Retro Comic Rewind: Ghost Rider

This content material incorporates affiliate hyperlinks. When you purchase by way of these hyperlinks, we could earn an affiliate fee.

Eileen’s major literary love is comedian books, however she’s all the time looking out for her subsequent literary journey it doesn’t matter what kind it takes. She has a Bachelor’s in media research, a Master’s in digital communication, a smattering of revealed quick tales, and a critically cute canine. Follow her on Bluesky and Twitter.

View All posts by Eileen Gonzalez

Some comics go down in historical past as masterful examples of the craft and are beloved by a number of generations. And others find yourself on the landfill. In this collection, I’ll be trying again on some forgotten collection to raised perceive what sort of comics our ancestral nerds have been studying within the days of rotary telephones and document gamers.

Today’s topic: Ghost Rider! But not that one! But additionally, sure, that one, kind of!

The Ghost Rider #1 cover, showing Ghost Rider as a cowboy chasing down scared Indigenous people wearing feathers and face paint — They actually went, “let’s recreate Action Comics #1 but with racism this time!”

The Context

In the early Fifties, superhero comics have been going out of style, and nearly each different kind of comedian was about to have its day within the solar. Western and horror comics have been among the many genres experiencing a surge in reputation, so it made whole sense to mix the 2.

The Creators

We can thank writer Magazine Enterprises for this one. Founded in 1943, this was the corporate that Superman’s creators, Siegel and Schuster, labored for after shedding the rights to the Man of Steel and leaving DC. Alas, their work right here wasn’t almost so timeless, however the Ghost Rider has had a way more attention-grabbing journey.

Ghost Rider was created by Ray Krank and Dick Ayers, and he first appeared in Tim Holt, a Western comedian named for a preferred B-movie cowboy actor. He earned his personal title — this one we’re speaking about at this time — in 1950, which was revealed over the subsequent 4 years.

Ayers is now greatest recognized for the inking work he did for Jack Kirby on Fantastic Four within the Sixties, for which he shared in a 1963 Alley Award. But Ayers was an achieved artist in his personal proper, as this collection proves. We additionally get artwork from Frank Frazetta, who contributed a number of early covers.

The Comic

Right on the primary web page of the primary situation, we get adverse stereotypes of Indigenous individuals and Chinese individuals. How…environment friendly?

Anyway, Ghost Rider has had a few origin tales, though they’re very related. Originally, in Tim Holt #11, his backstory went like this: within the Old West, U.S. Marshal Rex Fury is grievously injured whereas thwarting an assault from Native Americans (bizarrely led by a white man disguised as an Indigenous individual). The culprits assume he’s useless, so Fury takes benefit of their ignorance by coating himself and his horse in a white substance (phosphorescent paint, one assumes, although it’s not clear) to scare his would-be killer.

Ghost Rider #1 revamps this origin considerably. It begins the identical, however somewhat than merely surviving the homicide try, Fury is left hanging between life and loss of life. While on this state, he’s visited by the ghosts of colonialism previous, from Wild Bill Hickock to Calamity Jane, who educate him all he must learn about capturing, preventing, and monitoring. They even present him a white horse, Spectre. Fury would later add some methods of his personal to make himself appear much less human.

Ghost Rider uses a spring in his sleeve to make it seem like his arm is stretching out towards a frightened criminal. — Sheriffs hate him! Scare off your enemies with this one bizarre trick!

Upon returning to the land of the dwelling, Rex, because the Ghost Rider, makes use of his newfound expertise and his phosphorescent costume to scare criminals into pondering he’s an undead spirit of justice, right here to avenge the individuals who have died due to their evil schemes.

I must also point out that Ghost Rider had a Chinese sidekick named…sigh…Sing-Song, who appears upsettingly like Chin-Kee from American Born Chinese. If nothing else, Sing-Song is an clever, helpful sidekick, typically arising with intelligent concepts to both save Ghost Rider or defeat the unhealthy guys.

In any case, Sing-Song disappears from the comedian after some time, aside from a few appearances in Issue 13, the second-to-last situation.

Aside from Ghost Rider’s useless tutors, there are not any supernatural parts within the early tales. Whenever it looks like a ghost or spirit exhibits up, it’s inevitably some charlatan in a fancy dress. Ghost Rider even expresses skepticism that otherworldly entities may exist in any respect, regardless that he personally met a number of of them.

A train filled with ghostly faces passes by. Ghost Rider chases the train while professing — How does Ghost Rider not imagine in ghosts?!

Presumably, somebody questioned this as a result of Issue 7 began experimenting with a backup characteristic, “Tales of the Ghost Rider,” which doesn’t characteristic Ghost Rider however does embrace supernatural creatures like werewolves. Ghost Rider himself would solely face supernatural entities as soon as: he encounters zombies in Issue 7. It’s a really bizarre and apparent missed alternative.

Nevertheless, it’s a reasonably enjoyable comedian. The plots get a bit redundant after some time — there’s all the time some grasping human prepared to homicide and/or execute elaborate hoaxes for revenue — however Ayers’s artwork really stands out…in most methods. Like too many different artists, he solely appears able to drawing one (1) feminine face regardless of the spectacular selection he brings to his male characters.

The comedian even encompasses a precursor to that different Ghost Rider’s penance stare: in Issue 13, Fury makes use of mirrored glasses to make his sufferer assume he’s seeing flames that replicate his personal responsible conscience.

Thanks to reflective lenses, flames appear in the Ghost Rider's eyes, frightening a criminal into fleeing out a window. Ghost Rider pursues, saying, "You see only your own guilt! Run, run -- it will only bring you closer to your just end!" — Ghost Rider is a bit melodramatic along with his speeches.

Ghost Rider lasted 14 points and achieved at the least sufficient reputation to encourage some merchandise (a number of points promote a particular scarf that may double as a masks) earlier than being cancelled in 1954.

The Legacy

Once ol’ Ghosty fell into the general public area, Marvel fortunately yoinked his code identify, his costume, and essential parts of his backstory for their very own model of the character, schoolteacher Carter Slade, with Dick Ayers as soon as once more supplying the artwork. But it wasn’t till 1972, when Johnny Blaze confirmed up along with his bike and flaming cranium head, that the character’s legacy was cemented.

(For my cash, there are additionally similarities between Rex Fury and Marvel’s Moon Knight, each by way of look and origin story. But that’s in all probability a coincidence.)

Nowadays, Rex Fury goes by a distinct identify, the Haunted Horseman, to distinguish himself from the extra fashionable, Marvel-owned iterations of the character. Marvel itself appears decided to erase Rex Fury from the historical past books: the quilt of 1967’s Ghost Rider #1 describes the guide as “another…first from Mighty Marvel” — as if the character had no historical past previous to their buying him — and as of this writing, their web site describes Carter Slade as “the FIRST Ghost Rider,” full with defensive capital letters. Rude.

Ghost Rider sits atop his white horse, vowing to avenge the death of a young boy's parents, as lightning splits the sky behind him. — That certain appears like a Mighty Marvel creation to me!

It’s a disgrace as a result of Fury doesn’t deserve that. If you’re in a position to grit your enamel by way of the racism (to not point out the occasional ableism and fatphobia), Ghost Rider is price a search for followers of improbable artwork and/or the Ghost Rider franchise. In any case, it’s attention-grabbing to look again on the seeds that might develop right into a extra acquainted character.

Want extra classic goodness? Check out earlier editions of RCR: Race for the Moon, Stamps Comics, Tippy Teen, Winnie Winkle, Hangman Comics, G.I. in Battle, Adventures in Wonderland, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1993), The Arrow, and Weird Horrors!

Source link