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Encyclopedia of Fantasy (1997)
Ghost Rider

Tagged: Comics.

Five fantasy Comic-book characters.

1. White-garbed cowboy vigilante with a white cloak and featureless white Mask, inspired by Vaugn Monroe's recording Ghost Riders in the Sky (1949). Ghost Rider is the secret identity of US Marshal Rex Fury (aka The Calico Kid), who uses phosphorescent paint on both himself and his horse, Spectre, to enhance his ghostly image. He first appeared in A1 Comics #27 (1950). Drawn by Dick Ayers (1924-2014), this Ghost Rider featured in 14 issues of A1 1950-1954, with further appearances in Red Mask (1954-1955), Best of the West (1951), Bobby Benson's B-Bar-B Riders (1952) and Tim Holt Comics (1950-1954). In the early stories Ghost Rider was pitted against bandits and badmen, but later tales introduced supernatural and Horror elements. Many covers featuring Ghost Rider were drawn by Frank Frazetta. [RT/SH]

2. In 1967 Ayers revived the character, with scripter Gary Friedrich, for Marvel Comics as a costumed Western crimefighter (Ghost Rider #1-#7 1967-1968), but this time Ghost Rider was the secret identity of schoolteacher Carter Slade. These stories were reprinted in 1974, but by then Marvel had introduced 3, so 2 was renamed Night Rider in the reprints. [RT/SH]

3. Motorcycle-riding avenger with a fiery skull head, created by Gary Friedrich and artist Mike Ploog, possibly inspired by an earlier comic book character, The Blazing Skull. This Ghost Rider first made his appearance in Marvel Spotlight #5 (1972) as the bizarre ghostly alter ego of stuntman Johnny Blaze, forced to make a Pact with the Devil in order to save the life of his friend Crash Simpson. By the Contract Blaze loses his Soul and gains his flaming skull head. Friedrich made full use of Ghost Rider's bizarre appearance in some interesting Supernatural Fictions, including conflicts with Damien Hellstrom, son of Satan; succeeding writers made Ghost Rider more of a routine Superhero. A regular comic book devoted entirely to Ghost Rider (Ghost Rider #1-#81 1973-1983) developed the concept, and the details of Blaze's deal with Satan (later changed to Mephisto) were altered such that Ghost Rider was now defined as Zarathos, a Demon inhabiting Blaze's body. In the final issue Zarathos was banished to make a happy ending. [RT/SH]

4. Alter ego of Danny Kvetch, retaining the flaming skull. This version first appeared in Ghost Rider #1 (1990), with art by Javier Saltares; the title is still current (1995). A slicker, more modern look and a high-tech bike were matched by a grittier, more modern style of story. Marketing ploys have played a part in the success of this incarnation – e.g., a glow-in-the-dark cover on #15, a popup section in #25, reprints of the earlier series with gold ink on the covers, and a host of crossover stories featuring other Marvel characters. [RT/SH]

5. A twenty-first-century Ghost Rider appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy #13-#14 (1992), tagged as The Spirit of Vengeance. [RT/SH]



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