Marvel Spotlight (1972) # 8

"...The Hordes of Hell!"

Cover Date: February 1973; On Sale Date: November 1972

Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artists: Mike Ploog & Jim Mooney; Inker: Jim Mooney; Letterer: Shelly Leferman; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Mike Ploog

With Roxanne still strapped to the sacrificial alter, the Ghost Rider is confronted by the crazed Crash Simpson, who holds the flaming sword of Satan and is more than willing to use it. Johnny frees Roxanne and begs her to run, but she refuses to leave the man she loves and her father alone to fight to the death. Satan commands Crash to strike, but the man cannot while his daughter is endangered. Enraged, Satan waves his hand and takes both Crash and the Ghost Rider down with him to Hell. With Roxanne no loner in the equation, Crash attacks Blaze, attempting to kill him with the flaming sword. Johnny pleads with Crash to turn against the demon, and finally his words get through to his step-father, who saves Blaze from a tentacled creature. Crash takes the wounded Blaze and runs into the depths of Hell, but the two are attacked by a large demon. Crash strikes the monster with the sword, but is crushed by the falling monster. Johnny picks him and begins to walk, determined to make it out of Hell with Crash's soul. Blaze is approached by a mysterious cloaked figure, who offers to send Crash onto his final reward and Blaze back to Earth. Johnny gives his step-father over, and seconds later awakens back in the crypt in his human form, an amnesiac Roxanne fawning over him. Johnny feigns ignorance about what happened, and the two return to Madison Square Garden.

Several hours later, Johnny arrives in Arizona, and is picked up from the airport by a local Native American named Sam Silvercloud, who is supposed to take the stunt-rider to Copperhead Canyon. Instead, Sam pulls a gun on Blaze, telling him that he won't allow the biker to jump the Canyon. If he makes the jump, then the canyon will never be returned to the Native Americans that are trying to get it back. Silvercloud abandons Blaze in the desert, but not before Johnny is able to retrieve his cycle from the back of the truck. The next morning, Johnny arrives at the Canyon Rodeo grounds and speaks with the rodeo manager, who explains that the local Indians are in an uproar because of a medicine man named Snake-Dance. As they speak, Silvercloud sabotages Blaze's cycle.

That evening, Johnny rides out into the desert toward the Canyon, and while in transit undergoes the transformation into the Ghost Rider. When he makes it to the rim of the canyon, he is attacked by several Native American warriors. After quickly defeating them, Blaze is confronted by Snake-Dance himself, who mystically summons snakes to attack the Rider. Johnny makes it to his bike as the shaman transforms into a giant serpent and gives chase. Realizing the only avenue of escape is to jump the canyon, Blaze takes flight. At that moment, Sam Silvercloud's earlier sabotage causes the Ghost Rider's bike to explode, sending him into a free fall toward the bottom of the canyon. 

Marvel Spotlight (1972) # 7

"Die, Die My Daughter!"

Cover Date:  December 1972; On Sale Date: September 1972

Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artist: Mike Ploog; Inker: Frank Monte; Letterer: Herb Cooper; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Mike Ploog

In the dressing room at Madison Square Garden, Curly (the deceased Crash Simpson reincarnated in a different body) prepares to kill his unconscious daughter with a large knife. Suddenly, Satan appears and tells his servant that Roxanne must be sacrificed in his temple, and only then will Crash regain his rightful body. Curly hides Roxanne in a large barrel and wheels her outside, where he catches a cab.

Elsewhere, the Ghost Rider tears down a deserted highway on his motorcycle, attempting to collect his thoughts. He is quickly spotted by a parked police car, who give chase after Blaze. Johnny weighs his options of either stopping and letting the police see him or running. He decides to try and escape, and speeds off into the night. After a harrowing chase, Blaze realizes that he won't easily lose the officers. He races toward a destroyed bridge, which he jumps on his cycle. The police, unable to pursue, state their disbelief at what they just witnessed. Later, the Ghost Rider seeks refuge in a cemetery, where he decides to stop and rest. Meanwhile, Curly arrives at the temple, where he tells his satanic followers to prepare a black mass. He takes Roxanne into the basement and lays her on a large altar, where she will be sacrificed at midnight.

Having fallen asleep in the cemetery, Blaze is awaken at dawn by his transformation back into his human form. Realizing what time it is, he races back to Madison Square Garden, where he is scheduled to perform another cycle show. An hour before the show, Johnny is told by his road manager, Bart Slade, that Roxanne has been missing since the night before. Blaze flies into a rage, threatening Bart that if he doesn't find Roxanne soon, he'll be fired. An hour later, at the start of the show, Johnny apologizes to Slade, unaware that the manager has plans to steal Roxanne away from him. After the show, Slade tells Blaze that one of the guards saw a curly-haired individual leaving the locker rooms the night before. Johnny realizes that it was Curly who took Roxanne, and decides to go find him as soon as it gets dark.

That night, the Ghost Rider busts into the hangout of Satan's Servants, Curly's cycle gang. The demonic biker traps the hoodlums in a ring of fire and commands that they tell him where to find Curly. They tell him that he hangs out at a strange church a few blocks away. At that moment, Curly and his followers prepare the altar for the black mass. They bring out Roxanne, who is dressed in ceremonial garb, and chain her to the altar. Curly snaps his fingers, and Roxanne awakens from her trance. As Curly begins to bear down on her with a large knife, Johnny rides down the stairs of the church on his motorcycle, melting the knife with a blast of hellfire. The cult members quickly scatter, but Johnny is quickly stopped in tracks by the appearance of Satan, who tells Johnny that only the death of his servant can stop her sacrifice. Both Blaze and Curly agree to a duel, but Satan then reveals his pawn's true form, that of Crash Simpson, and gives him a weapon: the flaming blade of Hell itself. Roxanne screams for Johnny not to hurt her father, but as Blaze says: "Either he dies -- or we do!"

Marvel Spotlight (1972) # 6

"Angels From Hell"

Cover Date: October 1972; On Sale Date: July 1972

Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artist: Mike Ploog; Inker: Frank Monte; Letterer: John Costanza; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Mike Ploog

A biker gang called Satan's Servants rides through the darkened New York streets, looking for someone to beat up. Their leader, a rider in a masked helmet named Curly, notices a lone rider ahead, and orders the gang to attack. The Ghost Rider turns and sees the advancing gang, and instead of fighting decides to run. When he quickly realizes that he can't outrun his pursuers, Blaze turns and lights the ground aflame with his hellfire, which causes most of the gang to run in terror. The only one that stays to confront Johnny is Curly, who invites Blaze to join the gang. Curly takes the Ghost Rider back to the gang's crash pad, where the other bikers give a less than friendly welcome to their new member. The gang leader takes Blaze into a back room and asks him to tell him everything about him, specifically why he has a flaming skull for a head. Johnny cannot help but talk, as Curly seems to possess almost hypnotic powers, and tells the biker his life story, including the origins of his curse. Curly then commands Blaze to go to sleep, and he falls to the floor. Surprisingly, Curly paints a pentagram on his chest and says aloud an incantation, which summons Satan himself into the room. The Hell-Lord commends his servant by allowing him to take his true form, that of Crash Simpson, who has struck a deal to return to life, with the cost being Johnny's soul. However, Satan is unable to claim Blaze's soul, as Roxanne's pure spirit still protects him. The demon tells Crash that he must first remove Roxanne, and only then will he retain his true form. Satan disappears, causing Crash to revert back to his guise as Curly.

The next morning, Johnny awakens in the biker gang's house, and slips out unnoticed. He returns to his hotel, where is confronted by Roxanne. He begins to tell her about his curse, but stops himself at the last minute, causing her to leave in anger. Blaze falls asleep, and sleeps until nightfall, when he is awakened by his transformation into the Ghost Rider. Immediately after, Curly walks in and tells Blaze that his cycle gang is going to kidnap Roxanne during her cycle show that night. Johnny immediately runs to his bike, and takes off toward Madison Square Garden.

Right before Roxanne's performance is set to start, Satan's Servants bust into the arena on their cycles. One of the bikers, Animal, grabs the girl by the waist and rides toward the exit, but is cut off by the Ghost Rider. The two then perform a death-defying chase through several of the arena's bike stunt ramps, until Blaze finally gets a chance to throw a bolt of hellfire. Animal wipes out, but neither he nor Roxanne are injured. Rocky recognizes Johnny, and tells him to take a bow to the crowd and pretend his appearance was part of the cycle show. Satan's Servants are immediately rounded up by the police and taken to jail.

A few minutes later, Johnny and Roxanne talk, and she tells him that she saw Johnny's transformation the night he sold his soul to Satan, and that she recognized him as soon as she saw him. Johnny brushes aside her offers to help him, saying that he can offer nothing but danger and eventually death, and rides away into the night. Hours later, a distraught Roxanne is confronted by Curly in her dressing room. He hypnotizes her to sleep, and then declares that he will do anything to return to life, even sacrifice his own daughter.

Marvel Spotlight (1972) # 5

"Ghost Rider"

Cover Date: August 1972; On Sale Date: May 1972

Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artist: Mike Ploog; Letterer: Jon Costanza; Editor: Stan Lee; Cover Artist: Mike Ploog

Johnny Blaze, the Ghost Rider, rides through the streets of New York City and accidentally witnesses two men killing another. Wanting no part of what's happened, he rides on, but is then chased by the killers. Upon trapping him in an ally, the men are shocked to see Blaze's flaming skull. The Ghost Rider points his finger, causing flame to erupt on the ground. The men make a run for it, and Blaze rides back to Madison Square Garden, where he transforms back into his human form. He thinks back to try and remember what happened, hoping to find some answers in the past.

Johnny's father, Barton Blaze, died in a motorcycle accident when his son was very young. Johnny was then adopted by Crash Simpson, another stunt rider that ran his own cycle show with his wife Mona and daughter Roxanne. Johnny grew into adolescence, and had followed his step-father's footsteps by taking up cycle riding. When he was fifteen, his motorcycle caught fire during a practice session. Though he attempted to save his family, Mona Simpson is killed in the bike's explosion. Before she dies, she makes Johnny promise her that he'll never ride in the show due to the danger, which he agrees to. Five years later, Johnny is discovered riding in secret by Roxanne, who tells him that she is in love with him. Later on, Crash tells the two that he has cancer, and that the show's performance at Madison Square Garden will be his last, if he lives to even see that.

Determined to keep his step-father from dying, Johnny researches some occult books, finally using them to summon Satan. In exchange for Johnny's soul, the devil will spare Crash Simpson from the cancer that's killing him. Three weeks later, Crash tells Johnny that he plans to try and break the world's cycle jump record at the Garden. Johnny knows he'll be fine, due to the deal he made with Satan. When Crash attempts to jump it, he doesn't make it, and dies in the resulting accident. Furious at what happened, Blaze suits up, mounts a bike, and does the same stunt...and makes it, breaking the world record. That night, Satan returns to claim Johnny's soul, claiming that he only said he'd spare Crash from the disease and nothing else. As Mephisto prepares to take Johnny to Hell, Roxanne enters and banishes the demon with the pure essence of her soul. She tells Johnny that she read his books behind his back, and learned how to send the devil away. The next night, however, Johnny begins to burn with fever, until his head suddenly transforms into a flaming skull. Every night since, he has undergone the transformation into...the Ghost Rider!

The Original Ghost Rider (1992) # 4

"...The Hordes of Hell!"

Cover Date: October 1992; On Sale Date: August 1992

 

Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artist: Mike Ploog & Jim Mooney; Inker: Jim Mooney; Letterer: Shelly Leferman; Colorist: Not Credited; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Joe Quesada

 

With Roxanne still strapped to the sacrificial alter, the Ghost Rider is confronted by the crazed Crash Simpson, who holds the flaming sword of Satan and is more than willing to use it. Johnny frees Roxanne and begs her to run, but she refuses to leave the man she loves and her father alone to fight to the death. Satan commands Crash to strike, but the man cannot while his daughter is endangered. Enraged, Satan waves his hand and takes both Crash and the Ghost Rider down with him to Hell. With Roxanne no loner in the equation, Crash attacks Blaze, attempting to kill him with the flaming sword. Johnny pleads with Crash to turn against the demon, and finally his words get through to his step-father, who saves Blaze from a tentacle creature. Crash takes the wounded Blaze and runs into the depths of Hell, but the two are attacked by a large demon. Crash strikes the monster with the sword, but is crushed by the falling monster. Johnny picks him and begins to walk, determined to make it out of Hell with Crash's soul. Blaze is approached by a mysterious cloaked figure, who offers to send Crash onto his final reward and Blaze back to Earth. Johnny gives his step-father over, and seconds later awakens back in the crypt in his human form, an amnesiac Roxanne fawning over him. Johnny feigns ignorance about what happened, and the two return to Madison Square Garden.

 

Several hours later, Johnny arrives in Arizona, and is picked up from the airport by a local Native American named Sam Silvercloud, who is supposed to take the stunt-rider to Copperhead Canyon. Instead, Sam pulls a gun on Blaze, telling him that he won't allow the biker to jump the Canyon. If he makes the jump, then the canyon will never be returned to the Indians that are trying to get it back. Silvercloud abandons Blaze in the desert, but not before Johnny is able to retrieve his cycle from the back of the truck. The next morning, Johnny arrives at the Canyon Rodeo grounds and speaks with the rodeo manager, who explains that the local Indians are in an uproar because of a medicine man named Snake-Dance. As they speak, Silvercloud sabotages Blaze's cycle.

 

That evening, Johnny rides out into the desert toward the Canyon, and while in transit undergoes the transformation into the Ghost Rider. When he makes it to the rim of the canyon, he is attacked by several Native American warriors. After quickly defeating them, Blaze is confronted by Snake-Dance himself, who mystically summons snakes to attack the Rider. Johnny makes it to his bike as the shaman transforms into a giant serpent and gives chase. Realizing the only avenue of escape is to jump the canyon, Blaze takes flight. At that moment, Sam Silvercloud's earlier sabotage causes the Ghost Rider's bike to explode, sending him into a free fall toward the bottom of the canyon.

"End of the Line, Part 1"

Writer: Dan Slott; Artist: Dick Ayers; Letterer: Dick Ayers; Colorist: Mike Worley; Editor: Evan Skolnick 

Angus O'Donnel and his men hijack a train. When the Phantom Rider approaches, Floyd and Red jump off the train. William startles Angus, who accidently kills the train's mailman. Phantom Rider attacks and Angus takes young William hostage.

The Original Ghost Rider (1992) # 3

"Die, Die, My Daughter!"

Cover Date: September 1992; On Sale Date: July 1992

 

Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artist: Mike Ploog; Inker: Frank Monte; Letterer: Herb Cooper; Editor: Roy Thomas; Cover Artist: Andy Kubert

In the dressing room at Madison Square Garden, Curly (the deceased Crash Simpson reincarnated in a different body) prepares to kill his unconscious daughter with a large knife. Suddenly, Satan appears and tells his servant that Roxanne must be sacrificed in his temple, and only then will Crash regain his rightful body. Curly hides Roxanne in a large barrel and wheels her outside, where he catches a cab.

 

Elsewhere, the Ghost Rider tears down a deserted highway on his motorcycle, attempting to collect his thoughts. He is quickly spotted by a parked police car, who give chase after Blaze. Johnny weighs his options of either stopping and letting the police see him or running. He decides to try and escape, and speeds off into the night. After a harrowing chase, Blaze realizes that he won't easily lose the officers. He races toward a destroyed bridge, which he jumps on his cycle. The police, unable to pursue, state their disbelief at what they just witnessed. Later, the Ghost Rider seeks refuge in a cemetery, where he decides to stop and rest. Meanwhile, Curly arrives at the temple, where he tells his satanic followers to prepare a black mass. He takes Roxanne into the basement and lays her on a large altar, where she will be sacrificed at midnight.

 

Having fallen asleep in the cemetery, Blaze is awaken at dawn by his transformation back into his human form. Realizing what time it is, he races back to Madison Square Garden, where he is scheduled to perform another cycle show. An hour before the show, Johnny is told by his road manager, Bart Slade, that Roxanne has been missing since the night before. Blaze flies into a rage, threatening Bart that if he doesn't find Roxanne soon, he'll be fired. An hour later, at the start of the show, Johnny apologizes to Slade, unaware that the manager has plans to steal Roxanne away from him. After the show, Slade tells Blaze that one of the guards saw a curly-haired individual leaving the locker rooms the night before. Johnny realizes that it was Curly who took Roxanne, and decides to go find him as soon as it gets dark.

 

That night, the Ghost Rider busts into the hangout of Satan's Servants, Curly's cycle gang. The demonic biker traps the hoodlums in a ring of fire and commands that they tell him where to find Curly. They tell him that he hangs out at a strange church a few blocks away. At that moment, Curly and his followers prepare the altar for the black mass. They bring out Roxanne, who is dressed in ceremonial garb, and chain her to the altar. Curly snaps his fingers, and Roxanne awakens from her trance. As Curly begins to bear down on her with a large knife, Johnny rides down the stairs of the church on his motorcycle, melting the knife with a blast of hellfire. The cult members quickly scatter, but Johnny is quickly stopped in tracks by the appearance of Satan, who tells Johnny that only the death of his servant can stop her sacrifice. Both Blaze and Curly agree to a duel, but Satan then reveals his pawn's true form, that of Crash Simpson, and gives him a weapon: the flaming blade of Hell itself. Roxanne screams for Johnny not to hurt her father, but as Blaze says: "Either he dies -- or we do!"

 

"Secrets From Beyond the Grave"

Writer: Dan Slott; Artist: Dick Ayers; Letterer: Dick Ayers; Colorist: Ariane Lenshoek; Editor: Evan Skolnick

Cletus Brown digs his own grave until the Phantom Rider stops him. Cletus explains that he only has a few months to live and asks Phantom Rider what it's like to be dead. Phantom Rider reveals he's not actually a phantom and demonstrates his tricks to prove it. He tells Cletus to spend his last days with his family.

The Original Ghost Rider (1992) # 2

"Angels From Hell"

Cover Date: August 1992; On Sale Date: June 1992

Writer: Gary Friedrich;  Artist: Mike Ploog; Inker: Frank Monte; Letterer: John Costanza; Editor: Roy Thomas; Reprint Editor: Evan Skolnick; Cover Artist: Javier Saltares

A biker gang called Satan's Servants rides through the darkened New York streets, looking for someone to beat up. Their leader, a rider in a masked helmet named Curly, notices a lone rider ahead, and orders the gang to attack. The Ghost Rider turns and sees the advancing gang, and instead of fighting decides to run. When he quickly realizes that he can't outrun his pursuers, Blaze turns and lights the ground aflame with his hellfire, which causes most of the gang to run in terror. The only one that stays to confront Johnny is Curly, who invites Blaze to join the gang. Curly takes the Ghost Rider back to the gang's crash pad, where the other bikers give a less than friendly welcome to their new member. The gang leader takes Blaze into a back room and asks him to tell him everything about him, specifically why he has a flaming skull for a head. Johnny cannot help but talk, as Curly seems to possess almost hypnotic powers, and tells the biker his life story, including the origins of his curse. Curly then commands Blaze to go to sleep, and he falls to the floor. Surprisingly, Curly paints a pentagram on his chest and says aloud an incantation, which summons Satan himself into the room. The Hell-Lord commends his servant by allowing him to take his true form, that of Crash Simpson, who has struck a deal to return to life, with the cost being Johnny's soul. However, Satan is unable to claim Blaze's soul, as Roxanne's pure spirit still protects him. The demon tells Crash that he must first remove Roxanne, and only then will he retain his true form. Satan disappears, causing Crash to revert back to his guise as Curly.

The next morning, Johnny awakens in the biker gang's house, and slips out unnoticed. He returns to his hotel, where is confronted by Roxanne. He begins to tell her about his curse, but stops himself at the last minute, causing her to leave in anger. Blaze falls asleep, and sleeps until nightfall, when he is awakened by his transformation into the Ghost Rider. Immediately after, Curly walks in and tells Blaze that his cycle gang is going to kidnap Roxanne during her cycle show that night. Johnny immediately runs to his bike, and takes off toward Madison Square Garden.

Right before Roxanne's performance is set to start, Satan's Servants bust into the arena on their cycles. One of the bikers, Animal, grabs the girl by the waist and rides toward the exit, but is cut off by the Ghost Rider. The two then perform a death-defying chase through several of the arena's bike stunt ramps, until Blaze finally gets a chance to throw a bolt of hellfire. Animal wipes out, but neither he nor Roxanne are injured. Rocky recognizes Johnny, and tells him to take a bow to the crowd and pretend his appearance was part of the cycle show. Satan's Servants are immediately rounded up by the police and taken to jail.

A few minutes later, Johnny and Roxanne talk, and she tells him that she saw Johnny's transformation the night he sold his soul to Satan, and that she recognized him as soon as she saw him. Johnny brushes aside her offers to help him, saying that he can offer nothing but danger and eventually death, and rides away into the night. Hours later, a distraught Roxanne is confronted by Curly in her dressing room. He hypnotizes her to sleep, and then declares that he will do anything to return to life, even sacrifice his own daughter.

The Original Ghost Rider (1992) # 1

"Ghost Rider" 

Cover Date: July 1992; On Sale Date: May 1992

Writer: Gary Friedrich; Artist: Mike Ploog; Letterer: Jon Costa; Editor: Stan Lee; Reprint Editor: Evan Skolnik; Cover Artist: Mark Texeira

Johnny Blaze, the Ghost Rider, rides through the streets of New York City and accidentally witnesses two men killing another. Wanting no part of what's happened, he rides on, but is then chased by the killers. Upon trapping him in an ally, the men are shocked to see Blaze's flaming skull. The Ghost Rider points his finger, causing flame to erupt on the ground. The men make a run for it, and Blaze rides back to Madison Square Garden, where he transforms back into his human form. He thinks back to try and remember what happened, hoping to find some answers in the past.

Johnny's father, Barton Blaze, died in a motorcycle accident when his son was very young. Johnny was then adopted by Crash Simpson, another stunt rider that ran his own cycle show with his wife Mona and daughter Roxanne. Johnny grew into adolescence, and had followed his step-father's footsteps by taking up cycle riding. When he was fifteen, his motorcycle caught fire during a practice session. Though he attempted to save his family, Mona Simpson is killed in the bike's explosion. Before she dies, she makes Johnny promise her that he'll never ride in the show due to the danger, which he agrees to. Five years later, Johnny is discovered riding in secret by Roxanne, who tells him that she is in love with him. Later on, Crash tells the two that he has cancer, and that the show's performance at Madison Square Garden will be his last, if he lives to even see that.

Determined to keep his step-father from dying, Johnny researches some occult books, finally using them to summon Satan. In exchange for Johnny's soul, the Devil will spare Crash Simpson from the cancer that's killing him. Three weeks later, Crash tells Johnny that he plans to try and break the world's cycle jump record at the Garden. Johnny knows he'll be fine, due to the deal he made with Satan. When Crash attempts to jump it, he doesn't make it, and dies in the resulting accident. Furious at what happened, Blaze suits up, mounts a bike, and does the same stunt...and makes it, breaking the world record. That night, Satan returns to claim Johnny's soul, claiming that he only said he'd spare Crash from the disease and nothing else. As Satan prepares to take Johnny to Hell, Roxanne enters and banishes the demon with the pure essence of her soul. She tells Johnny that she read his books behind his back, and learned how to send the Devil away. The next night, however, Johnny begins to burn with fever, until his head suddenly transforms into a flaming skull. Every night since, he has undergone the transformation into...the Ghost Rider!

Ghost Rider (1973) # 10

"Ghost Rider"

Cover Date: February 1975

On Sale Date: November 1975

Writer: Gary Friedrich
Artist: Mike Ploog
Letterer: Jon Costa
Editor: Len Wein

Cover Artist: Ron Wilson

Johnny Blaze, the Ghost Rider, rides through the streets of New York City and accidentally witnesses two men killing another. Wanting no part of what's happened, he rides on, but is then chased by the killers. Upon trapping him in an ally, the men are shocked to see Blaze's flaming skull. The Ghost Rider points his finger, causing flame to erupt on the ground. The men make a run for it, and Blaze rides back to Madison Square Garden, where he transforms back into his human form. He thinks back to try and remember what happened, hoping to find some answers in the past.

Johnny's father, Barton Blaze, died in a motorcycle accident when his son was very young. Johnny was then adopted by Crash Simpson, another stunt rider that ran his own cycle show with his wife Mona and daughter Roxanne. Johnny grew into adolescence, and had followed his step-father's footsteps by taking up cycle riding. When he was fifteen, his motorcycle caught fire during a practice session. Though he attempted to save his family, Mona Simpson is killed in the bike's explosion. Before she dies, she makes Johnny promise her that he'll never ride in the show due to the danger, which he agrees to. Five years later, Johnny is discovered riding in secret by Roxanne, who tells him that she is in love with him. Later on, Crash tells the two that he has cancer, and that the show's performance at Madison Square Garden will be his last, if he lives to even see that.

Determined to keep his step-father from dying, Johnny researches some occult books, finally using them to summon Satan. In exchange for Johnny's soul, the Devil will spare Crash Simpson from the cancer that's killing him. Three weeks later, Crash tells Johnny that he plans to try and break the world's cycle jump record at the Garden. Johnny knows he'll be fine, due to the deal he made with Satan. When Crash attempts to jump it, he doesn't make it, and dies in the resulting accident. Furious at what happened, Blaze suits up, mounts a bike, and does the same stunt...and makes it, breaking the world record. That night, Satan returns to claim Johnny's soul, claiming that he only said he'd spare Crash from the disease and nothing else. As the Devil prepares to take Johnny to Hell, Roxanne enters and banishes the demon with the pure essence of her soul. She tells Johnny that she read his books behind his back, and learned how to send the devil away. The next night, however, Johnny begins to burn with fever, until his head suddenly transforms into a flaming skull. Every night since, he has undergone the transformation into...the Ghost Rider!