Marvel’s New Ghost Rider Is a Supervillain

Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #1 answers the burning question: Who is the new Ghost Rider? Marvel Comics has been teasing that Johnny Blaze — the heroic hellrider who bonded with the demon Zarathos to become the supernatural superhero way back in Marvel Spotlight #5 in 1972 — will take his last ride as the Ghost Rider in 2024. Last week’s Ghost Rider #21, by writer Benjamin Percy and artist Carlos Nieto, ended with the demonic Mephisto warning that Blaze’s time as the Ghost Rider is about to come to an end… and that the Spirit of Vengeance will fall into the wrong hands. 

Marvel Comics teased the secret identity of the all-new Ghost Rider with the reveal of a special Foil Variant cover by artist Benjamin Su (whose variant covers have adorned issues of Ghost Rider, Punisher, and Venom). The publisher also announced that fans will learn who will become the new Spirit of Vengeance in a special announcement coming “very soon.”

Percy — who relaunched Ghost Rider with a new #1 in 2022 — continues his work in Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance in March with artist Daniel Kim. According to the official synopsis, the new series “will see the Spirit of Vengeance turn down a dark road as he abandons Johnny Blaze and possesses a powerful Marvel supervillain instead.”

The latest issues of Ghost Rider Vol. 10 put Blaze and his girlfriend, the mystical Talia Warroad, on the trail of the occultist Stefan Skaar as he recruited troubled youth to the Cult of Mephisto — worshippers of the demon who damned Blaze in the deal that transformed him into the Ghost Rider. Spoilers: That arc ended with Talia summoning a fiery portal to Hell that claimed Skaar as Blaze, human host of the Spirit of Vengeance, purified the children’s sins. (Read a recap here.)

In the Marvel comics canon, Johnny Blaze isn’t the only person to become the Ghost Rider — or the first. There have been Ghost Riders as far back as the prehistoric age (the Rider of 1,000,000 B. C.), the 17th century (the Puritan Noble Kale), and the 19th century (Kushala the Spirit Rider), while the modern age has seen Blaze’s brother — Danny Ketch — become a fiery defender of innocents. Other notable human hosts include Alejandra Jones, the Robbie Reyes Ghost Rider, and even the sorcerer Doctor Strange.

Below, see the solicit for Ghost Rider: Final Vengeance #1, on sale March 13.

GHOST RIDER: FINAL VENGEANCE #1
Written by BENJAMIN PERCY
Art by DANNY KIM
Cover by JUAN FERREYRA
Foil Variant Cover by BENJAMIN SU
On Sale 3/13

WHO IS THE NEW SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE? Johnny Blaze was bonded with theSpirit of Vengeance. Unwilling to be a monster, Johnny used this demonfrom Hell to do good as the Ghost Rider. But heroism isn’t what theRider was meant for. So who will be the new Spirit of Vengeance? Andwhat will it mean for the Marvel Universe? Find out in this extra-sizedfirst issue by writer Benjamin Percy and hot new art sensation DannyKim!