Marvel Introduces Ghost Rider’s Female Roller Derby Sidekick

Marvel’s celebration for Robbie Reyes’ Ghost Rider included a team-up with a possible new sidekick. While Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch get most of the Ghost Rider attention for how long they’ve been connected with the Spirit of Vengeance, Robbie Reyes has quickly garnered a pretty solid fanbase of his own. Robbie was a central part of Jason Aaron’s run on Avengers, and Gabriel Luna portrayed the Ghost Rider on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. As many fans as Robbie has, they probably didn’t expect him to pick up a sidekick who is into roller derby along the way. But that’s exactly what happened in a comic dedicated entirely to him.

*WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Ghost Rider: Robbie Reyes Special #1. Continue reading at your own risk!

The final story in Ghost Rider: Robbie Reyes Special #1 is “A Fantasmic Roller Derby Adventure” by Melissa Flores, Jan Bazaldua, and Luiz Zavala. Robbie tries to spend a quiet evening with his younger brother Gabriel and his girlfriend at the roller derby when a portal full of hellhounds opens up over the arena. While Ghost Rider takes care of the hellhounds outside the arena, some make their way indoors to terrorize the crowd. Just as Gabe and his girlfriend are about to be attacked, a new Ghost Rider named Fantasma saves them. 

Instead of riding in on a flaming car or motorcycle, Fantasma glides on rollerblades. Another difference between Fantasma and other Ghost Riders is her flame is a light blue hue, though she does have the signature Ghost Rider skull on her mask. Robbie Reyes eventually rides in with a pack of hellhounds leashed to his chains, allowing him and Fantasma to meet for the first time. Fantasma sacrifices herself by escorting the hellhounds into the portal herself, leaving Robbie to find Gabe and his girlfriend to head home.

Who is Fantasma, Ghost Rider’s new sidekick?

As Robbie Reyes leaves the roller derby, Gabe can’t help but talk about how big a fan he is of the teen Ghost Rider sidekick, Fantasma. Gabe likes her blue flames, roller skates, and pigtails. Before the story ends, we’re taken to the locker room of the roller derby, where Fantasma re-emerges from a portal. This time she’s in her civilian identity of local roller derby girl, and calls her girlfriend to let her know she’s alright. 

Ghost Rider: Robbie Reyes Special #1 teases more from Fantasma in the future, but we at least know she will be a part of the upcoming New Champions launch. The series takes a bunch of the sidekicks created for the New Champions variant cover series and properly introduces them into the Marvel Universe. Fantasma was created by Luciano Vecchio for the variant program.  Whether or not Fantasma is a part of the New Champions’ initial lineup when the series debuts is unknown at this time.

When Marvel announced Ghost Rider: Robbie Reyes Special #1 it gave more details on Fantasma, including what her real name is. “Hell breaks loose at the roller derby in the thrilling debut of FANTASMA by writer Melissa Flores and Marvel Stormbreaker artist Jan Bazaldua!: the description of the story reads. “Meet Isabella ‘Izzy’ Alvarez, a Colombian roller derby champ with a cursed secret, as she teams up with Robbie against a horde of Hellhounds!”

Hopefully in the future we see more of Robbie Reyes’ Ghost Rider and Fantasma working together. The Ghost Rider franchise could use a bit more diversity in its ranks, and Fantasma promises to provide just that.