Many comic book superheroes are built upon the idea of legacy. This is particularly true for Ghost Rider. In this case, however, the legacy spans both two genres of comic as well as two comic publishers.
The first Ghost Rider’s adventures were supernatural westerns, published by Magazine Enterprises in 1947. Left in a state between life and death, gunslinger Rex Fury was visited by the ghosts of several great Old West lawmen. They trained him, and presented him with an all-white costume and stallion. With these gifts, he continued to fight crime as the Ghost Rider. Two decades later, after the copyright lapsed, Marvel Comics revived the character as a new gunslinger named Carter Slade.
What happened next is in dispute, with several creators claiming credit for the idea of modernizing the character. In any case, Marvel introduced a new motorcycle-riding Ghost Rider in 1972. With a flaming skull and true supernatural powers, this version would become the most prominent in popular culture. He would also give rise to a succession of other heroes, who also became bonded to the Spirits of Vengeance.
Best Ghost Rider Comics as of October 2025
The Ghost Rider concept has given rise to a number of beloved series. Most of them favor horror over traditional superheroics. However, some have moved beyond even that, such as Cosmic Ghost Rider. Different series also teamed the various Riders with other heroes, like Blade and Morbius, who walked a dark path for a righteous cause.
Ghost Rider Epic Collection, Vol. 1: Hell on Wheels
Johnny Blaze was a carnival daredevil, who loved two things more than anything else; executing the perfect stunt and his family. When his foster father and mentor was diagnosed with untreatable cancer, Johnny sold his soul to the demon Mephisto. The end result was Johnny becoming the bounty hunter of Hell, transforming into the Ghost Rider whenever he was in the presence of supernatural evil.
The first modern Ghost Rider series had been planned with a set ending after two years. However, editor Jim Shooter rejected writer Tony Isabella‘s idea that Johnny Blaze would free his soul with the help of a hippie modeled on Jesus Christ. Instead, the character known as “The Friend” was revealed to be a demon in disguise. Despite this, the first volume eventually did end with Johnny Blaze free of his curse and retired as Ghost Rider in 1983.
‘Hell on Wheels,’ the first collection of this era from Marvel Comics’ Epic line contains the earliest adventures of Johnny Blaze. Beyond the first 11 issues of the 1972 monthly series, it contains the seven-issue storyline from Marvel Spotlight that introduced Johnny Blaze. It also collects Marvel Team-Up #15, in which Spider-Man first encountered Johnny Blaze.
Danny Ketch Epic Collection, Vol. 1: Vengeance Reborn
In 1990, the Ghost Rider concept was revived in a new series. This time the host was Danny Ketch, who found a motorcycle with a mystic sigil in a junkyard. Touching it transformed him into a flame-skulled biker, just like Johnny Blaze.
This series leaned more heavily on traditional superheroics, with Ghost Rider joining the supernatural heroes known as The Midnight Sons. It also built itself around the mystery of Danny Ketch’s powers and whether he had bonded to a reborn Zarathos. This volume also eventually revealed that Danny and Johnny were brothers and heirs to a mystic curse tied to the Spirits of Vengeance.
The first Epic volume collecting Danny’s adventures contains the first ten issues of the 1990 Ghost Rider series. These issues are notable for establishing Danny’s rivalry with the demonic villain called Deathwatch, who became his archenemy. They also contain his first encounters with the X-Men and The Punisher.
Ghost Rider: Trail Of Tears
Set during the American Civil War, ‘Trail of Tears’ is a different sort of Ghost Rider story for many reasons. The action centers around Travis Parham; a Confederate Lieutenant who was left for dead by his compatriots during a battle. He is nursed back to health by a former slave named Caleb and his family. After two years of helping them work their land, he leaves to find his own fortune out West.
Years later, Parham returns to check on his saviors, only to find them murdered. He discovers the villains responsible are an outlaw band led by former slave-trader George Reagan. This sets Parham on the road to avenge Caleb and his family. However, someone else is also on George Reagan’s trail – a skeletal figure on a fiery horse.
Writer Garth Ennis is known for three things; over-the-top adults-only content, dark comedy, and thoughtful deconstructions of genre fiction. With ‘Trail of Tears,’ however, Ennis skips the comedy to deliver a Southern Gothic story that blends the horror and western genres. This is fitting considering the origins of both versions of Ghost Rider.
What truly sets ‘Trail of Tears,’ apart is how Ennis explores the theme of revenge. Not only through Parham’s journey and this incarnation of Ghost Rider, but also through George Reagan, who may be the single most detestable villain Ennis has created. Coupled with the evocative art of Clayton Crain, and ‘Trail of Tears is not just a great Ghost Rider story. It may be the single best historical comic Marvel ever published.
Ghost Rider By Jason Aaron Omnibus
Many great writers have handled Ghost Rider over the years. However, Jason Aaron set a new standard for the series mythology when he took over Volume 6 of the Spirit of Vengeance’s solo series in 2008. He did this by building on the final revelation of the preceding writer, Daniel Way; that Zarathos was an angel rather than a demon.
Aaron’s first story, ‘Hell-Bent & Heaven-Bound,’ is widely considered to be one of the best Ghost Rider stories of all time. It set the tone for the series to come and the central battle with a rogue angel named Zadkiel, who sought to enslave every incarnation of the Spirit of Vengeance. Beyond that, Aaron dug into the roots of the character, presenting an action-packed epic that plays out like a 70s’ grindhouse flick. Aaron also used his run to delve into the history of the Spirits of Vengeance, and the long line of Riders who stood against Hell.
All-New Ghost Rider 1: Engines of Vengeance
The streets of Los Angeles are no place to try and raise a special-needs child alone. It is even worse when you’re a minor yourself and you’re having to balance school and a job as a mechanic with raising said child. And yet, this is the reality of teenager Robbie Reyes.
Desperate for money, Robbie enters a street race with a Dodge Charger he borrowed from work. However, he is gunned down by mercenaries seeking something that was hidden inside the car. When Robbie wakes up, he finds himself wielding demonic powers and the Charger similarly enshrouded in mystic flames.
When All-New Ghost Rider was first published, fans of the original series were skeptical. However, Robbie Reyes soon won most of them over. It helped that Johnny Blaze played a mentor role to Robbie, and helped him puzzle out his powers. Today, most compare All-New Ghost Rider to the original 1972 series in how it modernized the basic character core while remaining true to the spirit of the original idea.
How we chose the Best Ghost Rider Comics
Accessibility and availability were the watchwords in assembling this list of the Best Ghost Rider comics. This is why each of the collections listed is either an origin or a stand-alone story. An effort was also made to choose stories that centered around Ghost Rider rather than his adventures alongside other Marvel Comics heroes. While there are some great stories to be found there, it was felt the focus here should be upon the different incarnations of the Rider.
