'Cosmic Ghost Rider' First Look Released

04/05/2018 01:28 pm EDT

Marvel Comics has released a first look preview of Cosmic Ghost Rider #1 by writer Donny Cates and artist Dylan Burnett.

The miniseries is a spinoff of Cates' run on Thanos with artist Geoff Shaw, where Cosmic Ghost Rider was introduced. Cosmic Ghost Rider is the Punisher, Frank Castle, after being turned into a Ghost Rider, driven insane, and then made into a servant of Thanos.

"Cosmic Ghost Rider is such a blast to work on," said Cates in a statement. "It's honestly pretty overwhelming how much the Marvel fans have embraced this crazy character, and I'm having so much fun continuing the Rider's insane story! If you thought Thanos Wins was wild...you just wait to see what we have planned for everyone's new favorite space lunatic!"

Check out the preview in the attached gallery.

Thanos #16 revealed how Frank Castle became the Cosmic Ghost Rider. It turns out the Punisher was one of the last heroes standing during Earth's final battle against Thanos, a battle that Earth lost in the end. When Castle died, he reached out to make sure he died with his gun in his hand and thought, "I would give anything to punish that purple sonofabitch."

And that was when Mephisto showed up. When the Punisher died, the lord of hell offered a bargain.It cost Frank Castle his soul, but he was turned into the Ghost Rider and could finally punisher everyone who deserved it.

Except there was no one left. Castle spent decades riding around on Earth all by himself until eventually, he went insane. Then one day Galactus showed up and was badly wounded. Castle offered himself to Thanos as a new herald to help get revenge on Thanos, and so he became the Cosmic Ghost Rider.

Unfortunately for him, even the combined might of Galactus and the Cosmic Ghost Rider wasn't enough to defeat Thanos. Instead, Thanos killed Galactus for good but offered Frank Castle a chance to continue doing what he loved as a minion of Thanos.

Now the Cosmic Ghost Rider miniseries will explore what an insane Frank Castle does to try to make the universe a better place.

Cosmic Ghost Rider #1 goes on sale July 4th.

COSMIC GHOST RIDER #1 (of 5)
Written by DONNY CATES
Art by DYLAN BURNETT
Cover by GEOFF SHAW
On Sale 7/4/18

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