254 GHOST RIDER
cursed by simply touching the symbols on an old discarded motorcycle. Th is version
of Ghost Rider, though still supernatural, is more in line with the superhero aspects
of the character, even joining with Spider-Man , Th e Hulk , and Wolverine to form
an ersatz Fantastic Four. His powers included a Penance Stare and a Hell Chain,
reminiscent of Spawn. Both of the latter Ghost Riders are part of a legacy of Spirits
of Vengeance, dating back to the 1800s. Th is concept is reminiscent of some aspects
of Alan Moore’s Swamp Th ing , though the heroic legacy dates back to Th e Phan-
tom. Meanwhile, it is eventually revealed that Ketch is Blaze’s half-brother, while
Blaze is revealed to be the unknowing servant of an angel, rather than of Satan. As
of this writing, the brothers share the mantle and powers of Ghost Rider in guest
appearances and miniseries.
It should be noted that the Comics Code was still in place when the 1972 version of
Ghost Rider appeared, making its depictions of demons and black magic quite daring,
but also inhibiting the comic’s eff ectiveness as a horror book. Paradoxically, the more
superhero-driven 1990 story has more overt and successful horror elements. Th is is
due to Marvel’s virtual abandoning of the code in the 1990s in favor of its own internal
ratings system.
In 2007, director Mark Steven Johnson helmed a Ghost Rider fi lm based on his own
screenplay. Starring Nicolas Cage, it incorporated elements of the 1970s and 1990s
incarnations of the character, and took many of the usual Hollywood liberties with the
source material. Fan opinion is somewhat divided on the fi lm.
In a far-future story with cyberpunk science fi ction themes, Ghost Rider 2099 ran
from May 1994 to May 1996, and echoed some of the ideas in the anime and manga
Akira.
Nicolas Cage as Ghost Rider, in the 2007 film by the same name, directed by Mark Steven
Johnson. Columbia Pictures/Photofest
