rider comics, making this story a climactic payoff culminating from dozens of issues.
Everything in "Carnival of Death" is significantly magnified in terms of violence, vengeance, and intensity, as Steel Wind and her army of Stygian Demons head to full-blown war with Carnival. The addition of Vengeance only serves to up the ante in this incredible story by Howard Mackie and Adam Kubert.
- Photo: Marvel Comics1711 VOTES
Ghost Rider And Blaze: Road To Vengeance
Story Found In: Ghost Rider & Blaze #16
Details: “Road to Vengeance: The Missing Link” is a crossover story starring the Danny Ketch version of the Ghost Rider and "Spirits of Vengeance." The story is focused primarily on the past of Vengeance, a character who shares a great deal fo similarity to Ghost Rider.
The main antagonists in this book are none other than Lilith and Zarathos; the very demon Mephisto bonded to Johnny Blaze, which transformed him into the Ghost Rider years before. The book contains a lot of references to previous stories of Ghost Rider and manages to throw some new stuff at the reader, making this Midnight Sons imprint a truly enjoyable book.
- Photo: Marvel Comics189 VOTES
Fear Itself
Story Found In: Ghost Rider #0.1, 1-5
Details: Johnny Blaze has been tormented by his choice to take on the Spirit of Vengeance ever since the first time his head erupted in flames, and he's been damned as a result. When the "Fear Itself" event threw the Marvel Universe into utter chaos, it came time for a new Spirit of Vengeance to be born.
When Blaze is presented with the option to relieve himself of the burden, once and for all, he doesn't hesitate to take it. But when a new host is chosen as the Spirit of Vengeance, the repercussions his decision has on the world may be just what Johnny needs to make him realize his value as the Ghost Rider.
- Photo: Marvel Comics1918 VOTES
Personal Demons
Story Found In: Ghost Rider #69
Details: One issue after the origin of both the Ghost Rider and Johnny Blaze was retold, writer Roger Stern and artist Bob Budiansky explored the very nature of the character. Is Ghost Rider a combination of Blaze and the demon who possesses him, or is he Blaze empowered by the damned?
Ghost Rider has displayed his raw power in previous issues, and his wrath is often violent and destructive. As he continues to evolve, his violence and level of outright malevolence toward the wicked paints him as less of a superhero and more of a villain ready to take vengeance wherever he can, no matter the consequences.
- Photo: Marvel Comics2016 VOTES
Ghost Racers
Story Found In: Ghost Racers #1-4
Details: What counts as entertainment on Battleworld might seem like a terrifying hellish spectacle to outsiders, as Ghost Rider and many others find themselves on the scorching-hot racetrack! The cursed and the damned must take part in the Ghost Races, and everything is on the line.
For any damned soul lucky enough to win first prize in the Ghost Races, they will enjoy a temporary reprieve from the Arena, but what happens to the ones who come in second to last? It's not pretty in this all-out, high-speed race to end all races!
