HEY FLAMEHEADS! NEWLY UPDATED FOR 2024!
I also made two big decisions regarding the list: the first time I made this list, I incorporated a lot of fan opinions via a write-in e-mail campaign and social media through the Vengeance Unbound Facebook page. This time, I decided to just put up my own list. I've been reviewing these comics for nearly 25 years now, I figure if anyone's an authority on the best Ghost Rider stories, it's this humble asshole right here. Also, just because I can, the list is now the Top TWENTY Greatest Ghost Rider stories instead of the Top Ten.
# 20
Ghost Rider (1973) # 69
Writer: Roger Stern
Artist: Bob Budiansky
Following their debut issue that retold the origin of Johnny Blaze, writer Roger Stern and artist Bob Budiansky (joined this issue by inker Dave Simons, who truly completed the team) produced this single-issue story that perfectly highlighted the struggle between Blaze and his demonic alter ego. This was when the Ghost Rider of the early 1980s veered totally into the "monster" or even "villain" categories, showcasing just how wild and destructive a force the brimstone biker could be.
From the original review: "Up to this point, the Ghost Rider had already evolved away from being just Johnny with superpowers and had become its own entity, one that was violent and wrathful. This version of the Ghost Rider, though, is the most outwardly malicious we had seen, and it is terrifying. Usually, the demon would get his vengeance fix and then relinquish control back to Blaze, but now he's contemplating a visit to the Carnival and forcing Johnny to actually fight to regain his body. The relationship between Blaze and Ghost Rider has now become openly antagonistic, and the demon has gone from teetering on the edge to hanging off the cliff of super-villainy."
You can read this story in the Essential Ghost Rider vol. 4 trade paperback.
[Read the original review for Ghost Rider (1973) # 69]
# 19
Ghost Racers (2015) # 1-4
Writer: Felipe Smith
Artist: Juan Gedeon
After he introduced the world to Robbie Reyes in All-New Ghost Rider, writer Felipe Smith dove into the alternate reality "Secret Wars" crossover with this truly ambitious mini-series. Pulling together characters and concepts from every era of Ghost Rider history, Smith anchored this love letter to the Spirits of Vengeance with further exploration of Robbie Reyes as the newest Rider on the street. Featuring just about every incarnation of Ghost Rider you can think of (Carter Slade! Knuckles O'Shaugnessy! Vengeance!), Ghost Racers was an Easter Egg filled demolition derby that is as fun as it is insane.
From the original review: "Doing an alternate reality mash-up story such as this one has its up side and its down side. One one hand, it's viewed as inconsequential to the character's continuity, since nothing in its pages "counts" toward anything in the larger scheme of Ghost Rider history. On the other hand, it allowed Felipe Smith to go as out-of-his-mind crazy with idea after idea as he could go while at the same time giving him carte blanche to mine the Ghost Rider chronology without seemingly nothing off limits. I know continuity is important to a lot of fans, but I'll take more stories like this over continuity wanking any time. This was a series that brought every Ghost Rider from Cater Slade to Zero Cochrane into one story, utilized the Secret Wars event to make it happen, and transformed a simple "Deathrace 2000" concept into a love letter to all iterations of the character. That this series worked as well as it did is god damned amazing to me."
You can read this story in the Ghost Racers trade paperback and digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review of Ghost Racers (2015) # 1]
[Read the original review of Ghost Racers (2015) # 2]
[Read the original review of Ghost Racers (2015) # 3]
[Read the original review of Ghost Racers (2015) # 4]
# 18
Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness
Writer: Howard Mackie
Artist: John Romita Jr.
This one-shot special edition paired together the three most popular characters of the early 1990s and was unsurprisingly a huge financial success. This bookshelf format special is essentially a Ghost Rider story, written by Howard Mackie and drawn by John Romita Jr. as a comic that eventually ballooned out to include his famous co-stars. It reads as a perfect companion to Mackie's ongoing Ghost Rider series and lays the seeds for a whole host of future story threads and doubles as both an exciting adventure story and a fascinating exploration on vigilante justice in the Marvel Universe.
From the original review: "While readers today may roll their eyes at the idea of a bookshelf format crossover between Ghost Rider, Wolverine, and the Punisher, dismissing it as another of Marvel's shameless cash-ins of their most popular (at the time) characters, there's actually a lot more to this book than a simple cash grab. Of course, in 1991 this book was essentially just an excuse for Marvel to make money hand over fist, this thing sold like crazy, but for a lot of Ghost Rider fans it holds up as one of the premier stories of the era. I'm one of those fans, I love "Hearts of Darkness"."
You can read this story in the Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness trade paperback or digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness]
# 17
Ghost Rider (2006) # 33
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Tony Moore
Jason Aaron and Tony Moore produced what was, essentially, a history of the Ghost Riders of America in a one-shot tale that stretches from the Great Flood to the promise of the far future. Anchored by the story of Sister Sara, the new Caretaker, "Once Were Ghost Riders" throws concept and increasingly wild concept at the reader on every page, while simultaneously laying out Aaron's new origin for the Spirits of Vengeance in a direct and concise manner. It's the briefest of looks into the history of the Ghost Rider concept that leaves you wanting to know more about every character introduced.
From the original review: "A lot has been made of the idea that Aaron has turned Ghost Rider into a "legacy hero" during his run, with the current Rider being just the latest in a long string of past incarnations. Its certainly not a concept that's new to the Ghost Rider mythos, as he became a legacy hero way back in 1990 when Dan Ketch took up the cycle and later writers added elements like Vengeance and Noble Kale. But it absolutely can be said that no writer has taken the idea to the extremes that Aaron has, especially in this issue - and that's saying something, considering a couple of issues ago showed us a Spirit of Vengeance on a freaking shark. But when it comes right down to it, you're going to have one of two opinions on the crazy-ass ideas Aaron throws as it us in this issue: you'll either think a Ghost Rider version of Lone Wolf McQuaid is the coolest thing you've ever seen or the dumbest. Personally, I think it's awesome."
You can read this story in the Ghost Rider: Trials & Tribulations trade paperback or digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review for Ghost Rider (2006) # 33]
# 16
Ghost Rider (2022) # 1
Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Cory Smith
In celebration of the character's 50th anniversary, Marvel released a brand-new ongoing series from writer Benjamin Percy and artist Cory Smith that would drag the character screaming and kicking into the straight-up horror genre, something that had never really been attempted before. While the series itself had its ups and downs, there is no denying that it shot out of the gates like a cannonball, delivering some truly diabolical sequences as Johnny Blaze finds himself trapped inside the seemingly-idyllic Hayden's Falls. Recommended for those who like to see the character taken to gruesome extremes.
From the original review: "If I had to liken this debut issue to anything it would be the recently concluded Immortal Hulk by Al Ewing, or maybe even Donny Cates' recently finished run on Venom. Taking darker characters and embracing a horror movie approach to them seems to be working in spades for Marvel recently, and if any character would benefit from that tone it's Ghost Rider. This isn't "motorcycle hero" fighting supervillains stuff, this is Clive Barker, John Carpenter, and H.P. Lovecraft all mixed together. It's actually scary, something I don't know if I've ever been able to say about a Ghost Rider story. There's also a solid mystery surrounding the atmosphere and gruesome imagery. Who trapped Johnny Blaze in that hellish picket fenced life? Who sent Zeb to find him? What's causing all the supernatural mayhem around the country? Definitely intriguing."
You can read this story in the Ghost Rider: Unchained trade paperback or digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider (2022) # 1]
# 15
Ghost Rider (1973) # 80-81
Writer: J.M. DeMatteis
Artist: Bob Budiansky
For ten years Johnny Blaze had fought the demon possessing him and, faced with his title's impending cancellation, actually got the happy ending that he deserved. DeMatteis and Budiansky had been building to this story throughout their brief run, giving the demon a name, introducing his immortal nemesis, and bringing Roxanne Simpson back for the first time in years. It all came together to bring Johnny's story to an end an unpredictable but wildly entertaining manner, capping off a brilliant run of comics in this title's last year.
From the original review: "While I would have loved to see the series continue under this creative team, I can't deny that they produced a pitch-perfect conclusion to the series that didn't leave a dry eye in the house. This is one magnificent, if bittersweet, comic."
You can read this story in the Essential Ghost Rider vol. 4 trade paperback.
[Read the original review for Ghost Rider (1973) # 80]
[Read the original review for Ghost Rider (1973) # 81]
# 14
Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears (2007) # 1-6
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: Clayton Crain
While the "Road to Damnation" mini-series may have been a disappointment, Ennis and Crain followed it up with the vastly superior "Trail of Tears" mini-series. Focusing on the Ghost Rider of the Civil War era, "Tears" was an effective and engaging look at the cost of vengeance and the lengths men will go through to satisfy their need for revenge. Featuring breathtaking artwork and a story that haunts you long after you finish reading, "Trail of Tears" is an absolutely brilliant tale of a past Rider.
From the original review: "Usually, when an issue of Ghost Rider doesn't feature Ghost Rider himself, I look down on it with a frown and sad heart. That's not a problem here, though, mainly because throughout this series the Ghost Rider hasn't really been the protagonist. Travis Parham is the lens through which the readers are viewing all of these events, while the Ghost Rider is just sort of this scary shadow that comes in to darken things up before vanishing again. So allowing Travis to have the spotlight as someone trying to make sense of a world he can't understand is a welcome turn, because honestly this is Travis' story."
You can read this story in the Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears trade paperback and digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears (2007) # 1]
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears (2007) # 2]
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears (2007) # 3]
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears (2007) # 4]
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears (2007) # 5]
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears (2007) # 6]
# 13
Ghost Rider (1973) # 35
Writer: Jim Starlin
Artist: Jim Starlin
By the end of the 1970s, writer/artist Jim Starlin had already proven himself to be an incredible creative force due to his work on Marvel's cosmic titles, such as Captain Marvel and Warlock. So it came as a bit of a surprise when he turned up on a fill-in issue of Ghost Rider, where he unleashed a story about Johnny Blaze literally racing Death itself through the desert. In the hands of a lesser creator, such an idea could have come off as horribly cliched. Starlin's concept, however, proved to be an incredible look into Blaze's lifestyle. Here was a character who literally "raced death" every time he performed a stunt on his cycle, and now he was being forced to perform such an act in the most literal way possible. In the end, Johnny did what he does best - he cheated Death at the finish line. And "Deathrace!" instantly became a classic issue of the original Ghost Rider series.
From the original review: "And of such talent is Starlin that he's able to take an arguably cheesy concept like "biker races Death for his life" and transform it into one of the better Ghost Rider stories of this period. Even though the cheese-factor still remains in the "Death Ryder" name that Blaze gives his opponent, the story is as straight-forward and scary as it should be. Johnny is probably the best stunt-cyclist in the world, but what good are his daredevil feats against a being that can't fear death because it IS death?"
You can read this story in the Ghost Rider: Trials & Tribulations, Ghost Racers, and Essential Ghost Rider vol. 2 trade paperbacks or digitally on Comixology and Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider (2011) # 6]
# 12
Ghost Rider (2006) # 11-12
Writer: Daniel Way
Artist: Javier Saltares
It's perhaps surprising that the best story-arc of Daniel Way's run was a seemingly inconsequential tie-in to a summer crossover event, but there you go. Johnny Blaze's futile attempt to stop the Hulk was a brilliant approach for exploring not just the relationship between Blaze and the Spirit of Vengeance but also the demon's perceptions on who is truly deserving of vengeance. The ending to this two-issue story was a pitch perfect twist on the Ghost Rider's mission and, while ultimately meaningless to the wider event, was easily one of the best modern day Ghost Rider stories.
From the original review: "I'm sorry guys, but this issue is just straight-up brilliant. All through the issue, I was thinking "come on, Ghost Rider would do WAY better against the Hulk than THIS!", and I was right! The pitch-perfect ending to this issue lays it all out on the table: the Ghost Rider could very well stop the Hulk, but the Ghost Rider isn't interested in this fight any more than the Hulk himself is. Johnny Blaze, the "human safety switch", is the one that picked the fight and he has no idea how to win. Every great idea he has, which every time ends with him thinking "I did it!", fails to even slow the Hulk down. Only when the Hulk takes Johnny out of the equation does the real Ghost Rider make himself known. That two-page explosion, which I would normally rag on as the over-used trope it really is, works perfectly in this issue. Johnny Blaze was the pin on the grenade, and when removed the Ghost Rider explodes."
You can read this story in the Ghost Rider by Daniel Way: The Complete Collection and Ghost Rider: Apocalylpse Soon trade paperbacks or digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review for Ghost Rider (2006) # 12]
[Read the original review for Ghost Rider (2006) # 13]
# 11
Ghost Rider (1990) Annual # 2
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Javier Saltares
Back in 1994, before he became a superstar in the field, Warren Ellis was just starting his career at Marvel - and during that time, he penned this fill-in Annual on Ghost Rider. Little did anyone suspect that it would become a defining story for the Scarecrow, filled with insights into his psychopathy and some truly memorable scenes. Add in the long-awaited return of artist Javier Saltares to Ghost Rider, and you've got the makings of a classic. What put this issue over the top to ensure its inclusion on this list? The ending, where Ghost Rider breaks every bone in Scarecrow's body then holds them in place so his rapid healing factor would heal the bones incorrectly.
From the original review: "Many writers, upon approaching Ghost Rider, run with the superhero aspect, while others focus more on the urban vigilante scenario. Ellis, on the other hand, has approached this story with his eye more on telling a true horror story focusing on the deranged mind of a serial killer. Scarecrow is a character that had previously fit in quite well in the Ghost Rider series during his previous appearances, but had sort of faded away during the whole Midnight Sons/"Siege of Darkness" era. This is his comeback as one of the Rider's main antagonists, and the story is disturbing both in its brutality and the insight Ellis gives us to the Scarecrow's twisted thought process."
Unfortunately, this story has never been reprinted in trade paperback format and is not available digitally.
[Read the original review for Ghost Rider (1990) Annual # 2]
# 10
Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) # 1-5
Writer: Donny Cates
Artist: Dylan Burnett
Writer Donny Cates took a mish-mash of ideas and bolted them together to create an astonishingly popular character in the form of Cosmic Ghost Rider. This version of Frank Castle, the Punisher, was a solid success story that was first introduced in the equally astounding "Thanos Wins" storyarc. That Cates and artistic partner Burnett were able to take a potentially one-note joke and draw such pathos from it is a testament to their abilities as creators.
From the original review: "A lot of readers, myself included, went into this series with a nagging criticism that this version of Frank Castle was too out of character for the Punisher, a well-established personality that has existed for decades. By the end, however, the differences between Cosmic Ghost Rider and the Punisher are really brought to the forefront in a serious attempt to differentiate them while still keeping their cores intact as the same person. Cosmic Ghost Rider is a Frank Castle that took all of the self-determination and damn-near unstoppable sense of focus out of the Punisher and replaced it with self-doubt and an inability to make rational decisions."
You can read this story in the Cosmic Ghost Rider: Baby Thanos Must Die trade paperback or digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review of Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) # 1]
[Read the original review of Cosmic Ghost Rider (2018) # 2]
# 9
Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (1992) # 3
Writer: Howard Mackie
Artist: Adam Kubert
In the fringes of the "Rise of the Midnight Sons" crossover, Howard Mackie continued to lay the groundwork for what was going to drive the direction of this new series. Ghost Rider, it turned out, was essentially a supporting character in what was turning out to be a complex and compelling character study of John Blaze and how he had changed from free-wheeling stunt cyclist to middle aged father. This issue, which introduced Skinner as one of the most memorable antagonists of the 90s Ghost Rider run, really drove home that desperation one can feel as a father and the lengths some people will go to "protect" them. It's an absolutely frightening comic and yet another great spotlight for Blaze under the creative team of Mackie and Kubert.
From the original review: "I could talk about Skinner forever, he's one of the best villains Ghost Rider ever faced, and he's a perfect counterpoint to John Blaze. I think that's why the character only really worked when it was Blaze that he was interacting with, when he did make appearances later to just fight Ghost Rider that personal connection wasn't there anymore. It's already evident, though, that Spirits of Vengeance was going to focus much more on Blaze than it would Ghost Rider, and that was necessary to make the book more than just an afterthought beside the regular Ghost Rider series. Introducing characters like Skinner, and later Vengeance, was what made this book such a success in its first year and definitely highlighted what was going wrong with its sister title (which was busy introducing more of those one-dimensional villains like Succubus and Death Ninja)."
You can read this story in the Spirits of Vengeance: Rise of the Midnight Sons trade paperback or digitally on Comixology and Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance (1992) # 3]
# 8
Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 1-5
Writer: Len Kaminski
Artists: Chris Bachalo, Mark Buckingham, & Peter Gross
In the span of just five issues, Len Kaminski and Chris Bachalo introduced and fully realized not just the book's main character but also the entire world that surrounded him. The 2099 universe had existed for a while by this point, but with Transverse City so brilliantly detailed by the creators, readers were given not only a Ghost Rider that any persecuted teenager could identity with but also a fully fleshed-out environment that made the worst present day slum look like a Utopian society. It would have been easy to do Ghost Rider 2099 as a future version of Johnny Blaze, and I applaud the creators for doing something daringly original. It was a brilliant series from beginning to end, but here at the start Chris Bachalo on art gave it the launch of a guided missile. He may not have been a demon, but Ghost Rider 2099 was nevertheless one of the shining highlights of the Spirit of Vengeance's long history.
From the original review: "As to be expected, a series about a teenage hacker inhabiting a skeletal warbot wasn't exactly what regular Ghost Rider readers were prepared for - something that was obvious on the book's letter column, which ran numerous letters asking if Zero Cochrane had any connection to the Spirit of Vengeance or the Medallion of Power (the answer, thankfully, being none whatsoever). The creative team was adamant about keep the book grounded in a possible reality, without the fantasy element of magic or the supernatural, and I always felt that to be both a wise and brave decision. I really didn't want to read about yet another Spirit of Vengeance, regardless of the setting, and I think the editors and writer made the smart move by taking away the redundancy. Because regardless of what you think of the series, it cannot be denied that Ghost Rider 2099 was a completely different animal than the series from which it took its name."
Unfortunately, this story has never been reprinted in trade paperback format and is not available digitally.
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider 2099 (1994) # 2]
# 7
Avengers (1963) # 214
Writer: Jim Shooter
Artist: Bob Hall
Ghost Rider's guest-appearances in other titles don't tend to be very memorable. Heroes meet, fight, then team-up against the villain. During the time when Jim Shooter elected to use the Ghost Rider as a guest-star in an issue of Avengers, however, Johnny Blaze's demonic alter-ego had evolved to the point of almost being a villain himself. So when he encountered the Avengers, there was no inevitable team-up in store - it was just an all-out brawl!
This comic proved two things to Marvel readers: a) that the Ghost Rider is absolutely vicious, as shown during his unprovoked attack on the Angel, and b) the Ghost Rider can feasibly defeat any hero in the Marvel Universe. I'm sure it came as a shock to Avengers readers when Shooter had the Ghost Rider stomp into the heroes' own book and just utterly trounce them. This was Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor getting their heads handed to them by a B-list character! With this one solitary guest-spot, Jim Shooter and artist Bob Hall firmly established the Ghost Rider's place in the Marvel Universe: unrelenting bad-ass!
From the original review: "We're given shock after shock in the span of 21 pages, starting off with the brutal assault on the Angel. Here was a hero cut down not just by a fellow hero, but by a friend and former teammate! Shooter, more so than any other writer prior to Roger Stern and J.M. DeMatteis, nailed just how much the Ghost Rider/Blaze dynamic had changed since the character's inception nearly a decade before. Ghost Rider wasn't a hero anymore but a curse on Blaze, whose life had been ruined by his double life. And the power of the Ghost Rider (yet to be revealed as a separate entity, keep in mind) was so much that not even the Avengers - Earth's Mightiest Heroes! - were able to defeat him."
You can read this story in the Ghost Rider Team-Up and Essential Ghost Rider vol. 3 trade paperbacks or digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review for Avengers (1963) # 14]
# 6
All-New Ghost Rider (2014) # 1-5
Writer: Felipe Smith
Artist: Tradd Moore
Love him or hate him, Robbie Reyes is here to stay, and judged solely on his debut story his presence is absolutely a welcome one. By creating a new Ghost Rider that was completely cut off from what had come before, writer Felipe Smith was able to tap into something that seemed to really engage with readers. He's a character that managed to capture lightning in a bottle and reinvigorated the Ghost Rider concept for a new era. This, combined with the utterly unique and dazzlingly kinetic artwork of Tradd Moore, turned Robbie into one of the most interesting new characters of the Marvel Universe.
From the original review: "While readers might be dazzled or even put off by the car stuff, the LA influence, and the lack of recognizable characters, that core story engine (pardon the pun) is immediately familiar. Not only that, but Smith makes Robbie Reyes a likable and well-rounded character from the start. Sure, there's a bit of cliche when it comes to the "good kid from the wrong side of the tracks trying to escape to something better", but Smith gives Reyes enough baggage that it doesn't feel tired. There's rage seething behind this character, buried maybe beneath the love and concern for his handicapped brother, but you can see it with his interactions with everyone else. Reyes is damaged goods already, though his heart is in the right place, and he wants to get his brother a better life. It's instantly familiar and resonant, another important element for the first issue of a new series."
You can read this story in the All-New Ghost Rider Vol. 1: Engines of Vengeance trade paperback or digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review for All-New Ghost Rider (2014) # 1]
[Read the original review for All-New Ghost Rider (2014) # 2]
# 5
Ghost Rider (1990) # 1
Writer: Howard Mackie
Artist: Javier Saltares
At the beginning of the 1990s, Ghost Rider hadn't been seen on the stands for seven years and for all intents and purposes was considered a dead property. This just made things even more surprising when Howard Mackie, Javier Saltares, and Mark Texeira successfully launched their updated take on the character that immediately exploded into a realm of undeniable popularity. Gone was Johnny Blaze and in the driver's seat was a new character named Danny Ketch along with a new look and new locale. Soon, every writer at Marvel wanted to use the new Ghost Rider as a guest-star in their titles, and each time he appeared sales on the books went through the roof.
It all started here with what is possibly one of the best relaunches of a character ever produced. The book was dark, gritty, and immediately engaging as we were given front row seats to the birth of the new Ghost Rider and a legion of fans voted for it with their wallets. It was a book that had been thought of as a failure before it launched, and Mackie, Saltares, and Texeira proved everyone wrong. Outside of Johnny Blaze's first appearance, this is easily the most important comic in Ghost Rider history.
From the original review: "Gone was Johnny Blaze and the wandering cowboy/carnival motif that had been a staple of the original series. The Eighties had brought the "grim and gritty" style of storytelling to the forefront of sales, and now the Ghost Rider was an urban vigilante acting as the Spirit of Vengeance (a moniker also loosely used by Zarathos, the first Ghost Rider). Gone was the blue jumpsuit, replaced by black leather, chains, and spikes; gone was the hellfire chopper, replaced by a sleek street-bike with flaming wheels. It was obvious that this was not the Ghost Rider that the previous generation of fans had grown up reading, and with the new approach writer Howard Mackie struck a creative zeitgeist. Presented as a 48 page event with no advertisements, the creative team were given the opportunity to go wild...and that's exactly what they did."
You can read this story in the Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch Vol 1 and Ghost Rider: Resurrected trade paperbacks or digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider (1990) # 1]
# 4
Ghost Rider (1973) # 36
Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Don Perlin
In the summer of 1979, Michael Fleisher made his debut as the new writer on Ghost Rider with the impact of an atom bomb. Before his arrival, the book had floundered through a long list of writers who wavered uneasily between straight-up superheroics and demonic horror. Fleisher's first issue, "A Demon In Denver", chose a third approach - and for the first time, readers are shown not only what it would be like for normal people to encounter the Ghost Rider but just how costly this curse is for Johnny Blaze.
Fleisher enjoyed a long run as the title's writer, and his debut issue perfectly set the tone for what he wanted to accomplish during his term. The characters, and the consequences of their actions, were suddenly very shocking and very, very real. Blaze wasn't a superhero anymore, he was a victim that suddenly became the most tragic lead character in Marvel's stable. Coupled with the artwork of Don Perlin, whose simple yet gritty line work provided the perfect down-to-earth qualities needed to tell the story, Fleisher came out of the gate like demon from Hell - and the Ghost Rider has never been as frightening as he was right here.
From the original review: "I love "A Demon In Denver", but I'll also be the first to admit that for someone reading this comic for the first time today it would most likely appear to be nothing more than a stereotypical 1970s Ghost Rider story. All of the familiar, if not cliched, elements are present: the Ghost Rider leads the police on a harrowing chase for several pages, reverts to a Johnny Blaze who is broke and depressed, Johnny meets a local and immediately falls in with her, they're jumped by a gang of bikers or criminals, the Ghost Rider emerges to punish the attackers, and it ends with everyone thoroughly shocked and Johnny left alone yet again. This was a story used by numerous writers, from Roger Stern to JM DeMatteis, and most especially Fleisher himself who went back to this well several times. Honestly, this was the Ghost Rider formula for many years until the book's cancellation. "A Demon In Denver" follows that formula to the letter, so what makes it so special among all the other similar stories? Easy answer: it was the first Ghost Rider comic to utilize said formula, and at the time it was revolutionary."
You can read this story in the Essential Ghost Rider vol. 2 trade paperback and digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
# 3
Ghost Rider (2006) # 20-23
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artist: Roland Boschi
When Jason Aaron came onto the series in 2008 there wasn't much anticipation or fanfare, he was a new and relatively unknown creator and was being paired with Roland Boschi, an artist new to American audiences. Aaron was also following up the reveal in the previous writer's closing arc that the Ghost Rider was an angel instead of a demon, a plot point that many fans of the character were left scratching their heads over. Who knew that Jason Aaron would redefine the Ghost Rider mythos during his run and that the end of this arc would have one of the biggest surprise returns in the character's history?
Though it may have ended with the return of Danny Ketch, this four issue opening salvo of an arc brought together the perfect blend of Grindhouse style exploitation and horrific side characters. It was an announcement that Ghost Rider had grown up by looking backward to its roots in 1970s culture and it proved that just because there were angels in the book it didn't mean it couldn't be one hell of a ride.
From the original review: "Reading this arc puts a huge smile on my face, and I'd go so far as to say its probably one of the best Ghost Rider stories ever told. THIS is how the Spirit of Vengeance should be, thank god someone finally got it right. Absolutely recommended, this arc is a "must-read" for all Flamehead fans."
You can read this story in the Ghost Rider: Hell-Bent & Heaven-Bound and Ghost Rider: War for Heaven vol. 1 trade paperbacks, in the Ghost Rider by Jason Aaron Omnibus or digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
[Read the original review for Ghost Rider (2006) # 20]
[Read the original review for Ghost Rider (2006) # 21]
# 2
Ghost Rider (1990) # 7
Writer: Howard Mackie
Artist: Mark Texeira
Only six months into its wildly successful first year, writer Howard Mackie took the status quo of his new Ghost Rider series and completely smashed it against the wall with "Obsession". This comic is an incredible piece of work for four reasons. Firstly, it revamped the Scarecrow from a silly Silver Age villain to a deadly psychopath. Secondly, it elevated the villain Blackout from simple foe to nemesis with the grisly deed he performs. Thirdly, we get to see the first full-on artwork of Mark Texeira, who unleashed some of the darkest artwork ever seen in a Marvel title.
But it was the fourth reason that truly makes this book stand out among its peers: the murder of Barbara Ketch. By this point, readers were expecting Barb to either die from her injuries or get better to become Danny's confidant. Instead, Mackie and Texeira give us an absolutely chilling scene where Barbara meets her end at the fangs of Blackout. She didn't die heroically nor did she die in the hero's arms. No, she died with her throat ripped out in a hospital bed while the villain got away to kill again and again and again. Every one of Blackout's victims was a reminder to Danny and Ghost Rider that the blood of his sister had been spilled needlessly, as a direct consequence of their double life. It was shocking and yes, even sad - the rare comic book that could quite possibly lead the reader to shedding a tear.
From the original review: "While this issue marks the end to a major point of the series with Barbara's death, we also get a glimpse of what's ahead in the future for the Ghost Rider and his search for answers to his existence. It's as if the first six issues of the series were merely a prelude to this, the best issue of the series so far."
You can read this story in the Ghost Rider: Danny Ketch Vol 1 and Ghost Rider: Resurrected trade paperbacks or digitally on Marvel Unlimited.
# 1
Ghost Rider (1973) # 68
Writer: Roger Stern
Artist: Bob Budiansky
People, it doesn't get any better than this comic right here. This issue marked the beginning of Ghost Rider's radical overhaul by editor Tom DeFalco, who installed writer Roger Stern and long-time GR cover artist Bob Budiansky as the new creative team. To signal that this was truly a fresh start, Stern and Budiansky gave readers their re-telling of Johnny Blaze's origin that actually managed to surpass the original Friedrich/Ploog comic that inspired it. It was an update that the origin most definitely needed, while still holding in reverence the work done by the character's creators (with many of Budiansky's panels direct homages of Ploog's work).
This origin tale was framed by an all-new story of Blaze confessing his sins (and telling his origin) to a priest, and page by page we begin to get hints that things are not what they seem. It all culminates with one of the all-time greatest Ghost Rider panels, with the flaming skeletal hand bursting through the confessional gate, to the horror and shock of the murdering false priest. While the Stern/Budiansky team would only enjoy a brief run, their work was certainly the highlight of the first Ghost Rider volume - and this issue itself is the masterpiece.
From the original review: "I cannot, in good conscience, review this issue without going in depth about the art. This issue marks the first interior work by Bob Budiansky, who had been the cover artist for the series since the start of Fleisher's run 30 some issues before. With this one issue, Budiansky proves that he is the quintessential Ghost Rider artist, making each page and every rendition of Blaze and the Ghost Rider a sight to behold. I point you again to the sequence of panels on page 16: as the "priest" realizes the jig is up and removes his gun, you see the intense glow of light through the confessional's grate...and then the Ghost Rider's flaming, skeletal hand bursts through, showing that the Ghost Rider has been unleashed. One of - if not THE - most powerful sequences ever in the pages of Ghost Rider."
You can read this story in the Essential Ghost Rider volume 4 trade paperback.
[Read the original review of Ghost Rider (1973) # 68]
So there you have it, the Top 20 Ghost Rider Stories of All Time! Let me know what you think in the comment section below, on Facebook or Twitter!
No comments:
Post a Comment