Ghost Rider

Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider on the cover of Marvel Spotlight #5 (Aug. 1972).
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Marvel Spotlight #5 (August 1972)
Created by	Roy Thomas Gary Friedrich Mike Ploog
In-story information
Alter ego	Johnny Blaze Danny Ketch Alejandra Jones Robbie Reyes Michael Badilino Kushala
Species	Human/demon hybrid
Team affiliations	Ghost Riders Thunderbolts Midnight Sons New Fantastic Four Defenders New Avengers Marvel Knights Dark Avengers Champions S.H.I.E.L.D.
Notable aliases	Hell King Spirit of Vengeance Zarathos Fallen Angel Zadkiel
Abilities	Zadkiel control Nigh-omnipotence Nigh-omniscience Omnipresence Reality warping Time manipulation Time travel God-like strength, speed, stamina, agility, reflexes, endurance, and durability Hellfire Manipulation Hellfire infusion Hellfire constructs Hellfire telekinesis Hellfire storm Sin manipulation Soul manipulation Soul reading Soul cleansing Soul consumption Soul mutilation Penance Stare Invulnerability Magic immunity Reality warping immunity Time manipulation immunity Self-duplication Supernatural awareness Pyrokinesis Size manipulation Magic manipulation Demon magic manipulation Necromancy Spirit possession Elemental manipulation Mystical chain projection Resurrection Immortality Regeneration Exorcism Darkness manipulation Interdimensional travel Flight (Hell Cycle) Extrasensory perception Teleportation Occultism Highly skilled motorcyclist and stuntman Expert hand-to-hand combatant

Ghost Rider is the name of multiple superheroes or antiheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider.

The first supernatural Ghost Rider is stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze, who sold his soul, to save the life of his foster father, agrees to give his soul to "Satan" (later revealed to be an arch-demon named Mephisto). At night and when around evil, Blaze finds his flesh consumed by hellfire, causing his head to become a flaming skull. He rides a fiery motorcycle and wields blasts of hellfire from his body, usually from his hands. He eventually learns he has been bonded with the demon Zarathos. Blaze is featured in the series Ghost Rider (vol. 2) from 1972 to 1983.

The subsequent Ghost Rider series (1990–1998) features Danny Ketch as a new Ghost Rider. After his sister was injured by ninja gangsters, Ketch comes in contact with a motorcycle that contains the essence of a Spirit of Vengeance. Blaze reappears in this 1990s series as a supporting character, and it is later revealed that Danny and his sister were Johnny Blaze's long-lost siblings. In 2000s comics, Blaze succeeds Ketch, becoming Ghost Rider again. In 2014, Robbie Reyes becomes Ghost Rider as part of the Marvel NOW! initiative.

In May 2011, Ghost Rider placed 90th on IGN's "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes" list.^[1] Nicolas Cage starred as the Johnny Blaze incarnation of the character in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and its 2012 sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Gabriel Luna and Tom McComas portray the Robbie Reyes and Johnny Blaze incarnations in the fourth season of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., with Henry Simmons and Clark Gregg portraying original incarnations Alphonso Mackenzie and Phil Coulson.