All 35 versions of Ghost Rider, ranked from weakest to strongest

Ghost Rider is a particularly unique antihero in Marvel Comics lore, not because of his immense power or connection to the supernatural, but because of the history and Legacy that goes with the moniker. ‘Ghost Rider’ is not a person or even just a title, but an essence that passes through countless people, giving them power beyond their comprehension.

Overall, there are dozens of versions of Ghost Rider in Marvel Comics. Although some may be heroes or villains who claim the title not as a true spirit of revenge, but by another demonic entity or technology, they cannot hold a light to the legacy Ghost Rider who have a deeper connection to the more knowledge around the Spirit of vengeance (while also exhibiting immense power in their own right). With that established, here are All 35 versions of Ghost Rider, ranked from least powerful to most awesome.

35

Phantom Rider (AKA Carter Slade)

Carter Slade aka Phantom Rider (originally Ghost Rider) was technically the first version of Ghost Rider to appear in Marvel Comics, making his debut in 1966. Ghost Rider #1. However, this version of the character is nothing like the current Ghost Rider, which is why Marvel changed his name to Phantom Rider, effectively stripping him of his ‘Ghost Rider’ title.

This character does not have a link to Hellfire or any other power normally associated with a Ghost RiderBut instead is simply dressed in white, and fights 19th century crime with nothing more than his spirit revolver. A legacy character, to be sure, but one that has been left behind by the broads Ghost Rider canon, both in terms of power and relatability to the modern character.

34

The Ghost Riders (aka The Ghost Riders of Earth-807128)

Appearing for just a brief moment in the iconic Old Man Logan The storyline, the Ghost Riders are a motorcycle gang that somehow got hold of the Spirit of Vengeance’s helicycle, and then (again, somehow) split the hellfire between their own bicycles. None of them are possessed by a spirit of vengeance, and therefore none are proper Ghost Riders. But they all ride motorcycles presumably hellier than Ghost Rider’s original bike, meaning they’re still carrying his essence in this post-apocalyptic corner of the Marvel Multiverse.

While the Ghost Riders are able to take on Wolverine (although a pacifistic Logan refuses to fight back), they are all easily killed by Hawkeye, meaning they are not only unofficial Ghost Riders, they are incredibly weak. However, the fact that they wielded the spirit of revenge’s hellfire, meaning Even the ‘Ghost Riders’ are more in line with the modern version of Ghost Rider Like the original Phantom Rider – much like many other ‘Ghost Riders’ on this list.

33

Kowalski (aka “Deputy Kowalski”)

Debuting in 2008 Ghost Rider #21 by Jason Aaron and Roland Boschi, Deputy Kowalski is a Ghost Rider villain who only attains a fraction of the demonic antihero’s power. After he shot Ghost Rider with a mystical shotgun that was supposed to kill him. While Kowalski used this tiny fragment of Ghost Rider’s power to become a major thorn in the Spirit of Vengeance’s side, he simply doesn’t hold his own against the vast majority of the other Ghost Riders on this list.

32

Baron Skullfire

Baron Skullfire was the king of his very own part of the Congo, which he called Skull City. Baron Skullfire’s actual power is about the same as any average Ghost Rider. He was not stronger or weaker than them, he simply had the abilities that one would expect. What made Baron Skullfire truly dangerous was the fact that he commanded the Phantom Riders of the Congo, an army of humans who were completely loyal to him..

In order to defeat the righteous of the righteous, Baron Sculfire gathered his army and led them into battle alone. While he fought bravely, he ultimately lost his life during the war and was reborn as a Phantom Rider himself. Overall, Baron Skullfire is no match for some of the higher Ghost Riders on this list, but running an entire city, with his own army, is certainly no small feat and makes the Baron definitely worthy of respect.

31

Michael Badilino (aka “Vengeance”)

Also not technically a proper Ghost Rider, Vengeance aka Michael Badillino at least made a name for himself as a villain-turned-anti-hero who went through the same process of gaining demonic hell-powers as the classic Ghost Rider. Debuting as revenge in Ghost Rider / Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #9 by Howard Mackie and Adam Kubert, Michael lost his entire family after Ghost Rider (who was controlled by Mephisto) blasted Michael’s father with hellfire, causing the man to go insane and kill his wife and children, leaving only Michael alive.

Michael’s personal tragedy drives him to seek revenge against Ghost Rider, setting him on fire Make a deal with Mephisto to become the demonic embodiment of vengeance. Again, not an actual Ghost Rider, but a very cool character that is comparable in both power and aesthetic.

30

Ghost Rider 2099 (AKA Kenshiro “Zero” Cochrane)

The reimagining/revamping of the Ghost Rider comic book title is one of the coolest in Marvel Comics history, making its debut in Ghost Rider 2099 #1 by Len Kaminsky and Chris Bachalo. It’s just that, Ghost Rider 2099 does not have anything to do with demons, hell or the spirit of revenge. Ghost Rider 2099 is more akin to a TX Terminator than a demonic antiheroBecause this version of this character is a super-advanced android with the downloaded consciousness of Zero Cochrane controlling it.

However, while Ghost Rider 2099 is more than a match for practically anyone he would go up against in combat, the fact that his powers are tech-based rather than Hellfire-based means that he more than likely wouldn’t stand a chance against almost Every other version of Ghost Rider that is powered by Mystic and Hellfire.

29

Shark Rider (AKA Atlantean Vengeance)

The first proper spirit of vengeance on this list, Shark Rider is a version of Ghost Rider that first appeared only in a vision in 2009’s. Ghost Rider #31 by Jason Aaron, Tan Eng Huat and Roland Boschi. This is a ghost rider who rides a shark. That’s all. Cool visually, but the reader knows nothing about them except the fact that they are a spirit of vengeance from the past – not a ‘Phantom Rider’ or a cyborg – and they may be Atlantean, due to the fact that they are riding a shark.

While it is Undeniably metal to see a version of Ghost Rider riding a shark as their ‘Helicycle’There is just not enough information available about them, as anything they have ever done, or any level of power they have ever exhibited, can only be presumed.

28

World War Ghost Riders (aka Tank 666)

Although there are often several Ghost Riders inhabiting different humans on Earth at once, it is not too often that they all work together as a cohesive unit. However, that’s exactly what happened during World War II in Marvel Comics history, as a squadron of Ghost Riders fought the Nazis in a hellish tank known as ‘Tank 666’. The Ghost Riders would shoot their enemies with Hellfire shellsWhich was just as horrible to see happen to someone else as it was to experience it myself.

Tank 666 mostly fought in battles that took place in North Africa and the Rhineland, but would eventually team up with the Secret Invaders to take down a Nazi U-Boat called the U-666, which was possessed by an evil spirit. The Ghost Riders valiantly fought the greatest evil in the world at the time, and although it was a great service to the entire planet, they never really had the opportunity to flex the full power of their combined power into other Ghost Riders.

27

Wileydus Autolycus (AKA Alien Vengeance)

Guardians of the Galaxy #12 by Jim Valentino introduced Whileaydus Autolycus aka Ghost Rider, an alien zealot whose people were all but wiped out by the Universal Church of Truth. This causes Autolycus to commit his life to exterminating the universal cult of the cosmos, doing so as the Ghost Rider of the 31st century.

The Ghost Rider is a really cool addition to Marvel lore, but he’s just too much of a mystery to be considered more powerful than other Ghost Riders on this list – including and especially the upcoming wave of ‘mashup Ghost Riders’.

26

Ghost Ronin (AKA Musashi Miyamoto)

The masterless, sword-slinging samurai known as ronin are cool, but there’s nothing cooler than a ronin who’s also on fire. This is exactly what readers learned in Avengers #50 When you meet the ghost Ronin, also known as Musashi Miyamoto, a wandering swordsman who would hunt down those who have sinned. It was an easy and simple life, and no one in the Edo period of Japan could stand up against its burning blades.

On the surface, Musashi doesn’t seem like he’s all that strong, but he manages to prove himself in a surprising battle. When Mephisto and his army arrived from the future, Musashi was able to team up with the Avengers and fight them back.. Taking on Mephisto shows just how strong Musashi was.

25

Otto Blaze

One of the most dangerous Ghost Riders in the multiverse was not because of their powers, but because of their intelligence. In this world, it wasn’t Johnny Blaze who became Ghost Rider, but Otto Blaze instead. This gave Otto all the physical and demonic powers of a Ghost Rider along with his brilliant scientific mind. And naturally, since this was a variant of Otto Octavius, he also ended up using flaming chains as his four robot “weapons.”

Overall, this version of Ghost Rider lacks the pure destructive power of the higher-ranked Ghost Riders, but with his ability to create and invent things, there’s really no telling how powerful Otto can become if given enough Time.

24

Speed ​​Demon (AKA Blaze Allen)

Speed ​​Demon aka Blaze Allen is an Amalgam Universe Character that first appeared in Speed ​​demon #1 by Howard Mackie, James Felder and Salvador Larroca. Speed ​​Demon rewrote Etrigan’s story to make him a spirit of vengeance that possessed the FlashTurn this amalgamated DC/Marvel character into the resident ‘Ghost Rider’ of the Amalgam Universe.

A fun ‘mashup’ character, but overall, Speed ​​Demon is simply the first in a long line of similar ‘mashups’ that really don’t add anything to the breadth Ghost Rider myth, which makes them difficult to judge against more established spirits of vengeance (though incredibly entertaining to read about nonetheless).

23

Iron Ghost (aka The Black Legion’s Rider)

Appear in Invisible X-Force #12 by Rick Remender and Mark Brooks Iron Ghost was little more than an aesthetically badass cameo that existed in the Age of Apocalypse Universe of Earth-295. Probably because All the same powers as a regular Ghost Rider with the added benefit of Hellfire-imbued Iron Man armorIron Ghost is seemingly a force to be reckoned with. However, like many others on this list, he is just too untested to be a real contender.

22

Ghost Goblin (AKA Norman Osborn)

Ghost Goblin, on the other hand, is an absolute terror who gave the Avengers a run for their money in Avengers #52 by Jason Aaron and Juan Frigeri. This Ghost Rider was from a universe where the Spirit of Vengeance latches onto the Green Goblin, and is actually corrupted by the madness of the classic Spider-Man Villain.

With the power of a Ghost Rider driven mad by his master, Green Goblin is able to use his infernal powers for evil on a multiversal scale, making Ghost Goblin one of the strongest Ghost Rider ‘mashups’ on this list (not To mention the one with probably the coolest Ghost Rider vehicle).

21

Ghost Spider (AKA Peter Parker)

First appeared as Ghost Spider in Incredible Hulk annual #1 by John Layman and Al Barrionuevo, this is a version of the Spirit of Vengeance from Earth-11638 that attached itself to Spider-Man after Peter Parker died, went to Hell, and was brought back by the Multiverse Technology developed by himself and his uncle Ben.

With the fusion of the power sets, Ghost Spider is quite literally both unstoppable and untouchableWith the added benefit of technology at his disposal that gives him access to the wider multiverse.

20

Host Rider (AKA Roberto Reyes)

Host Rider is without a doubt the most tragic version of Ghost Rider on this list. Roberto Reyes was possessed by the demonic spirit of his uncle Eli Morrow, and turned him into Ghost Rider. After a major battle, Robbie was able to tame his uncle’s spirit and gained full control over his Ghost Rider abilities. Unfortunately, this is all thrown into chaos when he meets the Venom symbiote. Venom bonds with Roberto against his will, kicking off a three-way war for control of Roberto’s body between Eli, Venom, and Roberto himself.

The power of Ghost Rider and the physical versatility of Venom would make an absolutely incredible combination. Not only that, but Ghost Rider’s immunity to fire would make it one of Venom’s greatest weaknesses, as Venom would no longer need to worry about being burned.

19

Red Hulk-Veno-Ghost Rider (aka ‘The Circle of Four’)

Originating as a team called the Circle of Four that debuted in Poison #13 by Rick Remender and Tony Moore, this Monstrous amalgamation of Red Hulk, Venom and Ghost Rider was created to take on Blackheart and his legion of demons. The existence of this monstrous creature in Marvel lore is tragically short-lived, but when heroes who are that powerful all merge into one, their power-level is certainly of itself, even if they are not as tested as others.

More of a treat for fans than an established character, this ‘Ghost Rider’ is definitely fun to watch in action, and undeniably powerful. However, Circle of Four certainly left a lot to be desired in terms of longevity and character development (and, at the very least, just more badass action).

18

Ghost Hammer (AKA T’Challa)

Another Amalgam-Ghost Rider similar to that of Circle of Four – but arguably more powerful – is Ghost Hammer, which is Thor, Black Panther, Iron Man and Ghost Rider combined. Debut in Secret Warps: Arachknight Annual #1 by Al Ewing and Carlos Gómez, this Ghost Rider is a demon, a god, a tech genius and a king all rolled into one. A product of Warp World, and created to be the ultimate cosmic warrior, Ghost Hammer is almost incalculably powerful.

However, like most of the other ‘mashup’ Ghost Riders on this list, their existence feels cheap and unearned, which is why Ghost Hammer isn’t featured as prominently as other, more established Ghost Riders on this list.

17

Wolverine (aka Helverine)

When Wolverine teamed up with Johnny Blaze’s Ghost Rider in the crossover storyline Weapons of revengeHe gets captured by a demon-worshipping cult who learned how to blend dark magic with technology. The leader of the cult, Father Pike, uses the magic-fueled tech to transfer a demon that resided in a young orphan named Bram into Wolverine, thereby turning Logan into a whole new Ghost Rider named Helverine.

Like other off-brand Ghost Riders, Helverine is not possessed by Zarathos (as many alternative Ghost Riders have been in the past), but is instead fueled by the demon Bagra-Gul. So, while Wolverine is effectively a Ghost Rider like Helverine, he is not a spirit of vengeance, because Bagra-Gul does not punish the guilty to avenge the innocent, it will kill (and brutally torture) anyone it comes across – making Helverine is viciously dangerous as well as incredibly powerful.

16

Cosmic Ghost Rider (aka Frank Castle)

The latest of the ‘Mashup Ghost Rider’, Frank Castle aka Cosmic Ghost Rider (who first appeared in Thanos #13 by Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw) is much more fleshed out than the previous ones, which felt more like “What if?“Gags as established characters. Cosmic Ghost Rider has a rich history in Marvel Comics lore, whose strength has been tested against the likes of Cable, Thanos and even Galactus.

Frank Castle’s Ghost Rider is powered by the spirit of vengeance and the power cosmicAlthough his insanity is a major downside, and even the addition of the power cosmic means little to a more committed Ghost Rider (especially those who are more skilled in magic).