All 30 Versions of Ghost Rider, Ranked From Weakest To Most Powerful (2024)

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

Overall, there are 30 Ghost Riders in Marvel Comics. Some are characters who aren’t actually Ghost Riders, but who have powers that greatly resemble the proper Spirit of Vengeance, either through another demonic entity or even technology. Some are ‘mashup’ characters scattered throughout Marvel Comics, which are basically ‘what if this hero/villain was a Ghost Rider?’.

These characters are fun, and some are extremely powerful, but on principle, they don’t hold a candle to the legacy Ghost Riders, those who have a deeper connection to the wider lore surrounding the Spirit of Vengeance while also exhibiting immense power in their own right. With that established, here are all 30 versions of Ghost Rider, ranked.

30 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, who made his debut in 1966’s Ghost Rider #1. However, this version of the character isn’t anything 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 doesn’t have a link to hellfire or any other power normally associated with a Ghost Rider, but instead is simply dressed all in white, and fights 19th century crime with nothing more than his spirit revolver. A legacy character, to be sure, but one who’s been left behind by the wider Ghost Rider canon, both in terms of power and relatability to the modern character.

29 The Ghost Riders (AKA The Ghost Riders of Earth-807128)

Appearing for only a brief moment in the iconic Old Man Logan storyline, the Ghost Riders are a motorcycle gang that somehow got ahold of the Spirit of Vengeance’s Hellcycle, and then (again, somehow) divided the hellfire up between their own cycles. None of them are possessed by a Spirit of Vengeance, and therefore none are proper Ghost Riders. Yet they all ride motorcycles with hellfire presumably from Ghost Rider’s original hellcycle, meaning they’re still carrying on his essence in this post-apocalyptic corner of the Marvel multiverse.

While these Ghost Riders were able to take on Wolverine (albeit a pacifistic Logan unwilling to fight back), they were all easily killed by Hawkeye, meaning they weren’t only unofficial Ghost Riders, they were incredibly weak. However, the fact that they wielded the Spirit of Vengeance’s hellfire, meaning even these 'Ghost Riders' are more in-line with the modern version of Ghost Rider than the original Phantom Rider - much like many other ‘Ghost Riders’ on this list.

28 Kowalski (AKA "Deputy Kowalski")

Debuting in 2008’s Ghost Rider #21 by Jason Aaron and Roland Boschi, Deputy Kowalkski is a Ghost Rider villain who only attained a fraction of the demonic antihero’s power after he shot Ghost Rider with a mystical shotgun that was supposed to kill him. While Kowalksi 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 up against the vast majority of the other Ghost Riders on this list.

27 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-antihero who went through the same process of gaining demonic hell-powers as the classic Ghost Rider. Debuting as Vengeance in Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #9 by Howard Mackie and Adam Kubert, Michael lost his entire family after Ghost Rider (who was being controlled by Mephisto) blasted Michael’s father with hellfire, causing the man to go insane and murder his wife and children, leaving only Michael alive.

Michael's personal tragedy drove him to seek vengeance against Ghost Rider, sparking him to make a deal with Mephisto to become the demonic embodiment of Vengeance. Again, not an actual Ghost Rider, but a very cool character who’s comparable in both power and aesthetic.

26 Ghost Rider 2099 (AKA Kenshiro "Zero" Cochrane)

This 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 Kaminski and Chris Bachalo. It’s just that, Ghost Rider 2099 doesn’t have anything to do with demons, hell, or the Spirit of Vengeance. Ghost Rider 2099 is more akin to a T-X Terminator than a demonic antihero, as this version of the 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'd go up against in combat, the fact that his powers are tech-based rather than hellfire-based means he more than likely wouldn’t stand a chance against almost every other version of Ghost Rider that is powered by mysticism and hellfire.

25 Shark Rider (AKA Atlantean Vengeance)

The first proper Spirit of Vengeance on this list, Shark Rider is a version of Ghost Rider who first appeared merely 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 is all. Cool visually, but readers know nothing about them other than the fact that they are a Spirit of Vengeance of the past - not a ‘phantom rider’ or a cyborg - and they may be Atlantean, due to the fact that they’re riding a shark.

While it is undeniably metal to see a version of Ghost Rider riding a shark as their 'hellcycle', there's just not enough information available about them, as everything they’ve ever done, or any level of power they’ve ever exhibited, can only be presumed.

24 World War II Ghost Riders (AKA Tank 666)

While there have oftentimes been multiple Ghost Riders inhabiting different humans on Earth at once, it’s not too often they’re all working 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 Hell-Tank known as ‘Tank 666’. These Ghost Riders would shoot their enemies with Hellfire Shells, which was just as horrific to see happen to someone else as it was to experience it oneself.

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 a malevolent spirit. These Ghost Riders valiantly fought the greatest evil in the world at that time, and while that was a great service to the entire planet, they never really got the chance to flex the full might of their combined power in ways other Ghost Riders have.

23 Wileaydus 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 this universal cult from the cosmos, doing so as the Ghost Rider of the 31st century.

This 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’.

22 Speed Demon (AKA Blaze Allen)

Speed Demon aka Blaze Allen is an Amalgam Universe character who 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 who possessed the Flash, turning 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’ who really don’t add anything to the wider Ghost Rider mythos, making them hard to judge against more established Spirits of Vengeance (though incredibly entertaining to read about nonetheless).

21 Iron Ghost (AKA The Black Legion's Rider)

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Appearing in Uncanny X-Force #12 by Rick Remender and Mark Brooks, Iron Ghost was little more than an aesthetically badass cameo who existed within the Age of Apocalypse universe of Earth-295. Presumably having all the same powers as a regular Ghost Rider with the added benefit of hellfire-imbued Iron Man armor, Iron Ghost is seemingly a force to be reckoned with. But, like many others on this list, he’s just too untested to be a real contender.

20 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 latched itself onto the Green Goblin, and was actually corrupted by the insanity of the classic Spider-Man villain.

With the power of a Ghost Rider that had gone insane because of its host, Green Goblin is able to use his hell-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).

19 Ghost Spider (AKA Peter Parker)

First appearing 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 through the multiversal technology developed by himself and his Uncle Ben.

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

18 Red Hulk-Venom-Ghost Rider (AKA 'The Circle of Four')

Originating as a team called the Circle of Four that debuted in Venom #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. This monstrous creature’s existence in Marvel lore was tragically short-lived, but when heroes who are that strong all merge into one, their power-level certainly goes without saying, even if they haven’t been as tested as others.

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

17 Ghost Hammer (AKA T'Challa)

Another amalgam-Ghost Rider similar to the one from Circle of Four - but arguably more powerful - is Ghost Hammer, who is Thor, Black Panther, Iron Man, and Ghost Rider combined. Debuting 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.

16 Wolverine (AKA Hellverine)

When Wolverine teams up with Johnny Blaze’s Ghost Rider in the crossover storyline Weapons of Vengeance, he gets captured by a demon-worshiping cult that learned how to merge dark magic with technology. The cult’s leader, Father Pike, uses the magic-fueled tech to transfer a demon that has resided in a young orphan named Bram into Wolverine, thereby turning Logan into an all-new Ghost Rider aptly named Hellverine.

Like other off-brand Ghost Riders, Hellverine isn’t possessed by Zarathos (as many alternate Ghost Riders have been in the past), but is instead fueled by the demon Bagra-ghul. So, while Wolverine is effectively a Ghost Rider as Hellverine, he is not a Spirit of Vengeance, as Bagra-ghul doesn’t punish the guilty to avenge the innocent, it will kill (and gruesomely torture) anyone it comes across - making Hellverine viciously dangerous as well as incredibly powerful.

15 Cosmic Ghost Rider (AKA Frank Castle)

The last of the ‘mashup Ghost Riders’, 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 than 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 Cosmic, though 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).

14 Ghost Rider, One Milion BC (AKA The First Rider)

And now, it’s time to dig into the proper Ghost Riders of Marvel lore, beginning literally with the first ever Ghost Rider in Marvel Comics continuity (and unlike Carter Slade, this one actually gets to keep that title). Debuting in Jason Aaron’s Marvel Legacy #1, this Ghost Rider is revealed to be the first human ever imbued with the power of the Spirit of Vengeance in the year 1,000,000 BC.

Not only did this Ghost Rider have a badass, primal appearance, but he also proved his mettle by killing the previously mentioned Ghost Goblin along with his multiversal partner-in-crime, Berserker Wolverine (which is just one of his many impressive accomplishments).

13 Uncle Sal (AKA Angel of Vengeance)

Uncle Sal is a unique Ghost Rider as he’s one of the few who is an actual ghost. Sal was a soldier during World War II - with a badass Ghost Rider Hellcycle to match - who was possessed by a Spirit of Vengeance (though it’s unclear exactly which one). After he died, Sal’s Ghost Rider never left him, and he continued to live on through his motorcycle for seemingly one reason: to protect an innocent child with immense (and totally mysterious) significance to the wider Marvel Universe.

According to Uncle Sal, if this kid dies, the world seemingly goes with him, so Ghost Rider will make sure that doesn’t happen. Uncle Sal has only appeared in a total of three comic books in his short Marvel Comics history, so he’s yet to flex the full extent of his power. That being said, this Ghost Rider does have a hellfire bazooka strong enough to knock the Hulk on his butt, so he’s definitely no pushover.

12 Caleb (AKA The Grim Rider)

Caleb (of Ghost Rider: Trail of Tears #1 by Garth Ennis and Clayton Crain) is a former slave who purchased his and his wife’s freedom before the Civil War. Tragically, he and his family were murdered soon after they made a life for themselves. Like the aforementioned Uncle Sal, Caleb returns from the grave as Ghost Rider two years later, seeking vengeance upon those who wronged him, as well as those who commit atrocious acts of evil everywhere.

Quiet, focused, and deadly, nothing flashy about this one, which is why he stands out as being such a great Ghost Rider, one who arguably embodies the essence of the Spirit of Vengeance better than anyone else on this list.

11 Naomi Kale (AKA Clara Blaze)

Debuting in Ghost Rider Vol. 2 #78 by J.M. DeMatteis and Bob Budiansky, Naomi Kale is the mother of Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch who became Ghost Rider for only a short time to fight Mephisto before being killed by the demon king. She was the descendant of Noble Kale and the keeper of the Medallion of Power - which is the artifact that made Danny Ketch a Ghost Rider.

While not as cosmically powerful as some, or as ridiculously strong as the previous ‘mashup’ ones, Naomi’s significance in Ghost Rider lore trumps those shortcomings, and her heroic final stand against Mephisto is absolutely legendary.