15 Most Powerful Ghost Rider Variants In Marvel Comics

With the arrival of the All-Rider, the most powerful Ghost Rider variant into the Marvel Universe, it’s tempting to claim the being as the most powerful Avenger yet. But throughout the history of countless versions and incarnations of the Ghost Rider, he does have some competition.

The Ghost Rider concept allows for different people to take on the mantle, which allowed characters like Johnny Blaze and Robbie Reyes to become the Spirit of Vengeance in the mainline Marvel continuity. Thanks to storylines that fuse characters, other icons like Black Panther also gained Ghost Rider’s powers, and The Flash did as well in a fun 1990s crossover with DC Comics. More Ghost Riders still ride in the multiverse, including cosmically powerful versions sure to appear somewhere in live-action or animation. But which ones stand out as the most powerful Ghost Riders of all time?

15 Johnny Blaze

The Original Ghost Rider

Johnny Blaze debuted in Marvel Spotlight #5 in 1972, bringing the Ghost Rider concept into the Marvel Universe. All Ghost Riders, as avatars for the Spirit of Vengeance, feature the same fundamental powers. These include the mystical power to transform from a human being into a terrifying flaming skeleton.

When he first introduced the concept and tradition of Ghost Riders, Johnny Blaze transformed instantly when confronted with pure evil. But over time, he developed the ability to control these transitions, all helping him to develop into a more disciplined hero.

14 Alejandra Jones

Was Trained To Be The Next Ghost Rider

Alejandra Jones became Ghost Rider in Ghost Rider #1 in 2011, blessed with all the same powers of her predecessors, but with one major difference. Unlike many other hosts of the Spirit of Vengeance, Alejandra was one of several children specifically raised to become the next Rider. Being chosen for the role while still a teenager, Alejandra’s time as the Rider went about as dramatically (and tragically) as most would expect.

Johnny Blaze took on the responsibility of training Alejandra to master her new identity, but her training managed to show him a fair share of surprises. Thanks to her preparation, Alejandra revealed a mastery of her supernatural powers (hellfire manipulation chief among them) that not even Johnny Blaze was aware of. While Alejandra’s character may have been overshadowed by Mephisto’s conquest, her abilities and storyline expanded what was possible for Ghost Riders to follow.

13 Chief Hellhawk

One Of The Oldest Ghost Riders

Long before writer Jason Aaron began to reveal the origins of the ancient Avengers of 1,000,000 BC, he expanded the history of men and women chosen to embody the role of Ghost Rider. With thousands of years to fill with Spirits of Vengeance, the introduction of Hellhawk in Ghost Rider #33 (2009) was just one of several to debut in the same issue (inside of a montage tracing the Rider legacy through distinct periods of American history).

Too little is known about the 17th century Ghost Rider created by Jason Aaron and Tony Moore, given how memorable his introduction proves. Wielding bow and arrow atop a flaming horse, firing vengeance upon enemies and killers of Native Americans, there is no question that more stories of Hellhawk will eventually be told in Marvel Comics.

12 Ghost-Spider

A Former Villain Trying To Find Redemption

There are tons of different versions of Spider-Man across the Multiverse, but one of the coolest is by far Ghost-Spider. From Earth-11638, this version of Peter Parker never lost his uncle Ben. With Ben still alive, he helped Peter become a popular superhero and an accomplished scientist. Constantly seeking more power, this version of Peter would use his inventions to bring Spider-Men from other dimensions over to his, so he could kill and consume them for power.

This would all fall apart after kidnapping the 616 Spider-Man. After a lengthy conversation and a fight, Peter was able to convince this Spider-Man that he had become a villain. This Spider-Man would then go on to gain the Spirit of Vengeance and transform into Ghost-Spider. He would use these new powers to try and find redemption for all the Spider-Men he had killed.

11 Ghost Panther

The Fusion Of Ghost Rider And Black Panther

There are few things that writers and fans love more than fusing characters. The way to instantly make something cool is to just take two characters and mash them together, and this hypothesis was proven true once again with the reveal of Ghost Panther. From the Warp World where Gamora had accidentally created a fused universe, readers get to see what it would look like if Black Panther had the Spirit of Vengeance.

In this world, T’Challa was exiled from Wakanda due to his arrogant nature, and he met Jericho Simpson, who taught him to be a skilled stuntman under the name Johnny Blaze. After a terrible accident, Jericho used his mastery of mysticism to try and bring T’Challa back with the Spirit of Vengeance. While T’challa initially refused this offer, he would eventually agree to hunt down his father’s killers.

10 Wolverine (Akihiro)

One Of The Coolest Ghost-Riders To Ever Exist

Wolverine is one of Marvel’s most popular and brutal heroes. This has led to Wolverine being put in tons of different situations. He’s gotten the Phoenix force, he’s been a zombie, he’s lost his adamantium, he’s transformed into a caveman. He’s been just about everything he can be, and Marvel decided to take it one step forward by transforming Wolverine’s son, Akihiro, into Ghost Rider. This saw Akihiro’s version of Wolverine take on one of his absolute coolest forms as the Hellverine.

This version of Wolverine has an amazing burning adamantium skull, along with flaming claws that he uses to tear apart the wicked. Wolverine has had tons of different looks over the years, but there’s no doubt the Hellverine is one of the coolest. The fusion of Wolverine and Ghost Rider also made them one of Marvel’s strongest heroes.

9 Danny Ketch

The One And Only Death Rider

Danny Ketch may not share the same name recognition among casual Marvel fans as his brother, Johnny Blaze, but the other son of Barton Blaze has been leading his own story of demonic twists and turns since he was introduced back in 1990. Following his debut, Danny took over the role… until Johnny Blaze came calling to see if the new Ghost Rider was as much of a threat as he seemed.

Over time, the canon was rewritten to make Danny and Johnny biological brothers, separated to prevent the Spirits of Vengeance from uniting (as the combined power would be too much for anyone to control). In modern times, Danny has been transformed from Ghost Rider to Death Rider, a Spirit of Corruption, with no signs of his outlandish life ending any time soon.

8 Speed Demon

An Amalgamation Of Ghost Rider And The Flash

The creation of the Amalgam universe gave fans of DC and Marvel a gallery of crossover and mash-up characters, but few can rival the power of the Speed Demon, Blaze Allen. The amalgamation of Johnny Blaze and Barry Allen, Speed Demon #1 by Howard Mackie, James Felder, Salvador Larroca, and Al Milgrom combined the backstories of both characters (and DC demonology) in more complicated fashion than expected.

Rather than bonding his soul to the powers of Zarathos, this Spirit of Vengeance was bound to DC’s own resident demon, Etrigan. As any Flash fan could assume, the powers of both Flash and Ghost Rider meant the Speed Demon instantly defeated some of the most powerful cosmic characters of both universes.

7 Robbie Reyes

Robbie Reyes Was More An Avenger Than A Ghost Rider

Robbie Reyes took over the role of Ghost Rider in Earth-616 continuity, distinguished by his flaming hot rod, the Hell Charger. He shares the same powers with other versions, and also inherited mystical powers from his uncle Eli, including the ability to teleport vast distances by generating Hellfire portals.

This skill comes in handy as Robbie Reyes demonstrated the ability to ride through space in his car. He even kept pace with the Silver Surfer, formerly among Galactus’ most powerful heralds. Reyes continues to accrue power in the comics, evolving recently into arguably the Ghost Rider’s most powerful form…

6 Juggernaut

Perhaps The Physically Strongest Of All Ghost-Riders

The Juggernaut is one of the physically most imposing characters in the Marvel Universe. He’s known as the unstoppable force because once he starts moving, his powers physically prevent him from being stopped. Juggernaut can easily bulldoze over people and buildings with no problems in the slightest. While it’s hard to imagine how Juggernaut could get any stronger, Marvel pulled it off in Legion of X #10 where Juggernaut gained the powers of Ghost Rider.

This version of Juggernaut had far more destructive power than ever before. With this new power, Juggernaut was able to control Hellfire as well as a host of new abilities. It’s also by far one of the coolest-looking Ghost Rider designs in the character’s history, with his almost Jack O’Lantern-like design for his flaming helmet in place of the iconic Ghost Rider skull.

5 Ghost Hammer

A Fusion Of Marvel’s Strongest Heroes

Ghost Hammer combines several Marvel superheroes into one to create a powerful Ghost Rider variant. Ghost Hammer emerges from Infinity Warps, the 2018 crossover that saw Gamora use the Infinity Stones to warp characters together. He formed from Ghost Rider, Black Panther, Thor, and Iron Man, harnessing all their individual powers into one nightmare come true.

Armed with Mjölnir, Ghost Hammer instantly stood with the most powerful Thor variants in Marvel Comics and functionally was a god, commanding supernatural forces beyond imagination.

4 Cosmic Ghost Rider

One Of The Most Powerful Riders And The Father Of Thanos

It may sound impossible, but the Cosmic Ghost Rider of Marvel’s future commands even greater power than a normal Spirit of Vengeance. This Frank Castle variant not only functions as the Spirit of Vengeance’s avatar, but he also possesses the Power Cosmic, after Galactus chose him to act as his herald (granting power over matter, energy, reality, and even amplifying the abilities of the Penance Stare).

Castle unleashes the Cosmic Penance Stare, which reduces even the most powerful beings to ashes. He also travels through space and time on his Hell Cycle faster than the speed of light. Though Ghost Riders can and do die, this variant gained immortality thanks to the terrific powers he wields. He also became the closest thing Thanos ever had to a loving father, after kidnapping him as a baby (yes, really).

3 Spirit Rider

The Strongest Ghost Rider In Terms Of Magical Ability

Spirit Rider arguably outclasses Cosmic Ghost Rider, as she eventually ranked with the most powerful Sorcerer Supreme versions in Marvel Comics. An Apache woman, Kushala leaned into her selection as the next Ghost Rider, studying her own people’s traditions of magic and developing skills that rival Doctor Strange’s.

Her powers allow her to physically travel between different dimensions and realities, which Doctor Strange can only do via astral projection. Except since she is also a Ghost Rider, she has the ability to do it while also riding a flaming horse.

2 Galactus Ghost-Rider

One Of The Strongest Ghost-Riders To Ever Exist

Galactus is by far one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe. With his utter control over the Power Cosmic, Galactus can do essentially whatever he wants. He can teleport across the universe, move planets, obliterate people, or resurrect them. There’s truly no limit to what Galactus is capable of.

This is why it’s so absurd that he was granted even more power as a host of a spirit of Vengeance. It seems that this Galactus was made to play a key part in Mister Sinister trying to destroy the corrupt universe he had created, and there’s no doubt that a Ghost-Rider/Galactus mash-up would have more than enough power to do this. While the Power Cosmic allows Galactus to do anything, this new Spirit of Vengeance possession also grants him access to demonic abilities like Hellfire.

1 All-Rider

Ghost Riders Ultimate Form

Robbie Reyes evolves into the All-Rider in Avengers Forever #9, a being singular in the famous Marsvel multiverse. In issue #11, Robbie discovers that in his higher form, he lacks any tangible limits on his power, or potential agency over reality. He transforms anything he touches into Hellfire, including cosmically powerful beings like the Celestials, who themselves wield power over time and space.

By extending Hellfire to beings and objects with such inherent power, All-Rider gains control over them… and by extension, their abilities. He commands not only souls, but life and death, and space and time on a multiversal scale.