Warning! This article contains spoilers for Avengers #52
Since his debut in Marvel Comics, there have been a number of Ghost Rider variations with just as many diverse vehicles and other modes of transportation used by the hellish antihero, and the newest Ghost Rider officially has the coolest ride yet. In the current Avengers saga, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are facing a multiversal villain, a Dark Phoenix variant, who is traveling to every Marvel universe and killing each world’s Avengers team. The Dark Phoenix variant is using variants of corrupted heroes and villains from across the multiverse to take down every version of the Avengers, including a truly diabolical version of Ghost Rider whose ride is the coolest fans have seen yet.
In Avengers #52 by Jason Aaron and Juan Frigeri, Captain America, Captain Marvel, and newcomer Starbrand are going to the old house where Starbrand’s mother grew up. Starbrand’s mother died in childbirth and never met the cosmically powerful hero Starbrand grew up to be. Before the three of them can take a look inside, they are met by a number of Deathloks who warn them that death is on their doorstep. Before the time-traveling cyborgs can finish their warning, everyone is attacked by two variants from alternate realities who are working for the murderous Dark Phoenix, and one of them is a wicked version of Ghost Rider.
Ghost Goblin is the name of this Ghost Rider variant as he comes from a universe where the Spirit of Vengeance latched itself to Norman Osborn’s Green Goblin, creating a fusion that could seemingly only grow in hell. Ghost Goblin has the villainy of the Green Goblin with all the powers of a Ghost Rider, making him one of the most bone-chilling threats in the Marvel catalog. One of the coolest aspects of this Ghost Rider variant, however, is his ride which is the classic Green Goblin glider powered and reshaped by green hellfire. Not only does this ride look ridiculously cool, but the functionality of the Hell-Glider is unlike anything a Ghost Rider has used in the past. The already established power of flight is still present in the glider with all the perks acquired by the addition of hellfire, making it incredibly fast, indestructible, and perpetually powered making refueling a nonnecessity.
Ghost Rider’s rides as seen by fans in the past are more often than not all ground-based. The first Ghost Rider, renamed by Marvel Comics ‘The Phantom Rider’, used a horse as his mode of transportation. The next two incarnations of Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch, used motorcycles turned Hell-Cycles upon the introduction of hellfire. One of the latest and most prominent with the Avengers, Robbie Reyes, uses a muscle car. When taking a look at the main vehicles used by the most popular Ghost Riders in Marvel Comics, it is easy to see why Ghost Goblin’s ride is easily the coolest in both looks and functionality.
Even with the superior ride, Ghost Goblin was unsuccessful in taking out Captain America, Captain Marvel, and Starbrand, though he was not defeated. Using the Hell-Glider, Ghost Goblin was able to make a quick escape when he saw the fight was lost. Fans can expect to see a lot more of this Ghost Rider variant in the coming issues of the Avengers until the multiversal threat is vanquished and Ghost Goblin is either destroyed or sent back where he belongs. Until then, Ghost Goblin will be reigning hellish terror from above as he is loose on Earth-616 with a sinister mind, unlimited power, and the coolest ride any Ghost Rider has used yet.